Harrison's Reports (1949)

2 HARRISON'S REPORTS January 1, 1949 "Force of Evil" with John Garfield, Thomas Gomez and Beatrice Pearson (MGM, January; time, 78 min.) Although it is not a pleasant entertainment, expert direc tion and capable acting have made this gangster-type melodrama a superior picture of its kind. Based on Ira Wolfert's novel, "Tucker's People," the story deals with the "number's racket" and revolves around an aggressive young lawyer, forcefully portrayed by John Garfield, whose determination to amass a fortune in the racket leads to his moral disintegration. As said, it is an unpleasant story, for it pits brother against brother and is punctuated with murder and violence, but it is an exciting and suspenseful film, made considerably realistic by the authentic New York backgrounds. The characterizations are, for the most part, unsavory, but there is much pathos in the one portrayed by Thomas Gomez, the lawyer's older brother, an intrinsically honest small-time "numbers" banker who loses his small fortune and then his life after being forced into partnership with his brother's big-time outfit. Considerable pathos is furnished also by Beatrice Pearson, as Gomez's secretary, who becomes innocently involved in several raids and falls in love with Garfield. Miss Pearson, a newcomer, has a sweet personality and is talented: — Garfield, attorney for Roy Roberts, an important racketeer at the head of a "numbers racket" syndicate, hatches a scheme with Roberts to fix the winning number on Independence Day as 776, their object being to bet heavily on that number so as to bankrupt many small policy banks, thus enabling the syndicate to take them over. Garfield, however, seeks to protect his brother, Thomas Gomez, operator of a small policy bank, by trying to convince him to join Robert's syndicate at once. But Gomez, a basically honest man in a dishonest business, denounces Garfield for his shady methods and refuses to have anything to do with gangsters. As a result, he goes bankrupt. Roberts takes over his bank and compels Gomez to remain in nominal control for his (Roberts') own purposes. Complications ensue when a rival gangster, Paul Fix, tries to "muscle in" on the racket. Garfield, seeking to protect his brother from harm, becomes more deeply enmeshed in the illegal operations until finally betrayed to the district attorney by his law partner (Paul McVey). He decides to flee with a fortune in cash, but changes his mind when he learns that Fix's gang had kidnapped his brother. He goes to Roberts' apartment, where he finds Roberts and Fix agreeing to amalgamate, and learns that his brother had died of natural causes induced by shock. Motivated by a desire for vengeance, he precipitates a gun duel that ends with the deaths of Roberts and Fix before he gives himself up to the police. Abraham Polonsky and Ira Wolfert wrote the screen play, and Mr. Polonsky directed it. Bob Roberts produced it. The cast includes Marie Windsor, Howland Chamberlin, Tim Ryan, Stanley Prager and others. Strictly adult fare. "Bad Men of Tombstone" with Barry Sullivan, Marjorie Reynolds and Broderick Crawford (Allied Artists, Dec. 15; time, 75 min.) A top Western, in which Broderick Crawford and Barry Sullivan are pitted against one another. The one is a leader but brutal, while the other, though just as brutal, is suave; he uses brains more than brawn. The presence of Mr. Crawford should bring to the minds of the old-timers the picture, "When the Daltons Rode," in which he was the leader of a gang of outlaws. There is much shooting and killing. The outlaw gang is shown holding up stages, gambling halls, and railroad trains, robbing even the United States mails. The acting is impressively realistic. The desert and desert-mountain scenery, photographed by Mr. Russell Harlan, one of the outstanding cameramen in Hollywood, is a treat to the eye: — Arriving in Gold City, a wild western town, Barry Sullivan is fleeced of his money by Ted Hecht, a crooked cardsharp, whose friends protect him from Sullivan. Penniless, Sullivan holds up an assay office but is arrested. He is placed in a cell with Broderick Crawford, leader of a gang of outlaws, and when Crawford is rescued by his henchmen Sullivan goes along and joins the gang. The outlaws dislike Sullivan, but Crawford vetoes their objections. Sullivan robs a mining company office where Marjorie Reynolds worked. Shortly afterwards, Marjorie recognizes him but does not give him away. Sullivan befriends her and learns that she had kept silent because she, too, looked forward to striking it rich. They become sweethearts, and he promises her wealth and a trip to San Francisco. After a series of daring holdups, Sullivan becomes dissatisfied with his small share, for Crawford was hiding most of the loot in an abandoned mining shaft to be divided at a later date. Sullivan meets up with Hecht again and shoots him dead when he catches him cheating. After another daring holdup, the gang splits up and agree to meet in Tombstone. John Kellogg, one of the gang, is shot down by a posse and reveals the names of his confederates. When Sullivan and Marjorie marry, Crawford becomes upset lest the marriage interfere with the gang's plans. Trouble brews when Sullivan, preferring to take a trip to San Francisco, refuses to go along on a new holdup and demands his share of the loot. Fortunio Bonanova, one of the gang, talks Crawford into keeping the loot for themselves. Sullivan kills Bonanova, then heads for the mining shaft, where he kills Crawford as he tries to make off with the loot. Loading the loot on Crawford's horse, which had been stolen, Sullivan heads back to Tombstone. There he is shot and killed as a horse-thief when the horse is recognized. Philip Yordan and Arthur Strawn wrote the screen play from the novel by Jay Monaghan. It was produced by the King Brothers and directed by Kurt Newmann. Since every one of the gang pays with his life for his sins, it is morally suitable for all. But it is an adult picture. "The Sun Comes Up" with Jeanette MacDonald, Claude Jarman and Lassie (MGM, February, time, 93 min.) This human-interest drama, enhanced by beautiful Technicolor photography, is a good entertainment for the family trade. Revolving around a wealthy widow who, embittered by the tragic death of her young son, finds a new interest in life when she becomes fond of an orphaned boy, the story has deep human appeal and several situations that touch one's emotions. Most of the action takes place in a rural setting, and there is plentiful comedy provoked by typical small-town characters, particularly Percy Kilbride, as the owner of the general store. It has a fair share of melodramatic action, and towards the finish, where Lassie saves young Claude Jarman, Jr. from the burning orphanage, it becomes quite exciting. Worked into the proceedings are several arias sung delightfully by Jeanette MacDonald, who is highly sympathetic in the role of the widow: — Jeanette, a concert singer, embittered by the death of her husband and the subsequent tragic death of her young son, goes to a remote mountain region to get away from people, especially children, so as to escape the memories they brought back. She takes with her Lassie, her son's dog, and rents a small cottage owned by Lloyd Nolan, a writer. She becomes unpopular with the neighbors because of her abruptness with children, but despite herself she becomes fond of Claude Jarman, Jr., an orphan boy hired to do errands for her. Through Claude she learns the importance of being neighborly and does all she can to make amends. Jeanette and Claude become devoted to each other but they restrain their feelings, she because his presence served to bring back memories of her beloved son, and he because he felt that he had no right to impose himself on her. After a series of episodes, in which her natural mother love comes to the fore, climaxed by Claude's rescue from a disastrous fire that destroys the orphanage, Jeanette adopts the youngster and at the same time finds romance with Nolan. William Ludwig and Margaret Fitts wrote the screen play from a novel by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. It was produced by Robert Sisk and directed by Richard Thorpe. The cast includes Lewis Stone, Nicholas Joy, Margaret Hamilton and others. Good for the entire family.