Harrison's Reports (1954)

22 HARRISON’S REPORTS February 6, 1954 “Red Garters” with Rosemary Clooney, Jack Carson, Guy Mitchell emd Pat Crowley (Paramount, March; time, 91 min.) Fascinating is the word for this decidedly novel western musical comedy, which has been photographed in Technicolor and which pokes satirical fun at the standard western formula plot. It has good touches of comedy and entertaining musical numbers, but what makes the picture different is the fact that there are no real-life sets or scenic backgrounds; the entire action is played out against imaginative sets that are skeletonized outlines of building exteriors and interiors, as in the manner of the ancient Greek Theatre. It is a so-called “free' type of scenic design that is used at times in stage and ballet sets and, as employed in this picture, makes for a radical but interesting change in production technique and gives the film a fascinating quality. In fact, after one watches the picture for a while, he feels as if he is looking at a stage show. There is no question that the picture will have a definite appeal for those who are looking for something different in film fare. The general run of audiences too, should enjoy it, for it has, as said, good comedy and music, but it will require considerable exploitation to attract them to the box-office. The color photography is outstanding. The story has Guy Mitchell, a typical fearless western hero, coming to the lawless town of Paradise Lost, determined to avenge the death of his brother. He arrives just as the town’s uninhibited inhabitants are burying the dead man and celebrating the occasion with a barbecue. In the course of events, Mitchell falls in love with Pat Crowley, lovely ward of Jack Carson, the town’s blustering political boss, who objects to Mitchell’s attentions and lets him know that he doesn’t want any strangers hanging around town. Carson’s attitude is looked upon with disapproval by Rosemary Clooney, the town’s leading saloon entertainer, who loves Carson but won’t marry him until he does something about the casual killings that take place regularly in Paradise Lost. Mitchell is caught up in the gay, happy-go-lucky spirit of the town but continues to search for his brother’s killer. His suspicions fall on several characters and, after numerous compHcations, he learns that Gene Barry, a notorious gunman who had become his friend, is the man he is looking for. Sticking to the code of the west, the two men agree to shoot it out, but, before they can harm each other, Frank Faylen, a cowardly town character, is unmasked as the killer. He in turn is saved from a lynching by the timely arrival of the mihtia, summoned by Reginald Owen, a reform-type judge, who had been sent west by Washington to clean up the lawlessness. With law and order having been restored to the town, Rosemary agrees to marry Carson, while a similar step is taken by Mitchell and Miss Crowley, as well as by Barry and Joanne Gilbert, the judge’s daughter. It was produced by Pat Duggan, and directed by George Marshall, from a screenplay by Michael Pessier. Suitable for all. “Hell and High Water” with Richard Widmark, Bella Darvi and Victor Francen (20th Century'Fox, Feb.; time, 103 min.) For its fifth CinemaScope offering, 20th Century-Fox has come through with a rugged and highly entertaining adventure thriller. Its story of a self-sacrificing group of inters national individuals who thwart a Red plot to drop an atom bomb on Korea and to blame the deed on the United States is fanciful, and a good part of the action is incredible, but it has been presented in a way that should go over well with the general run of audiences because of the exciting melodramatic incidents. The picture, which has been photographed in Technicolor, is further proof of the fact that the CinamScope process does much to enhance the action on the screen. Such scenes as an atom bomb explosion, a battle between two submarines on the sea’s surface and their collision under water are visually as well as emotionally exciting, and yet the wide sweep of the CinemaScope camera is equally effective in catching the intimate action when the scenes shift to the close quarters in the interior of the submarine. Richard Widmark is rugged and fearless as a former American naval officer who commands the submarine on its trip to the Arctic, and his heroic feats of daring make for many tense and exciting moments. Bella Darvi, a newcomer to the screen, makes a good impression as a lady scientist who goes along on the adventure and, of course, falls in love with Widmark. As said, it is all quite fanciful, but it has ingredients that have proved popular in the past and should prove popular once again, particularly in Cinema Scope: — Motivated by reports that the Communists had established a secret arsenal of atomic weapons on a remote island somewhere in the Arctic, and by a desire to prevent another world conflict, a group of international scientists, headed by Victor Francen, proposition Widmark, a former U.S. Navy officer, to command a submarine to the Arctic in an effort to locate the island. Widmark accepts the assignment for an agreed price of $50,000 and receives the right to select his own crew, which included, among others, Cameron Mitchell, Gene Evans and David Wayne. They refit and recondition a salvaged Japanese submarine and set out on their quest, accompanied by Francen and by Bella Darvi, his pretty assistant. As their ship nears Arctic waters, they are intercepted by a Communist China submarine, which launches an attack on them, despite their explanation that they were on a civilian scientific expedition.’’ Submerging quickly, Widmark keeps his craft on the bottom of the ocean and shuts off his motors so that the enemy sub could not detect its position. The enemy follows suit and plays a waiting game with Widmark. After many hours on the bottom, the dire need for air forces Widmark to make a move. In a daring maneuver, he outwits the more powerful enemy sub and succeeds in sinking it by ramming his ship into its hull. A romance develops between Widmark and Bella and, in the series of adventures that ensue, they succeed in capturing from a Communist-held island a Red officer who reveals the location of the atomic arsenal as well as the fact that the Reds, using a captured American plane, planned to drop an atom bomb on Korea and to blame the deed on the United States. In a swift series of events, in which Francen sacrifices his life to signal the sub when the plane takes off on its deadly mission, Widmark and his crew succeed in shooting down the plane, which crashes on the island and destroys the arsenal with its powerful atomic blast. His mission completed, Widmark heads the sub for home, holding in his arms a bereaved Bella, who reveals that the brave Francen had been her father. It was produced by Raymond A. Klune, and directed by Samuel Fuller, who wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Jesse L. Lasky, Jr., based on a story by David Hempstead. Suitable for all. Clear of Diablo” with Audie Murphy, Susan Cabot and Dan Duryea (Univ.'Int'l., March; time, 80 min.) Good western fare, photographed in Technicolor. Revolving around a modest but fearless young man who sets out to learn the identity of rustlers who had killed his father and brother, the story itself follows a familiar pattern, but it has good characterizations and holds one’s interest all the way through. The action has more than a fair share of excitement and suspense, with the thrills stemming from the gunfights, robberies and chases. Audie Murphy is his usual competent self as the courageous hero, and Susan Cabot is charming as the heroine. The outstanding characterization, however, is turned in by Dan Duryea, as a notorious gunman who takes a liking to Murphy and sacrifices his life to help him trap the killers. As in most Universal Technicolor westerns, the outdoor terrain as a treat to the eye: —