Focus: A Film Review (1950-1951)

21 HIGHLY DANGEROUS Starring: Margaret Lockwood and Dane Clark. Written by Eric Ambler. Producer: Anthony Darniborough. Director: Roy Baker. A Two Cities Film. Certificate: U. Category: A. Running time : 88 minutes. This film is in some ways very much like State Secret, but it is a too devitalised and dehydrated version of that exciting film about the penetration and escape from a police state to do anything else but disappoint. The story is of a lady doctor (Margaret Lockwood) — or rather, “entomologist”, to be exact, which means a bug, germ and insect specialist — who has to enter a police state in order to capture specimens of insects which were being bred for war purposes. There were plenty of opportunities of the film to live up to its name of Highly Dangerous, but none were taken. No situation was quite plausible and no audience will be sufficiently gullible to get the thrills it is supposed to. The last minutes of the film were switched over, Hitchcock fashion, from thriller to comedy and although no one turned a hair for the first eighty minutes of the film, not a few had a good laugh or two in the remaining eight, where the humorless horrors of a real police state were contrasted with our own somewhat aggravating and amusing customs, police and rationing regulations. On this side of the iron curtain we are still free to laugh. G. FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE Starring: Clifton Webb, Joan Bennett, Robert Cummings, Edmund Gwenn, with Joan Blondell, Gigi Perreau, Jack La Rue, Harry von Zell, Tommy Rettig. Producer: William Perliberg. Director: George Seaton. Distributors: 20th Century-Fox. Certificate : A. Category: A. Running time : 86 minutes. The worst that can be said about this film is that it might encourage in those who know no better the idea that angels are mythical or alternatively that they are semi-human. But let us be thankful for small mercies. In spite of the title there is no attempt, as in some other films, to portray any region other than earth. And though Clifton Webb and Edmund Gwenn are no angels except in name they are on the side of the angels. Their mission is to save a childless marriage from breaking up. Mr. Bolton maintains that he and his wife belong to the theatre and for that reason must postpone having a family. Mrs. Bolton is not so sure. The senior angel aptly describes the idea as “unmitigated hogwash”. Before the angels triumph some amusing sidelines are introduced. Jack La Rue provides a good burlesque of a film gangster. The way in which plays are financed is heavily satired. Better still is Charles Lane’s portrayal of a tax inspector. Mr. Gwenn’s individuality is wasted as he is merely a feed or foil to Mr. Webb. And what was it about Joan Bennett that somehow suggested Margaret Lockwood ? Against the sound moral basis of this comedy must be set a lack of delicacy. The Boltons’ marriage may have been made in heaven but it seemed to be thoroughly earthy. Q. TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE Starring: Jane Powell, Richardo Montbatten, Louis Calhem, Ann Harding. Producer: Jack Cummins. Director: Roy Rowland. Distributors: M.-G.-M. Certificate: U. Category: B. Running time: 92 minutes. This is a sort of skit on love’s young dream. It is an unpretentious little piece which I found amusing. The children who appear gave me a good deal of laughter. E. IN THE WORLD * There are 100,000 picture theatres * Admitting 235 million patrons each week. * 146 million pounds capital are invested in films every year. * The film industry comes only third in economic importance. After wheat and coal and before the motor car industry.