Harrison's Reports (1962)

April 14, 1962 HARRISON'S REPORTS 55 "Samar" with George Montgomery, Gilbert Roland, Ziva Rodann, Joan O'Brien, Nico Minardos (Warner Bros., May; 89 mins.) FAIR. Hollywood has its triple-threat men, a few of which are talented enough to make a go of it these capital'gains days. But, in this one we have a quad' rupler in the person of George Montgomery whose bigger occupation, these past few years, was with Tv via the western route. Montgomery produced, di' rected, helped write the screenplay and starred in this adventure drama that harks back to 1870 when Spain exiled people to Samar, a penal island. A lot of money was spent on this one. Armies of men are employed and herds of water buffalo. To feed the beasts must have eaten up a major portion of the budget. For all of Montgomery's high ambitions, he has failed to make a go of it, the film is low in its entertainment residue. While in its favor is its brevity (89-minutes) it doesn't hold your interest. Montgomery fails to turn in much of an acting job. He has been unable to make a script out of it that holds. The tortuous heroism comes through without impact. Armies of extras are used in the suffering exodus from the penal island to a Utopia-like interior. Some of the scenes of their march are exciting. But, these few interludes don't make a picture. Veteran Gilbert Roland, compassionate island leader, gives a convincing performance. Whatever the trials and tribulations of the penal people, the mud, sludge they wade through, the romantic interest, Ziva Rodann stands up to it with cleavage-cuts that grow lower with each succeeding mile forward. A good job of photography (Technicolor) is turned in. George Montgomery is doing time on the isle of Samar. He's somewhat of a doctor. He comes in handy. Gilbert Roland runs the colony, but wants to take off for a more promising haven, deep in the jungle. He can't be discouraged for all the pleadings of the others. The trek begins, as does the suffering. The people however are ready to risk death. They soon meet up with all kinds of hazards. Their courage inspired by the leadership of Roland, gives them the strength to "mush" along almost foot by foot. After deaths, sickness, privation accompanied by typhoons, headhunters and hunger, the promised land, Sierra de Oro, is sighted. Known as the lost legend, it spreads itself before the Spanish refugees with the reality of a paradise. For those who survived, there is the promise of happiness in those unborn tomorrows. By this time there is a strong attachment between Montgomery and the alluring Miss Rodann. Roland, who has lost an arm during a skirmish with the jungle-infested headhunters, has won back the love of his timid (but extremely beautiful) wife, Joan O'Brien. Chapel bells peal as all the tortured souls look heavenward. Produced and directed by George Montgomery; screenplay by Montgomery and Ferde Grofe, Jr. General patronage. • "Follow That Dream" with Elvis Presley, Arthur O'Connell, Anne Helm (United Artists, May; 110 mins.) GOOD. To which-ever major Elvis Presley goes to make a film, these free-wheeling days, the producers know that the basic plot has to be of simple genre. Get the story too complicated, too heavy and you have to diminish Presley's role in it. Keep it light, easy-tograsp and you can give the crooner a goodly portion of the action. While he'll never be a threat to the contenders for an Academy Award, he remains box office. To the teenagers he's still a draw.-and, when you're able to attract this major portion of a movie audience to your theatre these days, you won't wind up running out for a bottle of red ink. In this one, the subdued gyrater of the pelvis still leans on his guitar and divests himself of a number of tunes one or two of which may become quite popular since the diskjockeys flip their tonsils when new Presley tunes come their turn-table way. It's not all light-hearted teenage fluff. Presley is given the assignment of playing fearless sheriff, lawyer. But, it's a smoothly-paced, warmth-giving attempt at story telling, which may even rub off on the adults thus giving the box office take a nice boost. At times it seemed that the film was just about getting a little overlong. Lensed in Panavision, tinted in color, with locales in lush Florida the film is eye-compelling, another plus for the release. To be sure, it will need selling,-the kind that makes its "want-to-see" impact on the young people,--followers of what can almost be called the legend of the Presley that stands up so strong at the box office. Arthur O'Connell and his brood are sort-of grapesof-wra thing through Florida. They get stuck (no gas) and set up home on the beach. Soon, they're in the fishing business and more than getting by. The drifters and modern day homesteaders join up and the area begins to grow. Still no trouble from the local authorities. Geographical lines take the issue out of the hands of the police. Even drifters go for a bit of gambling, so the dice men move in. Things are beginning to get somewhat out of hand, so a sheriff is elected. Yes, it's Elvis. Before you shoot for four the hard way, Presley has shooed the gamblers out of shanty town. As this is going on, O'Connell suffers a loss,--his three adopted children are taken away from him by the law. This builds up to a tender interlude. The social worker responsible for this (Joanna Moore) is a woman with a yen for Presley who in turn has none for her. There's a court hearing, Presley takes to playing Blackstone, the case doesn't stand up in court, the family is re-united and has legal right to stay where they are. In the meantime, love has found its own way for lovely Anne Helm who was taking care of the youngsters. The crooner, no quick swooner, finally realises that she's the one for him. Produced by David Weisbart; directed by Gordon Douglas; screenplay by Charles Lederer, based on the novel "Pioneer, Go Home!" by Richard Powell. General patronage. Signs of Box Office Recovery Recently, Milton H. London, executive director of the Allied States Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors said, "The theatre business has been through a depression, but is now on the verge of a new era of expansion. This expansion will begin in 1962, then accelerate in '63 and '64." Another respected business and financial paper, Barron's, confirmed the prediction, a few days ago. The signs of box office recovery are almost everywhere. With expansion the keynote of the strong recovery that has come to the film business, exhibitors of vision will be able to cash in on the resurgence.