Harrison's Reports (1949)

210 HARRISON'S REPORTS December 31, 1949 "Guilty of Treason" with Charles Bickford, Paul Kelly, Bonita Granville and Richard Derr (EagU'Lion, February; time, 86 min.) Communism is dealt a telling blow in "Guilty of Treason," which is presented as the "trial-behind-the-trial" of Cardinal Mindszenty, the Prince Primate of Hungary, whose per' secution and life imprisonment one year ago aroused the indignation of freedom'loving people throughout the world. Based on the book, "As We See Russia," which was written by twenty-two members of the Overseas Press Club, it is a powerful semi-documentary drama, one that pulls no punches in its graphic depiction of the brutal and tyrranical methods employed by the Soviet-controlled leaders of Communist-dominated governments against those who dare to oppose the communication of their countries. The extensive exploitation campaign planned by Eagle-Lion for the picture, coupled with the fact that many religious and antiCommunist groups will back its exhibition, should make it an outstanding box-office attraction. The story, which is a mixture of fact and fiction, opens with Paul Kelly, an American correspondent, going to Budapest to cover the Cardinal's fight against Communism in Hungary. There he meets Bonita Granville, a patriotic young school-teacher, whose hatred of fascism had confused her into going along with the Communist ideology. Bonita was in love with Richard Derr a young Russian colonel. With Bonita's aid, Kelly locates the Cardinal (Charles Bickford) on his family farm, living there in voluntary exile. The Cardinal tells them of his passionate faith in freedom and determination to continue the fight for liberty, no matter what the cost may be to him personally. The Cardinal's stand inspires Bonita; she refuses to bow to the Communist dictates in regard to her school work, and she tries unsuccessfully to persuade Derr to renounce the Communist philosophy and fight for the principles of freedom. Meanwhile the Cardinal is arrested on trumped up charges of treason. He is questioned and tortured for forty days to make him "confess" to the charges, but he refuses to break. Friends and co-workers of the Cardinal are beaten and compelled to bear witness against him. Bonita is arrested and tortured to death when she refuses to break, and Derr, whose love for her had made his faith in Communism waver, is "liquidated." Even Kelly is almost beaten to death by former Nazis now working with the Communists. Unable to break down the Cardinal's resistance, the Communists resort to hypnotic drugs to gain from him a signed "confession" of treason, after which they sentence him to life imprisonment. The story is at its dramatic best in the situations involving the Cardinal, ably portrayed by Mr. Bickford, who courageously withstands the indignities heaped upon him by his Communist tormentors in their scheme to eliminate him as a symbol of religious and political freedom. The direction is very good, and the acting of the others in the cast effective. It was produced by Jack Wrather and Robert Golden, and directed by Felix Feist, from a screen play by Emmet Lavery. Suitable for everyone. "Bomba on Panther Island" with Johnny Sheffield and Allene Roberts (Monogram, December 18; time, 76 min.) This second in the "Bomba" series is a fair jungle adventure melodrama, suitable as a supporting feature in secondary situations. The story is thin and the acting is somewhat stilted and self-conscious, but it should get by with the undiscriminating action fans, particularly the youngsters, because of the several exciting situations and the interesting authentic animal shots that have been skillfully weaved into the action. Johnny Sheffield, as the 'teen-aged jungle hero, a sort of miniature Tarzan, is effective. His fight to the death with a man-eating panther is depicted in a thrilling way: — Accompanied by Allene Roberts, his sister, Harry Lewis goes to the African jungle to conduct an agricultural experiment. There he meets Charles Irwin, a Scot who had settled in the jungle years previously, and who becomes his host and counselor. Lewis' first task is to clear a section of the jungle, and he hires native hands to do the work. Successively, three of the natives are killed by a black panther, whom the other natives considered a "tabu" cat, not to be killed. Bomba (Johnny Sheffield), the jungle boy, knows no superstition and is employed by Lewis to hunt down the panther. Meanwhile he meets and falls in love with Allene, despite distractions caused by her alluring maid of French extraction (Lita Baron). Riled by the natives' slowness at clearing the jungle, Lewis attempts to do it by burning down the trees, although Irwin had advised him against it. A damaging forest fire results, during which Bomba traps the panther in a cave and kills it after a furious battle. Despondent because of the damage he had wrought, Lewis prepares to give up the experiment and go back home. But Allene, who formerly hated the jungle but now saw it through Bomba's eyes, persuades her brother to remain and carry through the work he had started. Bomba goes back into the jungle. Fred Beebe wrote the screen play and directed it. It was produced by Walter Mirisch. Suitable for the entire family. "The Hidden Room" with Robert Newton, Sally Gray and Phil Brown (Eagle-Lion, October; time, 98 min.) A tense and exciting British-made murder thriller. Revolving around the efforts of a jealous English doctor to dispose permanently of his wayward wife's American admirer, it is a "perfect crime" type of story, abounding with suspense from start to finish. Since the audience is at all times aware of the doctor's intentions and of the manner in which he plans to dispose of the body, one's interest is gripped by the way he matches wits with a Scotland Yard inspector who becomes inquisitive over the American's disappearance. The dialogue is exceptionally good, and the direction and acting highly competent. Although it is a British-made production, Edward Dmytryk, the director, has handled it in a way that should give good satisfaction to American movie-goers who enjoy this type of film fare: — Obsessed with jealousy because of the infidelities of his wife (Sally Gray), Robert Newton, a doctor, determines to murder Phil Brown, an American diplomat, with whom he catches her one night. He compels Brown to accompany him to a cellar in an abandoned building, where he keeps him chained up under a plan to commit a perfect murder. Every day, when Newton brings Brown food, he also brings a hot water bottle filled with acid, which he spills into a bathtub, and which would dissolve Brown's body after he is killed. Sally, aware that Newton was responsible for Brown's disappearance, says nothing to the police lest she ruin her own reputation. One day Sally's pet dog follows Newton to the cellar, compelling him to leave the animal there lest it lead Sally to the hideout. Sally reports the dog missing to the police, and Inspector Naunton Wayne, investigating, learns that both Newton and Sally knew Brown, for whom Scotland Yard was still searching. Wayne keeps an eye on Newton's activities but is unable to trap him. Newton, believing that he had thrown Wayne off the scent, puts poison in Brown's food and prepares for the final act of destruction. Brown, aware that he was dying, orders the dog, whom he had secretly trained, to pull the plug from the bathtub, causing the acid to drain away. Hurrying to his office to get more acid, Newton is spotted by the police, who trail him back to the cellar in time to save Brown's life. It ends with Newton jailed for attempted murder, Sally going to South America for new conquests, and Brown recuperating in the hospital with the dog by his side. Alec Coppel wrote the screen play from his novel, "A Man About a Dog." N. A. Bronstein produced it. Adult fare.