Harrison's Reports (1955)

186 HARRISON'S REPORTS November 19, 1955 "Good Morning, Miss Dove" with Jennifer Jones and Robert Stack (20th Century-Fox, November; time, 107 mm.) A fine human interest story, centering around the deep regard and affection that is felt by the people of a small New England town for a prim but compassionate school' teacher whose influence for good had had a telling effect on those she taught over a period of 3? years. Beautifully photographed in CinemaScope and DeLuxe color, it is the kind of picture that should appeal to all types of movie goers, particularly family audiences, for it offers a heartwarming blend of sentiment, drama and gentle humor. Jennifer Jones, who is shown as a 55-year-old woman throughout most of the picture, is excellent as the teacher; she acts the part with pleasing dignity and, though she appears to be stern, her love for her pupils is inspiring, as is her concern for their welfare in later life. The anxiety felt by the people of the town when she becomes ill and has to undergo a serious surgical operation, makes for many situations that are appealing and moving. The other players, too, contribute fine portrayals, thanks to the sensitive and understanding direction of Henry Koster. 20th CenturyFox is justifiably impressed with the fine quality of this quiet, human type of film, and it has set out to exploit it as intensely as it exploited "A Man Called Peter," which was made by the same producer and directed by the same director. The company has set up a series of 50-city showings throughout the country for educational, religious and civic leaders, and it is reported that these showings are generating enthusiastic support from many of these leaders, who are endorsing the film and urging their respective groups and congregations to see it: — ■ Shortly after Jennifer Jones returns home from an exclusive finishing school at the age of nineteen, her father dies and she learns that he had embezzled $10,000 from the local bank, of which he was the president. Jennifer is shocked by this disclosure, but she determines to repay the loss by working as a local schoolteacher. Robert Douglas, the bank's vice-president and family friend, covers up the embezzlement to save her embarrassment and helps her to secure the teaching job. As an educator, Miss Jones is strict with the children yet compassionate. As a result, few of the children love her but all respect her. After teaching for more than 35 years, she suddenly suffers a paralytic stroke in the classroom and is quickly taken to the hospital. The entire community shows deep concern over her illness, and as different people come to visit her, flashbacks reveal the influence she exerted on them when they were her pupils. One is Robert Stack, the local surgeon, whom she chooses to operate on her, even though the local Rotary Club had offered to finance an operation by any famous surgeon. Another is Peggy Knudsen, her nurse, now the unwed mother of a child, who is in love with Chuck Connors, a police officer. As a youngster, Connors, who came from the wrong side of the tracks and was brought up by an alcoholic grandmother, was influenced greatly by Miss Jones' interest in his welfare, and when she diplomatically indicates to him that she thinks Peggy is an inherently fine person, her approval assures their eventual marriage. Still another visitor is Jerry Paris, now a successful playwright, who could not speak English when he arrived from Europe as a youngster. She recalls how the other children used to "torture" him and how she had ended the persecution by arranging for them to be invited to Paris' home for a party so that they could see that his parents and home life were no different from their own. While many others visit her and reveal how much she meant to them, Stack, without mentioning cancer, informs her that she must be operated on to remove a small growth from her spine. She approves his decision, fully aware that the operation may not be successful. The seriousness of the operation causes much anxiety to the townspeople, and on the following day, when word of its success a flashed, a school holiday is declared. When Miss Jones comes out from under the anesthetic and hears church bells ringing, she thinks that it is Sunday, but when Stack explains that a holiday had been declared and tells her of the crowd below her window, a rare smile lights up her face. It was produced by Samuel G. Engel, and directed by Henry Koster, from a screenplay by Eleanore Griffin, based on the best-seller by Frances Gray Patton. Excellent family entertainment. "Operation Malaya" (American Releasing Corp., Oct.; time, 65 min.) This is more or less a documentary film, dealing with the efforts of the British to stamp out Communism in Malaya and to bring order out of chaos in that unhappy country. It is at best a program picture, to be booked on the lower half of a double bill when nothing else better is in sight. Because of the newspaper stories printed about these efforts of the British, there may be a chance for the picture to draw some people to your box-offices. The different shots were photographed in silent form and the producer added some scenes to these silent shots to make up a feature picture. The silent shots show the British soldiers wading through mud to carry out their work, cutting of the Communists' supplies, surrounding them and starving them, thus compelling many of them to surrender. The photography is so-so. It was produced by John Croydon and Peter Crane, and directed by David MacDonald. "City of Shadows" with Victor McLaglen, John Baer and Kathleen Crowley (Republic, June 2; time, 70 min.) An indifferent program melodrama. Centering around Victor McLaglen as a small-time racketeer who rises to power on the basis of legal advice provided by a law student he had befriended, the story is artificial and unconvincing, and the action, for the most part, is slow and long drawn out. Moreover, the direction is undistinguished and so is the acting. There is some excitement in the closing scenes, where McLaglen gets into a gun battle with rival gangsters and sacrifices his life to save the law student and his bride, but it is not enough to compensate for the tediousness of the production as a whole. The black-and-white photography is good: — McLaglen, owner of a limited number of slot machines, catches a 12-year-old newsboy using slugs in the machines and forgets about punishing him when the lad suggests that he combat Anthony Caruso and Richard Reeves, his big-racketeer competitors, by passing out thousands of slugs to other newsboys. Utilizing this suggestion, McLaglen soon gains control of the operations formerly headed by Caruso and Reeves, who now become his lieutenants. Meanwhile McLaglen adopts the newsboy and when he grows up (John Baer) sends him to law school, where he finds legal loopholes to help keep his benefactor's operations within the law. Baer experiences a change of heart against the lawlessness he himself had masterminded when he falls in love with Kathleen Crowley, daughter of a respected retired jurist. He now finds himself wishing that he were on the right side of the legal fence. Upon graduating, Baer agrees to go into the protection business with McLaglen provided the enterprise is honest. McLaglen agrees, but when the mobsters put pressure on him to work a robbery racket into the enteprise, McLaglen weakly yields without Baer's knowledge. This side racket soon comes to the attention of the district attorney, and McLaglen, to pay for his treachery toward Baer and to protect him and Kathleen from harm, sacrifices his life in a gun battle with Caruso and Reeves, whom he shoots dead before he himself dies. It was produced by William J. O'Sullivan, and directed by William Witney, from a screenplay by Houston Branch. Adult fare.