UK/Australian co-production The Night They Called It a Day has been picked up for the US by Miracle Entertainment.

Emile Sherman of Sherman Pictures, co-producer of the feature with the UK's Nik Powell of Scala Productions, made the announcement in Sydney. "Miracle have been incredibly enthusiastic about the film and its potential from the moment they saw it," he said.

The comedy/drama, which centres on legendary singer Frank Sinatra's disastrous 1974 concert tour of Australia, had only a modest success on its release here last year.

But the presence of Dennis Hopper as Sinatra and Melanie Griffith as girlfriend (and later 4th wife) Barbara Marx always made it a possibility for US release. Hopper is especially good at suggesting the public mystique and personal rawness of troubled superstar Sinatra.

"It's a truly unique story," says John Daly, Miracle CEO, "which I believe will have a wide appeal for American audiences. We'll be putting substantial p&a behind this film and will release it throughout the US in March/April."

Critics here complained that a fictional love story concerning two young Australians caught up in the tour fiasco detracted from the interesting Sinatra/Bach relationship. There's no suggestion that the film will be re-edited for the US but the title is certainly changing - to All The Way.

International sales are via the UK's Winchester Films.