RANDOM HARVEST

When will he remember? Greer Garson and Ronald Colman

RANDOM HARVEST (1942). Director: Mervyn LeRoy.

Towards the end of WWI, an amnesiac and shell-shocked soldier named "John Smith" (Ronald Colman) is institutionalized in a small British town, but he escapes during the melee when the end of the war is announced. He meets up with a sympathetic music hall entertainer named Paula (Greer Garson), and the two eventually fall in love, get married, and have a child. But when "Smithy" goes to Liverpool for a job interview, he is struck by a taxi and his memory comes back -- he is really a wealthy man named Charles Rainier. Unfortunately, he goes back to his old life with absolutely no recollection of his wife and baby. Will Paula ever be reunited with the man she loves?

Greer Garson 

Random Harvest is based on a novel by James Hilton, and in some ways its story is just as absurd as anything in Lost Horizon. (It's not surprising the movie was spoofed on The Carol Burnett Show. For one thing, the notion that a blow to the head can both cause and cure amnesia is utterly ludicrous.) I haven't read the novel, so I'm not going to blame Hilton for any deficiencies in the screenplay, which he didn't write, but the structure of the film had to be changed from the book. In the novel the true identity of the woman Rainier marries when his memory is restored comes as a surprise.  But before I get to that, I'll examine the film itself and what it offers the viewer.

Susan Peters and Ronald Colman

Random Harvest is essentially a well-produced (MGM) soap opera with fine photography by Joseph Rutternberg, an effective score by Herbert Stothart,  and an excellent cast. Garson is splendid throughout, and Colman, although basically too old for the part, is also first-class. They are matched by Susan Peters [The Sign of the Ram] as Kitty, a young woman who falls for Charles and nearly gets him to the altar. Peters is especially great in a sequence when she looks at Charles, realizes his mind is elsewhere, and that marrying him would be a mistake for both of them. Una O'Connor, Arthur Shields, Arthur Space. Elisabeth Risdon, Reginald Owen, Alan Napier, and Philip Dorn, among others, enrich the supporting cast.

Ronald Colman

SPOILER ALERT: Stop reading if you haven't seen the picture. Random House must be taken with a grain of salt. It works beautifully on an emotional level, and has a moving conclusion, but the fact is that it is so contrived as to be nearly comical. After "Smithy" disappears, Paula tracks him down and begins to work for him under an assumed name. Years go by. Not only does he not recognize her, but he never develops any particular feelings for her. He eventually marries Paula, more as a "merger," as he puts it, than a romantic gesture, because he needs a "good wife." Three years go by during which Paula becomes the perfect hostess and loving wife, yet Charles still doesn't recognize her and still never develops any special feelings for her. Now this begs the question: since Paula is the same person she always was and has the same qualities that drew Charles to her in the first place, why on earth doesn't he fall in love with her all over again? One can argue that it was circumstances that made the difference, but come on! It isn't until he finally remembers her that he realizes he's in love with her. Or does he? (Thank goodness they avoided the cliche of him being hit on the head again.)

Verdict: Well, if you can just suspend disbelief Random Harvest has its rewards. For romantic souls only! ***. 

CANADIAN MOUNTIES VS ATOMIC INVADERS

William Henry and Susan Morrow

CANADIAN MOUNTIES VS. ATOMIC INVADERS (12 chapter Republic serial/1953). Director: Franklin Adreon.

Sgt. Don Roberts (William Henry) of the Canadian Mounted Police and agent Kay Conway (Susan Morrow) team up to tackle a gang of spies who are planning to launch missiles against the U.S. from a remote base in Canada. First the spies do their best to get rid of people who want to settle in the very area where they want to build the rocket launchers, then shift their efforts in attempts to kill off Sgt. Roberts. To that end there are cliffhangers that employ avalanches, warehouse fires and explosions; and Roberts is both shot off the top of a cliff, and then knocked off another cliff when a car crashes into the spot where he's standing. The fight scenes in this serial are well-choreographed and exciting, especially a battle that occurs in the back of a careening pick-up truck. William Henry [The Thin Man] is solid as the Mountie, certainly essaying a different kind of role than he did in his earlier films. Susan Morrow [Macabre] is also good as Kay, who is handy with a gun when required and seems as diligent and brave as Roberts. Arthur Space [Panther Girl of the Kongo] is terrific as the villain, a foreign agent named Marlof who disguises himself as a simple-minded trapper named Ol' Smoky Joe -- he is particularly effective in this role. Hank Patterson, Harry Lauter (who appears so briefly I never noticed him), Tom Steele, Dale Van Sickel, and -- wouldn't you know it? -- Pierre Watkin appear in smaller roles.  One lively sequence has Roberts trying to stop a pack of wild dogs let loose by the bad guys from attacking a group of reindeer that are meant to be food for the settlers (those poor reindeer can't win either way!). William Henry began acting at a very young age and amassed 230 credits.

Verdict: Another fast-paced, utterly mindless, but very entertaining and action-packed Republic serial. ***. 

GOVERNMENT AGENTS VS PHANTOM LEGION

Walter Reed

GOVERNMENT AGENTS VS PHANTOM LEGION (12 chapter Republic serial/1951). Director: Fred C. Brannon.

"I'm a dead duck anyway, so I might as well take you along. " -- Duncan to opponent with murder on his mind.

The members of a trucking association, who have government contracts to deliver important supplies, are alarmed when their trucks are attacked and hijacked, the equipment stolen. Agent Hal Duncan (Walter Reed of Flying Disc Man from Mars) is assigned to track down the perpetrators with the help of assistant Sam Bradley (John Pickard). A complication is that one of the members of the association is secretly behind the robberies, and his two main henchmen, Regan (Dick Curtis of Terry and the Pirates) and Cady (Fred Coby of The Brute Man) report to him through a two-way mirror as he sits safe and unidentified in another office. The cliffhangers in this are of the standard "missing information" variety, but they are still effective: fire engulfs a mine car full of hand grenades and nearly blows Duncan to bits; an ore dump drops its contents on top of him; his parachute lands right on the tracks in front of an onrushing train; he gets trapped in a remote-controlled runaway truck; and -- best of all -- is nearly incinerated when a stream of gasoline is ignited and rushes down the highway towards his automobile! Walter Reed is not afraid to show panic and dismay on his face during these frightening moments. The other cast members are good, although Mary Ellen Kay as the nominal heroine displays little acting skill. Stanley Wilson's exciting score is a plus. Tom Steele and Arthur Space are also in the cast.

Verdict: Fun serial ***.

THE FULLER BRUSH GIRL

Eddie Albert and Lucille Ball

THE FULLER BRUSH GIRL (1950). Director: Lloyd Bacon. Written by Frank Tashlin.

Sally Elliott (Lucille Ball) is engaged to co-worker Humphrey Briggs (Eddie Albert), and the two have their eye on a home they can't afford. After a spectacular accident at work involving an exploding switchboard, Sally is fired and tries her hand at selling cosmetics as a Fuller Brush girl (she hasn't actually got the job yet, but is kind of "auditioning"). She and Humphrey wind up in the midst of a murder mystery, on the run both from police and from the real killer, winding up on a ship at sea with a bomb aboard! Red Skelton's The Fuller Brush Man was a success, so it was only natural for there to be a Fuller Brush Girl, and Lucy was an inspired choice as star, as she's wonderful in this. Franklin Tashlin's funny script (he also co-wrote Fuller Brush Man), has lots of thrills and laughs, and is full of his trademark inventive "cartoon-style" comedy, such as a great scene when Lucy, wearing several round life preservers, goes rapidly rolling around the deck of the ship and almost goes kerplunk into the ocean. Albert [On Your Toes] provides fine support for Lucy, and there are good performances from Jerome Cowan [Have Rocket, Will Travel] as her boss; Lee Patrick as his wife; Gail Robbins as dancer Ruby Rawlings; Arthur Space as Inspector Rogers; and Jeff Donnell [Night Editor] as Sally's friend, Jane. Red Skelton has a cameo playing himself and a potential customer -- he sells some items to Lucy instead of the other way around! There's a lot of clever stuff in this and the two parrots on the ship (voiced by Mel Blanc) are a scream.

Verdict: Cute picture with lots of laughs and a resplendent Lucy! ***.

AFRICAN TREASURE

AFRICAN TREASURE (1952). Writer/director: Ford Beebe.

Johnny Sheffield and Ford Beebe are back with another Bomba adventure, this time with the Jungle Boy and associates coming afoul of diamond smugglers and a convict named Gilroy (the ever-dull Lyle Talbot). Lita Sebastian (Laurette Luez of Prehistoric Women) is on a search for her father, and Andy Barnes (Leonard Mudie of The Scarlet Clue) tries to help round up the bad guys, including Greg (Arthur Space of Panther Girl of the Kongo). Manly and maturing, Sheffield could easily have played Tarzan now that he'd outgrown "Boy," but it was not to be, and when the Bomba series wrapped up his movie career was over. There are cliffs and tunnels, an underwater battle, and it all adds up to an acceptable action flick if you're not too demanding. Although Bomba seems to keep referring to his pet chimp as "Akimba," he was played not by Cheeta, but by a rival named Kimbbo.

Verdict: Not enough action between Lita and Bomba. **1/2.

THE GUILT OF JANET AMES

Rosalind Russell lost in a fantasy

THE GUILT OF JANET AMES (1947). Director: Henry Levin.

Janet Ames (Rosalind Russell) is a war widow whose husband died throwing himself on a grenade, thereby saving the lives of five men. A bitter Janet decides to find out if these five men were worthier of life than her husband, but the problem is the method the film employs to help her do so. Instead of actually meeting these men (aside from one of them) Janet encounters an alcoholic reporter named "Smitty" (Melvyn Douglas) who helps her fantasize about these men in tiresome dream sequences, supposedly inspired by a character in Peter Ibbetson. [One of these men is comic Sid Caesar of Curse of the Black Widow playing, well, a comic.] Smitty has his own dark secret, relating to Janet's husband, and Janet also has to face some harsh truths about her marriage. The premise is excellent, and this is -- or could have been -- strong, adult material, but the screenplay and approach are silly and pull the viewer out of the story despite some interesting developments. Russell and Douglas both give excellent performances, however. Arthur Space [Target Earth], Hugh Beaumont [Murder is My Business], and Harry von Zell are also in the cast.

Verdict: Perhaps well-intentioned, but it just doesn't work. **.

BECAUSE OF YOU

Jeff Chandler gives one of his best performances

BECAUSE OF YOU (1952). Director: Joseph Pevney.

Flashy Christine Carroll (Loretta Young) is given a package by her fiance, Mike (Alex Nicol), and suddenly finds herself arrested and in jail despite her truthful protestations of innocence. She trains to be a nurse in prison and winds up ministering to a handsome vet named Steve Kimberly (Jeff Chandler), with whom she falls in love and vice versa. Her parole officer (Helen Wallace) warns her that Steve must be informed of her prison record before they can marry, so an apprehensive Christine manages to get around this, and a child soon follows. Then Mike comes back into her life and everything starts unraveling ... Because of You is an entertaining soap opera that soon becomes a study of frustrated mother love, with good performances from Young (in a Joan Crawford-type role) and Chandler, who is at his best in this. Notable supporting players include Alexander Scourby as a doctor at the veteran's hospital; Frances Dee as Steve's lovely sister, Susan; Lynne Roberts as his friend, Rosemary; Gayle Reed as little Kim; and Arthur Space as a judge. Pevny also directed Chandler in Female on the Beach and Foxfire.

Verdict: Pleasant enough if unremarkable soaper with two solid lead performances. **1/2. 

THE KILLER THAT STALKED NEW YORK

THE KILLER THAT STALKED NEW YORK (1950). Director Earl McAvoy.

Sheila Bennett (Evelyn Keyes) is not having a good day. Her faithless boyfriend Matt (Charles Korvin) plans to dump her as soon as she delivers gems that she stole, and is in fact carrying on with her younger sister, Francie (Lola Albright). Even worse is that Sheila has smallpox, is deathly ill, and is infecting nearly everyone she comes into contact with. Sheila's need to get even with Matt overrides everything else in this absorbing and well-acted suspense film. Keyes is excellent, and she's well supported by those already named and others in an interesting cast, which includes everyone from Richard Egan (treasury agent) and William Bishop (doctor)  to Dorothy Malone (nurse), Arthur Space (another doctor) and even Jim Backus as a bartender. Keyes also made a positive impression in a very different role with Peter Lorre in The Face Behind the Mask. Well-directed by McAvoy, who only helmed two other pictures.

Verdict: Zesty film noir with a sterling lead performance. ***.

THE FULLER BRUSH MAN

Red Skelton succumbs to the charms of Adele Jergens

THE FULLER BRUSH MAN (1948). Director: S. Sylvan Simon.

Red Jones (Red Skelton), who has trouble holding on to a job, to put it mildly, is told by his girlfriend Ann (Janet Blair) that if he doesn't make good at something they're through. He decides to try for a job at the Fuller Brush company where Ann works, but a romantic rival, Mr. Wallick (Don McGuire), who's a top salesman, makes it his business to screw up Red's chances at every turn. Things take a turn for the worse when Red becomes the suspect in the mysterious murder of Commissioner Trist (Nicholas Joy), who fired him from his last assignment. Skelton is in top form in one of his funniest movies, with an inventive script by Frank Tashlin [and Devery Freeman] that is full of so many great sight-gags that the movie is at times a live-action cartoon [typical of Tashlin's work]. A bit in a garden involving bug spray, pruning shears, and legs in weird positions is nearly classic, as is a hilarious sequence wherein Red tries to sell a shower brush to the man-hungry starlet Miss Sharmley (Adele Jergens), who's "brushed off more men than the porter at the Waldorf." In this brief bit sexy Jergens almost walks off with the movie, but there are also very good performances from the rest of the cast, which includes Hillary Brooke as Trist's wife, Sara Franzen as his protege, and Arthur Space as a police lieutenant. Don McGuire scores as the wolfish cad Wallick and Blair is attractive and capable as Skelton's girl.The ending in a factory is also full of clever physical action, all well-handled by director Simon and a variety of stunt people. Verna Felton and Jimmy Hunt [Invaders from Mars] have a funny scene wherein Red tries to sell the former one of his brushes and her not-so-adorable grandson interferes.

Verdict: One of Skelton's best! ***.

TARGET EARTH

TARGET EARTH (1954). Director: Sherman A. Rose.

A young lady. Nora (Kathleen Crowley), who was in deep sleep wakes up to discover that there is no one in her apartment building, and indeed the streets of the unnamed city she resides in are completely deserted -- until she encounters businessman Frank (Richard Denning) and they meet up with Vicki (Virginia Grey) and her boyfriend Jim (Richard Reeves) swilling champagne in a bar. Seems this motley group was left behind for one reason or another when the city was evacuated due to the invasion of steel electromagnetic robots from Venus. With a plot like that it sounds as if Target Earth would at least be entertaining, but while the opening scenes showing Nora exploring the city are quite striking and good at getting across her sense of isolation, the picture doesn't develop in a particularly interesting fashion. Even introducing a killer with a gun (Richard Roark), doesn't help much, nor does the fact that there is some decent attempts at characterization. The ladies in the cast are much, much better than the men, with the exception of Roark. Denning is as blandly amiable as ever, and Reeves is similarly lightweight. Arthur Space (Panther Girl of the Kongo) and Whit Bissell (Creature from the Black Lagoon) play Army men trying to deal with the outer space menace in separate sequences. The best thing you can say about the movie, aside from the opening sequences and some of the performances and a couple of interesting directorial touches, is that it's moderately better than the decade-later The Earth Dies Screaming, which had a very similar plot line. Rose only directed three movies and mostly did television work.

Verdict: Throughout the movie you only see one robot. **.

LOST CITY OF THE JUNGLE

LOST CITY OF THE JUNGLE (13 chapter Universal serial/1946). Directors: Lewis D. Collins; Ray Taylor.

Rod Stanton (Russell Hayden), an agent for the United Peace Foundation, is after a sinister figure, Sir Eric Hazarius (Lionel Atwill), who faked his own death and is calling himself "Jeffrey London." In Zalabar, the capital of Pendrang in the Himalayas, Dr. Elmore (John Eldredge) is working with London, unaware of his true identity. His daughter Marjorie (Jane Adams) has come to Zalabar to find her father. Nothing goes on in town without the say so of Indira (Helen Bennett), who at first seeks an alliance with London/Azarius, and seems to switch sides throughout the serial. Rounding out the cast of characters is agent Tal Shan (Keye Luke); Doc Harris (Ted Hecht), the casino owner; and a British gambler named "System" (Arthur Space, who was the villain in Panther Girl of the Kongo). There's a lot of talk of a Supersonic Wave Device made from "the most powerful radioactive element in the world," as well as treasure in a lost city with a statue of the Golden Goddess in the Cave of Eternal Sun. In other words, Lost City of the Jungle has practically everything in it but the proverbial kitchen sink. There are some effective cliffhangers involving earthquakes, fire pits, a gas-in-a-tomb death trap; and a guillotine held up by a rope that's rapidly burning. Good use of dramatic stock footage and an interesting score, as well. Hayden appeared mostly in westerns before and after this serial. Adams was Vicki Vale in the serial Batman and Robin; as an actress she had little oomph. Bennett had only a few credits to her name. 

Verdict: Definitely one of the more entertaining Universal serials. ***.