True versatility in an
actor is a rare quality. Over his career, JAMES ALLEN WHITMORE,
JR., won a "Tony", a "Grammy", and
an "Emmy". He missed a clean sweep by not winning
either of his "Two Oscar Nominations". This is a
look at SEVEN of his motion pictures that illustrate that rare
versatility in an actor.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND
James Allen Whitmore, Jr. was born on October 1, 1921, in White Plains, New York. He attended "Amherst Central High School" in Snyder New York and played on their football team. He took a football scholarship to the private, co-educational, "Choate School" in Wallingford. Connecticut. This led to attending "Yale University" and becoming a member of the football team. However, an accident ended his football dream and James Whitmore turned to the "Yale Dramatic Society" and become a member of the "Skull and Bones", the oldest Senior class society at Yale. Whitmore was also one of the founders of the Yale Radio Station.
His plan was to go onto law school, but the Second World
War broke out. In 1942, Whitmore enlisted in the Marine Corps
Reserve and finished his degree work lasting to the start of 1944. After
completing "Officer Training School", James Whitmore was commissioned
a Second Lieutenant and was sent to Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands. He would end his military service on guard duty at the Panama Canal and was discharged
in March 1946.
His future plans changed; James Whitmore now studied at the "Actors
Studio" in New York City. On October 1, 1947, the
World War 2 drama, "Command Decision", opened on
Broadway at the "Fulton Theatre". In the cast as "Army
Air Corps Technical Sergeant Harold Evans", was the young actor.
At the 1948 "Tony Awards", James Whitmore co-shared, with
actress June Lockhart, the "Best Newcomer Tony". Additionally,
for his performance, he would receive the 1948 "Theatre
World Award". Which is given to one actor, or actress for being the "Best Newcomer in a Broadway Performance".
Although his name did not appear on the posters for the Glenn Ford and Nina
Foch, Film-Noir Crime Drama, "Undercover Man". When
the motion picture premiered, on March 20, 1949, James Whitmore
had third billing, as "George Pappas", in his first
motion picture.
Above, Glenn Ford, Nina Foch and far right, standing, James Whitmore.
FIVE MOTION PICTURES
BATTLEGROUND special premier showing in Washington, D.C. on
November 9, 1949
Initially the story belonged to RKO Studios, but they shelved it. When Producer Dore Schary left RKO, he purchased the rights, and brought it with him to MGM. However, Louis B. Mayer was against the production, because he believed the public had grown tired of World War 2 movies. Schary proved Mayer wrong, as "Battleground", became the highest grossing MGM motion picture in the last five years.
The motion picture was Directed by William "Wild Bill" Wellman. Wellman was a World War One flyer in the French "Lafayette Flying Corps" and highly decorated by both the French and Americans. In 1927, "Wild Bill", Directed the First Best Picture Oscar Winner, "Wings". It was about a subject he knew well, American flyers in World War One.
William Wellman would duplicate that achievement by
having "Battleground" nominated for the Best
Picture Oscar and add, himself, for Best Director.
My article, "WILLIAM
A. 'WILD BILL' WELLMAN '3' with JOHN WAYNE: 'Island in the Sky', 'The High and
the Mighty' and 'Blood Alley", will be found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/07/william-wild-bill-wellman-3-with-john.html
The screenplay was by Robert Pirosh. Pirosh, actually served in the "Battle
of the Bulge", but was not part of the "101st
Airborne Division". Which his screenplay is built around, but he did incorporated his own experiences into the Oscar Winning screenplay.
Wellman and Mayer wanted Robert Taylor to star as "Holley", but the
actor believed the story was beneath him.
Van Johnson portrayed "Holley". Van Johnson had just
been seen opposite, Judy Garland, in "In the Good Old
Summertime" and would follow this picture, opposite Elizabeth
Taylor, in the comedy, "The Big Hangover".
Above, Van Johnson is on the left and John Hodiak on his right.
Richardo Montalban portrayed "Roderigues". Montalban
had just been seen in the Film-Noir, "The Border
Incident" and would follow this picture with another
Film-Noir, "Mystery Street".
George Murphy portrayed "Pop Stazak". Murphy had just been seen with Montalban in "Border Incident" and would follow this picture with the Barry Sullivan and Arlene Dahl, Film-Noir, "No Questions Asked".
My reader would have to go down four more actors, Marshall Thompson, Jerome Courtland, Don Taylor and Bruce Cowling, before reaching James Whitmore's name.
James Whitmore's Best Supporting Oscar nominated role was
as "Platoon Sergeant Kinnie". The actor had just
been on the television anthology series, "The Philco Television
Playhouse's" in "Dinner at
Antoine's", March 20, 1949. He would follow
this film with the Western, "The Outriders", starring
Joel McCrea, Arlene Dahl and Barry Sullivan.
The very hard hitting, no nonsense, "Battleground", tells the story of one squad in the "327th Glider Division" of the "101st Airborne Division". They're located outside of the town of "Bastogne", the picture's alternate title. The squad becomes involved in what became known as "The Battle of the Bulge" against massive German Tank Divisions. The following actual quote gave the audience a look into the mindset of the German high command.
The screenplay also permits the audience to know each of the men and their relationships with each other. "Rodrigues" comes from Los Angeles and has never seen snow, but he will learn to hate it. After their first battle experience, new recruit, "Layton", played by Marshall Thompson, goes to visit the other new recruit, "Hooper", played by Scotty Beckett. Only to discover he's dead and nobody else knew it. "Sgt. Kinnie" puts together a patrol to go out on recon, but before they can leave. The German's shell the squad and "Bettis", played by Richard Jaeckel, panics and deserts.
The squad is short on food supplies, ammunition is running out, bad weather is
keeping the transport planes from flying over and the German tank column is
moving ever closer. Unknown to the squad, Germans under a flag of truce, went to "Brigadier General McAuliffe" to offer him the chance to surrender. He answers with one of the most famous World War 2 replies:
NUTS!
Which
actually completely confused the German High Command as to what he meant. Word
of McAuliffe's reply works it way to the front as the weather
finally begins to clear and the battle resumes. In the end, the battle won, the
remaining men, led by "Sgt. Kinnie", are seen walking down the
snow-covered road. As fresh -looking replacements start to pass, "Kinnie" starts a traditional reply cadence. As the now, "Veterans", proudly show their stuff to the newbies.
THE ASPHALT JUNGLE released May 12, 1950
This is a classic Film-Noir in all respects and was another project that
Producer Dore Schary brought to MGM. Which Louis B. Mayer objected too and was
found to be wrong again.
The picture was Directed by John Huston. Huston has just Directed the Jennifer Jones and John Garfield, Adventure Drama, "We Were Strangers" and would follow the picture with Stephen Crane's "The Red Badge of Courage" that starred the "Medal of Honor" recipient Audie Murphy.
My article, "JOHN
HUSTON: 'Moby Dick' 1956, 'The Barbarian and the Geisha' 1958, 'Freud: The
Secret Passion' 1962 and 'The List of Adrian Messenger' 1963", is available for reading at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/05/john-huston-moby-dick-1956-barbarian.html
The screenplay was co-written by John Huston. Among his 40 writing credits are, the 1932, Bela Lugosi, "Murders in the Rue Morgue", the
Bette Davis and Henry Fonda, 1938, "Jezebel", and in
1941, the Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart, "High
Sierra", the Gary Cooper, "Sergeant
York". and another classic Film-Noir, the Humphrey Bogart and
Mary Astor, "The Maltese Falcon".
Most viewers think Huston's "Falcon" is the only filmed version of Dashiell
Hammett's novel and they'd be wrong. The original 1931, Pre-Motion Picture
Code, version is considered my many to be the better of the two and closest to the original
novel. For those of my readers who might be interested. My article, "The
Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of': The Maltese Falcon in Writing and on the Motion
Picture Screen", will be found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2018/03/the-stuff-that-dreams-are-made-of.html
The other writer was Ben Maddow, the 1948 Film-Noir, "Kiss the
Blood Off My Hands", starring Joan Fontaine and Burt Lancaster and the same years Western, "The Man from Colorado", starring
Glenn Ford, William Holden and Ellen Drew.
The Main Cast:
Sterling Hayden portrayed "Dix Handley". Hayden had
just been seen in another Film-Noir, "Manhandled", co-starring
with Dan Duryea and Dorothy Lamour. He would follow this feature with "Journey
Into Light", co-starring with Viveca Landfors and Thomas
Mitchell.
Louis Calhern portrayed "Alonzo D. Emmerich". The character worried, the "Hayes Office", the censors for the motion picture industry. Because, to them, "Emmerich" seemed to escape real justice by committing suicide. John Huston was forced to rewrite the scene, but in the end, the scene stayed as shot and Houston won out.
Louis Calhern had 6th billing in "The Red Danube". That was set right after the Second World War, in the British Zone of Vienna, Austria, and starred Walter Pidgeon, Ethel Barrymore, Peter Lawford, Angela Lansbury and Janet Leigh. After this picture, Louis Calhern portrayed "Buffalo Bill Cody", in MGM's film version of the musical "Annie Get Your Gun", co-starring with Betty Hutton and Howard Keel.
Jean Hagan portrayed "Doll Conovan". Hagen
is best remembered for two characters. The first is the "Helium-voiced
Lina Lamont". From the classic musical, "Singin' in the
Rain", starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor.
Along with playing Danny Thomas' wife in the first three seasons of the
television series "Make Room for Daddy". Which she would quit, because the part became boring. Hagen would be replaced by Marjorie Lord for the final 8 seasons of the show.
Above, Jean Hagan with Sterling Hayden.
James Whitmore portrayed "Gus Minissi". Whitmore had
just been seen in the previously mentioned Western, "The
Outriders", and would follow this feature with 5th billing after, Deborah
Kerr, Robert Walker, Mark Stevens and Peter Lawford, in the Comedy, "Please
Believe Me".
Sam Jaffe portrayed "Doc Erwin
Riedenschneider". The actor had played the "High
Lama" in Director Frank Capra's, 1937, classic version of the James
Hilton novel, "Lost Horizon", starring Ronald
Colman and Jane Wyatt. Jaffe followed that classic with another, in the
title role of Director George Stevens',1939, "Gunga
Din", starring Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine, Victor McLagen and
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. After this feature, Sam Jaffe would be seen portraying, "Professor
Jacob Barnhardt", in yet another classic motion picture. A Science Fiction from
Director Robert Wise, the original, 1951, "The Day the Earth Stood
Still".
John McIntyre portrayed "Police Commissioner Hardy". McIntyre
would become a familiar faces in 1950's Westerns. Along with portraying, "Sheriff
Al Chambers", in Director Alfred Hitchcock's, 1960, "Psycho". However,
he is best known to fans of 1950's and 1960's television Westerns. After taking
over for the late Ward Bond on "Wagon Train" in
1959.
I now come to an actress whose name never appeared on the posters for "The Asphalt Jungle" and was not Director John Huston's first choice for the role. He wanted Lola Albright, but she wasn't available. He brought in an MGM contract actress, rehearsed her for a screen test, but didn't like what he saw. However, as the actress was walking out of Huston's office, he changed his mind. Later stating, according to film authority, Eddie Muller, on "Turner Classic Movies", "Noir Alley", June 2, 2019, that she was:
one of the few actresses who could make an entrance by leaving the room.
Marilyn Monroe portrayed "Angela
Phinlay". This was 11th billed Monroe's 8th motion picture. Of
which, four were without on-screen credit and the actresses next
role would, also, be without on-screen credit.
This motion picture is part of my article, 'MARILYN MONROE: Mentally Unstable Babysitter and Misfit" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/04/marilyn-monroe-mentally-unstable.html
The plot is about a jewelry heist that goes wrong and the falling out of the
robbers. A familiar tale, but John Huston, as he was known for, made this a character driven story and the heist is no more than a vehicle to tell it.
The mastermind is the recently released from prison, "Doc
Erwin Riedenschneider". Who through a bookie, named,"Cobby", played
by Marc Lawrence, is set up with a meeting with corrupt
lawyer, "Alonzo D. Emmerich".
"Doc" needs funding for a jewelry store heist and "Emmerich" agrees, if he's the fence for the jewelry.
"Doc" now hires professional "Safe Cracker", "Louis
Ciavelli", played by Anthony Caruso.
However, "Ciavelli" will only work, if the getaway driver is the hunchback,
"Gus Minissi". Who owns a small diner!
The last member of the heist gang is, "The Hooligan,
or a Petty Criminal", and a friend of "Gus", named "Dix
Handley". Thereby, Huston tying his characters together. While, "Doll" is in love with "Dix" and listens to
his dream of buying back the "Horse Farm" his family lost.
During the heist, "Ciavelli" breaks
through the outside wall and disarms the alarm. This let's in "Dix"
and "Doc". "Ciavelli" uses some homemade nitroglycerine to
open the main safe. Then things go completely wrong! When the unexpected
concussion from the nitro causes the neighborhood's power grid to go down. Which results in alarms going off all over the neighborhood and the police arriving to investigate.
A Security Guard arrives enters the store, "Dix" slugs him, and the guard drops his
revolver. It goes off, as it hits the floor, wounding "Ciavelli" in
the stomach.
They all get away unseen, but now there's a police manhunt.
"Ciavelli" insists on being taken home by "Gus". This is done and "Gus",
"Dix" and "Doc" go to "Emmerch's". Only to discover
he's broke and had planned to double-cross them. Previously, "Emmerch" had
sent "Bob Bannon", played by Brad Dexter, a
crooked cop, to get the money owed him from others, but was this unsuccessful and the double-cross was created.
Now "Brannon" pulls out a gun, but
"Dix" is able to kill him and is also shot. "Doc" tells
"Emmerich" that his double-cross was stupid and suggests that he call the Jeweler. Asking for 25 percent of the value to return the jewels. "Dix" and the "Doc" leave after splitting up the jewelry.
"Emmerich" gets
rid of "Bannon's" body in the river, but the police find it. When they trace "Bannon" to "Emmerich", he tells them that he spent the night with his mistress,
"Angela Phinlay".
Crooked cop, "Lieutenant Ditrich", played by Barry Kelley, beats "Cobby" up and gets him to confess about those who are behind the heist. "Ditrich" hopes this action will keep "Police Commissioner Hardy" away from his own corruption, it doesn't work, and he's arrested also. Now, "Hardy" moves on the robbers.
"Hardy' arrests "Emmerich" and forces "Angela" to
confess the truth. That he did spend the night with her. Next, "Gus" is arrested and he attacks "Cobby" in jail.
When the police break down "Ciavelli's" door, they find his funeral
in progress.
"Doc" and "Dix" separate and the former hails a cab and asks
the driver to take him to Cleveland. There he will be recognized by two police
officers that arrest him and find the jewels inside "Doc's"
overcoat.
"Doll" gets a car and accompanies
"Dix" to Kentucky and the family horse farm. He gets out, but the
wound from "Bannon" finally catches up with him. He dies in the horse
pasture.
Dory Schary, if not Louis B Mayer, had to like the fact that the screenplay was
up for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Writers Guild of America Award, and
won The Edgar Allan Poe Award. Then there was John Huston's nominations as Best
Director by the National Board of Review, the Academy Awards and the Golden
Globes. Not to mention Sam Jaffe being nominated for Best Supporting Actor
Academy Award and winning the Best Actor Volpi Cup at the Venice, Italy, Film
Festival. Along with associated Technical nominations,
In 1592, William Shakespeare
published his play "The Taming of the Shrew". In 1948, a
musical by composer Cole Porter, with the play written by husband-and-wife
playwrights, Bella and Samuel Spewack, opened on Broadway. This was Cole
Porter's response to the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, "Oklahoma". Which had opened on Broadway four years earlier and was still bringing audiences in.
In early 1950's America, two related events occurred that had
an effect on the motion picture industry. The first was the rise of Senator
Joseph McCarthy and his "Red Scare Communist Hearings". The
second, hit home for the motion picture industry, and this came from the "House Committee on
Un-American Activities (HCUA)". Which was the House of
Representatives response to McCarthy's Senate "Witch Hunts".
Producers, Directors, Movie Stars and others
from the film industry were called in front of the "HCUA", because of
possible Communist ties, real or imagined. Giving what was considered a wrong
answer, that must include giving-up the names of others that might be Communist
members or sympathizers, would end end up with a person being "Blacklisted" by
the studios. A means of those same studios showing their loyalty to the United
States and not the people they employed, no matter how big their were within the
system.
The studios other response to the "HCUA" was a major change in the
type of motion pictures they made. Biblical Epics started appearing again, because no
Congressman would dare call God a Commie!
My article, "The Bible According to Hollywood", looking at Hollywood films and how Cecil B. DeMille created "Biblical Sex" is at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/05/the-bible-according-to-hollywood.html
Westerns became a
staple that moved to the new medium of television for the same reasons.
My article about a "Gizillion" Westerns I watched growing up, "HI HO SILVER, AWAY: The 1950's When WESTERNS Dominated the Air Waves", can be read at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2018/01/xxxxx.html
Science
Fiction movies became a staple of the period and I wrote about one type.
My article, "Invaders from Mars, Except When They Came From Venus, or Planet X", is ready for exploration at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/07/invaders-from-mars-except-when-they.html
Then there were the musicals that started
appearing from studios that had never made one before.
However, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), had been making musicals since the advent of sound with
1929's, "The Broadway Melody". With the
forgotten, Bessie Love. Who had starred in Stop Motion Animator, Willis
O'Brien's, 1925 classic, "The Lost World".
Through the 1930's, audiences heard Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. The duet sang in filmed operettas like, 1936's, "Rose-Marie", with an unknown
James Stewart in his 3rd on-screen appearance. During the 1940's, Judy Garland
reign supreme. So, the idea of MGM making musicals during the 1950's wasn't a
new idea and they started that year with "Annie Get Your
Gun".
KISS ME KATE had its premiere in New York City on November 5,
1953
This was the first musical filmed in 3-D!
One year before "Kiss Me Kate", on, November
26, 1952, the first commercial 3-D motion picture, "Bwana
Devil", starring Robert Stack, had premiered in Los Angeles.
On April 9, 1953, Warner Brothers Studio, premiered their 3-D
remake of the Fay Wray, 1933, "Mystery of the Wax
Museum", as "House of Wax", starring
Vincent Price. The Third Dimension craze took off across the
United States. Even Alfred Hitchcock would release his 1954, "Dial
M for Murder", starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly and Robert
Cummings, in the 3-D.
My article, "THIRD DIMENSION the Golden Age of 3-D Motion Pictures
1952-1955", is ready to be read at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/08/third-dimension-golden-age-of-3-d.html
George Sidney Directed this 3-D movie. Between 1936 and 1941, Sidney
Directed 21 short subjects for MGM and his first feature length motion picture.
However, he followed that picture with another 3 short subjects and the first
of these is of interest here. The title was, "Murder in
3-D", and was about a man getting a call from his Aunt and going
into her old mansion. The short was filmed in an early 3-D process for
limited release. Now, adding the fact that George Sidney had just filmed two
successful musicals for MGM, 1950's, "Annie Get Your
Gun" and 1952's, "Show Boat", both
starring Howard Keel. George Sidney became the prefect choice for "Kiss
Me Kate".
The screenplay was by Dorothy Kingsley. Among
Kingsley's screenplays were, the 1944 George Murphy musical, "Broadway
Rhythm", the Esther Williams, Red Skelton and Ricardo Montalban.
1949, "Neptune's Daughter", and 1951's, "Angels
in the Outfield", starring Paul Douglas, Janet Leigh and Keenan
Wynn.
The Main Cast:
Kathryn Grayson portrayed "Lilli Vanessi" and "Katherine
(Kate)". Also in 1953, Grayon was in two other MGM musicals.
These were, "The Desert Song", co-starring Gordon
MacRae, and "So This Is Love", co-starring Merv
Griffin and Joan Weldon.
Howard Keel portrayed "Fred
Graham" and "Petruchio". Keel
had just been seen in a Warner Brothers musical co-starring Doris Day,
1953's, "Calamity Jane". He would follow this MGM
musical with another, a remake of "Rose-Marie", co-starring
with Ann Blyth.
Ann Miller portrayed "Lois Lane" and "Bianca". Miller
was known for her dancing. In "Kiss Me Kate", while singing
Cole Porter's "Too Darn Hot", George Sidney took
full advantage of the 3-D process. As the audience saw Ann Miller dancing right
into their laps in a classic sequence. Miller had just been seen with Jane
Powell and Farley Granger in the 1953 MGM musical, "Small Town
Girl".
Below, as of this writing, is a link to the entire "Too Darn Hot" number.
Keenan Wynn portrayed "Lippy". Earlier
in 1953 he was 3rd billed, after Humphrey Bogart and June Allyson, in the Korean
War drama, "Battle Circus". Wynn followed this
picture with the 1953, "All the Brothers Were Valiant", that
starred Robert Taylor, Stewart Grander and Ann Blyth.
Bobby Van portrayed "Gremio". Broadway song and dance man Van had just been seen in the title role of 1953's, "The Affairs of Dobbie Gillis", that starred Debbie Reynolds. He followed this picture with television appearances and stage performances.
Above left to right, Bobby Van as "Gremio", Bob Fosse as "Hortensio", Tommy Rall as "Lucentio" and he also is "Bill Calhoun", and Ann Miller as "Bianca"
James Whitmore portrayed "Slug". Whitmore had just
been seen in "The Girl Had Everything", starring
Elizabeth Taylor, Fernando Lamas, William Powell and Gig Young. The actor would
follow "Kiss Me Kate" with "All the
Brothers Were Valiant".
Gangsters, James Whitmore and Keenan Wynn confront leading man Howard Keel over
unpaid debts. They believe he is actually Tommy Rall's character of
"Bill Calhoun".
There is a great song and dance sequence, "Brush Up Your Shakespeare". That is sung
by Whitmore and Wynn. As of this writing, the complete scene can be viewed at:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=brush+up+your+shakespeare+from+1953+kiss+me+kate&docid=608012935070643878&mid=7CC2FEDA6F00B0607EA77CC2FEDA6F00B0607EA7&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
The plot is Willie Shakespeare's "The Taming of the
Shrew", but is a double version. "Fred" and
"Lilli" are divorced Broadway stars, that are to appear in a musical
version of the "Bard of Avon's" classic, but also
their lives, off stage, parallel those of "Petruchio" and
"Katherine". As the two stories intertwine to Cole Porter's music.
Above, Keenan Wynn, Howard Keel, James Whitmore and Kathryn Grayson. Below, Ann
Miller and the boys.
As I mentioned, "Lippy" and "Slug" think "Fred" owes the bookie they work for, but it is "Bill", the boyfriend of "Lois", who really does. "Bill" has set up "Fred", but in the end that is settled and "Lippy" and "Slug" appear in the musical version of Shakespeare after singing their earlier song, below.
I mentioned that Science Fiction motion pictures got a strong foothold during the early 1950's, because of "Blacklisting's". There was another reason for their popularity during this period and that was the fear American's had of the Atomic Bomb and an attack by the Soviet Union. I experienced drop and cover drills in school, because we thought that going under our wooden desks would protect us from an atomic bomb drop on Los Angeles. I listened to daily "Civil Defense Siren Tests" and the air waves, radio and television, where filled with warnings. You had to experience it to believe it!
On June 29, 1950, James Whitmore starred with actress Nancy
Davis, the future first lady Nancy Reagan, in a Science Fiction feature from
Director William A. Wellman, "The Next Voice You Hear". The two played an average American husband-and-wife. Whose life is overturned by a voice
on their radio. A voice that claims to be God!
The story played upon those American
fears of a nuclear war. Which would, also, be reflected in Director Robert Wise's, 1951, original, "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Along
with the excellent low budgeted, 1952, original, "Invasion
U.S.A.", from Director Alfred E. Green. In which, the
Soviet Union drops atomic bombs on San Francisco, New York and other American cities and does invade our country.
There was another fear of the Atomic Age and that was effectively reflected in
a second Science Fiction feature starring James Whitmore.
THEM! originally premiered in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 15,
1954.
The motion picture was Directed by Gordon Douglas. Douglas started directing films in 1935 and among his film prior to "Them!", are, the 1945 Comedy, "Zombies on Broadway", co-starring Bela Lugosi, 1948's, "The Black Arrow", starring Louis Hayward and Janet Blair, 1951's, "The Great Missouri Raid", starring Wendell Corey and MacDonald Carey, 1952's, "Mara Maru", starring Errol Flynn, Ruth Roman and Raymond Burr, and the 3-D Western, 1953's, "The Charge at Feather River", starring Guy Madison and Vera Miles.
The original story came from George Worthing Yates. Who
would become involved with turning Willis O'Brien's screenplay, "King
Kong vs Frankenstein" into 1962's, "King Kong vs
Godzilla". Among other of Yates' screenplays are, the 1938, Cliff-Hanger, "The Lone Ranger", 1947's, "Sinbad
the Sailor", starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Maureen O'Hara,
Stop Motion Animator Ray Harryhausen's, 1955, "It Came from
Beneath the Sea" and 1956's, "Earth vs the Flying
Saucers". Along with several Cult Classic 1950's Science Fiction
and Horror movies.
My article, "George Worthing Yates: Screenplays
from 1927's LIGHTING LARIATS to 1962's KING KONG VS GODZILLA", is at
the following link:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/01/george-worthing-yates-screenplays-from.html
The actual screenplay was co-written by Ted Sherdeman. Sherderman wrote the excellent and
forgotten 1949, "Lust for Gold". Which is the story of the
"Lost Dutchman Mine" and starred Glenn Ford and Ida Lupino. In 1956, it was the Jeff
Chandler, World War 2, "Away All Boats" and, later, Japan's Toho Studios, 1969, "Latitude Zero".
The second writer was Russell S. Hughes. Who was basically a television writer,
but did some Western screenplays. Such as the 1955, "The Last
Frontier", starring Victor Mature, Guy Madison, and Robert
Preston. Along with the Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine and Rod Steiger, 1956
Western, "Jubal".
"THEM!" was the start of the giant insect motion pictures of the 1950's. Only Universal International's, 1955's, "Tarantula", came
close to equaling the story.
My article, "THEM!', 'TARANTULA', 'THE MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL',
'THE DEADLY MANTIS', 'THE BEGINNING OF THE END', 'THE BLACK SCORPION' and 'THE
EARTH VS THE SPIDER': In the 1950's Insects Bugged America", may
be bug my reader at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/03/them-tarantula-monster-from-green-hell.html
Initially, there were two interesting aspects not in the final print of "THEM!".
The
first was that the motion picture was to be shot in Warner Color. There are test prints showing the Ants as Purple. That unrealistic look caused
the movie to be filmed in black and white. Actually, a great move for building tension.
The second, came after the entire motion picture had been shot in 3-D.
The next time you watch "THEM!", keep that fact in
mind! Because my reader will realize how great the movie would have been, if released in that process. However, Jack L. Warner, eying the decline, already
starting in 1954 for the 3-D process. Made the decision to release the film in
2-D and, to date, no known 3-D prints exist.
The Main Cast:
James Whitmore portrayed "New Mexico Police Department Sergeant
Ben Peterson". Whitmore had just been seen in the Western, "The
Command", co-starring with Guy Madison and Joan Weldon. He would
follow this picture with another World War 2 film that was based upon author
Leon Uris' novel "Battle Cry", from a screenplay by
Uris.
Edmund Gwenn portrayed "Dr. Harold Medford". Gwenn is perhaps best known for playing "Kris Kringle" in the original 1947, "Miracle of 34th Street", starring Maureen O'Hara and John Payne. Back in 1936, Edmund Gwenn brought Boris Karloff back to life in "The Walking Dead", and he appeared in the 1952 version of Victor Hugo's, "Les Miserables", starring Michael Rennie and Robert Newton.
Joan Weldon portrayed "Dr. Patricia 'Pat' Medford". Although she had just appeared with Whitmore in "The Command" and would appear on different television shows through 1958. Joan Weldon was actually a member of the "San Francisco Opera Company" and returned to her real love, opera.
James Arness portrayed "FBI Agent Robert Graham". Arness'
4th motion picture had been "Battleground". In 1950,
he was one of the bad guys in Director John Ford's "Wagon Master", that
starred Ben Johnson, Harry Carey, Jr. and Joanne Dru. In 1951, before he had
the title role in Howard Hawks' "The Thing from Another
World". James Arness starred in the forgotten 1951 Science
Fiction, "Two Lost Worlds". While in 1952, the actor
co-starred with his friend, John Wayne, in "Big Jim
McLain". In which the two portrayed agents of the "House
Committee on Un-American Activities". The track down a Communist
Spy Ring in Hawaii. The picture reflected both actors strong Conservative
politics.
Onslow Stevens portrayed "Army Intelligence Officer, Brigadier General Robert O'Brien". Among Stevens' roles was "Aramis", in the 1935 version of Alexander Dumas', "The Three Musketeers". Other roles include, co-starring with Carol Landis and Henry Wilcoxon in 1940's, "Mystery Sea Raider". Along with three Horror entries, 1941's, "The Monster and the Girl", 1945's, "House of Dracula", playing "Dr. Edlemann", and 1948's, "The Creeper".
Sean McClory portrayed "Army Major
Kibbee". Of McClory's first 16 on-screen appearances, 7 were
without credit. However, among his credited films, were the Ginger Rodgers,
Ronald Reagan and Doris Day, 1951, modern KKK story, "Storm
Warning". John Ford's 1952, "The Quiet
Man", starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Sean McClory, also appeared as one of Wayne's downed DC-47 transport crew. In Director William A.
Wellman's, 1953, production of Ernest K. Gann's, "Island in the
Sky", featuring James Arness.
Sandy Descher portrayed "The Little Ellinson Girl". This
was Descher's 11th on-screen appearance, of which 5 were on television, and 4
movies were without credit. At the end of her career, in 1969, Sandy Descher appeared
on either the big, or small screen, in 48 different roles. 30 of which were on
television series.
Fess Parker portrayed "Texas Pilot Alan
Crotty". Before, "THEM!", Parker
had appeared on-screen 14 times. The last 5 on different television shows and
of his movies, 6 were without on-screen credit, including "Island
in the Sky". However, it is what happened before this motion
picture was released that is important here. Jack L. Warner invited his friend
Walt Disney, who liked Science Fiction movies, to the studio for a private
screening. As the story goes, Disney had Warner's projectionist rerun Fess
Parker's scene multiple times. When Jack L. Warner asked Walt Disney why the
reruns? Disney is supposed to have replied that he had found his "Davy
Crockett" and for Fess Parker and Walt. The rest was history.
For those of my readers that might be interested. My article, "Walt Disney's 'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" is found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2016/06/walt-disneys-davy-crockett-king-of-wild_25.html
Leonard Nimoy portrayed "Army Sergeant in
Information Center". This was the uncredited Nimoy's 9th
on-screen appearance. Of these, probably the most interesting was
portraying "Narab" from the planet Mars. One of the title
characters in the 1952, Cliff-Hanger, "Zombies of the
Stratosphere". In February 1965, Nimoy first portrayed, "Mr.
Spock", in the rejected, by NBC, original pilot episode of
Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek".
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/09/republic-pictures-rocket-man-cliff.html
The George Worthing Yates' story opens with a search for a little
girl walking alone in the New Mexico desert. It concerns a Police Search
Aircraft piloted by "Johnny", played by John Close,
and a New Mexico Police Car with two Officers, "Sergeant Ben
Peterson" and "Trooper Ed Blackburn", played by
Christian "Chris" Drake.
"Johnny" is about to end his search, but sees the little girl
walking carrying a doll. "Ben" and "Ed" spot the girl, stop the car, and "Ben
Peterson" goes out to her. He determines she's in a state of shock.
"Ben" brings the girl back to their squad car. As "Johnny" comes on the air to inform "Ben" and "Ed" that there's a trailer up the road.
The two police officers pull up by the trailer and "Ed
Blackburn" goes to investigate and calls for "Ben Peterson" to
join them. Leaving the little girl sleeping, "Ben" approaches
"Ed, and sees that the trailer has been somehow pushed out.
There are no bodies and money has not been taken. "Ed" makes a comment about finding some sugar and then discovers a odd looking print. Both men agree it wasn't made by a mountain lion and may be nothing at all.
"Ed" is told to call in for an ambulance and a crime crew. The story now seems to be a murder mystery and the scene switches to a man making a plaster mold of the strange print and the girl in the ambulance.
As "Ben" speaks to one of the ambulance attendants, played by William Schallert, they hear a strange sound and the two do not notice the girl, with a frightened look on her face, sit up on the stretcher.
The sound stops and the girl goes back down still in shock. A comment is made about winds in that part of the desert.
Next, "Ben" and "Ed" go out to "Gramps
Johnson's", played by Matthew McCue, store, but find the place
ransacked and the walls pulled out like the trailer. No money has been taken.
sugar is found, a shotgun that seems to have been broken apart by something is found by the cash register,
and "Gramp's" body is in the cellar.
"Ed Blackburn" is told to stay at the store until
the crime lab can arrive and "Ben" heads back to town. Moments after
"Ben" leaves, "Ed" hears the sound from before, turns off
the lights, goes outside and exists the scene. As his scream is heard and the
sound becomes louder.
Back at the police station it has been determined that the
owner of the trailer was an "FBI Agent, named Ellinson" on
vacation with his family. Cut, to "Ben Peterson" and "Robert Graham"
returning from the desert after looking at the scene. Graham asks to send either
original, or a copy of the print to "FBI Headquarters". The local
coroner arrives and tells the group that "Gramps Johnson" had enough
formic acid in his body to kill several people.
"Ben" and "Bob" are at a military airfield waiting the arrival of two doctors named "Medford". They speculate that somebody has identified the print, but the doctors are from the "Department of Agriculture". The plane lands and they meet "Dr. Harold Medford" and his daughter, "Dr. Patricia Medford". To the surprise of both men, the elder "Medford" wants to immediately read all the investigative reports.
The two Doctor "Medford's" agree that the idea this was a fake report is wrong. Irritated, because they seem to be ignored by the doctor. Both "Bob" and "Ben" want answers. "Medford", tells them he's not being coy about this and understands they're concerned about what appears to be a local incident. However, the mounting evidence points elsewhere and they wouldn't want to risk a Nationwide panic!
"Harold Medford" tells him he wants to see the "Ellinson Girl" and then the original scene "Ben's" report speaks too.
The elder "Dr. Medford" tells the doctor taking care of the girl that he has a means of possibly bringing her of shock.
He uses some formic acid and the girl awakes, runs to the side of the hospital room screaming over and over again, one word:
THEM!
"Dr. Harold Medford" wants to go to
the location of the "Ellinson" trailer. "Bob" mentions its
getting late, but "Medford replies:
It Might Be Later Than You Think!
The winds are blowing hard as they arrive and the doctor needs assistance with
his goggles. Then, he goes with "Ben" to the location and a little
more of the irritation surfaces as "Bob" and "Dr. Patricia
Medford" speak to each other. Then her father calls them over to see
another print.
It is at this point that the murder mystery, becomes pure Science Fiction. As "Pat" leaves the group, the sound begins again, and above her on a hill, a giant ant appears.
"Pat's" father yells at "Bob" to shoot the other antenna to confuse it and then it's killed by more gun fire.
"Dr. Harold Medford" now tells "Ben" and "Bob" they are looking at an ant and explains how the stinger injected "Gramps" with formic acid.
Meeting with "Brigadier General O'Brien" and "Major Kibbee", "Dr. Harold Medford" explains he theory that the ants are mutations from the first Atomic Bomb test, nine years earlier in, 1945. An air search takes place to find the nest and it, along with the bones of the missing people, will be found.
Next, it's decided to drive the ants deep into their nest by laying down phosphorus in bazooka shells. Then, drop cyanide gas bombs into it to kill them.
After an argument between "Bob" and "Pat", "Dr. Patricia Medford", "FBI Agent Robert Graham" and "New Mexico Police Sergeant Ben Peterson" enter the nest.
It is discovered that two Queen Ants and their mates have
left the nest. Which is now burned under the orders of "Pat Medford".
What follows is a search for the two Queen's and their new nests. One Queen
entered an open hatch on a merchant ship. The ship is ordered sunk by a Navy
destroyer that will be kept at sea to keep word of the ants from getting out.
The search for the other Queen will lead to Los Angeles by way of a Texas pilot in a hospital.
Then interviews at a Los Angeles Police Station, being told a women's, "Mrs. Lodge", played by Mary Ann Hokanson, husband was killed, possibly by the ants, but her two boys are missing
The search for the ants continues and will end in a hospital alcoholic ward.
Above, "Jensen", played by Olin Howard, tells "Bob" and "Ben" he's been seeing ants in the L.A. River for months. "Bob" looks at the river bed and notices the entries into the sewer system.
A toy airplane is found and it's verified that "Mrs. Lodge's" husband would take their boys there to fly a model airplane.
"Brigadier General O'Brien" places Los Angeles under martial law.
Above, the immenseness of the sewer system is revealed to "Brigadier
General O'Brien" and "Dr. Medford". I can vouch for that,
because I used to play in them. Now the word is given and the military, along
with "Pat", "Bob", "Ben" and "Major
Kibbee", enter the sewers to find the boys and the nest.
"Ben Peterson" hears something and everyone stops
the search as he investigates. He locates the boys alive, but they're trapped
within the nest. "Ben" now enters, as everyone else converges on the
location, "Ben" is able to get the boys to safety, but a giant
ant attacks him.
As "Bob" and the army break into the chamber, but "Ben" dies in "Bob's" arms. The soldiers move off and start shooting the ants in very close quarters.
"Dr. Medford" orders the shooting to stop, but a cave-in occurs trapping "Bob" on the other side. He is rescued and the nest is found to contain new Queens, but they have not left and "Dr. Harold Medford" orders the nest burnt.
The story ends with a warning about Atomic Bomb testing. "Robert
Graham" askes "Dr. Harold Medford" what about all the other
atomic tests? "Medford" replies that mankind may not have seen the
last of 'THEM!"
In 1961, Mansfield, Texas, born Journalist, John Howard Griffin, published a non-fiction work entitled "Black Like Me".
Back in 1959, Griffin decided to
investigate racial inequality in the deep South. He wanted to experience, for
himself, what it was like to be "Black", in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. He went to a New Orleans
dermatologist and chemically had his skin color changed.
Three years after his book was published, while fixing a flat tire, a group of white men
assaulted and severely beat-up John Howard Griffin with chains.
Publication Information:
In 1975, Griffin wrote an essay about his experiences after
publishing his book. It was included in the 1977, 2nd Edition, of
the work.
John Howard Griffin passed away on September 9, 1980.
However, editions of "Black Like Me", continued to be published in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2004.
In, 2010, the "50th Anniversary Edition", was released.
BLACK LIKE ME released May 20, 1964.
The motion picture was from Producer Julius
Tannenbaum. Tannenbaum only has three films to his credit and the first is a
short he made himself. The second was a very low budgeted Horror entry,
1962's, "The Dismembered".
The motion picture was Directed by Carl Lerner. As a director, Lerner only has
one other film, a short subject. Lerner was a film editor and among his
features are, Rod Serling's, 1956, "Patterns", the
Henry Fonda, 1957, "12 Angry Men", 1962's, "Requiem
for a Heavyweight", starring Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason and
Mickey Rooney and the Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland, 1971, "Klute".
.
The screenplay was by Lerner and his wife Gerda Lerner. Both only have one other
writing credit, a short subject.
However, there was a third, uncredited screenplay writer, Paul Green. Among
Green's credited work are, the Richard Barthelmess and Bette Davis, 1932, "The
Cabin in the Cotton", Will Rodgers, 1933, "Doctor
Bull", Frederick March's.1934, "We Live
Again" and the 1933, 1945 and 1962 versions of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "State Fair".
The Main Cast:
James Whitmore was now "John Finley Horton". For the
previous four years, Whitmore, had been guest starring on television programs
and had his own, 1960 into 1962 show, "The Law and Mr.
Jones". "Black Like Me", was his first motion
picture since the Tony Curtis, Dean Martin and Janet Leigh, 1960, "Who
Was That Lady?". After filming this feature, James Whitmore
returned to television until 1967 and the next film I will address.
Sorrell Booke portrayed "Dr. Jackson". Booke
starting on-screen acting with the television Soap Opera, "The
Guiding Light", in 1952. He was mainly seen on television with
an occasional movie appearance. He is probably best known for portraying, "Boss
Hogg", on the 1979 through 1985, television series, "The Dukes of
Hazzard".
Roscoe Lee Browne portrayed "Christopher". This was
Browne's 7th on-screen appearance since 1961's "The
Connection". He followed this feature with two more television
appearances and the Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Alec Guinness and Peter
Ustinov,1967, "The Comedians", with 8th billing.
Al Freeman, Jr. portrayed "Thomas Newcomb". Freeman, Jr. his on-screen appearances with the television Soap Opera, "The Edge of Night", in 1956. He was uncredited in the Glenn Ford and Ernest Borgnine, 1958, "Torpedo Run", and was in the Rita Moreno, Mark Damon and Gerald Mohr, 1960, "The Rebel Breed". In 1961, Al Freeman, Jr. was in the war drama, "Snipper's Ridge".
Will Geer was "The Truck Driver". Geer is best remembered as "Grandpa Walton", on television's, "The Waltons", from 1972 through 1978. His first on-screen appearance was in 1932 and by the end of his career, in 1978, Will Geer had 108 roles.
It was the subject matter and his familiarity with the book that brought James Whitmore to "Black Like Me".
The story starts with Whitmore's, "John Finlay Horton", explaining his plans to his wife, "Lucy", played
by Lenka Petersen.
"Horton" goes to New Orleans dermatologist, "Dr. Jackson", and with the doctor's help has his skin color changed.
"Horton" starts his journey and meets a shoe shine man named "Burt Wilson", portrayed by Richard Ward. "Wilson" shows "John" how to "Act Right" as an African-American in the South. It is through "Burt", that the journalist leans how to fit in within the African-American culture and "The Art" of shining shoes.
As "John Horton" moves from State to State, he experiences racial prejudice from whites. For no other reason than his new skin color. He has documentation that he's a College Graduate, but the only jobs offered to him. Are as menial labor such as a janitor, field hand, or that shoe shiner. "Horton" is very surprised to encounter racism within the African-American community toward his goal of experiencing what it's like to be black. The character of "Thomas Newcomb", becomes so enraged at the idea. He believes "John" could serve the plight of the African-American's better as a "White Man" telling what he sees.
Above Whitmore with Thelma Oliver as "Georgie"
Many of the instances in this film are taken
directly from John Howard Griffin's book with name changes out of fear for the real people he met and wrote about.
The
film is flawed and the critics were mixed at the time. An example came from
Bosley Crowther, of the "New York Times", upon the picture's release.
He felt that the movie did not actually place the viewer inside an "African
American's Skin". While, 50 years later, critic Leonard Maltin,
in his 2014, "Leonard Maltin's 2014 Movie Guide". Rated
the motion picture three out of four stars. Adding, that while there are areas
of the picture that are dated. The basic themes remain relevant to today.
In 1924, author P.C. Wren published his novel about the French Foreign
Legion, "Beau Geste". The novel would first become a
motion picture in 1926, starring Ronald Colman, Neil Hamilton and Ralph Forbes
as the "Geste Brothers". In 1939, it was Gary Cooper, Ray Milland and
Robert Preston's turn, and in, 1966, it was Guy Stockwell and Doug McClure with
the third brother missing from the screenplay.
Wren's basic story line would reappear in other novels and in motion picture screenplays with character
names and the settings changed. This is one of them!
P.C. Wren's story opens with a troop
of French Foreign Legionnaires approaching a Fort with the French Flag flying,
but upon entering. They discover the parapets are manned by dead men. The
question of what happened at the Fort, becomes the actual story
CHUKA released June 11, 1967 in the United Kingdom.
The motion picture was also Directed by Gordon Douglas. Douglas had just Directed
James Coburn in 1967's, "In Like Flint", and would
follow this picture with three films starring Frank Sinatra. These were,
1967's, "Tony Rome", 1968's, "The
Detective" and 1968's, "Lady in Cement".
The Main Cast:
Rod Taylor portrayed "Chuka". Rodney Taylor started out as "Israel Hands", in Director Byron Haskin's, Australian made, sequel to his Directed, Walt Disney's, 1950, "Treasure Island". Taylor came to the United States and first appeared on the old "DuMont Network's", 1954 anthology series, "Studio 57". In 1956, he was one of the rocket crew that comes back to future, post-Apocalyptic Earth, in the excellent Science Fiction, "World Without End". He would follow that feature with two Elizabeth Taylor epics, 1956's, "Giant" and 1957's, "Raintree County". In 1960, Rod Taylor starred in Producer George Pal's classic version of H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine".
Ernest Borgnine portrayed "Sergeant Otto
Hahnsbach", an obvious reworking of "Beau
Geste's", "Sergeant Markoff". In 1966, Borgnine
finished the five-year-run of television's "McHale's
Navy". He would follow this feature with 1967's, "The
Dirty Dozen".
Sir John Mills portrayed "U.S. Cavalry Colonel Stuart
Valois". The distinguished British actor had just been seen in
Executive Producer Ivan Tors, 1967, "Africa: Texas
Style", co-starring Hugh O'Brien and Nigel Greene. He followed
this film with the one season, forgotten, American television series, "Dundee
and the Culhane". It was about a British lawyer, Mills, in the
American West. John Mills took the series, because he was stuck in the United
States. While is daughter, Haley, finished her contract Walt Disney.
Luciana Paluzzi portrayed "Senora Veronica Kleitz". Italian-American
actress, Paluzzi, is probably best known for portraying "S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Assassin Fiona
Volpe" in the 1965, "James Bond" film, "Thunderball". In
1968, she co-starred in the cult Science Fiction feature, "The
Green Slime".
James Whitmore portrayed "Indian Scout Lou Trent". Whitmore
had just been in an episode of the television, Science Fiction series, "The
Invaders". He would follow this feature with an episode of the
television series, "Tarzan".
Victoria Vetri portrayed "Senorita Helena Chavez". Vetri was billed in "Chuka", as "Angela
Dorian", see the above poster. Her parents were Italian born, but
she was born in San Francisco. Between 1962 and this motion picture, Victoria
only made two other motion pictures and primarily was seen in different
American television series. In 1971, as Victoria Vetri, the actress starred in
Hammer Films, "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth", Directed
by Val Guest. Her final motion picture was the 1973, Horror Science
Fiction, "Invasion of the Bee Girls".
Louis Hayward portrayed "Cavalry Major
Benson". During the 1930's through the 1950's, Hayward was a dashing "B" leading man and had been
appearing on American television. Among his films are, Director James Whale's
classic 1939 version of theAlexander Dumas' novel, "The Man in the Iron
Mask", and the classic, 1945 version of authoress Agatha
Christie's, "And Then There Was None".
Above facing the stagecoach shotgun guard, portrayed by Joseph Sirola, are left to right, Luciana Paluzzi, Victoria Vetri, James Whitemore, Louis Hayward and Sir John Mills.
quiet, lonely man
And the flashback story of what happened at the Fort begins:
A horseback rider, "Chuka", in the snow covered mountain pass comes upon a group of starving Arapaho's. He gets some of his food and gives it to them and rides off. Little realizing that among that group is the Arapaho War Chief "Hanu".
Next, a group of Arapaho warriors appears and the men prepare for a fight.
However, the Arapaho's are lead by "Hanu", he recognizes "Chuka", and they ride past. Accompanied by "Chuka" the coach arrives at the Fort.
Joining the French Foreign Legion wasn't normal for the time P.C. Wren used for his novel. The men that joined were attempting to escape their past that included murder.
The audience now learns that everyone has a secret. From the Colonel to the lowest rank those secrets brought them to this particular post. Fort Glendennon is Fort Zinderneuf of "Beau Geste". The soldiers are the dregs just escaping prison, or worse. They've been sent to this Fort in the middle of nowhere as humane punishment. "Valois" was cashiered from the British Army for being a coward, his second in command, "Major Benson", is a card cheat and, unknown to the Colonel, is keeping an Arapaho mistress in his quarters. At the dinner, "Colonel Valois" wants to know how many men "Chuka" has killed? The only good soldier present, is "Otto Hansbach". Who was with the Colonel in the Suez and knows he wasn't a coward, but drunk and out cold. When his men were all killed in a leaderless battle.
Another secret will be revealed between "Senora Veronica Kleitz" and "Chuka". He worked for her wealthy father as a lowly hired hand on the ranch. When her father discovered their love. "Chuka" was run-off and became a hired gun. While, "Veronica", was forced into a loveless marriage.
"Sergeant Hansbach" doesn't like "Chuka", but the Colonel recognizes his usefulness at a Fort full of potential deserters. Like, "Spivey", played by Michael Cole, that "Hansbach" was flogging for the offense as the coach arrived.
"Chuka" and "Lou" start drinking, but "Hansbach" with some of the soldiers watching. Challenges "Chuka" and Director Gordon Douglas gives the audience one great, almost three minutes long, fight sequence. That will end in a draw and the two men becoming friends.
The Arapahos's attack and in the battle, both "Colonel Stuart Valois" and "Senora Veronica Kleitz" will be killed.
The Arapahos enter the Fort and find "Chuka" ready to kill "Senorita Chavez" and himself, but "Hanu" lets them live and with his warriors leaves "Fort Glendennon" for good.
The film originally had a ten-minute prologue, but it was considered complicated and gave away too much of the ending. It was dropped, before release.
The entire cast is James Whitmore and he would be nominated for both the Best Actor Golden Globe an Best Actor Oscar in 1975. The story of this one man 104-minute play and film is biographical and I highly recommend it to my readers.
RIP!
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