Happy Birthday to The Capri

Note: This is lifted directly from an email sent by The Capri Film Society....)

Montgomery's only independent movie theatre, the Capri, will celebrate it's seventieth anniversary by showing the first film ever projected at the theatre: "Love Thy Neighbor" starring Jack Benny, Fred Allen and Mary Martin.


Everyone is invited to attend on Thursday, July 14 for the one time only screening at 7:30pm.

Originally opened as the Clover Theatre on July 18, 1941, the Montgomery neighborhood theatre has been in continuous operation for seventy years. The Capri Theatre has been operated since 1983 by the Capri Community Film Society, which purchased the building last year.
     "We are, of course, excited to continue seventy years of tradition by operating the Capri Theatre as the anchor of Old Cloverdale," said Director Martin McCaffery. "We are even more excited by the support from the community which allowed us to keep the theatre going. We hope people will turn out to see how it all got started."
     According to the opening day ads "Clover Theatre is all you wish it to be and a thrill awaits you when you behold this beautiful example of modern theatre construction." Tickets at the time were 20¢ for adults and 10¢ for children under 12. The Clover featured staggered seats and "refrigerated air-conditioning."

     "The prices are higher, the seats are no longer staggered, and the AC is much better than 1941," said McCaffery, "Nonetheless, it is still the best place in Montgomery to see a movie, and the only place to see a movie on film."
     "Love Thy Neighbor" was the first cinematic pairing of the famous comedians who had been publicly "feuding" since 1937. The film carries their feud onto the screen, with up and coming actress in her pre-Peter Pan days Mary Martin caught in the middle.
     "We've wanted to show the film many times over the years," said McCaffery, "but we were always told there were no prints. By sheer coincidence we discovered that a composite print was made in 2009 and we will be allowed to show this only existing 35mm print."


For more information about the poster sale call 334.262.4858 or online at www.capritheatre.org.
The Capri Theatre is located at 1045 E Fairview Ave in Montgomery, Alabama. The theatre is owned and operated by the non-profit Capri Community Film Society. For more information about the Capri, visit the Capri Theatre Website


The only question I have is this: WHY was the balcony closed (as indicated in the ad)? Sounds mysterious. I'm sure it was, like everything else in Montgomery in 1941, segregated. Was the balcony "blacks only" seating, and not open for the Grand Opening?