Harrison's Reports (1950)

56 HARRISON'S REPORTS April 8, 1950 "Beware of Blondie" with Arthur Lake and Penny Singleton (Columbia, no rel. date set; time, 66 min.) The followers of the "Bumsteads" are due for a disappointment, for this latest picture of the series is the poorest produced in several years. The story is banal, and at no time holds one's interest. This time the plot revolves around the trouble Arthur Lake gets himself into when he is left in charge of the office by his boss, who leaves him with several blank checks, signed. He becomes involved with Adele Jergens, one of a group of blackmailers, who, posing as the owner of a well known corporation, plans to fleece him by pretending that she was ready to sign a construction contract. Gossipy neighbors jump to the wrong conclusion when they see Lake with Adele, and lead Penny Singleton, his wife, to believe that he is a two-timer. Meanwhile Adele manages to lure Lake to her hotel room, where one of the blackmailers, pretending to be her infuriated husband, threatens to go to the newspapers unless he is paid five thouand dollars. Adele, by promising to reimburse Lake, induces him to fill out one of his boss' signed checks. On the following day, Lake learns that he had been swindled. He tells Penny about his predicament, and she offers to mortgage their home to reimburse the boss. But it all turns out for the best when the boss reveals that, through a mistake, the checks he had signed were worthless because they had been drawn on a account he had closed months previously. The story is padded to the extreme, the action is silly, and the direction and acting poor. It was produced by Milton Feldman and directed by Edward Bernds from a story and screen play by Jack Henley, based upon the comic strip created by Chic Young. Harmless for family patronage. "Messenger of Peace" with John Beal, Peggy Stewart and Paul Guilfoyle (Astor Pictures, no rel. date set; time, 87 min.) Very good! The proof that satisfying pictures do not require pretentious stories and budgets is furnished by this picture. Dealing with the simple life of a pastor from his days as a divinity student until his retirement, it is a deeply appealing drama of a kindly soul, told in heart-warming, sympathetic and impressive terms. How he overcomes the frailties of some of the people who had charged him with the task of ministering to their spiritual needs is most inspiring, and it should make many persons who see the picture more tolerant towards their fellow-men. The establishment of a church and congregation in a small backwoods town; the trials and tribulations of being transferred to another church; the loyalty of the pastor's wife, who follows her husband without complaint; the whole-hearted tribute paid to the pastor by his congregation upon his retirement — all this and more make for emotion-stirring situations that touch one's heartstrings. John Beal, as the pastor, and Peggy Stewart, as his charming, understanding wife, are very good, as is Paul Guilfoyle, as the town drunkard who becomes a devout church-goer and regains his self respect. Properly exploited, the picture, which is sure to have the backing of religious groups, should do very well as the box-office: — Beal, a young pastor, is sent to a backwoods town to organize a congregation and build a church. He finds that the lack of spiritual guidance had made the townspeople uneasy and unfriendly towards one another. His biggest problems are Paul Guilfoyle, an habitual drunkard, and William Gould, a God-fearing but intolerant man, who objected to his daughter's love for a young "moon-shiner," a young man who reforms and marries her. With the aid of Peggy Stewart, who becomes his devoted wife, Beal patiently guides the people through their different problems and eventually brings about a better understanding among all concerned. Years later, he is shifted to a larger community, one with a church but with few church-goers. He immediately sets about making friends and serving the community in every way possible, and before long his efforts are rewarded by full attendance at the church. Tragedy strikes when his eldest son is killed in World War I, but he does not let this stand in the way of his duty. Finally old and gray, he is retired on a pension and given a warm farewell by the grateful congregation. It was produced by Roland Reed and directed by Frank Strayer from a screen play by Glenn Tryon, based on a story by Henry Rische. Excellent for the family. "A Run for Your Money" with an all-British cast (Univ.-lnt'l, no rel. date set; time, 83 min.) An amusing British-made comedy, revolving around the misadventures of two young Welsh coal miners, who win a free trip to London and a cash prize for mining the most coal in a nationwide competition. The characterizations are very good, and the situations highly comical, but its appeal (Continued on bac\ page) probably will be limited to those who patronize art houses and other theatres that specialize in British pictures, for the thick Welsh brogue used by the players is at times difficult to understand. The acting is competent, but the players are unknown in this country. Briefly, the story has two brothers, Donald Houston and Meredith Edwards, young Welsh miners, heading for London to collect their prize from a London newspaper. Alec Guinness, a meek gardening columnist, is assigned by the newspaper to meet the brothers and look after them. Guinness misses them at the station, and to make matters even more complicated the brothers become separated, with Houston falling into the clutches of Moira Lister, a demure gold-digger, who helps him to collect the money and then lays plans to separate him from it. Meanwhile, Edwards meets up with Hugh Griffith, an old friend with a perpetual thirst, who had been reduced to singing in the streets for a living. The action boils down to a continuing chase, with one brother pursuing the other, the girl being pursued by the brother she victimizes, and all being chased by Guinness, still trying to catch up with his charges. All this makes for many amusing incidents in and out of subways, buses, saloons and a theatre, until the brothers finally meet on the return train home, their money recovered from a repentent Moira. It was produced by Michael Balcon and directed by Charles Frend, from a screen play by the director, Richard Hughes and Leslie Norman, based on a story by Clifford Evans. Adult fare. "Rapture" with Glenn Langan and Elsy Albiin (Film Classics, April; time, 80 min.) A heavy and slow entertainment. The acting of all the principal players is fine, and Elsy Albiin is a beautiful girl and her part is sympathetic, but the movement is too heavy for the picture to benefit from these advantages. Some judicious cutting might speed up the action considerably, even though the theme's heaviness will remain. The picture has been produced in Italy and the background is all Italian. The dark photography is in keeping with the somber mood of the story: — While returning to Rome from a weekend in the country, Glenn Langan, a popular young Roman sculptor, is so attraced by the beauty of an old castle and its tower that he returns to investigate it. That night he sees, what appears to him to be, a statue in the lake come to life and dive into the water. He rents a bungalow nearby and, from memory, creates the body of the statue. Eduardo Ciannelli, caretaker of the castle, assists Langan in his work, and introduces him to Elsy, daughter of Douglas Dumbrille, owner of the castle. Fascinated by Elsy's beauty, Langan falls in love with her, but her father informs him that her mind is not right. Elsy becomes hopelessly sad when Langan decides to return to Rome to finish the statue by chiseling the head with her features. While driving to Rome, Langan stops to assist Lorraine Miller, a flirtatious woman, whose car had stalled. They find shelter in a shed during a violent rainstorm, and that night the two have an affair. Langan's statue. Rapture, wins first prize in an exhibition. He returns to the castle, where he is shocked to meet Lorraine, whom Elsy introduces as her sister. The scheming Lorraine tries to win Langan for herself, and reveals to her sister what had happened between them. Moreover, she discloses that she had been the vision who had inspired the statue. Elsy suffers a breakdown and destroys the statue. Langan wants to marry her, but her father refuses on the ground that she is mentally ill. Elsy, overhearing the conversation, mounts the castle tower and leaps to her death. It was produced by David H. Pelham and directed by Goffredo Alessandrini, from a story by Geza Herczeg, who collaborated on the screen play with the director and John C. Shepridge. Adult fare.