Harrison's Reports (1954)

42 HARRISON’S REPORTS March 13, 1954 ‘‘The Golden Mask’* with Van Heflin, Wanda Hendrix and Eric Portman (United Artists, March; time, 88 min.) Photographed in Technicolor and shot against actual North African backgrounds that extend from Tunis to the ruins of Carthage, this British-made romantic adventure melodrama is indeed fascinating and informative in its de' piction of teeming bazaars and of life in the modern section of Tunis and in the native Tunisian villages, as well as on the Sahara desert. Unfortunately, the director has permitted the camera to dawdle too long on the picturesque values, with the result that its story about the adventures of a group of archaeologists who seek and find an ancient tomb containing a priceless treasure, despite the machinations of thieves and desert bandits, is somewhat slow-moving and lacking in genuine excitement and thrills. On the whole, however, it should prove fairly entertaining to the general run of audiences, for there are several chases and some violent action, a slight but pleasing romantic interest, and nice touches of human interest and comedy. The fact that Van Heflin and Wanda Hendrix are two of the principal players makes the picture saleable for the American exhibi-. tors. The direction and acting are competent, and the photography fine; — Eric Portman, an eminent archaeologist, sets out for North Africa to search for the lost tomb of Marcus Manilius, which is said to contain the priceless but cursed golden mask of Moloch. Short of funds, Portman reluctantly permits Van Heflin, an American journalist, to accompany the expedition without salary. Arriving in Tunis, they are joined by Wanda Hendrix, Portman’s daughter, and Jacques Francois, her fiance. On the following day, in a daring venture into a collapsing tomb, Heflin takes a photograph that proves that the tomb of Marcus Manilius is in the desert town of Rif da, south of Algiers. The photograph is stolen by Jacques Brunius and Charles Goldner, two unscrupulous rogues who are also seeking the mask of Moloch. Both parties start their journey across the desert, and Wanda, against her father’s orders, “stows away” on a camel. Taking advantage of a blinding sandstorm, the two crooks manage to abduct Heflin and at gunpoint force him to lead them to Rifda. But Heflin leads them instead to the lair of a desert bandit, who captures them all. In the course of a struggle, Brunius is killed and Goldner wounded, while Heflin manages to escape. Heflin's reunion with Wanda brings them to the realization that they are in love. They eventually find the tomb of Manilius and, as they enter and stare in awe at the evillooking mask of Moloch, Goldner appears and holds them off with a gun. He reaches for the mask and falls dead as soon as he touches it. Thus Moloch, the God of Revenge, claims another victim, although Portman’s expedition achieves its ambition. It was produced by Aubrey Baring and Maxwell Setton, and directed by Jack Lee, from a screenplay by Robert Westerby. Unobjectionable morally, but several exhibitions of women doing “belly dances” make it unsuitable for children. “Paris Playboys” with Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall (Allied Artists, March 7; time, 62 min.) Just a fair “Bowery Boys" comedy melodrama, suitable for the lower half of a double bill. Since the players in the cast have a certain following, the picture may satisfy them, but it is the weakest in the series produced for some time. Although it is light, the comedy for the most part is forced and few of the situations provoke hearty laughter. The acting is up to the standard of the previous pictures. The photography is good: — When Huntz Hall is mistaken in America for a missing French scientist who had been experimenting on a formula for a super-rocket fuel, he is sent to Paris, France, as a decoy for a group that had been attempting to steal the formula. Leo Gorcey and Bernard Gorcey accompany Hall, leaving behind Bennie Bartlett and David Condon to ope rate the Bowery Sweet Shop. In Paris, Hall, posing as Professor Le Beau, the missing scientist, and pretending to have suffered amnesia, is welcomed by Veola Vonn, the scientist s financee, and Alphonse Martell, his butler. The scientist (played also by Hall) finally returns from a trip to the South Seas, Steven Geray and John Wengraf are exposed as the leaders of the conspiracy. To the amazement of all. Hall succeeds in concocting a liquid that blows the place apart. He is decorated by the French Government for discovering a formula that proved to be more powerful than the one discovered by the real scientist. Ben Schwalb produced it, and William Beaudine directed it, from a screenplay by Elwood Ullman and Edward Bernds. Family. “Ma and Pa Kettle at Home” with Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride (Univ.-Int’l, April; time, 81 min.) This latest of the “Kettle” comedies is up to the entertainment standard of the previous pictures and should prove enjoyable wherever the series is favored. This time “Ma and Pa” return to their delapidated farm to help their eldest son win a national essay contest on life on a typical American farm, and the comedy stems from the makeshift efforts employed by Pa to modernize the farm and thus pull the wool over the judges’ eyes. The action keeps one chuckling throughout and some of the situations provoke hearty laughter. Worked into the story is a warm touch of human interest whereby the Kettle’s generosity at Christmas toward a penurious neighbor farmer makes the stingly fellow realize his faults and results in his assuming a more liberal attitude towards others, particularly his own family. Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride are their usual amusing selves in the principal roles, and a good share of the comedy is provided by Alan Mowbray, as one of the judges, a crochety hypochondriac who, too, is humanized by the warm-hearted friendiness of the Kettles: — Together with their 15 children, Ma and Pa leave their ultra-modern home in the city and return to their brokendown farmhouse in Cape Flattery for a valid reason: Brett Halsey, their eldest son, and Alice Kelley, his schoolmate and daughter of Irving Bacon, a stingy neighbor, were the finalists in an essay contest on life on a typical American farm, and both were competing for the grand prize — a fouryear agricultural college scholarship. Two judges were coming to Cape Flattery to spend a week on each farm and to decide which one provides the better environment for bringing up children as ideal farmers and good citizens. To help his boy win the scholarship. Pa enlists the aid of Oliver Blake and Stan Ross, his Indian pals, to patch up the farm structures, and he borrows farm implements and livestock to make the farm look like a going concern. In due time Alan Mowbray and Ross Elliott, the judges, arrive at the Kettle farmhouse for their week’s stay. Ross is friendly and understanding, but Mowbray, a grumpy hypochondriac, gets himself into all sorts of mishaps that are detrimental to the Kettle’s cause. Things really look black for the Kettles when heavy rains wash out Pa’s flimsy reconcstruction efforts and show up the farm’s true delapidated condition. The judges then go to Bacon’s farm, where Mowbray is delighted with the neatness and eflEdency of the operation, in spite of the fact that Bacon disregards the feelings of his wife and daughter and treats them like slaves. With the decision set to be handed down on Christmas Eve, Ma invites the judges and different neighbors, including Bacon and his family, to a party, and her good will and boundless generosity to all sheds a new light on the contest. Touched by Ma’s fine Christmas spirit, Mowbray announces that the contest is a tie and awards a scholarship each to both of the youngsters. Bacon, moved by Ma’s Yuletide spirit, changes his attitude toward his family and neighbors and announces his intention to sponsor and finance a 4-H Club in the area. It was produced by Richard Wilson, and directed by Charles Lamont, from a story and screenplay by Lay Lenard. Family.