Escape in the Desert (Warner Bros.) (1945)

Warners’ ‘Escape In The Desert’ Action-Packed Adventure Drama (Prepared Review) Powerful, moving, gripping, a film that crackles across the screen like electric power on the loose, Warner Bros.’ newest adventure drama, “Escape In The Desert,” opened last night at the Strand before an enthralled audience. Featuring a cast of superlative players of whom Philip Dorn, Helmut Dantine, Jean Sullivan, Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuel S. Hinds are a select few, “Escape In The Desert’ is one of the most exciting films this reviewer has seen in months. This film has’ everything! Thundering action, amazing moments of physical violence and a tender love theme, skillfully blended together by Director Edward Blatt, form a compelling and timely motion picture. It was but a few months ago that the American people, sitting by their radios, learned that a band of escaped German prisoners of war were at large in the Southwest. Even as loudspeakers blared out their grim message, a police dragnet was thrown about the states of Arizona, New Mexico and lower California. In record time, the PW’s were apprehended and America, by their radios, relaxed. “Escane In..The Desert” is the inside story of that man hunt. It is the unbelievable tale of the men and women into whose lives these criminals forced their way in their mad dash for freedom. The film’s action is centered around a weather-beaten desert motel which stands like a lonely figure, at the side of a road. An oasis for hungry truck drivers and a last chance for motorists to fill their tanks before crossing the forsaken strip of sand, the motel becomes the fateful rendezvous of Philip Artveld (Philip Dorn), a Dutch flyer, and Captain Becker (Helmut Dantine), leader of the escaped prisoners of war. Here, Warners’ Escape In The Desert’ Opens At Strand (Opening Day Reader) Packed with thundering action and crammed with tense moments of excitement, Warner Bros.’ latest adventure drama, “Escape In The Desert,” opens tonight at the Strand Theatre. Featuring a cast of players that includes Philip Dorn, Helmut Dantine, Jean Sullivan, Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuel S. Hinds, the film is a rousing combination of mystery, adventure and _ romance. Adapted from a play by Robert E. Sherwood, “Escape In The Desert” concerns itself with a grim and amazing man hunt across the wastelands of Arizona, for escaped German prisoners of war. Directed by Edward Blatt and photographed by Robert Burks, A.S.C., the film was produced by Alex Gottlieb. 2 Still 627-517 Mat 204—30c DANCERCUS AND DLADLY, a man of many mocds, is Capt. Becker (Helmut Dantine), one of the central figures in Warner 8r.2s.' latest adventure drama, "Escape In The Desert," currently at the Strand. Having defied him, lovely Jean Sullivan incurs his anger in the above szene from the film which also features Philip Dorn, Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuel S. Hinds. both men, each in his own way, fall in’ love with lovely Jane (Jean Sullivan), granddaughter of the motel’s owner, Gramp (Samuel S. Hinds). Philip, sick at heart at the suffering his people have been forced to undergo at the hands of the Nazi invaders, is looking for a little peace before he joins an Allied squadron in the Pacific. Instantly, the flyer becomes the object of Becker’s hatred and Jane’s love. Into this maelstrom of emotions comes a superficial traveling dentist and his wife (Alan Hale and Irene Manning). They, too, are swept along in the tide of violence which follows in the German’s wake. Within a few hours, all the pent-up emotions of these people break forth in varying degrees of vengeance and the desert runs red with blood. “Escape In The Desert” comes to a thundering climax with a roaring free-for-all, the like of which has rarely been captured on film. In their respective roles, Philip Dorn, Helmut Dantine, Jean Sullivan, Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuel S. Hinds are top-notch. Dantine and Dorn, hunter and hunted in recent films, turn in performances that shine with intelligence and understanding. As Jane, the lonely child of the desert, Jean Sullivan scores effectively without resorting to stock Hollywood dramatics. Miss Sullivan, with her warm charm and simplicity of delivery, is a delight to behold. Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuel S. Hinds, always to be counted on for competent acting jobs, come through with polished performances. Filmed by Robert Burks, A.S.C., “Escape In The Desert” was directed by Edward Blatt and produced by Alex Gottlieb from a play by Robert E. Sherwood. A fine piece of film-fare, Warners can well be proud of “Escape In The Desert.” Lovely Player In ‘Escape In The Desert’ Boasts Of Novel And Valuable Hobby One of the most unusual hobbies among the film players belongs to Jean Sullivan, currently featured with Philip Dorn in Warners’ “Escape In The Desert”? at the Strand. Jean’s avocation is collecting autographed script “origi nals” of great film hits. She has two Bette Davis signed scripts, ““Dangerous”’ and “All This and Heaven, Too.” Humphrey Bogart gave her his copy of “Casablanca.” She has the script used by Paul Henreid in “Now, Voyager.” and Robert Alda, brilliant newcomer who plays George Gershwin in the forthcoming “Rhapsody in Blue,” has gifted her with his script. Other autographed scripts in the Sullivan library include Ann Sheridan’s “The Doughgirls,” and Dennis Morgan’s copy of “The Desert Song.” “Escape In The Desert” also features Helmut Dantine, Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuel S. Hinds. Jean Sullivan Takes Acting To Heart... Movies By Day, Puppet Show At Night In partnership with Hans Antheil, former doll designer of Czechoslovakia, Jean Sullivan, young Warner Bros. leading lady currently to be seen in “Escape In The Desert” at the Strand, has organized a puppet show company. She plans to take it on a tour of children’s playgrounds and nursery schools in the defense areas. The show will get its first break-in dates in the Santa Monica air plant district. Also featured in the film with Miss Sullivan are Philip Dorn, Helmut Dantine, Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuel S. Hines. Escape In The Desert’ — Now Playing At Strand -. (Current Theatre Story) With the same sense of good timing that has marked the release of many of their earlier successes, Warner Bros.’ newest hit melodrama, “Escape In The Desert,” currently playing at the Strand, exploits a subject which has been filling newspaper columns and crowding the airwaves for some few weeks past —in a word, the status of Nazi prisoners of war who are being cared for in this country. Coming, as it does, at a time when reports from abroad are emphasizing the horrors. endured by our Allied soldiers at the hands of their German captors, “Escape In The Desert” serves as a grim reminder to all Americans never for a moment te relax tieir vigilance in the face of the Nazi record of ruthlessness and treachery. The film, which features a topnotch cast of performers headed by Philip Dorn, Helmut Dantine, Jean Sullivan, Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuels.; Hinds, relates a moving story of a handful of freedom loving men and women in conflict with four hate inspired Nazi prisoners, at loose in the desert wilds, determined to escape and make their way to the war plants just across the desert in California. There is Jane, played by Jean Sullivan, young, lovely, held in the desert because of her loyalty to a senile grandfather (Samuel S. Hinds) and by the endless miles of sand that surround her. Her prison walls are the pine boards of the Mile End Motel and as each day dawns bright and dancing with heat, she prays that some day she may leave the desert ... forever. The desert, hearing her plea, answers her. Into Jane’s life come three men and with them comes her chance to escape. There is Philip Artveld (Philip Dorn), Hank Albright (Bill Kennedy) and Captain Becker (Helmut Dantine). Each, in his turn, weaves a web of love around the girl and her fate becomes entwined in theirs. Philip comes to Jane as a prisoner. Mistaken for one of four German prisoners of war who are rumored to be in the vicinity of Gramp’s Motel, he is captured by the excitable old man before he can prove his identity. Philip and Jane fall in love. Their love brings no joy to Mat 103—15c Irene Manning Hank Albright, general handyman at the Mile End Motel. Attracted to Jane himself, Hank sees in the young Dutch flyer a serious contender for Jane’s affections. Free with his hands, Hank is denied his fight until the escaped prisoners of war, lead by Capt. Becker, storm the Motel. Violence, heartache and sudden death follow in the wake of Capt. Becker, for he, too, claims Jane for himhelf. In the space of a few hours, Becker leaves his mark on the Motel’s occupants and the desert rings to the harsh roar of many guns. Jane is forced to a rude awakening from her pattern of selfpity by Becker’s brutality. The desert suddenly looms as a land to be protected from the filth of the Nazis at all costs and the Mile End Motel plays silent host to a scene of vengeance and fury the like of which has rarely been recorded on film. Mat 110—15c Alan Hale “Escape In The Desert” was. directed by Edward Blatt and produced by Alex Gottlieb. The film was photographed by Robert Burks, A.S.C., and adapted for the screen from a play by Robert E. Sherwood. ‘Escape In Desert’ Comes To Strand Theatre Friday (Advance Reader) Jammed from start to finish with violent action and breathtaking suspense, Warner Bros.’ latest adventure drama, “Es ‘cape In The Desert,” arrives Friday at the Strand Theatre. Featuring a cast of capable actors of whom Philip Dorn, Helmut Dantine, Jean Sullivan, Alan Hale, Irene Manning and Samuel S. Hinds are outstanding, “Escape In The Desert” is the gripping story of a man hunt for escaped German prisoners of war. Adapted from a play by Robert E. Sherwood, the film concerns itself with the effect of four PW’s on the lives of an innocent family whom they use in their mad dash for freedom. “Escape In The Desert’? was directed by Edward Blatt, photographed by Robert Burks, A.S.C., and produced by Alex Gottlieb.