THE MAN WHO SEDUCED HOLLYWOOD

THE MAN WHO SEDUCED HOLLYWOOD: The Life and Loves of Greg Bautzer, Tinseltown's Most Powerful Lawyer. B. James Gladstone. Chicago Review Press; 2013. An A Capella Book.

Now that pretty much all of the major stars of classic Hollywood have been written about ad nauseam, authors have turned to supporting players [Mary Wickes] or talented minor stars who never quite got the breaks [Ann Dvorak]. And now The Man Who Seduced Hollywood is about a fringe figure who has wandered into biographies over the years, lawyer Gregson Bautzer, who dated famous stars such as Joan Crawford, Lana Turner, Ginger Rogers,  and Dorothy Lamour [and who married Dana Wynter of Invasion of the Body Snatchers fame], and who made a great many deals for the power brokers of Hollywood, as well as representing them and their players in court. Bautzer was tall, dark and handsome, but he also had a severe drinking and anger management problem; he also had completely undistinguished WW2 military service. At times the hero worshiping-tone seems overdone and unwarranted, but while the material isn't always presented in the most dramatic fashion, this is still a workmanlike and interesting job.

Verdict: Behind the scenes in Old Hollywood. ***.

THE VIEW FROM POMPEY'S HEAD

THE VIEW FROM POMPEY'S HEAD (1955). Director: Philip Dunne.

"I was only eight when [my father] died but I would have killed him if I could." -- Garvin.

"The past is a thief, it doesn't give us anything but only robs us of the future." -- Dinah.

Lawyer Anson "Sonny" Page (Richard Egan) returns to his home town in the south to investigate a lawsuit filed against a publishing house he represents by the wife (Marjorie Rambeau) of a famous author, Garvin Wales (Sidney Blackmer). While he attempts to discover the truth behind the lawsuit -- which charges a late friend and associate of Wale's with virtual embezzlement -- he meets up with his old flame Dinah (Dana Wynter), and finds himself falling in love with her again -- and vice versa -- despite the fact that both are married. The film concentrates much more on the love story than did the Hamilton Basso novel upon which it was based, but also manages to touch upon racial inequality and class distinctions as well, albeit in a way that may seem dated and limited due to the time period. On the plus side, the film is very romantic, with lush photography of real and very beautiful Southern locations, and a very nice score by Elmer Bernstein. Cameron Mitchell is cast and plays well as Dinah's husband; Egan is quite good as Page; and Dana Wynter -- lovelier than ever -- gives perhaps her finest performance as Dinah. The title refers to an old-fashioned, genteel, oh-so-proper Southern way of life and thinking. There are interesting situations and developments along the way, although most of the melodramatic moments concerning the love triangle seem to have been cooked up by the screenwriter. Beautiful to look at, The View from Pompey's Head might be a good bet for a wide screen digitally-remastered DVD release.

Verdict: Despite its flaws, this is rather sumptuous and Wynter is in her summer. ***.

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)

Dana Wynter, Kevin McCarthy and King Donovan

INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956). Director: Don Siegel.

Miles, a young doctor (Kevin McCarthy) returns from a trip to his home town of Santa Mira and discovers that many of the residents – his patients – are convinced that their loved ones – mothers, uncles, husbands and the like -- are not really their loved ones anymore. He and his one true love Becky (Dana Wynter) discover that the townspeople are slowly being replaced by unemotional, alien doppelgängers, This low-budget terror-by-daylight masterpiece manages to be creepy by slowly inserting the outré, such as a half-formed “corpse” slowly taking on the features of one victim, into the ordinary. Although this is as much a horror film as science fiction, it generally avoids the usual horror conventions, and there are no monsters in the sense that the monsters are alternate versions of us. [The film's detractors complain about this very prosaic, matter-of-fact element, which seems deliberate and not just due to budgetary restrictions.] In the fifties this was seen as having a subtext of anti-communism although today it can just as easily be seen (and usually is) as a comment on McCarthyism and the fear of non-conformity. Hell, mainly it works because it's just a good, scary movie that is very disquieting and even poignant: remember -- the townspeople are not just turned into drones, they are killed and replaced, their feelings, aspirations, and personalities [except when “performing” for the unconverted] simply eradicated. If there's a general flaw to the film it is that despite its intelligence, it at times fails to rise above a certain “schlock” level. Although Wynter and especially McCarthy are quite good in the film, neither of them really gets across the raw, terrified desperation – in fact, the utter despair -- they should be feeling. But the film is very well photographed, interestingly scored by Carmen Dragon (although the opening theme is forgettable), and for the most part works -- and chills – beautifully. One scene that always gives one pause is when Becky falls asleep and is replaced while Miles checks out the source of some music in the distance. One has to assume that a pod was somehow left near where she was sleeping, and that the duplicate put on her clothes and assumed the same position as the now-dead Becky. [The 1978 remake pretty much shows this happening, but despite some good sequences, it doesn't really compare to the original, being at times campy and a bit slow.]

Verdict: Great scary science fiction. ***1/2.