Harrison's Reports (1949)

December 31, 1949 HARRISON'S REPORTS 211 "D.O.A." with Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton and Luther Adler (United Artists, no rel. date set; time, 83 win.) In spite of the fact that the story is difficult to follow because of the many complications, "D.O.A.," meaning "Dead on Arrival," is a highly exciting melodrama that should go over with the action and mystery fans in a big way. Under close analysis the motivations in the story are weak, and a number of the minor characterizations are not clearly defined, but these deficiencies are overcome to a great extent by the imaginative treatment, which keeps the action moving at a breathtaking pace after the first few reels, and by the outstanding performance of Edmond O'Brien, as the hero doomed to die from poisoning. Though complicated, the story is novel in that it revolves around a man who solves his own murder before he dies. The chase scenes inside a factory and on the streets of Los Angeles and San Francisco are thrilling. There are, however, several scenes of brutality. The production values are very good, the direction expert, and the camera work faultless: — The story opens with O'Brien going to the Homicide Division of the Los Angeles Police Department to report his own murder. Asked to explain, he tells the following story, which is shown in flashback: Being a tax consultant in Banning, California, he had gone to San Francisco to relax for a few days, despite the jealous objections of Pamela Britton, his secretary and sweetheart. There he had met several delegates to a buyers' convention, and had joined them in a tour of night-clubs, despite a phone call from Pamela informing him that a Los Angeles businessman had been trying desperately to contact him. He awoke on the following morning with what he believed to be a hangover, and had gone to a doctor. He had been told that he had taken luminous poison in one of his drinks, for which there was no antidote, and that he could only live for a few more days. Seeking a clue to the mystery of his poisoning, he had gone to Los Angeles to check on the man who had tried to contact him, only to learn that he had committed suicide. Meanwhile he had learned from Pamela that, months previously, he had notarized for the dead man a bill-of-sale involving a huge quantity of the drug that was killing him. He had investigated further and had learned that the drugs had been stolen by a gang of crooks who were in some way involved with the dead man's widow and a business associate in a deal to market the stolen drugs. Later, he had uncovered evidence indicating that the dead man had been murdered, and that he (O'Brien) had been poisoned so that he could never testify to having notarized the original bill-of-sale. With this information on hand* he had sought out the man who had poisoned him and had killed him. As he finishes telling his story to the police, O'Brien slumps to the floor, dead. He is booked as "Dead on Arrival." The story and screen play is by Russell Rouse and Clarence Green. It was produced by Leo C. Popkin, and directed by Rudolph Mate. Adult fare. "Traveling Saleswoman" with Joan Davis, Andy Devine and Adele Jergens (Columbia, January; time, 75 min.) A poor slapstick comedy. If Academy Awards were handed out for the dullest comedy of the year, this one would win in a walk. It may get some laughs from children at Saturday matinees, but it hits a new low in interest as far as adult audiences are concerned. It is two-reeler stuff dragged out to more than an hour's length, negative in entertainment value and awkward in presentation. It should prove to be a box-office dud because of unfavorable wordof-mouth opinions: — The story, such as it is, takes place during the horse and buggy days, and revolves around the problems faced by Joan Davis, who seeks ways and means to save her father's soap factory from going into bankruptcy. A local banker agrees to grant the factory a loan, provided soap orders from the West, of which he had been hearing much, materialize. Joan decides to become a traveling saleswoman, something unheard of in those days, and heads west. Andy Devine, her suitor, follows to protect her. She arrives at a remote Western town and, after practically wrecking the general store of her first prospect, goes to the local saloon to sell her soap. There she becomes involved in a brawl and unwittingly comes into possession of a bill-of-sale proving that Joe Sawyer and his henchmen are cattle-rustlers. She sets out on a door-to-door selling campaign and, in the process, is captured by a band of Indians who threaten to kill her, but she wins her freedom and is permitted to proceed on her way when her soap helps to relieve their chief's itchy scalp. She heads back to town where she finds Devine in a com' promising position with Adele Jergens, Sawyer's gaudy girl-friend, whose only purpose was to find out if he had the incriminating bill-of-sale in his pockets. Convinced that Joan had the paper, Sawyer and his gang corner her in a barn. Mea.nwhile the Indians, on the war path, rush into town and effect her rescue. The Indians prepare to annihilate the town, but Joan brings about a peace settlement by making the townspeople promise to keep the Indians supplied with a steady stream of her soap, a maneuver that saves her father's soap factory from bankruptcy. It was produced by Tony Owen and directed by Charles F. Riesner from a story and screen play by Howard Dimsdale. Harmless for children. "Ambush" with Robert Taylor, John Hodiak and Arlene Dahl (MGM, January; time, 89 min.) Strengthened by a cast whose marquee value should give it a lift at the box-office, this Western melodrama is an above-average entertainment of its kind, despite its shortcomings. Where it misses fire is in the U. S. Cavalry-versusIndians story, which is somewhat confusing because of the maze of plots and counter-plots, and which is developed at a rather slow pace. It should, however, go over with the devotees of Western film fare, for, though it is slow in spots, it does pack considerable excitement, particularly in the battles between the Cavalry and the marauding Indians. The sequence where the Indians hide in fox holes and ambush a squad of cavalry troops, leading to a massacre of both sides, is highly thrilling. The story's setting is Arizona in 1878, and the vast rocky outdoor scenery has been photographed effectively: — Robert Taylor, an Indian scout, is asked by Leon Ames, commanding officer of an army fort, to guide his cavalry troops on a mission to rescue the sister of Arlene Dahl from a renegade band of Apache Indians. Taylor refuses until he meets Arlene, who was the sweetheart of John Hodiak, second in command at the fort. Arlene finds herself attracted to Taylor. He sets out on a preliminary expedition with a small squad of cavalrymen and, by raiding an Indian camp, learns from a squaw that Arlene's sister was alive but still captive of the renegade Indians. He returns to the fort to make preparations for a huge-scale attack, and learns that Hodiak had assumed command of the troops because of an injury suffered by Ames. Both come to blows over personal issues, with Taylor taking a licking, but they forget their differences to lead the rescue expedition. Once they locate the Indians' camp, Taylor, by stampeding the Indians' horses, enables the troops to defeat them and rescue Arlene's sister. Meanwhile a number of the Indians escape on foot, and Hodiak and a squad of cavalrymen give chase. The Indians set up an ambush by burying themselves in the desert sands, killing Hodiak and his men in a surprise attack. Taylor, heading a second squad, finishes off the Indians. He returns to the fort where Arlene awaits him with open arms. It was produced by Armand Dcutch and directed by the late Sam Wood from a screen play by Marguerite Roberts, based on a story by Luke Short. The cast includes Don Taylor, Jean Hagen, Bruce Cowling and others. Unobjectionable morally.