Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1962)

"Victim" Sututew ^.ati*ty Q Q O Gripping suspense-thriller from Britain. Seal denied because of homosexual angle. Big for art market. Might be surprise grosser, if sold, in general situations. From England comes this absorbing and gripping suspensethriller by the creators of the highly successful "Sapphire." It is a story about blackmail, and has as its background the tragic problems of men who are considered abnormal — homosexuals. Denied a Production Code Seal, this Pathe-America release will find its strongest response among art house and discriminating patrons. With the strong campaign P-A has promised it could emerge a surprise grosser in the general market. The Seal denial is a shame because "Victim" is an intelligent, hard-hitting, but non-sensational indictment against the treating of homosexuals as criminals. Around this theme has been woven a clever and intriguing drama. Critical reception and word-of-mouth could do much to attract audiences into houses they usually do not frequent. The Janet Green-John McCormick screenplay presents the premise that 90% of blackmail cases in England have a homosexual origin. From here they center on the plight of a married and respected attorney who finds his repressed homosexual tendencies coming to the front again. After becoming the victim of an unknown blackmailer, he sets out to unmask the sadistic culprit, and finds himself traveling through the grey world of lonely and vulnerable men who are, unfortunately, "different." Under Basil Dearden's taut and probing direction the film builds to a level of almost unbearable suspense, and the surprise ending will amaze even the most astute of armchair detectives. The performances are superb. Dirk Bogarde, brings masterful shadings to his role of the attorney, a man who finds his secure world about to collapse in shocking scandal. Sylvia Syms is confused and frightened as his wife who suddenly realizes that Bogarde has not banished the shadow that he told her about before their marriage. The many homosexuals are played with subtlety and sensitivity: Dennis Price, a famous actor; Peter McEnery, a timid boy, whose death triggers off the blackmail hunt, and Donald Churchill, McEnery's friend who helps Bogarde. The plot finds young McEnery arrested for stealing money, then hanging himself so he will not have to implicate Bogarde with whom he has become unusually close (the blackmailer has a photograph of McEnery and Bogarae sitting in Bogarde's car). Realizing that McEnery was shielding him, Bogarde sets out to get the blackmailers. After a number of blind-alley leads and another suicide, Bogarde finally unmasks the blackmailer. But he exposes himself with the others. Miss Syms agrees to remain with him. Pathe-America. 100 minutes. Dirk Bogarde, Relph. Directed by Basil Dearden. Sylvia Syms. Produced by Michael "The Three Stooges Meet Hercules" Rowdy fun for the kids. If the current TV popularity of the Three Stooges is transferable to the screen, this Columbia release figures to get its share of moppet trade. The youngsters should get a real bang out of Moe, Larry and Curly Joe giving Hercules, Ulysses and most of the population of 96l B.C. Greece a zany run for their money. Noses are twisted, skulls are wacked with hammers, Cretan Bulls and Nine-Headed Hydras are conquered in the arena, and there's even a pie-throwing sequence during a climactic chariot race. Helping the boys re-write history are Quinn Redeker, a meek young scientist who invents the timemachine that carries our adventurers back to Ancient Greece; pretty Vicki Trickett, the girl Redeker loves, and George Neise who doubles as a lecherous modern-day store owner and the wicked King of Ithaca. Samson Burke struts his mighty chest around as the rowdy Hercules who meets his downfall Stoogestyle. Director Edward Bernds guides things along at madcap pace. Elwood Ullman's silly screenplay finds the Stooges, Redeker and Miss Trickett landing in Greece and accidentally aiding Neise gain the throne. Neise, infatuated with Miss Trickett, sentences the Stooges and Redeker to work as galley slaves. Redeker develops into a formidable strong man, the four escape, and Redeker masquerades as the famed Hercules, while the Stooges serve as his fight managers. They eventually prevent Neise from marrying Miss Trickett, topple Neise from the throne and force Hercules to reform his rowdy ways. Columbia. 89 minutes. The Three Stooges, Vicki Trickett. Produced by Norman Maurer. Directed by Edward Bernds. "Saintly Sinners" Third-rate dualler for sub-runs, Here is another one of those cliche-loaded quickies from the stable of producer Robert E. Kent. It might squeak by as a supporting dualler in sub-runs. This time it's a feeble attempt to imitate the world of Damon Runyon, but Kevin Barry's pedestrian screenplay just doesn't make it. Ploddingly directed by Jean Yarbrough, the plot traces the ordeals of a kindly priest in charge of a run-down church, the colorful gangsters (hard on the outside, soft on the inside) who use the church for their nefarious plottings, and a nice young couple who innocently become involved in a bank robbery. There are no names for the marquee, although most of the "toughs" are played by character actors who have been on the screen for many years. Don Beddoe is the priest, Ellen Corby, his toughtalking housekeeper, Stanley Clements and Paul Bryar, a pair of sharpie bank robbers, and Ron Hagerthy, the young kid who gets framed. The climax comes when the police complain that Beddoe is coddling criminals in his parish. Monsignor Addison Richards decides to transfer him to another church. The criminals plead with Richards not to send Beddoe away and Clements and Bryar confess to the robbery. Beddoe is allowed to stay and Hagerthy is freed from jail. United Artists. 78 minutes. Don Bogarde Ellen Corby, Stanley Clements. Produced by Robert E. Kent. Directed by Jean Yarbrough. "Deadly Duo" Minor shoestring melodrama passable dualler. Twin sisters, an attempted murder for half-a-million dollars and the Mexican playground of Acapulco provide the ingredients for this Robert E. Kent shoestringer. Strictly routine in concept and presentation, director Reginald LeBorg manages to churn up a fair amount of suspense. It will prove an OK supporting dualler for action and ballyhoo houses. Craig Hill is a struggling young lawyer hired by the head of a large industrial corporation to "buy" her grandson from the boy's ex-nightclub dancer mother. Marcia Henderson portrays twin sisters: Sabena, the boy's recently widowed brunette mother who wants to forget her night club past, and Dara, the scheming blonde who will do anything for money. Robert Lowery is Dara's husband, a bankrupt nightclub owner. Owen Harris' screenplay finds Sabena refusing to give up her son, and Dara and Lowery plotting to kill Sabena and get the money for themselves. Pretending she is Sabena, Dara signs the necessary papers giving custody of the boy to his grandmother. Then they plot a car "accident" to get rid of Sabena. Thinking her dead, Hill exposes the plot to the police, then learns that Sabena wasn't in the car when it was wrecked. Dara and Lowery are arrested and Sabena and son are invited to live with the grandmother. United Artists. 69 minutes. Craig Hill, Marcia Henderson, Robert Lowery. Produced by Robert E. Kent. Directed by Rginald LeBorg. Page 14 Film BULLETIN February 5, 1962