Harrison's Reports (1949)

August 27, 1949 HARRISON'S REPORTS 139 "Border Incident" with George Murphy, Ricardo Montalban and Howard da Silva (MGM, October; time, 92 min.) MGM has fashioned a tense, realistic picture in "Border Incident," a semi-documentary melodrama that deals with the problems of Mexican braceros (harvest hands) who pay American and Mexican racketeers to smuggle them into the United States at harvest time, and are then robbed and murdered by their "benefactors." The action, which revolves around the efforts of two investigators — one Mexican and the other American — to apprehend the criminals, never flags in interest or suspense and builds to a gripping, exciting climax. It is chiefly a man's picture, not only because the action is ruthless and on occasion brutal, but also because there is no love interest. The direction is taut, and the acting highly competent: — Disguised as a bracero, Ricardo Montalban, of the Mexican Federal Police, sets out to track down the criminals responsible for the murders and unlawful exploitation of braceros smuggled into the United States. In this he is aided by George Murphy, a U.S. Immigration agent, who trails his movements. Murphy loses the trail, but by posing as a criminal wanted by the police he makes contact with the gang of Mexican racketeers who illegally furnished braceros to shady American ranchers. He eventually meets Howard da Silva, a crooked American bracero broker, who agrees to buy from him "stolen" blank immigration permits, which Murphy claimed to have hidden. Murphy's telegram to a Kansas City "friend" for shipment of the permits serves as a tip to the Immigration authorities, who set in motion a plan to trap the racketeers. Pending the arrival of the permits, Murphy is held prisoner. Meanwhile Montalban, smuggled across the border as a bracero, arrives in da Silva's camp and finds Murphy imprisoned, but he is unable to aid him. The authorities' plan to trap the racketeers hits a snag when da Silva, who had traced the telegram, learns of the ruse and discovers that Murphy is an Immigration man. He has Murphy slain while Montalban stands by helplessly. Aware that the authorities were now closing in on him, da Silva decides to get rid of the braceros by taking them back across the border, where Mexican ruffians stood ready to rob and kill them, and to dispose of their bodies in quicksand. Montalban, sensing the danger, incites the braceros to fight for their lives. In the bloody battle that follows, da Silva and several of his henchmen lose their lives before the American agents arrive and take control of the situation. It was produced by Nicholas Nayfack and directed by Anthony Mann from a screen play by John C. Higgins, based on a story by Mr. Higgins and George Zuckerman. The cast includes James Mitchell, Charles McGraw, John Ridgeley and others. Unobjectionable morally. "That Midnight Kiss" with Kathryn Grayson, Jose Iturbi and Mario Lanza (MGM, Sept.; time, 96 min.) Producer Joe Pasternak's formula for blending good music, romantic, human interest and comedy has again proved its worth in this very pleasant Technicolor musical, which is the kind that leaves an audience in a happy mood. The story is thin, but as usual Pasternak, by his adroit handling, makes more of the material than what there really is to it. Added to the picture's popular entertainment ingredients is the appeal of a new personality in the person of Mario Lanza, a handsome young tenor recruited from grand opera, whose good acting and exceptionally fine singing voice should win him many admirers. The music, which is mainly of the operatic type, are popular selections, and as sung by Lanza or Kathryn Grayson, either as a duet or a solo, or played on the piano by Jose Iturbi, are pleasant to the car. Aside from the impressive musical interludes, the film has considerable comedy, with Kecnan Wynn, J. Carrol Naish, Jules Munshin and Thomas Gomez as the chief laughprovokers. Gomez, incidentally, is hilariously funny as a "hammy" Italian tenor. The romantic interest is appealing. The production values, of course, are up to the usual fine MGM standards: — Ethel Barrymore, a wealthy patron of the arts, is intent upon seeing Kathryn, her niece, become a great opera singer to satisfy a frustrated desire of her own. She arranges with Jose Iturbi to star Kathryn with Thomas Gomez, a pompous, fat tenor. Kathryn, not at ease singing to the unromantic Gomez, induces Iturbi to audition Lanza, an ex-GI truck driver, whose voice she had discovered when he delivered a piano to her home. Iturbi is pleased with his voice and gives him his great chance when Gomez quits the opera in one of his temperamental rages. Kathryn and Lanza fall in love, but the unwitting interference of his mother, who believed him to be in love with Marjorie Reynolds, a secretary in the trucking firm, leads to a misunderstanding between them and causes Lanza to give up his opera role. J. Carrol Naish, his father, and Keenan Wynn, his manager, eventually straighten out the misunderstanding, and it all ends happily with Lanza returning to Kathryn on opening night, and with both achieving fame. It was directed by Norman Taurog from a screen play by Bruce Manning and Tamara Hovey. The cast includes Arthur Treacher, Ann Codee and others. Fine for the entire family. "Prince of Foxes" with Tyrone Power, Orson Welles and Wanda Hendrix (20th Century-Fox, Dec; time, 107 min.) The extravagant production values, the drawing power of the stars, and the fame of the Samuel Shellabarger novel on which the story is based should be of considerable help to this period melodrama, which deals with a fictional episode in the life of the Italian Renaissance despot, Cesare Borgia. As entertainment, its mixture of intrigue, treachery, murder and chivalry offers much that is good, but the overall slow pace and the lack of ingenuity in the treatment serve to diminish one's interest in the proceedings and to keep the film from being a really outstanding attraction. On the credit side is a thrilling battle sequence in which Cesare's forces storm the fortress walls of a tiny duchy with scaling ladders and fire-throwing equipment, only to be beaten back by the defenders with boiled oil poured down from above. Exciting also are the several sword and knife duels. Tyrone Power, as a nobleman who deserts Cesare to defend the oppressed, makes an effective hero, but Orson Welles, as the villainous Cesare, is too theatrical. Wanda Hendrix seems miscast as the youthful wife of an aged duke. Filmed entirely in Italy, the actual castle and mountain backgrounds give the picture production values that are highly impressive: — To satisfy his quest for power, Cesare murders the husband of Lucrezia, his notorious sister, thus leaving her free for a proposed marriage to the Duke of Ferrera, with whom a political alliance was most important to Cesare. The delicate mission of arranging the marriage is performed by Andrea Orsini (Tyrone Power), Cesare's trusted assistant, whom he rewards with an appointment as special ambassador to a neighboring duchy, which was ruled by the aged Duke Verano (Felix Aylmer), and which stood in the way of Cesare's ultimate goal — Rome. Cesare's plan was for Andrea to seduce Verano's young and beautiful wife, Camilla (Wanda Hendrix), and to murder her husband, a treachery designed to secure the duchy for Cesare's army. Treated with kindness by the saint-like old duke, and finding himself falling in love with Camilla, Andrea rebels when Cesare orders him to fulfill his assignment. He decides instead to join the Duke and defend the duchy. The old man dies in battle and, after a long siege, Andrea, to save the people from starvation, surrenders the duchy and becomes Cesare's prisoner. He is tortured and sentenced to death, but Mario Belli (Everett Sloan), a trusted friend in Cesare's army, saves him by a clever ruse and helps him to escape. Recovered from his injuries, Andrea organizes his former soldiers and plans to retake the duchy and rescue Camilla. Mario prepares the way for the insurrection and, after a bitter fight, Andrea and his men rout the enemy. Andrea is given a Lordship and, amidst great pomp, marries Camilla. It was produced by Sol C. Sicgcl and directed by Henry King from a screen play by Milton Krims. The cast includes Katina Paxinou and others. Unobjectionable morally.