Harrison's Reports (1950)

May 6, 1950 HARRISON'S REPORTS 71 "Caged" with Eleanor Parker, Agnes Moorehead and Hope Emerson (Warner Bros., June 10; time, 96 min.) An interesting but grim prison melodrama. Those who will see the picture with a critical eye will agree that it is a fine production so far as direction and acting are concerned, but it can hardly be called an entertainment, for its depiction of life in a corrupt'ridden women's prison is too depressing. Although it is hardly believable that the brutality and in' humaneness depicted in this picture could possibly exist in any prison in these days, the story, as handled, is a gripping account of how a basically good girl, a first offender, becomes so embittered at the harsh treatment meted out to her that she leaves the prison hardened and destined for a life of crime. The whole atmosphere of the picture is one of hope lessness and morbidity and, though it is strictly adult fare, its many moments of violence and brutality may be too strong for sensitive persons: — Eleanor Parker, a 19-year'old pregnant widow, is sentenced to prison when she becomes involved in a gas station holdup. After two depressing weeks in the medical isolation ward, Eleanor is interviewed by Agnes Moorehead, understanding superintendent of the prison, and assigned to do light work in the prison laundry. She is put under the charge of Hope Emerson, a sadistic matron, who supplemented her prison salary with bribes from the inmates for special favors, with particular attention paid to Betty Garde, who recruited girls from within the prison for a shoplifting syndicate. Hope soon vents her wrath on Eleanor when she learns that she has no friends to supply money for special privileges. Betty tries to enlist Eleanor for the syndicate, but she declines out of a desire to lead a lawful life at the end of her term. The injustices inflicted upon Eleanor by Hope bring about the premature birth of her baby, and to add to her misery the law compels her to give the baby up for adoption. Looking forward to the day of her release, Eleanor is overjoyed when she is granted a parole hearing, but, when the board refuses to parole her on the ground that she has no home or job, she becomes despondent and hardened at the thought of another six months' imprisonment. Finally goaded beyond endurance by Hope's inhumanity towards her and the other inmates, Eleanor attacks her and starts a riot. She is put into solitary confinement and, unknown to the superintendent, Hope clips her hair almost to the scalp as a final humiliation. Miss Moorehead, learning of this, demands that the prison commission dismiss Hope, but Hope pulls political strings and retains her job. Meanwhile Lee Patrick, a new prisoner, had taken over the work handled by Betty for the syndicate, and Betty had become the object of Hope's intense hatred. Taunted to desperation, Betty murders Hope by plunging a fork into her neck. Realizing that she must have employment to get by the parole board, Eleanor turns to Lee, whose vice syndicate finds a phony job for her. She leaves the prison a hardfaced, bitter woman, prepared to be launched on a career of crime. It was produced by Jerry Wald and directed by John Cromwell from a story by Virginia Kellog and Bernard C. Schoenfeld. Strictly adult fare. "Forbidden Jungle" with Don Harvey (Eagle-Lion, no rel. date set; time, 67 min.) A minor program jungle melodrama, obviously produced on a modest budget. The plot, which is up to the intelligence of a ten-year-old child, is too preposterous to be taken seriously. A considerable part of the footage is given over to familiar library clips of wild animal scenes, including several that show vicious fights between the animals. These animal shots may give the film a modicum of interest for those who have never seen them, but even these are not enough to sustain one's attention in the proceedings as a whole. Most patrons will probably laugh derisively at the antics of a huge studio-made gorilla, whose attack on a femal jungle native was obviously included for the benefit of the grind houses that specialize in the exploitation of this type of pictures. Most theatres will find the film best suited for the Saturday matinee trade. The direction and acting are amateurish: — Don Harvey, a famed explorer, goes to the African jungle to track down a wild jungle boy, an assignment he had accepted from a wealthy American who believes that the boy is his grandson. He comes to a village deep in the jungle, where he is met by Forrest Taylor, a retired white trader, who ruled the natives together with Alyce Louis, his halfcaste daughter. Both try unsuccessfully to dissuade Harvey from his mission. Alyce races ahead to warn the boy, Robert Cabal, to stay out of Harvey's way. In the course of events the boy, on friendly terms with all the wild animals, meets Harvey on a jungle path and saves his life when a lion leaps for the kill. Harvey and the boy become fast friends, and the youngster saves his life once again when a man-eating tiger escapes from a cage and attacks him. In a not-too-clear ending, after it is brought out that the boy is actually Taylor's grandson, Harvey departs for home, happy that he did not have to separate the youngster from his beloved jungle. It was produced by Jack Schwarz and directed by Robert Tansey from an original story and screen play by Frances Kavanaugh. Harmless for children. "Colt .45" with Randolph Scott, Ruth Roman and Zachary Scott (Warner Bros., May 27; time, 74 min.) Technicolor photography and the marquee value of the leading players give this otherwise standard Western melodrama a decided lift. It should serve as a top attraction for houses that cater to the Western fans, and as a strong supporting feature in other spots. The story itself follows a familiar pattern, and some of the situations are extremely far-fetched, but it has enough hard-riding pursuits, blazing gun battles and fistic combats to satisfy those who are more concerned with movement than with logic. The acting is generally good, but Zachary Scott, who plays the part of a diabolical villain, overacts the role badly: — While trying to sell the new Colt repeating pistols to a sheriff in a frontier town, Randolph Scott, a gun salesman, is overpowered by Zachary Scott, a prisoner, who takes the guns, kills the sheriff, and makes a getaway. Randolph is jailed in the belief that he aided Zachary and is not released until four months later. Meanwhile Zachary, fortified with the new repeating pistols, had become head of a gang of outlaws, terrorizing the neighboring country with holdups and killings. Randolph sets out to recover his guns and stumbles across an attempt by Zachary's gang to hold up a stagecoach. He jumps to the top of the stage from an overhanging rock and disperses the outlaws with his deadly aim, despite the interference of Ruth Roman, a passenger, who makes a getaway on a riderless horse when the stage comes to a halt. When Randolph arrives in town with the stage, Alan Hale, the sheriff, secretly in Zachary's pay, makes him a deputy. In the course of events, Randolph learns that Ruth cooperated with Zachary because Lloyd Bridges, her weakling husband, was one of his henchmen. Randolph manages to capture two of Zachary's outlaws and, while they are being tried before a judge, Zachary, aided by Hale, manages to release them and throw suspicion on Randolph as an outlaw because of the Colt guns he carried. Ruth, fed up with lawlessness, rides hard into town to tell the truth, only to be shot down by her husband. Randolph makes a getaway during the excitement, taking the wounded Ruth with him. Both are given protection by a tribe of Indians friendly to Randolph. In the meantime Zachary takes over the control of the town, killing the sheriff and Ruth's husband in the process. Randolph, accompanied by the Indians, steals back into town and one by one picks off Zachary's henchmen. It ends with Randolph killing Zachary in a final gun duel, and with Ruth declaring her love for him. It was produced by Saul Elkins and directed by Edwin L. Marin from an original screen play by Thomas Blackburn. Suitable for the family.