FATE IS THE HUNTER

FATE IS THE HUNTER (1964). Director: Ralph Nelson.

When a plane crashes killing all aboard except a stewardess (Suzanne Pleshette), an investigator for the airline, Sam McBane (Glenn Ford), tries to determine what went wrong. You'd think this would make for a compelling film, but most of the running time has McBane delving into the character of the pilot [and old friend] Jack Savage (Rod Taylor), whose irresponsibility is being blamed for the tragedy, with lots of flashbacks. McBane discovers that there was much more to Savage than met the eye. Nancy Kwan and Dorothy Malone are two of the many ladies in Savage's life, and Wally Cox and Mark Stevens [in a fine turn] are pals of his whom he's helped over the years. Mary Wickes has an interesting cameo as a landlady. Constance Towers is McBane's secretary, Nehemiah Persoff is his rival, and Jane Russell appears as herself in a flashback scene entertaining the troops. This culminates in a fairly ridiculous courtroom sequence, and then in a climax in which McBane and others try to recreate the circumstances of the crash up in the air. The picture is contrived and illogical, has little tension or suspense, and is more talky and dull than anything else. Ernest K. Gann, who wrote the novel upon which the film is based, reportedly disavowed the whole production. Ford gives a fine performance but is saddled with the screwiness of his character; the rest of the cast is very good, and Pleshette is excellent although she has only a few lines.

Verdict: This kind of movie should not be a snooze-fest. **.

ANNA MAY WONG: Frosted Yellow Willows

ANNA MAY WONG: Frosted Yellow Willows -- Her Life, Times and Legend (2008). TCM documentary. Director: Elaine Mae Moo.

Narrated by Nancy Kwan, this is an interesting if somewhat superficial look at the life and work of Anna May Wong (pictured), whose career spanned silent films to the early 1960's. The film does give biographical details, and shows clips from some of her more interesting movies. Anna May Wong is at its best showing how difficult it was for actors who were not Caucasian to achieve and maintain stardom in Hollywood, sometimes even being passed over for ethnic roles they would have been perfect for (Wong was herself passed over for two roles in the film adaptation of The Good Earth). Wong was a talented woman who had some of her greatest successes overseas, but we don't learn too much of her private life in this film, which mentions such things as her younger sister's suicide and Wong's possible alcoholism (she had cirrhosis of the liver at the time of her death) but provides few details. Still this is a worthwhile, entertaining introduction to the Chinese-American actress who helped open doors for those of her race who followed.

Verdict: Not great but not bad. **1/2.