Harrison's Reports (1951)

March 24, 1951 HARRISON’S REPORTS 47 she induces Williams’ to agree to divorce his wife and follow her to Paris. In order to bring her father to his senses, Petula cooks up a scheme that leads him to believe that she is behaving badly with a disreputable playboy. She ignores Williams’ remonstrations, pointing out that his own conduct with Mai was not so ethical. Williams then sees his affair in its true light and tells Mai that he will not run away with her. Mai pretends to be heartbroken, and Williams sends Petula to comfort her. Mai, however, informs Petula that she had no intention of running away with her father. Rather than rob Williams of his illusion, Petula tells him that Mai accepted his decision bravely. Williams returns home to his forgiving wife, but treasures in his memory the “fling” with the saucy French girl. It is a J. Arthur Rank presentation, produced by Edward Dryhurst and directed by Edmond T. Greville, from a screen play by Mr. Dryhurst and Peggy Barwell, based on a novel by Serge Weber. Adult entertainment. “My Forbidden Past” with Ava Gardner, Robert Mitchum and Melvyn Douglas (RKO, no rel. date set; time, 81 min.) Other than the fact that it offers good production values and fairly strong marquee value in the names of the players, there is not much that can be said for this melodrama. The story is not only ordinary and unpleasant, but it is also artificial— at no time does it strike a realistic note. Moreover, there are no human interest touches, and no sympathy is felt for any of the principal characters, for they are either un-. scrupulous or immoral. There is nothing distinguished about the acting, much of which is, in fact, wooden. The story takes place in New Orleans at the turn of the century: — Ava Gardner lives with Lucille Watson, her haughty old aunt, who constantly fears that New Orleans society may discover that Ava’s grandmother was a notorious woman. Ava is in love with Robert Mitchum, a penniless Yankee doctor, and plans to elope with him when he takes a trip to South America, but Melvyn Douglas, her aunt’s debonair but unscrupulous son, persuades her not to go so that she might take an interest in wealthy Gordon Oliver and thus bolster the family’s depleted fortune. Douglas promises to deliver an explanatory note to Mitchum, but destroys it. Shortly thereafter Ava inherits a fortune from her grandmother and accepts it over the stern protests of her aunt. Mitchum returns to New Orleans several months later and brings with him Janis Carter, his bride. Ava is stunned by the marriage until she learns of Douglas’ trickery. When Mitchum turns down her pleas to divorce Janis and marry him, Ava offers Douglas a stiff bribe to charm Janis and arrange a secret tryst with her. Douglas agrees and soon arranges a clandestine meeting with Janis in a deserted boathouse while Ava informs Mitchum of the intrigue. At the boathouse, Janis is killed accidentally by Douglas during a quarrel. Ava arrives on the scene in time to see Douglas flee. When Mitchum arrives and finds Ava with the body, he believes that she is involved in the killing, but at the inquest he says nothing about Ava’s presence, thus causing suspicion of murder to be directed at himself. Ava, shocked at the consequences of her scheme, comes forward and tells the truth. Her revelations clear Mitchum of suspicion and bring about Douglas' arrest. Now convinced of Ava’s love, Mitchum decides to marry her. It is a Robert Sparks-Polan Banks production, produced by Mr. Banks and directed by Robert Stevenson from a screen play by Marion Parsonnet, based on a novel by Mr. Banks. Adult fare. “The Scarf” with John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge and James Barton ( United Artists, April 6; time, 87 min.) A somber mystery drama with psychological overtones, revolving around a convicted man who escapes from a prison for the criminally insane, determined to clear up a doubt in his mind that he is insane and that he had committed a murder. The story is a bit too pat in some parts, somewhat complicated in other parts, and towards the finish it becomes over-melodramatic, but on the whole the flow of events keeps one interested in the proceedings. It is doubtful, however, if many picture-goers of the rank-and-file will find it to their tastes, first, because of the introspective characterizations, which are difficult to understand, and secondly, because of the cryptic dialogue, much of which will go over the heads of most movie-goers. Moreover, the action is slowed down considerably because of excessive talk. The performances are good, with James Barton outstanding as a hard-bitten, philosophic turkey rancher: — Having escaped from the asylum, John Ireland finds refuge on Barton’s turkey farm. Barton understands Ireland’s desire to find out if he is really insane, and if he had committed the sex murder of a young woman who had been found strangled next to his unconscious body. He conceals Ireland from the police and then persuades him to remain at the farm for several weeks to regain his strength. A strong affection develops between the two men, and one day, when Barton falls ill, Ireland finds it necessary to go to town to pick up feed. En route he gives a lift to Mercedes McCambridge, a hard-boiled waitress hitch-hiking back to Los Angeles. He discovers that she is wearing a scarf similar to the one that strangled the other girl, and it helps him to remember hazily the details of the crime. Before he returns to the farm, he gives Mercedes ten dollars and saves her from being annoyed by two drunks. At the bus station Mercedes sees a police poster identifying Ireland and offering a huge reward for his capture, but remembering his kindness she decides not to turn him in. Ireland, his memory somewhat refreshed, goes to Los Angeles to visit Emlyn Williams, a psychiatrist friend, who had been with him on the night of the murder. While Wililams convinces Ireland that he did commit the killing, he surreptitiously gets word to the police and has Ireland recaptured. In the complicated events that follow, Lloyd Gough, the prison psychiatrist, finds reason to suspect Williams and to doubt Ireland’s guilt. Aided by Barton and by Mercedes and her scarf, Gough sets up a trap that provokes Williams into revealing himself as the killer. Cleared, Ireland thanks Mercedes and goes off to live with Barton. It was produced by I. G. Goldsmith and directed by E. A. Dupont, who wrote the screenplay from a story by the producer and E. A. Rolfe. Adult fare. I , ’ “The Painted Hills” with PaidKelly and Lassie (MGM, May; time, (66 iJnin.) A fairly good “Lassie” picture, pliotographed in Technicolor. Its short running time makes it best suited for the secondary spot on most programs, but where the “Lassie” pictures have proved popular in the past it can be used either singly with an appropriate program of shorts, or to top a double bill. The story itself is not unusual, but it holds one’s attention to a fair degree and is considerably exciting in the closing reels, where Lassie avenges her master’s murder in a chase through snow-capped mountains that ends with the killer’s death. A good part of the film’s appeal is due to the Technicolor photography, which greatly enhances the beautiful mountain backgrounds: — Paul Kelly, an aged prospector, discovers a rich gold strike after years of labor, and rushes to town to inform his partner in a general store, only to learn that the man had died and that Bruce Cowling had become his new partner. While Cowling lines up Kelly’s supplies for the winter, Kelly visits Ann Doran, the deceased partner’s widow, and Gary Gray, her young son. To comfort the grieving boy, Kelly makes him a present of Lassie, his faithful collie. Lassie falls ill as a result of being separated from her master, and Gary de« cides to take the dog back to Kelly. Cowling goes along. They find Kelly ill in his cabin, and stay on to help him mine the gold. Cowling’s greed for the gold worries Kelly and, to protect himself, he sends Gary and Lassie with a note to Ann, telling her to file a claim on the mine. During their absence. Cowling murders Kelly and hides the mined gold. Lassie, returning to the mine, finds Kelly’s grave, and her wailing maddens Cowling. He feeds Lassie poisoned meat to get rid of her, but the scheme fails when two of Gary’s Indian friends find the sick dog and cure her. Gary returns to the mine with Lassie and discovers the killing, but his efforts to pin the murder on Cowling fail for lack of proof. Lassie, however, haunts Cowling night after night with her wailing. Maddened, Cowling attempts to shoot Lassie, but the dog leads him on a wild chase up a mountain, where Cowling, freezing with the cold, slips from a narrow ledge and falls to his death. Her master’s death avenged, Lassie returns to Gary. It was produced by Chester M. Franklin and directed by Harold F. Kress from a screen play by True Boardman, based on the novel, “Shep of the Painted Hills," by Alexander Hull. Good for the family.