Harrison's Reports (1962)

February 3, 1962 HARRISON'S REPORTS 15 worthy. The direction and production are superior. A bit of tighter editing might have improved the pace a trifle. Still, interest is well maintained throughout the film's unfolding. Playoff of the drama, that dwells mainly on two men taking part in World War II, will be limited to the art houses because of titling, cast and subject matter, but the reception there should be quite good. The photography is expert. In the France of 1940, as war breaks out, Georges Riviere turns down the job of editing a Paris news' paper preferring to fight in the army instead, Charles Aznavour, a pastry baker, leaves his young wife and job with the family bakery to do his bit. Both are among those taken prisoner and wind up working at the farm home of the mayor of a small German town. Riviere uses the romantic feelings of the daughter, Cordula Trantow, to help him escape. For this she is punished. Aznavour remains behind becoming more important as each male of the household is called into service. Meanwhile Riviere joins the Resistance. When Paris is liberated he becomes editor of his old newspaper. Liberation for Aznavour means a return to monotony in the bakery. It is no more exciting in his married life. Riviere finds his old love Nicole Courcel, who saved his life during the Nazi occupation. He decides to marry her despite evidence that she was a collaborationist. He knows he will have to resign, which he does but he loses her anyway. She leaves him for his own good. Aznavour leaves his home and returns to the German farm where he felt needed and loved. Directed by Andre Cayatte; co-produced by Franco-London Films, Les Films Gibe, UFA and Jania Film; screenplay by Andre Cayatte and Armand Jamot. General patronage (art houses). "The Three Stooges Meet Hercules" with Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Joe De Rita (Columbia, Current; 89 mins.) POOR. Whatever else may be happening in the pratfall, slapstick, rough-and-tumble comedy-making end of our business, The Three Stooges go on and on. Saved from the scrapheap of Hollywood's "has-beens" by the youngsters watching old, old Tv, the forgotten trio emerged as something discovered by this new audience. Perhaps this has been made for the kids, exclusively. This is no picnic for adults. Local theatres made their choice as to whether this ought to top the double-bills or take the lower half. Either way it's quite a mess of near-nothing. To be sure, this may do business in some spots. The Stooges have a following, and no matter how a reviewer may feel about their nature of old, warmed-over nonsense, for some it may even have a semblance of entertainment. To repeat, for the kids it's something new and different. The idea of taking the story back to the days of Ancient Greece,--away back to about 900 years B.C., gives it a touch of added interest. There are no other important names in the cast. Photography good. --and so, it's from Ithaca, N.Y., to the old world (Grecian) Ithaca. The Three Stooges make the cinematic journey via a time machine. It's a plunge into ancient, medieval history. It's a spoof, satire, lowcomedy ridicule of "Ulysses," "Ben-Hur," a suggestion of H. G. Wells. There's that big, legendary hunk of man, Hercules. There's all sorts of present day corn woven into the long, long ago past. The time machine ticks on and the trio are plunged into more history, the Crusades, the Battle of Trafalgar, etc. History is relived, reshuffled, reshapen. Throughout it all the Three Stooges adhere to their old, tired-out comedy style. Yes, it does seem that the more things change, with them the more they remain the same. Produced by Norman Maurer; directed by Edward Bernds; screenplay by Edward Ullman from story by Maurer. Adults (?) and the youngsters. "Veridiana" with Francisco Rabal, Silvia Pinal, Fernando Rey (Kingslev Int'l, February; 90 mins.) FAIR. The fact that this import begot itself the Grand Prix at the 1961 Cannes Festival is no guarantee that it will be accepted as a prizewinner here. It was produced in Spain. Yet, it was forbidden to play there. France put its moral thumbs down on it. There are those, however, who have praised this as a work of art. There are others who feel that this is overly amorous in a lascivious sort of way, as well as bordering on the blasphemous. As a vehicle of straight, absorbing motion picture entertainment you find it almost completely disappointing. On the credit side of the film is the sympathetic appeal of the chief protagonist, - a young novitiate nun who must face the evils of her little world in an old Spanish village. As played by Silvia Pinal, there is an absorbing quality of ugly truth to her sensitive portrayal. She is a compellingly beautiful and strikingly alluring woman. Human ugliness seems to be the goal of the film. You walk away from it feeling a little unclean yourself. Photography, good. Fernando Rey is paid a visit by his niece, Viridiana (Silvia Pinal). She's a novice at a convent, and has come to say goodbye before she takes her final vows. He falls madly in love with her because she reminds him of his late wife. He wants to marry this very young girl. She refuses. Before she takes her departure for the convent Rey persuades her to put on her aunt's wedding gown. Miss Pinal is drugged and the aging uncle tries to violate her. At the last minute, he relents. As she is about to catch the bus, the next day, her uncle, filled with remorse, hangs himself. She returns to his huge farm, feeling responsible for his death. An illegitimate son of Rey (Francisco Rabal) is also at the farm with his young mistress. Miss Pinal has now dedicated herself to charity. She takes in all the beggars, the jetsam and flotsam of the town. They almost ruin the place. With Rabal and Miss Pinal, away in town one day, the derelicts stage quite an orgy, the men having sex relations with the sleazy, unkempt women beggars. R;ibal and Miss Pinal return unexpectedly. The beggars flee to the village. Two remain. They try to attack their benefactress (Miss Pinal) Rabal, offers one a bribe of money if he'd kill the other. This is done. The (Continued on Following Page)