Harrison's Reports (1948)

26 HARRISON'S REPORTS February 14, 1948 "The Pearl" with an all-Mexican cast (RKO, no release date set; time, 77 min.) Made in Mexico, with English dialogue, and based on a story by John Steinbeck, this is a forceful and intensely moving tragic drama, beautifully photographed and produced, directed with rare understanding and competence, and enacted with superb artistry by a fine Mexican cast. It is a simple story, revolving around a lowly, ignorant fisherman, who finds a priceless pearl, a discovery that, instead of bringing him wealth and happiness, awakens the greed of his fellow men and brings him tragedy and disillusionment. A tragic tone pervades the picture and, as entertainment, it seems suited for the classes more than for the masses, but it should be appreciated also by the masses, for it has deep human appeal, and the action is often tense and exciting: — Depressed by his squalid surroundings and by his inability to provide enough food for his wife (Maria Elena Marques) and their baby, Pedro Armcndariz, a pearl fisherman living in Lower California, looks forward to a new and prosperous life when he fishes out of the sea one of the largest and most beautiful pearls ever found. Word of his find spreads through the countryside, and Charles Rooner, an unscrupulous pearl dealer, tries to cheat Pedro when he offers to sell the gem to him. Failing, Rooner enters into a conspiracy with several henchmen, who resort to violent means in an effort to steal the pearl, but Pedro manages to outwit them. Maria, afraid for her husband's life, tries to toss the pearl back into the sea, but Pedro manages to restrain her. At the same time, two of his enemies attempt to snatch the pearl and, in the ensuing struggle, Pedro kills them. Compelled to flee, Pedro, taking his wife and child, heads into the swamp lands, tracked by Rooner and two Indian guides. They live like wild beasts for days, thoroughly exhausted and barely able to keep ahead of the pursuing Rooner, finally taking refuge on top a steep mountain, where they are cornered by Rooner. While still protected by the dark of night, Pedro crawls down the mountainside to dispose of his enemies. Just as he creeps up behind Rooner, the stillness of the night is broken by a muffled cry from the baby. Rooner shoots in the direction of the cry, killing the baby, but is in turn killed by Pedro. The unhappy couple return to their native community and, bearing visible evidence of the suffering the pearl had brought them, toss the gem back into the sea. John Steinbeck, Emilio Fernandez and Jack Wagner wrote the screen play, Oscar Dancigers produced it, and Mr. Fernandez directed it. Adult entertainment. "I Became a Criminal" with Sally Gray and Trevor Howard (Warner Bros., March 6; time, 78 min.) An exciting British-made melodrama, of program grade. Revolving around underworld characters in London, it is a gangster-type picture not unlike those made by the American producers for years. The picture's chief drawback is the thick British accent used by the players, which makes the dialogue difficult to understand. Otherwise, it is filled with excitement from start to finish, and the tough, slambang action, though by no means pleasant, should easily satisfy those who enjoy this type of film. The plot follows a pattern familiar to gangster pictures, with an escaped convict bringing about the capture of a gang leader who had framed him and had stolen his girl, but it is topical, dealing as it does with black market operations in post-war London. Like many another British picture, it offers a problem to the exhibitor in that the cast is mostly unknown to American picture-goers: — Having joined a black-market gang headed by Griffith Jones, Trevor Howard, an ex-serviceman, threatens to quit when he discovers the gang dealing also in dope. Jones, covetous of Eve Ashley, Howard's girl-friend, who was not unresponsive to him, frames Howard on a murder charge that sends him to prison. Sally Gray, Jones' former girl-friend, who had been discarded for Eve .takes her revenge by visiting Howard in prison, giving him details about the frameup, and urging him to escape. He does escape, becoming the object of a nationwide police hunt. He manages to make his way to London, where he finds Sally, who agrees to help him clear his name. But Inspector Ballard Berkeley, of Scotland Yard, nabs Howard before he can get started on the trail of those who had framed him. Aware of Jones' activities, and believing in Howard's claim of innocence, Berkeley decides to let Howard "escape" so that he might act as bait for Jones. Meanwhile Jones, aware that Howard was out to get him, rounds up those who were in on the frame-up and kills the weaklings lest Howard make them talk. Learning of Howard's "escape" from the police, Jones kidnaps Sally and takes her to the gang's hideout, hoping to dispose of Howard when he comes to defend her. Howard's arrival at the hideout precipitates a battle of wits and guns, which ends with Jones' accidental death and with the roundup of the gang by the police. Howard, his name cleared to a degree, returns to prison to await a re-trial, with Sally promising to wait for his return. Noel Langley wrote the screen play from a novel by Jackson Budd. N. A. Bronstein produced it, and Cavalcanti directed it. Adult entertainment. "Half Past Midnight" with Kent Taylor and Peggy Knudson (20th Century-Fox, March; time, 69 min.) An extremely tiresome program comedy-melodrama. The action moves along at a fast clip, but its mixture of murder-mystery, romance, and comedy is so irritatingly nonsensical that one can barely keep his eyes open for lack of interest. The direction is poor and the acting poorer, with the different players running around like maniacs and straining for laughs that are not forthcoming because of the silliness of the situations. It is an amateurishly produced picture, hardly worthy of release under the 20th Century-Fox banner : — Arriving in Los Angeles, Kent Taylor, a suave man-about town, is met by his old friend, Detective Joe Sawyer, who promptly locks him in a hotel room because of his inability to keep out of trouble with the police. Taylor manages to escape. He goes to a night-club, where he meets Peggy Knudson, a vivacious blonde, who forthwith becomes involved in the murder of Jane Everett, the club's adagio dancer, who had been blackmailing her sister. Actually, the murder had been committed by Martin Kosleck, Jane's dancing partner, who was in on the blackmailing scheme, but the finger of suspicion falls on Peggy. Believing her claim of innocence, Taylor helps her to escape from the police. Both Sawyer and his friendly rival in the department, Detective Walter Sande, set