Harrison's Reports (1953)

170 HARRISON’S REPORTS October 24, 1953 “Appointment in Honduras” with Glenn Ford, Ann Sheridan and Zachary Scott (RKO, October 16; time, 79 min.) Photographed in the Scenic-Scope color process, with prints by Technicolor, this melodrama should find favor with those who do not mind either violent action or the shortcomings of a plot. It centers mainly around a trek through the Honduras jungle by Glenn Ford, an American adventurer who, after liberating a group of murderous convicts, enlists their aid to help him complete a dangerous mission involving a revolution in Honduras. The suspense and excite' ment stem chiefly from the perils faced by Ford as a result of the convicts’ hostility, aroused by the machinations of Zachary Scott, a cowardly fellow, who, together with Ann Sheridan, his wife, had been taken along on the trek as hostages. There are added perils in the party’s pursuit by government troops; Scott’s jealousy over the open affection shown to Ford by Miss Sheridan; the covetous glances directed toward her by the convicts; and the encounters with mankilling animals, fish and insects. All this, however, cannot cover up the fact that the story is a sketchy, implausible tale, which is never made too clear to the audience, and which is handicapped further by the poorly defined characterizations. The acting is good, as so is the direction, but the color photography leaves much to be desired: — Traveling aboard a small steamer in Central Ameri' can waters, Ford carries with him a huge sum of money for delivery in the wilds of Honduras to the faction that had been ousted from power by revolutionists in that country. His plan is upset when the steamer is ordered to by-pass all ports in Honduras because of the revolution. Desperate, Ford frees a group of criminals bound for a prison in Nicarauga, and with their help takes command of the ship. Rodolfo Acosta, leader of the criminals, agrees to follow Ford, who promises to lead them to the safety of Guatemala. As they lower a lifeboat over the ship’s side. Ford forces Zachary Scott and Ann Sheridan, the only other passengers, to accompany them as hostages. Upon reaching land, the party starts a trek through the jungle by boat and on foot. Scott, jealous over Ann’s interest in Ford and frightened over his own safety, craftily starts trouble by hinting to Acosta that Ford is using them all to reach a hidden treasure. The greedy Acosta makes known his hostility to Ford but dares not harm him, for he was the only one in the party who knew his way in and out of the jungle. The trek proves treacherous and exhausting, but Ford proves equal to the hazards afforded by Scott’s continued trouble-making, and to the natural dangers of the jungle. When Ford saves Ann from an attack by a puma, which had frightened off her cowardly husband, she openly shows her affection for Ford and her disdain for Scott. In the course of events, the revolutionists learn of Ford’s presence in the jungle and close in on his party. Ford is suddenly stricken with malaria, and Ann, while tending to him, discovers his money belt. When the criminals decide to dispose of Ford to save themselves, Ann gives them the money to spare his life. Recovering from the fever, Ford pursues the criminals and catches up with them in an Indian village. There, in a bloody battle in which Scott, too, loses his life, Ford, aided by Ann, finishes off Acosta and the other criminals. After recovering the money and turning it over to the anti-revolu tionists, Ford looks forward to a new life with Ann. It was produced by Benedict Bogeaus, and directed by Jacques Tourneur, from a screenplay by Karen De Wolfe. Adults. “Sea of Lost Ships” with John Derek, Wandra Hendrix and Walter Brennan ( Republic , Oct. 15; time, 85 min.) "Sea of Lost Ships,” which pays tribute to the Coast Guard, shapes up as a conventionally-patterned romantic action melodrama that should prove satisfactory to the general run of audiences on either half of a double bill. The story itself is a stock tale about a feud between two buddies after they quarrel over a girl, with their bitterness ending when one saves the other’s life during an iceberg disaster, but it holds one’s interest throughout, for it has touches of human interest and good sea action sequences. Interesting also is the insight given the spectator about the work of the Coast Guard’s protective ice patrols in the North Atlantic shippmg lanes. An exciting and well staged sequence is the one where the hero and his buddy risk their lives to free a giant passenger ship that had run aground on an iceberg. Worked into the footage to good effect are library clips of floating icebergs, and of the Arctic ice fields from which the icebergs break loose. The direction and acting are competent, and the photography good: — Following both their fathers’ footsteps, John Derek and Richard Jaeckel enter the Coast Guard Academy together. Both boys had been reared by Walter Brennan, Jaeckel’s father, after Barton MacLane, Derek’s father, had sacrificed his life to save a Coast Guard base from destruction by explosives. While at the Academy, the two boys, who had always been as close as brothers, quarrel for the first time when both fall in love with Wanda Hendrix, daughter of an admiral. Jaeckel, who had introduced Derek to Wanda, accuses him of stealing her love, although Wanda tries unsuccessfully to convince Jaeckel that he himself had never been more than a casual date to her. Rather than hurt Jaeckel, Derek breaks with Wanda and gets drunk to drown his grief. He ends up in a car accident and is expelled from the Academy, but is persuaded by Brennan to start anew in the Coast Guard service as an enlisted man. It is a bitter pill for Derek to swallow when Jaeckel, an ensign upon graduation, comes aboard the same ship, a situation engineered by the kindly Brennan in the hope that the boys would forget their differences. Derek attempts to bury the past, but Jaeckel remains aloof and makes it clear that he is not interested in a reconciliation. Their bitter feud finally comes to an end when both boys, along with Brennan, while on “ice patrol” duty, risk their lives to free a passenger ship that had run aground on an iceberg. Jaeckel is knocked unconscious by an avalanche of falling ice when he and Derek try to reset a dynamite charge that had failed. Derek rescues him and carries him to safety. This proof of Derek’s willingness to give up his life for him brings an end to Jaeckel’s bitterness. He gives Wanda and Derek his blessing and acts as best man at their wedding. It was produced and directed by Joseph Kane, from a screenplay by Steve Fisher, based on a story by Norman Reilly Raine. Family.