MOVIES - Jan. 23, 1989

Actor Richard Dreyfuss seems to have come out on top in his suit against Tri-Star Pictures Inc., if only in principle. Spokespersons for both sides have announced reaching a settlement in the suit Dreyfuss filed against Tri-Star last December when it halted production of “Fifty.” Dreyfuss claimed in his suit that Tri-Star must pay him a $3.5-million advance promised before production began. Although settlement terms were not disclosed, Dreyfuss scored on at least one point when Tri-Star acknowledged that the star was not to blame for the feature’s demise. “Mr. Dreyfuss was not to blame for Tri-Star’s decision to discontinue production of ‘Fifty,’ ” Tri-Star President David Matalon said last Thursday. Dreyfuss was out of the country and unavailable for comment.