Harrison's Reports (1946)

December 14, 1946 HARRISON'S REPORTS 199 "Swell Guy" with Sonny Tufts, Ann Blyth and Ruth Warrick (Universal-International, December; time, 87 min.) This is an engrossing drama, but what it depicts is so uncompromisingly unpleasant that it cannot be classified as popular entertainment, in spite of the fact that it is a well made picture, with good direction and expert performances. It is strictly adult entertainment, with a particular appeal to those who seek something different in screen fare. The story revolves around a war correspondent who comes to a small town acclaimed as a hero, but who is actually such a deceit' ful, moral rotter that he bankrupts the local tradesmen gambling, seduces the flighty daughter of his brother's em' ployer, leaving her pregnant, and almost wrecks his broth' er's marriage by encouraging his sister-in-law's infatuation for him. Abandoning his wife in France, and attempting to steal a charity fund, are among his other perfidious acts. His only decent act is where he sacrifices his life to save his little nephew, trapped in a tunnel. Several of the characters are appealing, but the main characters are unsympathetic and no attempt is made to justify their actions. In this re spect the story is realistic, for their actions, particularly the hero's, are not justifiable: — Sonny Tufts, a war correspondent, comes to a little town to live with his brother William Gargan, Ruth Warrick, Gargan's wife, and Donald Delvin, their young son. He captivates the townspeople completely, but his mother, Mary Nash, who knew that he was morally unscrupulous, tries unsuccessfully to make him leave town. Covering his lack of scruples with a charming personality, Tufts seduces Ann Blyth, sweetheart of a legitimate war hero; operates a gambling game in which he gradually bankrupts the local business men; and fascinates Ruth, making her restless and unhappy. When Ann learns of her pregnancy, she pleads with Tufts to marry her. He tells her not to worry and reveals that he had an abandoned wife in Paris. He decides to leave town when Ann bitterly declares that she would not marry him under any circumstances. Desperate for money, he goes home and tries to talk Ruth into running away with him from Gargan, taking with them money that Gargan had collected at a charity bazaar. His mother interferes just as word comes that Ruth's son was trapped in a railroad tunnel. The boy's danger ignites the only spark of decency left in Tufts, and he goes to his death bravely saving the youngster. Back in Gargan's home, his mother and Ruth keep their silence as Gargan eulogizes his brother as a real hero. Richard Brooks wrote the screen play from a play by Gilbert Emery. Mark Hellinger produced it, and Frank Tuttle directed it. The cast includes John Litel, Thomas Gomez, Howard Freeman, John Craven and others. "The Wicked Lady" with James Mason, Margaret Lockwood and Patricia Roc (Universal-International, release date not set; time, 98 min.) This British-made picture is a robust costume melodrama, produced on a lavish scale. As entertainment, it should appeal to sophisticated but undiscriminating audiences who do not object to a grossly exaggerated story, and to an utter lack of subtlety in both direction and acting. Discriminating patrons will probably find it quite unconvincing as well as ludicrous. The story, which revolves around a married adventuress who turns "highwayman" to relieve her boredom, is loaded with sex, and the dialogue and action leave little to one's imagination. To say that the heroine is wicked is putting it mildly, for the manner in which she murders and betrays all who get in the way ol her quest for adventure, riches, and sex diversion, is as vicious a piece of villainy as has ever been seen on the screen. The producers apparently sought to have the story border on the risque and sensational, but it is so artless that it serves only to handicap the players. It is definitely not a picture for either children or squeamish adults. Set in England m the seventeenth century, the story opens with the arrival of Margaret Lockwood at the estate of Griffith Jones, a nobleman, on the eve of his marriage to Patricia Roc, her cousin. Margaret, an ambitious, ruthless woman, sets out to capture Jones for herself and finally marries him. Although heartbroken, Patricia graciously steps aside. Married life soon becomes boresome for Margaret, and she turns to highway robbery for excitement. In the course of her exploits, she meets and falls in love with James Mason, a notorious highwayman. They have an exciting, passionate affair, during which she doubles as noble' woman by day and partacr-in-crime with her lover by night. Margaret breaks her relationship with Mason when she discovers him with another woman; she betrays him to the authorities, who sentence him to the gallows. Mason escapes, only to be shot to death by Margaret when he attempts to avenge himself. Meanwhile an old servant discovers her double life and she poisons him to keep him silent. Margaret next turns her attentions to Michael Rennie, Patricia's new fiance. She falls madly in love with him and, in order to marry him, plots to kill her husband. Disguised as a high' wayman, she waylays her husband's coach, but, before she can harm him, Rennie, failing to recognize her, comes to her husband's defense and shoots her down. The wound proves fatal, bringing her infamous career to an end. With Margaret gone, Patricia and Jones resume their romance. Leslie Arliss wrote and directed the screen play from a novel by Magdalen Hall-King, and Maurice Ostrer produced it. The supporting cast is all-English. "Temptation" with Merle Oberon, George Brent and Charles Korvin (Universal-International, December; time, 98 min.) Based on the novel "Bella Donna," which has been brought to the screen several times, "Temptation" shapes up as a slow-moving, overlong drama, one that will have to depend on the players' popularity for its box-office draw. It is an adult entertainment, but most picture-goers will find little in it to entertain them, for the sory is archaic and unappealing, and it has been developed in a ponderous way. Moreover, the main characters are disagreeable; one feels no sympathy for them. The heroine is an unprincipled woman who attempts to poison her husband in order that she might be left free to marry her lover, whom she knew to be a blackmailing, murderous scoundrel. What makes her actions even more distasteful is the fact that her husband had given her no cause to cheat. The ending, in which she becomes regenerated and loses her life in an accident is tragic, but it has no effect on one's emotions because of her heartlessness. The picture is good from a production point of view, but the direction and performances are just pass' able : — Merle Oberon, a beautiful but unscrupulous divorcee, sets her cap for George Brent, a wealthy English archaeologist, and marries him. He takes her to Egypt, where he was exploring the tomb of Ramses V, but he becomes so engrossed in his work that Merle soon finds life dull. In her boredom, she seeks out the company of Charles Korvin, an Egyptian nobleman, who supported himself through blackmail schemes. Each is fascinated with the heartless avariciousness of the other, and before long they find themselves deeply in love. Merle becomes violently jealous when she finds Korvin paying court to an American heiress, and she loses no time in upsetting his scheme to bilk the girl of her money. Desperately in need of funds, Korvin induces Merle to poison her husband so that they might take his fortune and run away together. Merle carries out the scheme, but as Brent lies dying she becomes remorseful and realizes that she loved him truly. Paul Lukas, an English doctor, saves Brent's life, and Merle, recognizing that Korvin would be a constant threat to her future happiness, kills him with the poison intended for her husband. Later, she herself perishes in a rock slide near the tomb of Ramses. Meanwhile the Egyptian police chief had found conclusive evidence of Merle's responsibility for Korvin's death, but he drops the investigation in order to preserve Brent's illusions of his late wife. Robert Thoeren wrote the screen play from the novel by Robert Hichcns. Edwards Small produced it, and Irving Pichel directed it. The cast includes Lenore Ulric, Arnold Moss, Ludwig Stossel and others.