Harrison's Reports (1954)

50 HARRISON’S REPORTS March 27, 1954 “Prisoner of War” with Ronald Reagan, Steve Forrest and Dewey Martin (MGM, no rel. date set; time, 82 min.) If this picture were intended to serve as an historical document, recording the cruelties and atrocities committed by G}mmunists on American prisoners of war, it could be said that it is a first-rate record, for it has been directed and acted skillfully. It cannot, however, be called an entertainment, for the sufferings of the war prisoners in North Korea are reenacted so reahstically and the cruelties inflicted are shown in such horrid detail that it will serve to sicken people rather than entertain them. It is claimed that the author interviewed former war prisoners to get his facts, but the Army has refused to cooperate with MGM in promoting the picture on the basis that what is shown is not an accurate portrayal. In any case it is a grim document and cannot be classified as entertainment. The photography is good: — To help the Army learn whether reports of Communist cruelties to war prisoners are true, Ronald Reagan, a seasoned officer, agrees to dress as a corporal and to join a column of prisoners marching to a Red prison camp. He accomplishes this by bailing out of a plane over North Korea. A little over 100 of the 700 who had started the march manage to reach the camp alive. Reagan is assigned to a small, damp hut, along with 15 other prisoners, including Steve Forrest, Dewey Martin, and Darryl Hickman. The Communist captors begin their indoctrination under the guidance of Oscar Homolka, a Russian colonel and “guest advisor” at the camp, and Leonard Strong, a North Korean colonel. Martin is spotted quickly as a weakling, and Homolka, by plying him with good food and cigarettes, starts him toward becoming a “progressive.” Martin’s cooperation with the Reds is resented by the others, and his open defiance earns him a beating from his buddies. Yet he shows no sign of breaking. When Hickman is stricken with appendicitis, Reagan promptly labels himself a “progressive” so that he may gain the freedom of the camp and thus be enabled to steal badly needed surgical instruments. Paul Stewart, a captured Army doctor, sneaks into the hut after dark and performs a successful operation on Hickman. Forrest’s leadership in a revolt against the Reds results in a number of prisoners being subjected to unspeakable atrocities until they agree to “confess” to all sorts of false charges. Only Forrest remains steadfast, despite the punishment, but he collapses when Homolka murders a small dog he (Forrest) had adopted in an unsuccessful effort to make him “confess.” Forrest evens the score, however, by waylaying Homolka in an unguarded moment and secretly murdering him. With the first exchange of prisoners as a result of the peace talks, Reagan is assigned to prepare a list of those who are to be exchanged. He places his own name on a list of prisoners desiring to go to Russia, but the final list discloses his name among those who are to be repatriated while Martin’s name is among those desiring to go to Russia. He remonstrates with Martin for turning traitor and gets into a fight with him, but during the struggle Martin whispers that he, too, was doing special espionage work. This revelation leaves Reagan surprised but pleased. Henry Berman produced it, and Andrew Marton directed it, from a screenplay by Allen Rivkin. Adult fare. “Pride of the Blue Grass” with Lloyd Bridges, Vera Miles and Michael Chapin (Allied Artists, April 4; time, 71 min.) Although racing pictures as a rule go over with the public, this one has the added advantage of combining exciting action and human interest, as well as beautiful color photography in the Color Corp. of America process. The human interest is awakened by the heroine’s love for a thoroughbred, and by her resisting a decision to destroy the horse after he stumbles and injures one of his legs. Her faith in the animal is proved when she nurses him back to health and he wins an important race. There is also a fairly appeal ing romance. The direction is skillful and so is the acting: — Lloyd Bridges, a successful trainer of race horses, hopes some day to get a contract from a large stable of stake winners. 'Vera Miles arrives at the paddock with Gypsy Price, a thoroughbred, looking for Arthur Shields, whom her late father had known as a trainer, but she finds that he is now merely Bridges’ stable boss, working with Michael Chapin, his son, an exercise boy with ambitions to become a jockey. Although reluctant at first. Bridges consents to stable Gypsy Price, even though Vera cannot pay him until she obtains a job. Gypsy Prince is eventually entered in a race, with Michael as his jockey, but he suffers a fall because of a loose bandage and injures a leg. Michael, too, is injured. The doctor orders that Gypsy Prince be shot, but Vera, confident that she can cure the horse, refuses. Meanwhile Bridges is employed as a trainer by Harry Cheshire, a wealthy stable owner, whose daughter (Margaret Sheridan) takes an interest in him. After a season with Cheshire, Bridges becomes fed up with him, particularly when he learns that Gypsy Prince had been entered in a race once again, with Michael up. When Gypsy Prince romps home the winner. Bridges gives up his job with Cheshire and takes Vera into his arms. Hays Goetz produced it, and William Beaudine directed it, from a story and screenplay by Harold Shumate. Family entertainment. “Rails into Laramie” wth John Payne, Mari Blanchard and Dan Duryea (Universal, April; time, 81 min.) Followers of western melodrama, photographed in color, should find this one satisfying, for the action is fast and it abounds in many exciting situations from which the hero emerges the winner. The story takes place immediately after the Civil War, and deals with the efforts of the hero, a Union Army man, to speed up the construction of a railroad, slowed down by gamblers and drunkards. There is considerable brutality in the action, and there is hardly any comedy relief. Dan Duryea is his usutal competent self as the villain, while John Payne handles his heroic part well. The Technicolor photography is very good: — Payne, a rugged Army sergeant, is sent to Laramie, Wyoming, to sp>eed up construction of a railroad, slowed down by unsavory citizens. Upon his arrival he finds that those mainly responsible for the slow-down are Duryea, an ex-Civil War buddy of his, and Myron Healey and Lee Van Cleef, Duryea’s henchmen, who operated the local saloons and gambling halls. Payne strikes up a friendship with Mari Blanchard, Duryea’s saloon partner, and gets his facts from her. To combat the slow-down, Payne stops the construction work, figuring that the unemployment will cut down the business of the saloons. The town’s merchants protest, but Harry Shannon, the judge, endorses Payne’s plan. In retaliation, Duryea refuses to extend credit to any one and stirs up the angry workers to sabotage the railroad. Payne jails Duryea for inciting a riot, bue he is acquitted when Payne, slugged and locked in a freight car, fails to appear against him at the trial. The sabotage continues and comes to a climax when the local marshal is killed to prevent his getting a message through to Cheyenne. Mari reveals that Van Cleef had committed the murder. Van Cleef is killed when he resists arrest, and Payne again jails Duryea as an accessory. At Mari’s suggestion, Payne arranges for an all-women jury to try Duryea, and he is found guilty and convicted. Aided by Joyce McKenzie, his wife, Duryea escapes from jail and shoots Mari for her treachery. He than steals a train to make his getaway. Payne overtakes the train on horseback and, after a furious gun battle, kills Duryea. With law and order restored, and with Mari recovering from her wounds, Payne leaves Laramie with a promise to return to her after serving his hitch in the Army. Ted Richmond produced it, and Jesse Hibbs directed it, from a screenplay by D. D. Beauchamp and Joseph Hoffman. Chiefly for adults.