Harrison's Reports (1949)

14 HARRISON'S REPORTS January 22, 1949 "Tarzan's Magic Fountain" with Lex Barker and Brenda Joyce (RKO, no rel. date set; time, 73 min.) A good Tarzan melodrama. As in most of the other pictures in this popular series, the story is fantastic and wildly melodramatic, but it should go over very well with those who enjoy plenty of fast action and excitement. This time the thrills stem from Tarzan's efforts to prevent unscrupulous traders from obtaining the secret of a native tribe that possessed a magic fountain of youth, the waters of which kept one young indefinitely. There are many delightful comedy scenes provoked by the remarkable antics of Cheeta, the chimpanzee. The picture introduces a new Tarzan in the person of Lex Barker, whose physique, agility, and acting ability adequately fill the requirements of the role: — When their chimp, Cheeta, retrieves a diary from a plane wreck in the jungle Tarzan and his wife (Brenda Joyce) discover that it belonged to Evelyn Ankers, a noted British aviatrix who had disappeared twenty years previously. Tarzan learns also that Alan Napier, her fiance, was serving an unjust prison sentence in England, and that Evelyn was the only person whose testimony could free him. Tarzan promptly heads for a hidden valley where he finds Evelyn the willing captive of natives who jealously guarded a natural spring, the waters of which kept one young. Although fifty years old, Evelyn retained her youth. After returning to England, freeing Napier, and marrying him, Evelyn, having aged rapidly, returns to Africa and is led back to Tarzan's jungle home by Albert Dekker, an unscrupulous trader. She pleads with Tarzan to lead them to the hidden valley, but aware that Dekker sought the location of the spring because of its commercial possibilities, Tarzan wants to protect his native friends and refuses to have anything to do with the trip. Evelyn, however, persuades Brenda to guide them. Tarzan follows the party secretly and, when they are attacked by the enraged natives as they approach the valley, saves them all except Dekker, who is killed. He then prevails on the natives to allow Evelyn and her husband to remain. It was produced by Sol Lesser and directed by Lee Sholem from an original screen play by Curt Siodmak and Harry Chandlee. Suitable for the entire family. "I Cheated the Law" with Tom Conway (Due to a typographical error in last wee\'s issue, the following review is being reprinted.) (20th Century-Fox, no rel. date set; time, 71 min.) A good program crime melodrama in which a substantial part of the action takes place in a courtroom. It has been produced and directed and acted so well that one's attention is held all the way through. But the story, although not revolting, is not pleasant, for cold-blooded murders are shown committed. The novelty of the story lies in the fact that the lawyer who had successfully defended a gangster after being taken in by him to defeat the ends of justice, sets out to have him convicted, not for the same crime, for which he could not be tried a second time, but for another crime. Tom Conway, as the lawyer, is convincing, as are Steve Brodie, as the smooth gangster, and Robert Osterloh, as his henchman. The photography is sharp and clear: — Conway, a prominent Los Angeles attorney, wins an acquittal for Brodie, accused of the murder of a night watchman at a fur warehouse. Conway had proved that the murder had been committed at 8:30 in the evening, according to the warehouse clock, at which time he (Conway) and his wife, Barbara Billingsley, had entertained Brodie as their guest. While celebrating his acquittal at a night-club party, Brodie informs Conway that he had really committed the murder at 7 :30 but had set the warehouse clock forward to 8:30, piercing it with a bullet to stop it. Conway does not upbraid Brodie for his deception, but feeling guilty of having cheated the law, and realizing that Brodie could not be tried twice for the same crime, he determines to bring him to justice for another crime. He informs his law partner, James Seay, of his intentions, and heads for San Francisco, where Brodie operated, to obtain evidence of another murder that he suspected Brodie had committed, that of Charles W agenheim, a former henchman, who had disappeared after leaving evidence of Brodie's guilt in the first crime. By pretending to have abandoned himself to drink because of marital unhappiness, and of having sunk to the gutter, Conway wins Brodie's pity and is employed by him as a servant. Eventually, by ingratiating himself with Brodie and his cohorts, Conway is enabled to discover where Wagenheim's body was buried and, through his associate, Seay, persuades the district attorney to indict Robert Osterloh, Brodie's chief aide, even though he (Conway) knew that Osterloh had not committed the murder. As anticipated by Conway, Brodie orders him to defend Osterloh. But through clever technique, Conway, in examining Osterloh in court, brings out Brodie's guilt. With Brodie arrested, Conway reestablished himself in the eyes of, not only justice, but also the public. It was produced by Sam Baerwitz and directed by Edward L. Cahn from a screen play by Richard G. Hubler, based on a story by Mr. Baerwitz. Unobjectionable morally. "Flaxy Martin" with Virginia Mayo, Zachary Scott and Dorothy Malone (Warner Brothers, Feb. 12; time, 86 min.) This is a routine crime melodrama, offering nothing unusual in the way of plot development, but it should prove to be a fair entertainment for those who like the depiction of underworld activities. Following the formula set for pictures of this type, it has the usual quota of chases, gun battles, and murders, all of which makes for a fair degree of excitement and suspense throughout. The story, however, is completely lacking in human interest, and none of the characters is sympathetic. The thing against the picture is the familiarity of the plot construction; any typical movie-goer should know in advance just how it will progress and end: — Zachary Scott, a basically honest lawyer employed by Douglas Kennedy, a racketeer, is in love with Virginia Mayo, unaware that she was two-timing him for Kennedy. When Jack Overman, one of Kennedy's henchmen, is arrested for murder, Kennedy bribes Helen Westcott to lie about the facts so as to convince Scott that he is defending an innocent man. After Scott wins an acquittal, Helen admits her perjury and tries to blackmail him. Scott, furious, severs connections with Kennedy and threatens to go to the police. But before he does so, Virginia arranges for Overman to kill Helen, and leaves clues pointing to herself as a suspect. Scott, to save Virginia, claims that he had committed the murder and is sentenced to twenty years in prison. Tom D'Andrea, a garage owner Scott had once befriended, visits him in the city jail and informs him that Virginia was spending most of her time with Kennedy, and that Overman was bragging that he (Scott) was taking the rap for him. Scott escapes from his guard while enroute to the state prison, and is found injured by Dorothy Malone, who takes him to her cottage but does not call the police, although she knew his identity. Elisha Cook, Jr., one of Kennedy's henchmen, traces Scott to the cottage, handcuffs him to Dorothy, and prepares to bury them both alive. But Scott manages to overpower him and makes his way with Dorothy to D' Andrea's garage. Leaving Dorothy at the garage, he sets out for Overman's apartment only to find Overman murdered. He then heads for Virginia's apartment but on the way is stalked by Cook. The stalking ends in a battle between them on a roof, with Cook losing his life in a fall to the street. Arriving at Virginia's apartment, Scott pretends to believe her protestations and to agree to her plan to rob Kennedy, whom she expected momentarily. Through a clever ruse, he tricks her into killing Kennedy and into being found by the police with gun in ha'nd while he escapes. Scott returns to Dorothy, who persuades him to surrender to the police and promises to wait for his release. It was produced by Saul Elkins and directed by Richard Bare from an original screen play by David Lang. Adult fare.