Harrison's Reports (1949)

82 HARRISON'S REPORTS May 21, 1949 "One Woman's Story" with Ann Todd, Claude Rains and Trevor Howard (Univ.'lnt'l., June; time, 86 mm.) This British triangle drama has been excellently produced, artistically performed, and superbly photographed, but as entertainment it is no more than fair. Revolving around a young woman who marries an older man for money and position although in love with a younger and comparatively poorer man, the story is in many ways highly reminiscent of "Brief Encounter" and, as such, should best appeal to wornen. But unlike that production this one fails to stir the emotions to any appreciable degree even though it does have moments that are moving and provocative. Moreover, the action is slow and repetitious, and the flashbacks employed in the first half serve to bewilder one. Ann Todd, as the heroine, gives a sensitive performance, but her characterization is void of sympathy because of the fact that she is capricious, shifting her love from her husband to another man without adequate motive. The Alpine background scenes in Switzerland are highly impressive:— Five years after she had sacrificed love to marry Claude Rains, an influential banker, although she had been in love with Trevor Howard, a young scientist, Ann Todd cannot get Howard out of her mind when she sees him again at a party. She meets him surreptitiously during her husband's absence on a business trip and falls in love with him all over again. Upon his return, Rains learns of their meetings and confronts them both with his discovery. Howard wants her to divorce Rains and marry him, but Ann, despite her love for him, refuses to leave the security of her marriage to Rains. The banker forgives her, and Ann respects his request not to see Howard again. Some years later, while vacationing in the Swiss Alps, Ann accidentally meets Howard, who had stopped at the hotel overnight while en route to a scientific conference. She learns that he is now a married man with two children. Casting all inhibitions aside, she spends the day with him climbing a mountain nearby since she did not expect her husband to arrive until that evening. Rains, however, arrives in the early afternoon and sees them returning from their climb together. He starts a divorce action, refusing to believe that they had met by chance and that nothing had transpired between them. Frantic lest the notoriety of the case ruin Howards marriage and career, Ann goes to Rains and begs him to relent, but he remains adamant. She flees to a tube station nearby and plans to throw herself in front of a train. As she is about to leap, Rains, having had a change of heart, appears on the platform in time to save her. He forgives her and takes her home. It is a J. Arthur Rank presentation, produced by Ronald Neame and directed by David Lean from a screen play by Eric Ambler, based on H. G. Wells1 novel, "The Passionate Friends." Adult fare. "Colorado Territory" with Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo and Dorothy Malone (Warner Bros., June 11; time, 94 win.) A fair large-scale Western. The story is not particularly novel, but it has been given some fresh twists and should easily satisfy the avid followers of this type of entertainment, for the action is fast and robust, with plentiful shooting and hard-riding. It does not, however, offer anything unusual for those who do not go out of their way to patronize Westerns. Joel McCrea, as a bandit who decides to go straight, gives his usual competent portrayal as a tight-lipped, fearless hero, but Virginia Mayo, as the slinky halfbreed dancehall girl with whom he falls in love, overacts the part badly. The closing scenes, where both are trapped by a posse and die hand-in-hand under a fusilade of bullets, are at once exciting and tragic. The outdoor scenic photography is superb : — Aided by the leader of his old gang, Joel McCrea, a notorious bandit, escapes from a Missouri jail and heads west to a deserted Spanish mountain village, which served as the gangs hideout. En route by stage coach, McCrea, unrecognized, saves the lives of Henry Hull and his daughter, Dorothy Malone, when the coach is attacked by bandits. Arriving at the hideout, McCrea meets John Archer and James Mitchell, two members of the gang. With them he finds Virginia Mayo, a half-Indian girl. McCrea pays court to Dorothy at her father's ranch nearby and decides to quit the bandit life, but he is persuaded to commit one more holdup — that of a $100,000 payroll being sent by train. Ian Wolfe, the train conductor, had negotiated the deal with the gang. Suspicious, McCrea learns that Wolfe had tipped off the Marshal to obtain the reward money for his capture. He learns also that Archer and Mitchell planned to doublecross him. Nevertheless, he accomplishes the holdup and, with Virginia, escapes with the money although seriously wounded. He goes to Hull's ranch for aid, but when Dorothy learns his true identity she tries to betray him to a posse for the reward. Virginia prevents this, and takes McCrea back to the hideout. Still hoping to start a new life, McCrea decides to go to Mexico with Virginia. But an approaching posse causes him to flee. The posse traps him in an Indian cliff dwelling but he holds them at bay with his guns. Virginia, in a desperate effort to save him, allows herself to be tricked into luring McCrea out in the open. They die together in a hopeless attempt to escape. It was produced by Anthony Veiller and directed by Raoul Walsh from a screen play by John Twist and Edmund H. North. Unsuitable for children. "All Over the Town" with Norman Wooland and Sarah Churchill (Univ., Int'l., no rel. date set; time, 88 min.) A fairly entertaining British-made comedy-melodrama, centering around a crusading small-town newspaperman. The story, which deals with the hero's defiance of local politicians in order to tell the people the truth, is interesting, but the picture will probably present a selling problem to most exhibitors because of the fact that the players are unknown in this country. It should, however, serve adequately as a supporting feature, for the theme has been handled effectively, with substantial touches of comedy, drama and romance, and the acting is competent. Sarah Churchill, as the heroine, is charming. The fact that she is the daughter of Britain's former prime minister may be exploited to advantage: — Honorably discharged from the R.A.F., Norman Wooland returns to the seaside town of Tarmouth, where he is reinstated as reporter on the weekly newspaper. Sarah Churchill, who had been doing his job, agrees to remain as his assistant. They fall in love, and she urges him to leave town and seek out a bigger career, particularly since both resented the fact that their paper catered to advertisers and local politicians. Their resentment is heightened when they learn