Harrison's Reports (1949)

September 3, 1949 HARRISON'S REPORTS 143 "Chicago Deadline" with Alan Ladd and Donna Reed (Paramount, K[ov. 11; time, 87 min.) A pretty good action melodrama. The story, which is told in part through a series of flashbacks, is so involved and confusing that one has to be a wizard to be able to follow and understand the proceedings, but those who are not too concerned over story values should find it fascinat' ing, for the action is fast-moving, exciting, and eventful, and the characterizations varied. As a two-fisted newspaper reporter who becomes enmeshed in murder and violence as he traces the life of a young woman found dead in a cheap rooming house, Alan Ladd makes a resourceful and tenacious hero. His fans in particular should enjoy the picture, for he is hardly ever off the screen: — The story opens with Ladd present in a cheap rooming house when Donna Reed, a beautiful girl, is found dead from tuberculosis. He pockets the girl's address book before the police arrive. When the police see nothing unusual about her death, Ladd, sensing a story, proceeds to call some of the people listed in the address book. He soon realizes that something is wrong when those he calls give him varied reactions, ranging from threats to indications that they feared to become implicated in something sinister. From then on the story defies synopsis as Ladd decides to investigate the girl's past. He becomes involved with numerous sundry characters who put his life in constant peril to keep him from unravelling Donna's past, but in the course of several beatings and a couple of murders, he learns that Donna had been widowed when her husband (John Beal) had died in an automobile accident, following which she fell in love with Shepperd Strudwick, a slick gambler. Gavin Muir, a heartless banker, had become infatuated with her, and to win her he had arranged with Berry Kroeger, a gangster, to dispose of Strudwick. Later, Muir had knocked Donna unconscious during a quarrel and, thinking her dead, had arranged with Kroeger to dispose of her body. Kroeger, instead, had taken her to a place of safety. From what one can make out of the confused tale, the beatings and murders in conjunction with Ladd's investigation stemmed from his publicizing Donna's death from tuberculosis, causing numerous characters to become concerned over their association with her while she lived, but just why is not made clear. In the end, Ladd is shown making sure that Donna gets a decent bi.ria! but whether she had been a good or bad woman remains a puzzle. It was produced by Robert Fellows and directed by Lewis Allen from a screen play by Warren Duff, based on a novel by Tiffany Thayer. The cast includes June Havoc, Harold Vermilyea, Arthur Kennedy and others. Adult fare. "Jiggs and Maggie in Jackpot Jitters" with Renie Riano and Joe Yule (Monogram, August 28; time, 67 min.) Better than the past pictures of this program series. The production values are finer, the direction better, and the characters impress one as if they had just stepped out of the George McManus cartoon strip. The story is not, of course, very strong; it is really the means by which the different gag situations arc bound. But there are plentiful laughs all the way through. The photography is fine: — Maggie (Renic Riano), a social climber, makes an application to join the exclusive Hunt Club. She sneezes continually and is informed by her doctor that she is allergic to horses. She wins a race horse on a radio quiz program, but because of her allergy she orders Jiggs (Joe Yule), her husband, to sell the horse. Later, when the Hunt Club accepts her application, she makes Jiggs buy back the horse, for which he is compelled to pay many times the price he had obtained. In his first race, the horse comes in last, causing Jiggs and his many friends to lose their bets. Jiggs and Maggie arc persuaded to race the horse in California. En route, they meet George McManus, who, too, owned a race horse, named Maggie Jiggs. McManus advises Jiggs to bet on his horse. At the track, Maggie's horse makes a magnificent showing only to lose to McManus' horse as they reach the finish line. Maggie is disgusted, but she consoles herself with the knowledge that the race had been won by a horse bearing her name. Barney Gerard produced it, and William Beaudine directed it, from an original screen play by the producer himself and Eddie Cline. Good for the entire family. "Thieves' Highway" with Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb and Valentina Cortesa (20th Century-Fox, Oct; time, 94 min.) Very good! It is a strong, engrossing melodrama, revolving around a tough war veteran who undertakes to avenge the physical harm done to his father by a gangster-like commission man in the produce market. The story is unpleasant in some respects, and part of the action is brutal, but the realism of the atmosphere, the expert direction, and the capable acting of the competent cast, make it an absorbing film. The action is exciting and suspensive throughout. One sequence that will literally keep the spectator on the edge of his seat is where an apple-loaded truck goes out of control on a steep mountain grade and, after attaining a frightening speed, crashes, catches fire, and cremates its trapped driver. There are some slight touches of comedy, contributed by Jack Oakie, but the overall mood is grim. The romantic angle plays an important part in the story. Valentina Cortesa, an Italian actress, makes an auspicious Americn screen debut as a lady of questionable morale. An interesting and informative facet of the story is its depiction of the manner in which fruit is bought and sold in the wholesale market, with the farmer getting but a fraction of the price eventually paid by the public: — Richard Conte, a veteran, returns to Fresno, California, and learns that his father, a produce trucker, had lost his legs in an "accident" caused by Lee J. Cobb, a San Francisco marketeer. Determined on revenge, Conte buys a truck and with the balance of his savings makes a deal with Millard Mitchell, a shrewd trucker, who had bought his father's dilapidated truck, to buy a load of highly desirable apples at $1.00 per box, and to sell them in San Francisco. Mitchell, in joining Conte, doublecrosses Joseph Pevney and Jack Oakie, rival truckers, whom he had promised to let in on the deal. Their trucks loaded, Conte drives on ahead to San Francisco while Mitchell trails behind in the old truck, followed by Oakie and Plevney, who felt sure that the truck would break down and that Mitchell would be compelled to cut them in on the deal. En route, Conte injures himself seriously while fixing a blow-out, but he continues the journey. He finally brings the truck to a stop in front of Cobb's warehouse, where he passes out because of his pain. Cobb, noticing Conte's condition and his highly desirable load of apples, cuts the tires so that the truck cannot be moved. He pays Valentina to entice Conte to her flat, and then proceeds to sell his apples to other dealers at $6.50 per box. Valentina, attracted to Conte, informs him of Cobb's trickery. Conte threatens Cobb with a beating and forces him to pay the total money he received for the apples. Happy over his huge profit, Conte telephones Barbara Lawrence, his sweetheart, to come to Frisco to get married. Shortly thereafter, two of Cobb's henchmen beat up Conte and steal his money, despite Valcntina's efforts to foil them. In the events that follow, Barbara walks out on Conte when she learns that he had lost his money, and Mitchell burns to death when his brakes fail and he loses control of his truck. Conte, on his way to settle matters with Cobb, meets Oakie and learns that Cobb had gone to get Mitchell's spilled apples. He traces Cobb to a roadside cafe, where he gives him an unmerciful beating. The arrival of the police, summoned by Valentina, saves Conte from committing murder. Recognizing Valcntina's loyalty and seeing much good in her. Conte asks Valentina to become his wife. It was produced by Robert Basslcr and directed by Jules Dassin from a screen play by A. I. Bezzcrides, based on his novel "Thieves' Market." Adult fare.