A HOWLING FAILURE

Marilyn Beck, interviewing Howie Mandel last week, mentioned “A Fine Mess” as one of his conspicuous failures. But what about “Walk Like a Man,” the Mandel comedy of a boy raised by wolves, which may have howled its last? Or should that be whimpered?

Originally called “Bobo,” it was scheduled for a national release last November, then February, then May. It finally had a muzzled opening around town in June at the bottom half of drive-in bills with “Benji the Hunted.” MGM/UA didn’t take out any advertising--so it’s not surprising that Mandel’s agent, Jonathan Krane, was taken aback by news of its local release.

Krane told us that it was test-marketed in Denver, Toronto and Boston in April: “It’s a very good picture. It has charm and humor, and Howie was prepared to do substantial promotion. We talked with MGM about coordinating the opening with his concert tour, and they were very responsive. I haven’t been officially apprised that the picture won’t open in major markets, so I’m operating on the basis that it’s still an active concern.”

(Daily Variety was not as kind in its review: “Can easily take its place on anyone’s list of the 10 stupidest pix ever made.”)

Barry Lorie, MGM/UA senior v.p. of worldwide marketing, told us: “No one (at the company) wants to talk about it. It’s a dead issue.”