THE SECOND GREATEST SEX

Jeanne Crain

THE SECOND GREATEST SEX (1955). Director: George Marshall.

In the old west of 1880 there are range wars between three towns who are all trying to get the lawful county seat by getting their hands on the papers inside a big safe. The men have been gone for a long time but when they finally come home with the safe, Matt Davis (George Nader) and Liza McClure (Jeanne Crain) finally get hitched. Unfortunately, before the marriage can be consummated, the safe is stolen and the war is back on. Liza and the other ladies decide to take a page from Aristophanes "Lysistrata" and hole up in a fort, withholding favors and everything else from the men folk until they give up fighting. Considering that men are "the second greatest sex," it us up to the women to set things right.

'With All My Heart" George Nader

I had heard of this flick for years but had trepidation about it because I was afraid it might be terminally cute, but while it's not quite a laugh-riot, it's still an entertaining movie. It is also a musical, with several songs by teams I'd never heard of. Things get off to a lively start with "What Good is a Woman Without a Man?" Matt (dubbed) sings a nice romantic ballad to Liza ("With All My Heart") and Reverend Maxwell (Keith Andes) leads the men in a rousing chorus of "Send Us a Miracle." And then there's the dancing, with which the picture really distinguishes itself.

Dancer Tommy Rall as Alf

The chief dancer in this is Tommy Rall [World in My Corner], who plays Alf Connors. First he is featured in an outstanding post-wedding number when he competitively dances with two other men who drop from exhaustion while he goes on to triumph. Later he does a ballet as his wife Katy (Kitty Kallen) dreams about him. As for the acting in this, Jeanne Crain makes the perfect leading lady, and Bert Lahr [Mr. Universe] makes a good impression as her father, Job. Jimmy Boyd is fun as Job's teenage son, who is always asking about S E X although -- as usual -- Job hasn't a clue as to how to discuss it with him. George Nader is fine as the hero, and we've also got good work from Paul Gilbert [So This is Paris] as a traveling salesman, Edna Skinner as the old maid schoolteacher who falls for him, and even Mamie Van Doren as a pretty maiden who sets her cap for the town preacher! George Wallace is one of the men trying to get the safe away from Matt and the others. Not as good as the earlier Seven Brides for Seven Brothers but fun.

Verdict: Say what you will about it, it's different. ***. 

WORLD IN MY CORNER

Audie Murphy and Jeff Morrow

WORLD IN MY CORNER (1956). Director: Jesse Hibbs.

Tommy Shea (Audie Murphy of Bad Boy) is a hot-tempered guy from the wrong side of the tracks who has a chip on his shoulder and a desire to make good. He goes to work for wealthy Robert Mallinson (Jeff Morrow) and trains for the ring with Mallinson's employee, Dave Bernstein (John McIntire). Tommy has a couple of fights, but his friend, Ray (Tommy Rall), gets him involved with crooked fight promoter Harry Cram (Howard St. John of Strait-Jacket);Tommy refuses to take a dive, however. Meanwhile he and Mallinson's daughter, Dorothy (Barbara Rush of Flight to Hong Kong), are falling in love. Dorothy hates the fight game as much as she hates her father, but she is still rooting for her boyfriend during the climactic bout. World in My Corner makes use of the familiar boxing cliches, but it has an interesting script, some well-written dialogue (by Jack Sher), fairly exciting fight scenes, and some very good acting. Audie Murphy had just starred in the film version of his autobiography, To Hell and Back, which was also directed by Jesse Hibbs, and he is more than competent in this picture, and very charming, with an easy, casual manner, a good way with a line, and a convincingly "bitter" persona. Rush is wonderful in the movie, as is Morrow. McIntire, St. John and a highly personable Tommy Rall also have their moments.Tragically, after all he went through during the war, Murphy died in a plane crash before his 46th birthday.

Verdict: Creditable if minor boxing saga with interesting aspects and a very likable Murphy. ***.