Uncertain Glory (Warner Bros.) (1944)

Still U.G.-74—Mat 203—30c Veteran screen star Errol Flynn with newcomer Jean Sullivan in a tense moment from “Uncertain Glory,” new Warner Bros.’ film now at the Strand Theatre. ‘Uncertain Glory’ Coming To Strand Screen Friday (Advance Theatre Story) If you were a self-respecting officer of the law and after fifteen years you finally succeeded in catching an elusive outlaw, could anything induce you to throw over your own reputation and give that man his freedom? Or, let’s put it this way: if you had it in your power as a law officer to condemn one unregenerate criminal illegally and thereby release one hundred innocent men—would you do it? It’s a fascinating question and not. half as simple to answer as it seems at first glance. If you’re a diehard who thinks it is easy, then try throwing over in a single second those concepts of right and wrong that it’s taken you a lifetime to formulate. This unusual problem forms the basis for the new Warner Bros.’ film, “Uncertain Glory,” starring Errol Flynn and Paul Lukas, which comes to the Strand Theatre on Friday. Basically a story of conflict between pursued and pursuer, “Uncertain Glory” unfolds against the background of occupied France, writhing in humiliation under the Nazi boot. For fifteen years Inspector Bonet of the French Surete (Paul Lukas) has tried in vain to bait a worthless, unmitigated scoundrel, Jean Picard (Errol Flynn). At long last, his quarry captured and as good as executed, Bonet is made the victim of his own conscience. Picard throws a monkey wrench into the machine by making it an impossible act of villainy for Bonet to execute him. For the wily criminal is determined to do anything to stall for time and proposes that the Inspector save him from the guillotine by turning him over to the Nazis in exchange for one hundred innocent French hostages they now hold. Swayed for the first time in his life from his straightforward path of duty, Bonet accedes and thereby places his own reputation as well as the lives of one hundred innocent Frenchmen into the slippery hands of an unscrupulous villain. Errol Flynn’s characterization of Picard, the criminal, will come as a delightful surprise to ‘those fans of his who have en joyed his former portrayals. Paul Lukas, Academy Award winner for his incomparable performance in ‘Watch On The Rhine,” plays the lovable, justly confused, completely human police inspector. Another “Watch On The Rhine” veteran, Lucile Watson, has another of the top roles in “Uncertain Glory,” again playing a mother—this time, the mother of one of the hundred hostages, anxious to save all hundred of them at any cost. And in this film the Warner Bros. introduce a completely new personality, lovely Jean Sullivan, who plays her first screen role as a young and innocent peasant girl who falls in love with the scoundrel Picard for three uncertain days of glory. Also in the excellent supporting cast are Faye Emerson, as a beautiful Frenchwoman who loves her country before all else; Odette Myrtil as Inspector Bonet’s wife; Sheldon Leonard as Henri Duval, an underworld acquaintance of Picard; Dennis Hoey as Father Le Clerc, the courageous priest who saves the dignity of his community; and Ivan Triesault, Victor Kilian and Francis Pierlot. Raoul Walsh, director of such notable successes as “They Died With Their Boots On,” “Northern Pursuit,” “In Old Arizona,” “Desperate Jour ney,” to name but a few, has also directed “Uncertain Glory,” which was adapted from an original story by Joe May and Laszlo Vadnay and _ prepared for the screen by Laszlo Vadnay and Max Brand. Original music was contributed by Adolph Deutsch, orchestral arrangements by Jerome Moross, all under the direction of Leo F. Forbstein. The film was produced by Robert Buckner. ‘Uncertain Glory Tonight At Strand (Current Theatre Story) “Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said This is my own, my native land!” There are few Americans unable to recognize (if not recite) Scott’s poem beginning with those immortal lines. But in the minds of many, it’s stirring meaning may well be lost amid the happy, misty memories of penny candy, annual visits to the circus, pigtails and cleaning schoolroom blackboards for the teacher. Examined apart from its sentimental association, however, the poem actually presents the timeliest of messages in these troubled days of worry and war. Three erstwhile schoolboys who learned the lines well and absorbed their meaning are the Brothers Warner. The theory that human dignity and courage springs eternal even in the lowliest of breasts is much on their minds these days. In their recent “Passage To Marseille” they weighed the brand of patriotism subscribed to by five prisoners on Devil’s Island. Their latest experiment in the field is “Uncertain Glory,” now at the Strand, which stars Errol Flynn and Paul Lukas, with Lucile Watson and a newcomer, Jean Sullivan, in the other top roles. “Uncertain Glory” is the story of a hardened, unregenerate criminal presented by Fate with a single chance for selfredemption. How he almost— but not quite — muffs that chance is revealed in 102 absorbing minutes of film now on the Strand screen. IDpsre mi ecreyaal Flynn as Jean Picard, French thief and murderer, has lived a life of such unmitigated crime that he has remained completely outside the Still U.G.-502 i Meniese ecie ht JEAN SULLIVAN miliation under defeat and Nazi occupation. To his criminal psychology, war is something remote, impersonal. Much closer to his heart is the success or failure of his attempt to elude Inspector Bonet of the French Surete (Paul Lukas). Aside from Errol Flynn and Paul Lukas in the roles of criminal and policeman, respectively, the film boasts some other excellent casting—with Lucile Watson (the memorable mother in “Watch On The Rhine’) as the mother of one of the French hostages—this time a mother of action, determined to free the innocent victims of Nazi tyranny. Jean Sullivan, whom Warner Bros. introduce as a new film personality in this, her first screen role, plays the part of a young French peasant girl who falls in love with the criminal. in his last three days of freedom. Faye Emerson, remembered as the lovely wife of Cary Grant in ‘Destination Tokio,” plays the part of a girl who is briefly attracted to the criminal only to be repelled by his lack of patriotism. An excellent supporting cast includes Douglas Dumbrille, Dennis Hoey, Sheldon Leonard, Odette Myrtil (as Bonet’s wife), Francis Pierlot and Victor Kilian. Raoul Walsh, who directed Errol Flvnn in other memorable films —“They Died With Their Boots On,” “Desperate Journey” and “Gentleman Jim,” to name but a few—has directed “Uncertain Glory” for Producer Robert Buckner. Exciting Film With Flynn, Lukas Opens At Strand (Prepared Review) Against the grim background of a France downtrodden under the Nazi boot, Warner Bros. have evolved an exciting and unusual saga of a reprobate criminal turned patriot. For good measure, they have conceived the neat notion of throwing this hopelessly murderous criminal into the firm grip of a God-fearing man of conscience and responsibility, suddenly faced with the ironic choice of allowing the criminal to escape his just fate as an alternative to standing by and watching one hundred innocent men die. The result, “Uncertain Glory,” starring Errol Flynn and Paul Lukas, which opened last night at the Strand, is a mixture of suspenseful adventure, wry comedy and the dignity of human courage. In the film Jean Picard (Errol Flynn), the homicidallyinclined Frenchman, escapes from the guillotine almost by Providential accident. But he does not reckon with the bulldog tenacity of Marcel Bonet (Paul Lukas), the Surete Inspector who has spent fifteen years in bringing Picard to justice and whose one driving desire is to see the unmitigated scoundrel put to death for his crimes. When Bonet does catch up with Picard, his purpose is firmer than ever, his eye more watchful. This time the blackguard must hang. Handcuffed, wary as a trapped animal, Picard overhears that one hundred innocent Frenchmen have been taken as hostages by the Nazis and will be put to death in five days unless the saboteur who dynamited a small bridge loaded with German troops will give himself up. Stalling for time, clutching at any straw, Picard proposes that Bonet turn him in as the saboteur, thus releasing the hundred men. It is a tremendous temptation. Bonet can take extra precautions to make sure _ his auarry does not trick him again. He will be saving one hundred worthwhile lives, sacrificing only one, completely worthless. Bonet cannot resist. He accedes to the request, after a soulsearing struggle with his conscience as an officer of the law. Bonet makes an official report that Picard has been shot dead while trying to escape, and the die is cast. How Picard, officially dead now and therefore no longer able to be prosecuted for his crimes, makes another sly escape with the eventual fate Glory,” now at the Strand Theatre. of the hundred innocent men hanging in the balance, makes for a mounting suspense seldom encountered in movie fare. The film’s end comes as a gratifying surprise which should be seen at first hand rather than dulled by any revelation in these columns. Errol Flynn as Jean Picard gives one of the finest performances of his career, imbuing the character with such swagger and cunning—and at the same time making of him such a pitiable creature — that the criminal is a completely believable and human—if not exactly desirable — personality. Paul Lukas, as Bonet, matches Errol Flynn’s performance with an artistry which might well have won him an Academy Award had he never played another screen role. In the actor’s hands, Bonet’s acute self-persecution when he acts against the dictates of his conscience, becomes an uncomfortably personal matter for the audience. His complete picture of a simple, religious man bent on duty and the good life ranks with the best he has done. Aside from Paul Lukas, there is another veteran of “Watch On The Rhine” in this new film. Lucile Watson, remembered for her excellence as the mother in “Watch On The Rhine,’ plays another mother in “Uncertain Glory”— this time, the mother of action. Her son is one of the hostages held by the Nazis and as a woman of courage and audacity, Miss Watson contributes a large share of the drama to the film. In such uniformly sterling company, the Warner Bros. have chosen to introduce a young newcomer to the screen. Her name is Jean Sullivan and she emerges in “Uncertain Glory” as a fine and capable actress, more than able to hold her own in this extraordinarily well-cast picture. As Marianne, the little village girl who falls in love with Picard and regenerates him through her simplicity and faith, Miss Sullivan brings to the role a beauty and freshness of quality which should take her far along the road to early stardom. “Uncertain Glory” was produced by Robert Buckner and directed by Raoul Walsh. Adapted from an original story by Joe May and Laszlo Vadnay, the screen play was written by .aszlo Vadnay and Max Brand. Leo F. Forbstein directed the music. Still U.G.-20—Mat 208—30c Paul Lukas (Academy Award Winner) and Errol Flynn who co-star in Warner Bros.’ new film about a fugitive and his pursuer, “Uncertain 3