Harrison's Reports (1955)

December 3, 1955 HARRISON'S REPORTS 195 himself. Through a process of elimination, his suspicions finally fall on Knowles, whom he catches in the guilty act of trying to hide the missing murder gun. Trapped, Knowles attempts to dispose of Archer to silence him, but the timely arrival of the police saves Archer. Knowles' confession frees Woods, paves the way for Archer and Nancy to marry, and brings about a reunion between Jil and Crane. It was produced by Rudy Ralston, and directed by Franklin Adreon, from a screenplay by John K. Butler, based on a story by Don Martin. Adult fare. "The Square Jungle" with Tony Curtis, Pat Crowley and Ernest Borgnine (Univ.-Int'l, January; time, 86 min.) An interesting prizefight melodrama. There is considerable human interest in the story, which centers around the rise of a young middleweight boxer to champion of the world, and around the heart' break he suffers when he almost kills an opponent in a vicious battle. Tony Curtis does good work as the fighter, and one feels sympathetic toward him, despite his tendency to give no quarter in the ring. Worthy of special mention is the performance of Ernest Borgnine as Curtis1 understanding trainer. There is much excitement in the ring sequences, which have been staged most realistically. The closing scenes, where Curtis enters a fight ring amid a chorus of boos, speaks his heart out to the hostile fans and leaves with their cheers ringing in his ears, are dramatically effective. The direction is fine and so is the photography: — Curtis, a grocery clerk, feels tender toward Jim Backus, his father, in spite of the fact that he drank excessively ever since the death of his wife. When his father is arrested for starting a drunken brawl, Curtis accepts an amateur bout to raise the $25 fine. He wins the bout by a knockout and impresses Paul Kelly, a kindly detective, who offers to sponsor his career as a professional boxer. Curtis accepts the offer after exacting from his father a promise to stop drinking. Moreover, he wanted to prove to Pat Crowely, his girl, with whom he had quarrelled, that he and his father can amount to something. As trainer, Kelly secures the services of Borgnine, a former boxer who had become a philosophical bookworm. Curtis begins training in earnest and, after three years of hard work, wins the championship from John Day. He treats Pat coldly when she comes to congratulate him, but Borgnine makes him feel so ashamed that he quickly apologizes and makes up with her. In a return bout with Day, Curtis loses when John Marley, the referee, stops the fight to save him from further punishment. A third match is arranged, and before the fight Curtis warns Marley not to be too hasty about stopping the bout. As a result, the referee permits the fight to go to a point where Curtis seriously injures Day before regaining the title. With Days recovery in doubt, Curtis becomes bitter with remorse and takes to drink, stopping when he learns that Day is out of danger. He remains despondent, however, and gives up boxing. To overcome Curtis' emotional upset, Borgnine sees to it that both he and Day are introduced to the crowd at a championship bout. Day informs the fans that Curtis had financed his recovery, and Curtis, expressing his remorse, speaks out from his heart. Both men embrace and leave the ring amid a chorus of cheers, which give Curtis a new spirit and hope for the future. It was produced by Albert Zugsmith, and directed by Jerry Hopper, from a story and screenplay by George Zuckerman. Adult fare because of Curtis' association with a woman of loose morals during his period of despondency. "Texas Lady" with Claudette Colbert and Barry Sullivan (RKO, J^pvember; time, 86 mm.) A pretty good western-type melodrama, photographed in Superscope and Technicolor. Its story, which centers around a strong-willed young woman who makes a determined stand against a cattle baron and his lawless cohorts, wanders all over the lot and is full of improbabilities, but it is eventful, exciting and suspenseful, and holds ones attention well from start to finish. Claudette Colbert delivers a winning performance as the resourceful heroine, and Barry Sullivan is cool and fearless as a handsome gambler who comes to her aid. James Bell is sympathetic as a drunken lawyer reformed by Miss Colbert, and Ray Collins is competent as the disgruntled cattle king. A nerve-tingling sequence is the one in which Sullivan awaits and beats off an attack by Greg Walcott, a trigger-happy gunman, who had vowed to kill him if he didn't leave town by a certain hour. The exterior backgrounds, enhanced by the color photography, are impressive : — After winning $50,000 from Sullivan, a professional gambler, in a fabulous New Orleans poker game, Claudette declines his offer to form a gambling team and reveals that she had won the money from him to avenge a similar loss her late father had suffered in a game with him. She uses the winnings to pay back money embezzled by her father to make good his gambling losses, and then heads for Fort Ralston, Texas, to take over a newspaper left to her by a legacy. There, she befriends James Bell, a once successful lawyer, who becomes her aide, and incurs the enmity of Ray Collins, a cattle baron, who controlled the area and resented her editorials favoring the establishment of a railroad through the territory. To add to Claudette's troubles, Greg Walcott, Collin's hired gunman, tries to force his attention on her, while Collins, through legal hocus-pocus, sees to it that she is served with a court order to pay $6,000 back taxes owed by the paper lest it be sold at auction. Sullivan, attracted by Claudette, follows her to Fort Ralston and comes to her aid. He amazes the timid townfolk by standing up to Collins and by besting Walcott in a gun duel. Thus encouraged, the grateful citizens raise money to pay the newspaper's back taxes and elect Sullivan as their mayor in the hope that he will throw off Collins' rule. Collins, infuriated by this turn of events, surrounds the town with armed men and sets up a blockade through which no one can get in or out. By means of the U.S. mail, however, Sullivan gets word to the Texas Rangers, who arrive in time to stop a gun battle between the opposing forces, and to compel Collins and his cohorts to leave Fort Ralston and its people alone. It ends with Sullivan marrying Claudette and settling down to a peaceful life with her in the town. It was produced by Nat Holt, and directed by Tim Whelan, from a screenplay by Horace McCoy. Family.