Harrison's Reports (1950)

April 15, 1950 HARRISON'S REPORTS 59 "The Big Lift" with Montgomery Clift and Paul Douglas (20th Century-Fox, May; time, 120 min.) Very good! Skillfully directed and capably acted, it is an absorbing postwar drama, presented in a way that is sure to score with all types oi audiences. It revolves around the Berlin airlift, during the Russian blockade, and around an American "GI," played by Montgomery Cli ft, who is almost tricked into marriage by a beautiful but deceitful German girl. Filmed entirely in Berlin, its documentarylike depiction of the airlift operations is taut and exciting, and the photography, which vividly shows the hazards encountered by the Allied planes in the effort to keep the western sector of Berlin supplied with coal and food, is superb. Not only is the well written story interesting, but it offers a fascinating study of the German people through an assortment of varied characters and, without preachment or flag-waving, makes out a strong case for the democratic way of life. Although it is basically serious, the story is loaded with humorous touches, some of which will make audiences howl with delight. A particularly good performance is turned in by Paul Douglas, as Chit's buddy, a blustering "GI" who makes no bones about his mistrust of all Germans because of his experiences in a prison camp. Douglas' romance with Bruni Lobel, a German girl eager to learn all about democ' racy, is mostly on the humorous side, but it points up the fact that all Germans cannot be judged by the actions of a few. Cornell Borchers, as the girl who tries to hoodwink Clift, is a fine German actress, and many movie-goers will look forward to seeing her in future American pictures. Briefly, the story has Clift meeting Cornell when, in behalf of the women of Berlin, she presents the crew of his plane with a reward for their services. He falls in love with her, and she tells him that her husband had been killed in Russia, and that her father, a professor, had been "liquidated" by the Nazis for speaking out against them. Douglas, unimpressed by Clift's love for Cornell, digs up evidence proving that both her husband and father had been ardent Nazis. When Clift confronts her, she admits that she had lied to make him more sympathetic towards her. He does not blame her and, to show his faith, asks her to marry him. He goes through much red tape to get permission to marry, but, on the day set for their wedding, a neighbor of Cornell's, who had taken a liking to Clift, intercepts a letter she had addressed to a man in St. Louis. He reads the letter and learns that it is to her husband, still alive, and that she planned to rejoin him after reaching the United States and divorcing Clift. Given the letter, Clift, now convinced of her deceit, denounces her and prepares to return to the United States alone. It was written and directed by George Seaton, and produced by William Perlberg. Unobjectionable for the family. "A Modern Marriage" with Robert Clarke, Margaret Field and Reed Hadley (Monogram, no rel. date set; time, 66 min.) From the viewpoint of emotional entertainment, "A Modern Marriage" is a top picture, and even though the principal players are not known the picture will undoubtedly prove to be a "sleeper." Exhibitors who will get behind the picture with a good exploitation campaign should enjoy profits such as some top pictures bring in to them. The theme is of interest to many young married couples, whose marriages are frequently destroyed by interfering mothersin-law. Robert Clarke is, not only personally appealing, but also a good actor. Equally good is Margaret Field. As to Nana Bryant, she is realistic as the mother who is trying to keep her daughter to herself rather than see her happily married. She is subtle. Reed Hadley, as a doctor and marital relations counsellor, is very competent. Director Paul Landres, producer David Diamond and associate producer William F. Broidy should be congratulated for the excellence ot the production: — Directly after her marriage to Clarke, Margaret flees from their hotel room, rushes home to her mother (Miss Bryant), and attempts suicide by swallowing a large number of sleep ing pills. Clarke rushes her to a hospital in time to save her life, but from then on she refuses to see him. Hadley, a doctor with the Institute of Family Relations, is called into the case, and he sets out to bring about a readjustment so as to save the marriage. Through a series of talks with Clarke, Margaret and her mother, Hadley learns that Margaret and Clarke had fallen in love shortly after her college graduation. She had met his parents and they had given her a warm reception, but her mother had been cool towards him, and had deliberately though subtley tried to prevent her from going out with him. She had rebelled against her mother's tactics and had married Clarke, but on the wedding night she had rushed home out of fear that her mother might die of heart trouble. After a psychology cal diagnosis of the case, Hadley finds that the fault lies with the mother. She had divorced her husband years previously, and one night she had awakened in time to prevent him from taking Margaret away. Since then, she feared that she would lose her daughter and would remain alone. By convincing Margaret that her mother's health was perfect, Hadley induces her to return to Clarke. Sam Roeca and George Wallace Sayre wrote the screen play. Suitable for the entire family. "One Way Street" with James Mason, Marta Toren and Dan Duryea (UnivAnt'l, April; time, 79 mm.) Most movie-goers will find this melodrama only mildly interesting. The plot is synthetic and the characterizations unconvincing and somewhat confused. It starts off in exciting fashion, with an embittered doctor in the employ of gangsters outsmarting the gang by stealing their ill-gotten money and making off with the gang leader's girl-friend. But when the action shifts to a rural village in Mexico, where the fleeing couple take refuge, and where the ailing villagers' appreciation of the doctor's medical knowledge give him a new lease on life, the pace becomes slow and the proceedings tedious. The suspense that is generated in the early reels is not sustained. It is not a cheerful entertainment, and morally and ethically its values are questionable, for it tries to win sympathy for a couple whose actions are illicit. The fatalistic ending, where the doctor is killed accidentally, is disappointing: — As Dan Duryea, a gang leader, prepares to divide the loot of a $200,000 bank robbery with members of his gang, Marta Toren, his girl-friend, is told to summon James Mason, the gang's doctor, to treat William Conrad, who had been wounded. Mason gives Duryea a headache pill as he bandages Conrad. He then picks up the bag with the stolen money, calmly informs Duryea that he had given him a lethal pill, and tells him that, unless he is permitted to leave unharmed, he will not notify him within the hour of the antidote. Marta announces that she is going with Mason. Duryea, helpless, lets them escape, swearing revenge. They charter a plane to take them to Mexico City, but a faulty fuel pump causes them to make a forced landing near an isolated village. While the pilot sets off over the mountain for a new pump, Marta and Mason are befriended by a local priest (Basil Ruysdael), who gives them shelter in the village. During the week that the pilot is gone they live an idyllic existence. The priest, explaining that there is no doctor for miles around, prods Mason into treating the sick natives. Through this work, Mason, a fatalist, finds a real purpose in life for the first time, and he agrees to remain in the village, where he and Marta can live a happy and secure life. Shortly thereafter they learn that Duryea had picked up their trail. Mason decides to return to Los Angeles, give the money back to Duryea and, if he survives, to return with Marta to the little village. As Mason arrives at Duryea's apartment, Conrad kills Duryea and then turns his gun on him. But Mason, quicker on the draw, kills Conrad. He rushes downstairs to rejoin Marta and head back for Mexico. As he crosses the street, he is struck down and killed by a speeding car. It was produced by Leonard Goldstein and directed by Hugo Fregonese from a Story and screen play by Lawicnce Kimble. Adult fare.