Harrison's Reports (1951)

November 3, 1951 HARRISON’S REPORTS 175 riage. For this purpose he selects Richard Stapley, a youth apparently devoid of principle, whom he frames into supposedly committing a murder. Stapley protests when Laughton insists that he marry his niece lest he turn him over to the authorities, but he is agreeably surprised when he meets Sally, who proves to be a beautful maiden and not the hag he had expected. Stapley sympathizes with Sally and offers to work out a way of escape. Metnwhile Cavanaugh, who had avoided death for two decades by feigning madness, learns of the pending marriage. He instructs Boris Karloff, an old servant who had remained faithful to him, to prevent the marriage by any means. Karloff tries to kill Stapley, but Sally stops him, explaining that he is her friend. In the developments that follow, Laughton foils several attempts by Stapley to escape and finally compels him to go through with the marriage. Then, for ultimate revenge, he locks the newlyweds in the dungeon with Cavanagh, and by pulling a lever attached to water wheel causes the walls of the dungeon to slowly come together. Karloff, though seriously wounded aiding Stapley, hurtles Laughton to his death on the water wheel, and manages to get the prisoners out of the narrowing cell in the nick of time. With their lives spared, Stapley offers to annul the marriage, but Sally loves him too much to agree. It was produced by Ted Richmond, and directed by Joseph Pevney, from a screen-play by Jerry Sackheim, based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s story, “The Sire de Maletroit’s Door." Adult fare. “Unknown World” with Bruce Kellogg and Marilyn Nash (Lippert, Oct. 26; time, 73 min.) Although this science-fiction story is hardly believable, it has elements which, when properly exploited, might draw crowds. It manages to hold the spectator’s attention glued to the screen, lor great ingenuity has been employed in presenting the story, which deals with a scientific trip to the bowels of the earth. Since pictures dealing with trips to planets have been overdone, this idea might fire the imagination of the movie-goers. The acting is realistic, and the scenes in which the lives of each of the characters is shown in danger are thrilling. There is little comedy relief : — A group ol six men and women, including Victor Kilian, Bruce Kellogg, Otto Waldis, Jim Bannon, Tom Handley, Dick Cogan, George Baxter and Marilyn Nash, decide to explore the depths of the earth for a cavern that would serve mankind as a safe retreat in the event of an atomic war. In their “cyclotram,” a half-tank, half-submarine vehicle, designed to drill a path through solid rock, they begin their journey down an extinct volcano in the Aleutian Islands. After a hazardous journey through huge caverns, during which two men are killed by underground gas, and one by a fall from a high ledge, they break through to a vast subterranean world illuminated by Phosphorescent rock, and with a tremendous lake fed by underground streams. They break out laboratory equipment to test water, soil and the effect of underground life on reproduction. Their hopes for an underground asylum are shattered when the offspring of several rabbits are born dead, thus proving the impossibility of human reproduction. A sudden earth tremor causes them to rush to the safety of the “cyclotram,” but only three reach the vehicle in time to escape a huge tidal wave. The survivors are unable to make the “cyclotram” rise, but just as they give up all hope of returning to safety it begins climbing again and they soon find themselves on the earth’s surface, floating in the ocean near a tropical island. It was produced by J. R. Rabin and I. A. Block, and directed by Terrell O. Morse, from an original screenplay by Millard Kaufman. Suitable for the family. “The Browning Version” with Michael Redgrave and Jean Kent (Univ-Int’l, November; time, 90 min.) Competently directed and beautifully acted, this Britishmade drama is suitable mostly for class audiences. Its appeal for the masses is doubtful, for it is a slow-paced, tragic character study of a colorless and humorless teacher in an English boys’ school, an unhappy frustrated man who is unpopular with his students and his fellow teachers, and who is unloved by a mercenary wife who carries on a secret love affair with another teacher in the same school. Michael Redgrave gives a superb performance in the leading role, but one feels pity for him rather than sympathy, for he is a weak, spineless individual, from whom one gains no inspiration, even though he shows some courage at the finish, where he rejects his wife, breaks up her love affair, and defies the headmaster. It is mainly because of Redgrave’s acting that one remains absorbed in the picture, but even his fine performance cannot hide the fact that the story itself is essentially weak: — Redgrave, a teacher of the classics, prepares to retire because of ill health, aware of the fact that he had never succeeded in endearing himself to his pupils, and that he had been a failure both as a teacher and a husband. Jean Kent, his wife, has nothing but disdain for him, and over the years she had vented her disgruntled feelings on him. She seeks consolation for her unhappiness in an affair with Nigel Patrick, the school’s young science teacher, unaware that Redgrave knew about it but said nothing in order to have peace. Cheated out of a pension by the school officials, and humiliated by the headmaster who asks him to make a farewell speech to the students before a younger teacher, who, too, was leaving the chool, Redgrave is deeply touched when one of his students, as a token of his esteem, presents him with a copy of Robert Borwning’s version of Aeschylus’ “Agamemnon.” Jean, in a peevish mood because he had been denied a pension, shatters his warm feeling by revealing that, earlier in the day, she had seen the youngster mimicking his mannerisms. Patrick, who witnesses her telling this to Redgrave, sees her for the cruel and selfish woman she is. He turns against her and, sympathizing with Redgrave, urges him to separate from her. Redgrave follows his advice, and Jean finds herself with neither a husband nor a lover. Her departure gives Redgrave new courage, and at the farewell ceremonies he defies the headmaster by making his speech last, as was his right, and his frank admission to the boys that he had failed them as a teacher wins him warm applause and helps him to face the future with a new outlook on life. It is a J. Arthur Rank presentation, produced by Teddy Baird, and directed by Anthony Asquith, from a screenplay and original story by Terrence Rattigan. Adult fare. “Starlift” with an all-star cast (Warner Evos., Dec. 1; time, 103 min.) This is the type of musical that should appeal to the masses and should prove to be a good box-office attraction as well, because of the all-star cast. Practically every star on the Warner lot appears in it, including Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Virginia Mayo, Gene Nelson, and Ruth Roman, who play themselves in the story, as well as James Cagney, Gary Cooper, Virginia Gibson, Phil Harris, Frank Lovejoy, Lucille Norman, Randolph Scott, Jane Wyman and Patricia Wymore, who appear briefly in the action, comedy skits and musical numbers. Doris Day and Gordon MacRae handle most of the singing chores, while Virginia Mayo, Patricia Wymore and Gene Nelson take care of the dance numbers — all are enjoyable. The story is thin, but it is gay and sprightly, offers romance, and serves nicely as a means of putting the music and comedy across. The story opens in San Francisco, where a number of the stars, including Janice Rule, are preparing for a personal appearance in connection with a premiere. Through the fast talking of Dick Wesson, his buddy, and the sympathetic aid of Doris Day and Ruth Roman, Ron Hagerthy, an Air Force corporal, is able to meet Janice, his “dream girl,” who came from the same town he grew up in. Wesson tells the girls that he and Hagerthy are heading overseas that day, and they decide to drive them back to Travis Air Force Base in the belief that they are going to see them off to the Korean War. Actually, the boys were crew members aboard regular flights flying troops between the base and Honolulu. Janice bids Hagerthy a fond farewell, while the base commander induces Doris and Ruth to meet the rest of the men at the base and put on an impormptu show. Touched by the boost in morale given to the men by their appearance, the three girls offer to line up more stars for a weekly visit to the base, thus instituting “Operation Starlift.” When they return the next week with a contingent of stars, they find Wesson and Hagerthy and realize that they had been taken in by their departing hero act. Janice is furious and quarrels with Hagerthy, but because the romance had been publicized and the visiting stars attached sentimental importance to it, both are obliged to pretend to be sweethearts, although each is antagonistic to the other. At the finish, however, Wesson clears up the misunderstanding by admitting that he and not Hagerthy had created a false impression about their going overseas. By this time Hagerthy receives his official orders for overseas action. Janice seeks him out, effects a reconciliation, and promises to wait for his return. It was produced by Robert Arthur, and directed by Roy Del Ruth, from a story by John Klorer, who wrote the screen play with Karl Kamb. Fine for the entire family.