Harrison's Reports (1955)

November 19, 1955 HARRISON'S REPORTS 187 "Target Zero" with Richard Conte and Peggie Castle (Warner Bros., Jan. 14; time, 92 min.) "Target Zero" is a Korean War melodrama, centering around the adventures of American soldiers who try to rejoin their company after being cut off behind the enemy's lines. It is a fair enough picture of its kind, but it is doubtful if it will get more than a mild reception from the general run of audiences, for it offers little that is either novel or plausible, or that has not been seen to better advantage in numerous other war films. For example, one finds it difficult to accept as genuine the pat manner in which the soldiers are joined by a beautiful blonde UN civilian medical worker, whom they had found unconscious in a wrecked auto. Needless to say, she tends to their wounds and at the same time finds romance with the heroic lieutenant in charge of the group. The war action, too, is not very convincing, because of the comparative ease with which the enemy is outwitted and beaten. Another drawback is the fact that the pace is slowed down frequently by too much talk, causing one's interest to wander from the screen. Briefly, the action depicts the remnants of an American patrol, led by Richard Conte, seeking to rejoin their company on the summit of a key ridge. As they cautiously probe their way northward, they come across a British tank crew that had been cut off behind the enemy's lines, and that had rescued Peggie Castle, a biochemist in charge of a UN civilian medical center, whom they had found unconscious in a wrecked civilian automobile. They join forces and continue north, aided by the tank, which not only helps them to make their way through a dangerous mine field but also enables them to defeat a Red patrol and to hijack an enemy truck convoy. Considerable friction develops between Conte and Richard Stapley, leader of the British tank crew, who objects to a number of decisions made by Conte, who outranked him. Further tension develops between them over Peggie. After many hardships, they manage to reach their company's post, only to find it a scene of utter devastation, with no survivors. They manage to communicate with headquarters and are ordered to hold the ridge and attack retreating Reds. Their own heroism, coupled with aid from the air force and from a battleship 15 miles away, results in the annihilation of the retreating enemy. It all ends with Peggie thanking Stapley for his help in the battle, but giving her heart and hand to Conte. It was produced by David Weisbart, and directed by Harmon Jones, from a screenplay by Sam Rolfe, based on a story by James Warner Bellah. Family. "Double Jeopardy" with Rod Cameron, Gale Robbins and Allison Hayes (Republic, June 23; time, 70 min.) Routine program fare is provided in this melodrama, which should serve its purpose as a supporting feature in double-billing situations. Its story about a successful financier who is blackmailed by an ex-convict and who is wrongly suspected of murdering him, covers familiar ground and unfolds in pretty much the manner one anticipates, but it has enough excitement and suspense to get by with undiscriminating audiences. It is not a pleasant entertainment, however, because of the story's elements of ruthlessness and greed. The direction and acting are of standard quality. There is no comedy relief :— John Litel, a wealthy building financier, keeps secret from Allison Hayes, his daughter, and Rod Cameron, his lawyer, the fact that Robert Armstrong, an cx-convict, had been blackmailing him for years. Litel had been paying Armstrong $500 monthly to keep silent about the fact that, years previously, both had been sent to prison fur embezzlement. Meanwhile Armstrong, addicted to drink, has his own troubles in that Gale Robbins, his younger and demanding wile, was two-timing him for Jack Kelly, a dapper used car salesman. When Armstrong shows fear of losing her, Gale pressures him into demanding $10,000 from Litel immediately. He telephones Litel, who agiees to meet him at the usual place, a lonely canyon road. Gale informs Kelly of this move and plans to use the money to run off with him to Mexico. But Kelly, seeking the money for himself, follows Armstrong at a distance on the night of his meeting with Litel. He does not, however, overhear Litel inform Armstrong that he had decided not to pay him anymore blackmail regardless of what he would do. When Litel drives off, Kelly tries to rob Armstrong of the money he thinks Litel gave him, and in the struggle Armstrong is killed when his car rolls off the cliff. After a police investigation brings to light the fact that Armstrong had been blackmailing Litel, and that the financier had been with him on the night he died, Litel is arrested for the murder. Cameron, believing in the innocence of his client and future father-in-law, starts an investigation of his own and tracks down clues that bring Gale and Kelly into the picture and ultimately prove that Kelly had been responsible for the murder. With her father cleared, Allison gratefuly sets an early date for her marriage to Cameron. It was produced by Rudy Ralston, and directed by R. G. Springsteen, from a screenplay by Don Martin. Adult fare. "A Lawless Street" with Randolph Scott and Angela Lansbury (Columbia, December; time, 77 min.) This is a typical Randolph Scott outdoor melodrama, photographed in Technicolor. It is a good entertainment, with fast action and human interest, the kind that will appeal to his fans. This time Scott takes the part of a dauntless, quick-on-the-trigger Marshal, but he never hurts any one unless it is either in self-defense or to subdue criminal acts. The action is often violent and exciting, for Scott frequently risks his life either to protect innocent people or to punish lawbreakers. The human interest in many of the situations compensate for the lack of comedy relief. The direction is satisfactory and so is the acting: — As town Marshal of Medicine Bend in the Colorado Territory, Scott is feared by the lawless element because he had unhesitatingly sent many a bandit to his deserved death. He personally hated killing, but he was compelled to live up to his reputation to protect himself and to encourage the townfolk to stand up against the lawbreakers. Scott's chief enemy is Warner Anderson, the opera house owner, who, in league with John Emery, a saloonkeeper, wanted to make Medicine Bend a wide open town. At the same time, Anderson was having a clandestine affair with Jean Parker, wife of James Bell, an upright ranch owner. Among a troupe of performers imported by Anderson from Chicago is Angela Lansbury, a singer. Anderson hopes to marry Angela until it is revealed that she is Scott's wife. Neither had stopped loving the other, but she had left him because of his dangerous life and reputation as a killer. The existing love between Scott and Angela gives Anderson still another reason to get rid of Scott, and he imports Michael Pate, a notorious gunman, for the purpose. Pate lures Scott into drawing against him but manages to get the drop on him. Scott, wounded, slump* to the floor, and before Pate can finish him Wallace Ford, an old friend, makes him believe that Scott is dead. The law-breakers take over the town and celebrate. Meanwhile Scott, kept in hiding, regains his health. He shows up when the lawlessness is at its height and launches a single-handed cleanup of the town. In the confusion, Emery shoots and kills Anderson by mistake and is in turn shot dead bv Scott. With the lawless element wiped out. Scott decides to retire to a ranch nearby, Angela, certain that his killing days are over, rejoins him. Henry Joe Brown produced it, and Joseph H Lewis directed it, from a screenplay bv Kenneth Garnet, based on a story by Brad Ward. Unobjectionable lor the family.