Harrison's Reports (1958)

26 HARRISON'S REPORTS February 15, 1958 "Cowboy" with Glenn Ford, Jack Lemmon and Anna Kashfi (Columbia, March; time, 92 min.) An outstanding Technicolor western, one that is off the beaten track and that should be enjoyed by all types of moviegoers, including those who normally are not partial to pictures of this kind. It is a he-man story with plentiful virile action all the way through, centering around the conflict that arises between a hard-bitten trail boss and a tenderfoot who becomes his partner and develops into an unbearably tough trail boss himself after being taught by practical experiences that life as a cowpoke is not romantic but hard, dirty and void of feeling for one's fellow-man. Worked into the vigorous action are several brutal fights, bronco-busting, a cattle stampede, a battle with Indians and a highly thrilling fiesta sequence, where two contestants, one on horseback and the other on foot, drop a quoit-sized ring on the horn of a wild bull. Good touches of comedy are provided to relieve the tension. Glenn Ford, as the veteran trail boss, and Jack Lemmon, as the tenderfoot who turns tough, are excellent in their rugged characterizations, and they are given fine support by the others in the supporting cast, including Brian Donlevy. Anna Kashfi is impressive as a Mexican girl who falls in love with Lemmon but marries another man because of her father's wishes. The color photography is superb, and the outdoor backgrounds fascinatingly beautiful: — Set in the 1870's, the story opens with Ford and his cowpokes arriving at a swank Chicago hotel for a spree after a trail drive from El Paso and a cattle car train trip from Wichita. Ford, a big spender, gets involved in a poker game and loses his bankroll. Lemmon, the desk clerk, offers to lend him $3,000, his life's savings, for a 10% partnership in his business. Ford grabs the money and soon recovers his losses in the poker game. On the following morning, a sobered Ford, who did not want a partner, tries to return the money to Lemmon with a bonus, but the latter refuses and insists that Ford stick to his agreement, even though he warns him that the cattle business is hard and dirty. Lemmon, however, wanted to visit Anna, who had just returned to Mexico with her father, a cattle baron. On the journey South to acquire fresh herds, Lemmon learns from practical experience that the life of a cowpoke is rugged and that men were ruthless with one another. In Mexico, while Ford bargains for cattle, Lemmon seeks out Anna and discovers to his dismay that she had married another man. Just before the outfit heads North, one of the cowpokes gets into trouble with the Mexicans over a woman and Lemmon insists that all go to his aid. Ford stops him lest he create trouble for the rest of the outfit and beats him up to make him obey. The abandonment of the cowhand is the final lesson to Lemmon, and from then on he turns hard and bitter. During an Indian attack, Ford saves Lemmon by stampeding the cattle and is injured himself. Lemmon, showing no gratitude, takes command of the drive and handles the cowpokers relentlessly. Ford then realizes that Lemmon had become too tough. The herd is jammed into cattle cars when they reach Wichita, and after a while the exhausted cattle begin falling. Lemmon drops among the cattle to get the beasts on their feet and calm them. Aware that Lemmon might be trampled to death, Ford risks his own life to go to his aid. This leads to a better understanding between the two men and, upon reaching Chciago, they prepare for a big celebration together. It was produced by Julian Blaustein and directed by Delmer Daves from a screenplay by Edmund H. North, based on "My Reminiscences As a Cowboy," by Frank Harris. Family. "Cross-Up" with Larry Parks, Constance Smith and Lisa Daniely (United Artists; January; time, 83 min.) A fair English-made program melodrama. Centering around an American newspaperman who unwittingly becomes involved with a London gang of international counterfeiters, the story's mixture of sex, murder, treachery and intrigue follows a conventianl pattern, but it manages to hold one in fairly tense suspense and should give ample satisfaction to undiscriminating movie-goers. Larry Parks is acceptable as the American correspondent, and effective work is done by the other players in their stereotyped characterizations. Touches of comedy arc injected here and there but the results are only mildly amusing: — In London on a political assignment, Parks becomes involved in a love affair with Lisa Daniely, a somewhat mys terious beauty, and neglects his work. Lisa decides to break with him when he becomes nosey about her mysterious doings and he playfully snatches a diary from her hand. She pulls a gun on him and, in the ensuing struggle, is accidentally shot and killed. Panic-stricken, Parks steals out of her apartment with the diary, which contained coded notes, and he informs Constance Smith, his secretary, of the accidental shooting. Disturbed when the newspapers fail to mention Lisa's death, Parks returns to her apartment to see if he left any incriminating evidence. He is captured by several men who prove to be members of an international counterfeiting ring, with which Lisa had been associated, and who believe that he is a T-man from Washington who had killed her in the line of duty. He is beaten brutally when he refuses to surrender her diary but manages to escape. Meanwhile Parks' editor tries to locate him and Constance, to protect him, states that he suffers from amnesia attacks and is probably roaming the streets. The police, notified, pick him up and take him to a hospital. The gang chief, cleverly posing as a doctor engaged by Parks' non-existant brother, manages to get the protesting Parks out of the hospital and into his clutches again. After many involved and violent complications, Parks manages to outfox the criminals and expose their counterfeiting activities. It ends with Constance in his arms. It was produced by Robert S. Baker and Monty Berman, and directed by John Gilling from his own screenplay written in collaboration with Willis Goldbeck. Family. "Gift of Love" with Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack and Evelyn Rudie (20th Century-Fox, February; time, 10? min.) Photographed in CinemaScope and Deluxe color, this sentimental drama probably will be received by movie-goers with mixed reactions. Those who are moved to tears easily, particularly women, will find much in the story that is warm, tender and touching, for it centers around a happily married but childless woman who, realizing that her days are numbered, adopts a child so that her devoted husband will not be lonely after her death. Others, however, probably will find the story too contrived and unbelievable to stir their emotions. Lauren Bacall and Robert tSack are appealing and sympathetic as the married couple, but acting honors go to 7-year-old Evelyn Rudie, a talented child, who is at once sweet and precocious as the adopted child who tries to fill the void in Stack's life after the death of his wife. Stack's resentment of the child's intrusion in the midst of his grief is understandable, and his eventual realization of his need for her is satisfying, although this realization is weakened dramatically by the fact that it is brought about by an unconvincing supernatural gimmick: — Happily married to Stack, a scientist, Lauren suffers a heart attack one day but keeps the news secret from him. She learns that her days are numbered after consulting with Edward Piatt, their family doctor, and decides to adopt a child who could take her place in Stack's heart after she is gone. After discussing the adoption with Stack and winning his somewhat reluctant consent, Lauren goes to an orphanage and chooses Evelyn, a child with an imaginative mind, who lived in a world of fantasy. Lauren quietly trains Evelyn to cater to Stack's needs and to care for him just as she does. Stack warms up to the child even though his keen sense of logic is at variance with her imaginings. In due time Lauren suffers another heart attack and dies. Stack is completely disconsolate. Evelyn tries desperately to comfort him, and reminds him more and more of his loss by catering to him in exactly the way Lauren had done it. This serves to irritate him, and he becomes exasperated and scolds her when she tells him that Lauren talks to her and tells her what to do for him. Heartbroken, the child returns to the orphanage. That night she steals out of the dormitory and goes to a cliff nearby, where she had first met Lauren. She slips and falls on the beach unconscious as the tide comes in. At home, Stack has a premonition that all is not well with the child and he telephones the orphanage to ask about her welfare. Her absence is discovered and Stack joins the police in a search. He finds her on the beach and rescues her before the tide can claim her. When she insists that it was Lauren who had sent him to her rescue, Stack wonderingly agrees. It was produced by Charles Brackctt and directed by Jean Negulesco from a screenplay by Luther Davis, based on a story by Nelia Gardner White. Family.