MGM: ‘Benny’s’ From Heaven : Movies: The quirky romantic comedy ‘Benny & Joon’ is shaping up as a hit for the studio, breaking a long dry spell.

“Benny & Joon” doesn’t have the sexy, commercial premise of “Indecent Proposal,” and its trio of leading players--Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson and Aidan Quinn--doesn’t have nearly the box-office power of Robert Redford, Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson.

In two weekends at theaters, “Benny & Joon” is no runaway hit--it has grossed a modest $8 million so far, compared to the heavily advertised “Indecent Proposal,” which in its first two weeks grossed a whopping $47 million (and is still No. 1 at the box office with about $61.4 million after three weeks). The just-opened “Who’s the Man?,” with a slew of rap music stars, took the No. 2 spot this week with about $4.5 million over the weekend, and “The Sandlot” placed third.

Yet “Benny & Joon” is carving a niche for itself as one of those quirky, intimate films that finds an audience slowly through word-of-mouth. In the weekend just ended, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer expanded the number of theaters showing “Benny & Joon” from 408 to 1,310 and saw business increase 13%.

That’s small potatoes to some, but for financially troubled MGM, that’s good news.

MGM has had what seemed to be a persistent dry spell at the box office--its last medium-sized hit was 1991’s “Thelma & Louise.” Among its disappointments already this year: Madonna’s “Body of Evidence,” ($13.7 million since January), “Untamed Heart” ($18 million) and “Rich in Love” ($2 million).

“Benny & Joon” is a story about a mechanic (Quinn) who has devoted his life to caring for his mentally ill younger sister (Masterson). Both appear to be locked into their lives and the sister’s condition appears to be growing worse until the unexpected arrival of a Buster Keaton-like character (Depp) who wanders into their lives.

MGM executive vice president Ashley Boone expressed a bit of relief to have a film in the market that shows signs of reaching hit status. “It feels good to have a picture work,” he said. “It certainly makes our life easier among our business partners”--theater owners and home video distributors. A dry spell can make relationships frosty with companies that expect a supply of hit movies.

Boone acknowledged a “general good buzz” about the movie, and said it did well despite the arrival of three new films, including a Stephen King film, “The Dark Half,” which placed sixth.

Boone said the film was primarily marketed to the young, female audience that test screenings showed responded strongly to the story. “But they are an audience group that do not break down the doors to see a movie on its first weekend. So we’re prepared to support this film (with advertising) for a long time.” In the second weekend Boone said there is evidence that the demographics on the film are broadening.

The movie has also brought attention to first-time producers Susan Arnold and Donna Roth. But neither are strangers to the business--Arnold is the daughter of movie director Jack Arnold, and Roth is the wife of former 20th Century Fox studio chief Joe Roth and the daughter of producer Samuel Z. Arkoff.

“We loved the story for the fact that it was different from most movies,” said Arnold. The screenplay by Barry Berman, based on a story by him and Leslie McNeil, is a rarity in that it is about a brother-sister relation. Oddly one of the film’s original cast members, Harrelson, dropped out of the role of the brother and, in a widely reported move, took the part in “Indecent Proposal.” “It was three weeks before we started shooting and it could have been awful,” said Roth. “But Ladd (MGM chairman Alan Ladd Jr.) stood by us.

“So we feel so happy to be the ones to bring some good news to MGM,” Roth said.