|
“Lions
and tigers who wait in the shadows—
They’re fast but they’re lazy, and sleep in green
meadows.
Lets bungle in the jungle—well, that’s all right by me.” – Jethro Tull
I’ve held off as long as I can for
this one. George’s first appearance with this scenery was Jungle
Goddess. Apparently, he didn’t have enough as he ended 1948 with
his Jungle Jim appearance. And then the TAOS writers decided to
incorporate more in “Drums of Death” and “Jungle Devil”.
JUNGLE GODDESS
(1948)
This film opens up at the
waterfront café, Portugee Joe’s, with a songstress serenading Bob
Simpson, portrayed by Ralph Byrd. She sets the tone when stating,
“You’re sweet, but dangerous, Mr. Simpson”. Enter Mike Patton (George)
wearing a leather jacket, searching through the café. He pushes his
pilot cap back on his head, gives us a disgusted look, and then saunters
over to Simpson. Mike reminds his Casanova friend that they have two
passengers waiting for them, however, Bob seems oblivious. Mike is
handed a newspaper in which he reads that a missing heiress, Greta
Vanderhorn is the sole recipient of her parents’ fortune. She had been
missing since the outbreak of WW II in Europe. Patton wants nothing to
do with trying to find the missing daughter. His concern is trying to
keep their flight service afloat, but is persuaded that the mission is
worthwhile. Simpson is intent on finding her – dead or alive – and
collecting a $20,000 reward for her whereabouts. As Bob tells Mike in no
uncertain terms, “I hate to remind you, Son, but you’re only the junior
partner in this concern”.
So the two set off in their plane
to Zimbabwe territory in Africa. George (Mike) is flying the plane and
as he is glancing downward to see any sign of the plane wreckage, we see
a look that will be so typical of those Superman flying scenes. Simpson
spots what appears to be the wreckage, so they land the plane in an
attempt to search for any signs of life. Simpson is frightened by a
member of a hunting party, so he shoots the native dead with his rifle.
Both men are then captured, taken back to the village, and brought
before the White Goddess. Simpson tries to speak to her as Greta, but
she silences him. very assertive George pipes up: “Maybe you wouldn’t
mind telling me exactly what goes on here”. The duo is then told a trial
will be held that night to determine the innocence or guilt of both of
them.
We hear the “drums of death”
reminiscent of those in the TAOS episode of the same name. Mike is told
that he can return safely to his plane because he had not done any harm
to the natives and had tried to prevent the killing. Bob is to be
executed in eight days. Mike is then summoned to meet with Greta.
Departing from her authoritative stance, she asks him about her father.
George’s look of compassion in telling her of her father’s death is very
similar to his expression in “Superman on Earth” when told that Eben had
died. Greta tells Mike how she turned up missing and how she has
survived all this time. She wins his respect and admiration for her
courage and perseverance. Upon return to his hut, he argues over Bob’s
imagined plot to cheat him out of the reward and leave him to face the
natives. Once again, we get a glimpse of what is seen in season one
TAOS when Mike grabs Bob’s shirt and says, “You would think of that. I
ought to crush your skull!”
Greta sends the natives out to hunt
to expedite their escape. Realizing that Bob is becoming more paranoid,
Mike struggles to take a gun away from Bob. In the process, another
native is injured. Mike is concerned for Greta’s safety, while Bob wants
to ditch her to fend for herself. Throughout the film we see footage
from what appears to be Wild Kingdom as the trio makes their way
through the jungle back to the plane. Greta injures her ankle and,
while caring for her, Mike is knocked unconscious. By now, the natives
are catching up with the trio and in the last struggle between Mike and
Bob, the latter dies as a spear is thrust into his back. Mike and Greta
make it to the plane and take off.
George’s entrance in the film and
subsequent exchanges with Ralph Byrd is an example of why they were
probably paired in Thunder in the Pines. Wanda McKay appears as
the actual ‘Goddess’. She had been married to Hoagy Carmichael. This
marks her only appearance with George, but she did go on to guest star
in episodes of “The Range Rider”, “The Cisco Kid” and “The Lone
Ranger”. Jordan “Smoki” Whitfield portrayed Oolonga, the witch doctor.
He will be the voodoo drum player in the TAOS episode, “Drums of Death”.
Most of the reviews I’ve read of
this B-film are less than kind. As the authors state, “Actors returning
from World War II had varying experiences reviving their careers, and
George didn’t have the greatest cinematic track record after World War
II. While George delivers a believable performance, this was not a
career building choice” (p.162). Witnessing the essence of what George
brought to The Adventures of Superman makes this movie
worthwhile. If nothing else, you begin to see TAOS in a different
light.
JUNGLE JIM
(1948)
This was the closer of the year for
George. It was filmed at the Los Angeles State and County Arboretum in
Arcadia, as well as the Corrigan Ranch in California. Some of the
wilder areas will be recognized as locations where the RKO Tarzan movies
were made. In fact, early in the film you see the lions, tigers,
panthers, monkeys, and elephants that are obviously stock footage from
Weissmuller’s Tarzan movies. This was a Sam Katzman venture and proved
to be one of George’s best and most sinister performances.
We first see George as Bruce
Edwards, prone on a couch with his hat over his face. The other man in
the room with him is Commissioner Marsden (Holmes Herbert from Dead
Men Tell No Tales) who comments on a vial containing hieroglyphics
from the temple Zimbalu, to which George replies, “That tired thing…it’s
just a legend anyway”. He flashes a disgusted look like Boulder from
“The Face and the Voice”, revealing the pinky ring we’ve come to know
and some premature graying at the temples. At the sound of searching
for treasure, his eyes open wide and those same looks from the TAOS
series are seen here. “Now you’re beginning to interest me, especially
that part about the treasure”, which gets him up off the couch. He
makes his first reference to Johnny Weissmuller with “By the way, where
is Jungle James about now? I could use another small loan.” Edwards
freelances by photographing the natives and selling the pictures to
magazines. As he put it so aptly, “Well, it’s a living. It keeps me in
food and drink, mostly drinks of course.” And that is the profile of
the character that our man Reeves portrays in the film.
Virginia Grey as Dr. Hilary Parker
is in search of a gel used to cure infantile paralysis. She states it
is used by the devil doctors. She is accompanied by a very annoying dog
who goes running through the jungle barking, and with all that noise,
you feel that his days are numbered out in the wild! Weissmuller’s
character is her guide to finding the precious gel. Lita Baron is Zia,
a native girl whose dance around the campfire resembles more of a Latin
character similar to what she was like in Champagne For Two.
Also seen is Rick Vallin, the Masai chief, seen the next year in The
Adventures of Sir Galahad. Vallin is also uncredited in Atom Man vs.
Superman, and four episodes of TAOS (“The Seven Souvenirs”, “Jimmy the
Kid”, “Three In One”, and “Close Shave”). The expedition is not without
close calls – one involving Vallin being pushed off a cliff, and
attempting to push Jim into a pit with a lion. Considering these close
calls, Jungle Jim realizes that Bruce Edwards cannot be trusted.
Lita Baron (Zia) and Weissmuller
demonstrate their swimming skills as they use a huge rock formation as
their diving platform into the water. It seems like such a tranquil
scene until the crocodiles enter the water pursuing Zia. We also see
George smoking a pipe in this film and with the camera at his back; we
also see some gray streaks in his hair.
Throughout the movie, George’s
lines are memorable. When asked how he found the campfire in the dark,
he stated, “I didn’t. I heard your drum and I saw your campfire. You
don’t happen to have an elephant on you, do you? I’m so hungry that I
could eat one!” In this film, Jim (Weissmuller) says that Bruce
(Reeves) doesn’t know how to handle a gun. How ironic when in reality,
George was to become a gun collector. Bruce’s response of “What are you
talking about? I’m a superb marksman. Here, I’ll show you” gave me a
chuckle. The very best though is near the end of the film. George has
an extensive monologue that showcases how great he could be as a
villain. It comes out in lines like “But don’t expect me to use my
magic to save your necks. When the devil doctors finish you off,
all that treasure in the next room will belong to me. That’s what I’ve
been after right from the beginning.” And, proving once again that
crime does not pay, George’s character dies in the end by falling into a
fiery pit. While the movie itself has had mixed reviews, it seemed a
logical transition for Weissmuller from his Tarzan movies. It also
gives more screen time to George and the opportunity to be viewed in
something other than a romantic lead or a hero.
SUPERMAN AND THE JUNGLE DEVIL
(1953)
Subtitled by Jan and Steve as
Leftover Mind Machines, Blonde Apes, and a Double Exposure, the
reader will most likely be aware that this was a three episode
compilation from the TV series. Keeping with the theme of this ‘Cape’
installment, it is “Jungle Devil” taking center stage. Dr. Harper and
his wife, Gloria have been reported missing while trying to obtain a
rare drug. Clark has been assigned to find him, but Lois manages to
convince the Chief that she should also go despite Clark’s warnings that
“the jungle is no place for a woman.” While in the air, the reporters
discover a stowaway – Jimmy. While searching for any signs of life, the
plane develops engine trouble. Clark instructs the pilot (James Sheay,
also in “The Mind Machine” and the sheriff in the Fury series),
Lois and Jimmy to watch for any signs. Meanwhile, he locks himself in
the baggage compartment, changes to Superman and exits the plane in
order to find the Harpers. He locates not only the lost party, but finds
a clearing in which to land the plane. He returns to the plane and ends
up talking the plane down.
The three reporters are intercepted by the natives and taken hostage,
where they meet up with the Harpers. The story is then told of how Mrs.
Harper removed a diamond eye from their idol and dropped it in
quicksand, when startled by the natives. One of the party is to become
the sacrificial offering. Clark puts all white pebbles and one black
one in Lois’ hat to see who will be the victim. He uses his x-ray
vision to select the lone black pebble and is led away by the natives.
He is tied to a stake, about to be burned, when something like a smoke
bomb goes off to now reveal Superman in Kent’s place. Just then, a
white gorilla, the so-called jungle devil appears. While fleeing, the
chief stumbles to the ground. As the authors state, “Superman does a
few seconds worth of battle with the beast, then knocks it on its
behind, saving the chief in the process.” Kent is brought back to the
others a hero and is proclaimed “a mighty warrior”. He now turns his
attention to the diamond eye. He goes over to the pool, removes a large
piece of carbon from his pocket, and then crushes it into a diamond.
Concealed within his hand, he now puts his hand in the pool, pulls out
the diamond, and replaces it in the idol’s eye.
Throughout this episode, Clark is
given a chance to shine brightly, and keep Superman under wraps. And
like frosting on the cake, we witness Lois’ appreciation for Clark.
There is no doubting her sincerity when she tells Clark that she doesn’t
know how he did it, but credits him for saving all of them without the
aid of Superman.
Among the supporting cast in this
episode are Doris Singleton (Gloria Harper), who is best known as
Caroline Appleby in the I Love Lucy series. As Dr. Harper,
Damian O’Flynn had been in several films with George. He was Captain
Saunders in So Proudly We Hail, and was promoted to Colonel Ross in
Winged Victory. He was in another TAOS episode, “Jimmy the Kid” as
J.W. Gridley. He had a somewhat recurring role as Doc Goodfellow in
The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp. Leon Lontoc, the witch doctor,
was no stranger to acting, but he was most frequently seen as the
chauffer, Henry in Burke’s Law.
We see that fashions changed a bit
for the jungle. From 1948 to 1953 we see that George has traded in the
traditional bell-shaped hardhat for a more flattering Panama
wide-brimmed hat. In his safari attire, he definitely fills out the
shirt quite nicely—a great pleaser for the ladies, I’m sure! Noel also
does a great deal for jungle attire and the feminine touch of mesh on
her hardhat gives it a softer appearance.
June 2008
In any good plot,
there is a hero and other characters that contribute to the storyline.
Of the most important elements in a really good story, however, is the
character you love to hate, namely, the villain. We’ve seen them in
TAOS as portrayed by some very talented actors. Villains appear as a
contrast to highlight the best qualities of the hero. In some films, the
villain becomes the most important character. It is no wonder then,
that actors probably want to be cast as a villain at least once during
their career. In George Reeves’ case, he had more than one opportunity
to portray the “V-Man”.
DEAD MEN TELL
(1941)
The opening credits
show a treasure map and this is the first hint at what the storyline
will be for this film. We see a couple reading a signpost that states
“Buried Treasure – Dig for 60,000 on Cocos Island – Join the Treasure
Hunt Cruise Aboard The Suva Star”. This Charlie Chan film revolves
around an elderly Miss Nodbury, who calls selected people together to
assist on a treasure hunt for her family’s fortune. She confides to
Charlie that her hotel room had been ransacked by someone trying to
obtain the map containing the treasure’s location. The intelligent Miss
Nodbury has split the map into four pieces in order to deter any
robberies. We also discover that the ship is a partial museum devoted
to famous pirates, Black Hook being Miss Nodbury’s grandfather. Her
death prompts Chan to conclude she was frightened to death and an
investigation begins to determine who is the murderer.
As usual, #2 son,
portrayed by Victor Sen Yung (Wong in “The Riddle of the Chinese Jade”,
and Hop Sing from Bonanza) and his antics are what bring Charlie
on board and into the film in the first place. We first see George
lighting up a cigarette and disappearing inside a door to his cabin. He
poses as Bill Lydig, a St. Louis newspaperman (talk about being
typecast!). Charlie is introduced to George, now in pajamas, however,
the audience and Charlie notice that his shirtsleeve is peeking out
beneath the cuff of his pajama sleeve. Chan also knows that Lydig was
deceased, but George quickly explains that it was his brother who died.
When Miss Nodbury is found dead, Lydig is nearby, listening as Charlie
reviews the clues of the peg leg floor prints, footprints, scratches on
door, and a remnant of a fake beard. The first revealing of Lydig
(George) with criminal behavior occurs when Jimmy Chan (Victor Sen Yung)
is sent ashore to call the police. How ironic that George appears with
another youth named Jimmy! Lydig (George) agrees to go ashore to notify
his paper. As he escorts the younger Chan, Lydig is poised to hit Jimmy
over the head with a wooden pin except he is being watched. George
quickly disposes of the pin. Another passenger, LaFarge (Milton
Parsons), the victim of “anxiety neurosis”, informs Charlie Chan that he
witnessed Lydig’s attempt to knock Jimmy out. George’s response is
“Who, me? You’re crazy!” He then turns to Jimmy and says, “What? Did
I try and hit you with a pin?” The younger Chan says that he heard a
noise and Lydig told him it was a fish. Of course, the audience knows
better.
Charlie becomes the
holder of all the map pieces for safekeeping. One of George’s last
lines comes right after this when he states, “Is this the real McCoy?”
All of a sudden they hear the sound of a peg leg coming toward them.
Jimmy has dressed up as the pirate Black Hook. Throughout the film,
Jimmy goes through a litany of suspects as the killer. They notice that
Lydig is missing, as is one of the female guests, Kate. They find her,
unconscious inside a museum piece resembling a sarcophagus. Charlie
notes a magazine nearby as Kate tells him that she recognized Lydig as
being a criminal at large. The search for Lydig leads them to the cargo
hold. Inside a bathysphere is the lifeless body of Lydig, one more
suspect eliminated, and this ends George’s scenes in the film. The
identity of the real killer is a bit of a surprise, so I won’t give it
away. Suffice to say that Charlie does solve the case and the movie
ends with another Jimmy getting all wet! This is one for real Charlie
Chan fans and George shows us a more devious side of him than anything
we’ve seen. I believe this one is available in the Charlie Chan
collection if you are interested.
John Larkin, who
wrote the script, also did the original screenplay for Man At Large.
Sheila Ryan, who portrayed Kate Ransome, had two husbands in show
business. Her first was Allan Lane who was the voice of Mister Ed. Her
second husband was Pat Buttram, sidekick to Gene Autry and later on
appeared in Green Acres. Robert Weldon, as another passenger,
Steve Daniels, was also a soldier in Sex Hygiene. In addition to
his TAOS, Kung Fu and Bonanza appearances, Victor Sen Yung
was also in Mad Martindales, and as Harry Wong, in The Blue
Gardenia.
THE MUTINEERS
(OR IS IT PIRATE SHIP?) (1949)
This was the first
film George did in 1949. Jean Yarbrough who did various episodes of
The Abbott and Costello Show, Gunsmoke, Petticoat Junction, Addams
Family, My Favorite Martian, Death Valley Days, and the
Guns of Will Sonnett directed the film. One interesting note is
that this picture was originally entitled The Mutineers, however,
the mutiny did not occur among the crew. Perhaps that is why it was
renamed Pirate Ship. This was a Sam Katzman production.
Ironically, George’s first and last films of this year would be Katzman
projects, the latter being The Adventures of Sir Galahad. Dan
Gordon is credited for the story. He also has a Superman connection for
the 1943 radio show, Jungle Drums as director starring Bud
Collyer as CK/Superman and also the uncredited producer for Secret
Agent (1943), which also credits Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel as
character writers. As for George, as Henderson and Randisi state,
“though he receives third billing, George has the most desirable role as
the ruthless, girl-slapping gangster who masterminds the piracy of an
ocean freightliner” (p.181). I agree that George turns in one fine
performance as a subversive.
This film starts out
with a docked ship named the Island Princess. We hear a foghorn similar
to what is heard on Moose Island in “The Haunted Lighthouse”. Lyle
Talbot puts in a brief appearance as Captain Jim Duncan. He meets up
with Nick Shaw (Jon Hall) and persuades Shaw to sign on as his first
mate. Next thing we see is Capt. Duncan dead on the pier with
counterfeit money in his pockets. Shaw recalls that a mysterious Mr.
Nagle sent for the captain the night before and had been most anxious
about when they would depart. Nagle pretends to be ill, but he is
transporting arms and counterfeit money to Lisbon. He has brought his
henchmen along on the voyage as well and will be up to no good.
Next we see Mr. Shaw
greeting all the passengers onboard. He comes to Thomas Nagle’s cabin
but discovers he is not in. Searching Nagle’s trench coat pockets he
finds a telegram. Suddenly, a woman identifying herself as Norma
Harrison, secretary and nurse to said Nagle asks Shaw if she can be of
assistance. Now George (Nagle) enters the cabin, seeing that Norma has
already begun flirting with Shaw. He comments on this, ‘Lets’ not try
so hard, shall we?” His tone of voice denotes a slight jealousy.
Meanwhile, Shaw’s suspicions are confirmed when he finds a crate with
guns in the cargo hold. He is attacked by one of the henchmen and
subdued. Nagle is then informed that someone had tampered with the
guns. He goes to investigate but they do not find Shaw. Now the guns
are moved into Nagle’s cabin in order to avoid any further incidents.
Nagle gives Norma an order regarding Shaw to “find out what he’s all
about.”
Meanwhile, Nagle
sets out to get on Shaw’s good side. He invites him to a poker game in
his cabin – in case you hadn’t noticed, George seems to play cards quite
a bit in his films! Nagle deliberately loses to Shaw in order to bring
him in as an accomplice. Nagle has Norma playing up to Shaw, despite
his jealousy of her flirtations. There are scenes between George and
Adele Jerkins on the deck in the moonlight that are worth playing more
than once! On one hand he is quoting Shakespeare and, yet he has an icy
coldness to his voice as he warns her to get close to Shaw, but not to
forget her place with him.
Even though Nagle’s
men had taken over the ship, Shaw hatches a plan to take back control.
He and the crew manage to trap Nagle and his thugs down in the engine
room, but that means that they have no power. Shaw ingeniously has them
gathering all the canvas on the ship to rig up sails and resume their
original course. Nagle and company realize the ship is moving, but the
supply of fresh air is cut off, causing them to be very lightheaded and
irritable. Speaking through the tube, Nagle is informed that Shaw knows
the former killed Captain Duncan. We hear George’s voice say “You told
him!” followed by loud slaps and then a shot is fired. The cavalry, or,
in this case, the Lisbon Harbor Police finally arrive. They go down to
the engine room to find Nagle dead. One of his henchmen blurts out, “I
told him not to hit her”. Norma asks Shaw for a match and cigarette one
last time and then walks out.
Jon Hall (Shaw) had
done Jungle Jim the year before with George. He is best known as Ramar
of the Jungle. In fact, the small cap that he wears in this film
certainly looks out of place by comparison to his jungle attire. Adele
Jergens (Norma) had been named “Fairest of the Fair” at the NY World’s
Fair in 1939. She worked as a Rockette in the early 1940s and had been
named Number One Showgirl in NYC. She was also an understudy for Gypsy
Rose Lee during her burlesque days. She worked with Jon Hall in
Prince of Thieves (1948), Red Skelton in The Fuller Brush Man
(1948), and Warner Baxter in The Crime Doctor’s Diary (1949).
Among her TV credits were Abbott and Costello and I Married
Joan. Don C. Harvey (Miles) appeared with George in The
Adventures of Sir Galahad. He was also a henchman in Atom Man
vs. Superman. He was also part of the Batman and Robin serial. He
appeared in many westerns during the time Reeves was doing TAOS.
George the Villain
in The Mutineers is similar to what we see of him in Rancho
Notorious or his cold-hearted character in Jungle Jim. If
you can find this film (I’ve seen it on Robert’shardtofindvideos. com),
it is well worth the money you’ll spend on it. To see George on the
other side of the law, and do so convincingly, is very rewarding.
SPECIAL AGENT
(1949)
Take it from me, if
you purchase the DVD of this film by itself, you’ll find it is very dark
and hard to see. A better version comes on the DVD entitled “After The
Molemen”. Should you decide to order this one, I do have a possible
source for it.
If you are a train
lover as I am, then you’ll love some of the scenes in this film! The
opening shows both steam and diesel engines. Truman Bradley, who
narrates the film, is familiar as he was in Dead Men Tell as
Capt. Kane. He also narrated the Jack Larson film Fighter Squadron.
The format for the movie reminds me of the Jim Davis TV series,
Stories of the Century. In fact, the opening title states that the
film is “based on material in the official file of American Railroads”
(p.184) just like the Jim Davis series. Only the timeline is
different. Special Agent follows William Ethye as Johnny
Douglas, a railroad agent assigned to a more remote area.
The young agent
keeps wishing for excitement and he got it and then some! Old Number 6,
which has both passengers and freight, is the object of a daring holdup
for a $100,000 payroll. Several people are killed, the brothers
Devereaux are responsible, and seek shelter in an abandoned mine shaft.
During their getaway, the younger brother, Paul (George) injures his
ankle, forcing them into hiding sooner than they had expected. We soon
discover that Paul is a reluctant outlaw, or as Jan and Steve put it so
well, “a choir-boy-gone-wrong type of guy” (p.185). His brother Edmond
(Paul Valentine), however, and the one who actually murdered the three,
“exhibits not the slightest sign of remorse” (p.185). While Paul’s
ankle is being wrapped, he says, “I wish you didn’t kill those men”.
Brother Ed tells him he had no choice as Paul had dropped his mask and
could now be identified. He tells his brother to forget it. George’s
delivery is so touching: “I can’t forget it! Killing those men,
especially the old one. I feel it just like Grandfather Devereaux or
the priest at the mission. His face was so gentle and so kind.” A very
embittered Ed responds that it was shooting and killing that took
everything away from their family.
Big brother cautions
Paul about his relationship with Rose McCreary (Carole Mathews) and
chastises him for getting involved with her. Once again, the tone of
George’s voice really impresses you, “I don’t know what to think. But
you can’t make me believe that all this shooting and killing and
stealing will ever get us anywhere.” The anger you hear in his voice and
see on his face is similar to the first season of TAOS. Meanwhile, Rose
overhears that the railroad agents are in pursuit of the brothers. She
goes to the Devereaux ranch to warn the boys. We see Paul (George)
standing up to his brother once more, “Listen, Ed, we’ve done everything
your way so far. When it comes to Rose, I do as I
please!” The brothers barely get out the door when the sheriff shows
up.
If he’d been
smarter, Paul would have headed back to the mineshaft. Instead, he
steals a car and heads to Rose’s house (“The Things We Do For Love”).
With the same determination he had while making little Ann Carson
believe in Superman, George had to try and make Rose believe that he
didn’t kill those men. He even asks if she believes him, and then he
takes her in his arms and kisses her. With the agents in hot pursuit,
he takes off, grabs the rest of the payroll from its secret hiding
place, and heads back to the shaft. He isn’t aware that he has been
followed. Ed meets Paul there, but, overcome with greed, the brothers
fight and George is killed. Ed is taken into custody and this case is
closed.
The supporting cast
has some rather interesting connections with George. Laura Elliot
portraying Lucille Peters appears in her first film. She was in
Samson and Delilah where GR had one scene. She made the rounds of
TV shows like Maverick, Perry Mason, and Bat Masterson.
She was probably more famous as Julie Anderson in Peyton Place
and Louise Tate in Bewitched. Frank Puglia (Grandfather
Devereaux) was King Ferdinand VII in the short Monroe Doctrine,
the bartender at the end of ‘Til We Meet Again, and the police
chiefs in Torrid Zone and Argentine Nights. Virginia
Christine (Mabel Rumpler) needs no introduction as our Lady In Black,
but for a more detailed listing of her career, please see her tribute on
GHP at Colete’s View. Jeff York (Jake Rumpler) also appeared in
Samson and Delilah, as Hank Breckenridge in Westward Ho The
Wagons and the recurring role of Joe Crane in Disney’s Zorro.
He also made appearances in Old Yeller, Perry Mason, The Lone Ranger,
and Daniel Boone.
This marks the last time George wears the dark
“V” for villain before TAOS. The dark hats will now be traded in for
the brown and gray of a superhero. He won’t take it back until 1952
when he appears in Rancho Notorious with Marlene Dietrich.
My sincerest gratitude to Sandy Jackson and Green
Ink Girl without whose assistance these reviews could not be done.
Thanks, Ladies!
April 2008
This film and the other one I’ll review were two of
George’s brightest performances. Ever wonder if George could have been a
Lewis Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist, Jr), of The FBI series? These two films
will answer that question for you!
MAN AT LARGE (1941)
John Larkin, who wrote the screenplay, also wrote
the Charlie Chan film, Dead Men Tell. Within the first minutes of
this film you see one Hans Brinkner (Kurt Katch) who was followed into
the newspaper offices by one Robert Grayson (Reeves). While Grayson is
occupied at the water cooler, Brinkner is shot with a silencer. George’s
character, looking for a job on the paper, hastily departs in order to
try and catch the murderer. How ironic that George seeks employment here
when 10 years later he will do so again at another newspaper! We see a
growling editor (is this where we get the basic personality for Perry
White?), and a secretary who is a “female reporter wanna be” (Marjorie
Weaver), who resorts to any means to find the scoop to get her
recognized as a serious reporter. Does this sound like anyone we know?
George’s scenes really keep you guessing, as you
are never quite sure what side of the law he’s on until you are really
into the movie. We see him speaking German with a man dressed in as a
Nazi officer, being smuggled back to Germany with valuable information
on the locations of British warships. Richard Derr is the officer
Maximillian Von Roen. Derr also starred in Sex Hygiene, but is
probably better known for the sci-fi classic When Worlds Collide.
Dallas Davis (Weaver) is promised a reporter job if she can locate Von
Roen and get his exclusive interview. On a lucky hunch, she picks the
exact motel where he is staying, and sees him in Nazi attire through the
window. Early on, there are some humorous exchanges between Dallas and
Grayson. The chemistry between Reeves and Weaver is no coincidence. In
addition to this film, they are paired in Blue, White and Perfect,
and The Mad Martindales. As Dallas Davis, Weaver’s
determination gets her into trouble. She is way over her head for
espionage. In some ways, she resembles the Lois Lane of Phyllis Coates
and the film noir era. There is also a naiveté about Dallas Davis that
is reminiscent of those Nancy Drew movies.
There are other familiar faces in this film. Lucien
Littlefield (Prof. Horatio Hinkle) from “The Runaway Robot” appears in
this movie. Steven Geray (Professor Van Wick of “The Deadly Rock”)
portrays the blind writer named Karl Botany, who actually heads the Nazi
spy ring operating in the U.S. Elisha Cook, Jr. (Homer Garrity of
“Semi-Private Eye”) appears as a hotel clerk, while George Cleveland
(Gramps in “Jeff’s Collie”) is Sheriff Pickering. George Chandler, who
appeared in three TAOS episodes, the most notable being “The Face and
the Voice”, is a cab driver.
We discover that Derr is actually a British Naval
Intelligence agent impersonating a high-ranking German officer in order
to catch the “21 Whistlers” Nazi infiltrator group. He has been captured
and is being transported back to Germany. Throughout the film Grayson
and Dallas have some rather comical exchanges. When Dallas is caught
spying outside Grayson’s room, Grayson subdues her. Reeves and Weaver
fall back on the bed, breaking it. George ends up on top of her, only to
roll over so Derr can bind and gag her. A bit later, Grayson waits for
his partner, who never comes out of the treatment room in a throat
specialist’s office. The doctor fronts for the Nazi ring. Dallas
plunders in once again, believing that it is Grayson who is actually one
of the spies. While George genuinely tries to convince her how much
danger she is actually in, she handcuffs him to a typewriter and rolling
stand, while she vainly attempts to contact the police. George tries to
grab the phone away, still handcuffed to the typewriter, and clumsily
falls back into a chair. Meanwhile, Dallas makes her getaway. Grayson
has no alternative but to follow her, complete with typewriter and
stand.
Next stop is the clock repair shop of Otto Kisling
(William Edmunds, Casablanca, ‘Til We Meet Again, and
It’s A Wonderful Life among others). When Dallas is startled by a
cuckoo clock, she jumps right into Grayson’s arms. She stays in George’s
arms until she orders him to put her down. So he just lets go, and
luckily she lands on her feet! Kisling is killed before they can find
out whom he was working for, but he does give a clue – The Harmonica
Club. Mrs. Zagra, (Ethel Griffies of Dead Men Tell), runs the
club and thinks that Grayson and Davis are the act she has been waiting
to arrive. Talk about coincidence – they are like the TAOS characters,
Swami Amada and his assistant in a mind reading act! Dallas uses key
words so that Reeves’ character can identify the object since he is
blindfolded. It’s no wonder that years later Lois Lane thought the
assistant gave clues by what she said to the swami!
In the end, the FBI and British Intelligence
prevail. Once again the infernal cuckoo starts up and Dallas jumps into
Richard Derr’s arms this time. George hands his hat to Derr, and takes
Dallas from him and they are locked in a kiss for the end of the movie.
If you can get a copy of this one, it is well worth it. While there are
lighthearted moments throughout the movie, perhaps the most poignant
lines come from Steve Geray at the end: “We are everywhere over here.
Just below the surface of everyday life.” As Jan and Steve so aptly
state, “There can be no doubt that this is another example of Reeves’
superior acting chops. Like a confident musician on a solo, Reeves’
acting is believable and assured, yet tender in places” (p.103).
BLUE, WHITE AND PERFECT (1941)
This little gem is part of a collection of the
Michael Shayne, Private Detective series starring Lloyd Nolan. The
casting of Nolan in this role is perfect. This is another film where we
are not sure how George’s character fits in to the story. As our authors
mention, “Blue is especially interesting because it provides
George with ample screen time, and an opportunity to demonstrate his
linguistic skills. With remarkable fluency, he delivers a toast in
Spanish…George in his third outing as an Hispanic character, is highly
effective” (p103).
In the opening scene, Mike Shayne exits a taxicab
with a shot of the L.A. City Hall (also used for the Daily Planet)
seeking his girlfriend (Mary Beth Hughes). The first person he meets is
Marie Blake, older sister to Jeannette MacDonald, who will be seen years
later as Grandmama in “The Addams Family”. Because Mike’s profession as
a detective is not considered steady work, Shayne gets a job as a
riveter in an aircraft factory, although he is undercover to find out
how the industrial diamonds are being stolen from the plant by Nazi
spies. They are being smuggled out of the country in the buttons of
dresses from a clothier. Shayne finds the dresses are being shipped to
Honolulu and books passage on the ship.
While on board, Shayne meets an old acquaintance,
Helen Shaw (Helene Reynolds). Traveling under the alias of Connie Ross,
she is associated with Hagerman, one of the smugglers. Also on board is
one suave and debonair Juan Arturo O’Hara (George). He is definitely
interested in Ms. Ross, and during the course of the film, tries to
detract her attention from Shayne. By the way, Reeves is sporting a
moustache reminiscent of Sgt. Preston. We are wondering which side of
the law O’Hara (Reeves) is on, as he unpacks his gun with silencer and
then goes looking for Shayne and Ross. While the two are on deck, a
bullet from a silencer narrowly misses Shayne. Shortly thereafter,
Reeves appears and comes on to Ms. Ross. Meanwhile, Shayne takes a walk
down to the cargo bay where he discovers Ross’s trunks. He is puzzled
when he doesn’t find the diamonds hidden in the dress buttons. O’Hara
follows Shayne down to the cargo bay and holds him at gunpoint though
not for long. Shayne has had lots of practice getting out of trouble. He
and O’Hara end up fighting. While Reeves’ character appears to be
struggling a bit, we see some of his boxing moves. Shayne subdues O’Hara
only to discover that the latter is actually an FBI agent shadowing Ross
on the trail of the missing diamonds.
We get a bit of a scare when both Shayne and O’Hara
are locked in the cargo bay, which is now becoming flooded. Just when
you think that both will perish, it is Connie of all people who puts in
an anonymous distress call to the ship’s switchboard operator. The
captain and crew rescue both, but not before George is winged by
Hagerman. While George is recuperating on the ship, Nolan escorts Ross
ashore. He discovers that the diamonds have been hidden inside jars of
hard candy. Needless to say, they are anything but Blue, White and
Perfect. And the head of the Nazi ring is none other than the ship’s
purser, Nappy!
In addition to the supporting cast already
mentioned, we have Steven Geray once more. Arthur Loft (Capt. McCordy)
was uncredited in Pony Express Days. Ann Doran from “Night of Terror”
makes an appearance as does Charles Williams (“Topsy Turvy” and “The
Clown Who Cried”). Edward Earle, as the ship’s first officer was
uncredited as a doctor in So Proudly We Hail. Then there is
Emmett Vogan, who was the Secretary of National Security in the 1948
Kirk Alyn Superman movie. Frank Orth, best known as Inspector Faraday in
the Boston Blackie movies, was also Al in “The Mind Machine”. Charles
Trowbridge as a police captain also appeared in Sex Hygiene and
Captain America. Another TAOS connection is Al Kikume who
portrays a Hawaiian cop but is better known as the native chief in
“Jungle Devil”.
I have to agree with Jan and Steve that “Lloyd
Nolan carries the show with more than excellent support from George.
Imagine George as Mike Shayne! It has been rumored that George was to
take over the Dick Tracy T.V. series (after Superman) from screen mate
Ralph Byrd (Jungle Goddess, Thunder in the Pines)” (pp.106-107).
The authors also point out that both Nolan and Reeves shared a common
heritage from the Pasadena Playhouse. Nolan was there before George. I
highly recommend not only this film but also the rest of the Mike Shayne
films. If you are looking for really good performances turned in by
George, these two will satisfy!
Special thanks to Sandy Jackson for Man At Large.
April 2008
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)
I
had a difficult time reviewing this movie because the main plot of this
movie is not about war, its horrors and how it affects people. In fact,
the attack on Pearl Harbor is almost incidental to the main plot of the
love affairs between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr, along with
Montgomery Clift and Donna Reed.
The barracks seen in this film are a dead ringer for where my son
resided at Ft. Benning. While the life of a military man and his family
is far from ideal, being assigned to one of the most romantic settings
in the world does have its perks. With fabulous beaches to explore,
marvelous botanical gardens, and a lifestyle that takes time to
appreciate what Mother Nature has to offer, Hawaii certainly seems to be
Paradise. Who could have imagined that all this would end early on the
morning of December 7?
Such is the backdrop for a different view of the troops right before the
beginning of WW II in the Pacific. With thirteen Academy Award
nominations and eight wins, this should have been another feather in the
cap for George Reeves. Despite the debate as to whether or not George’s
lines and scenes were cut, we see him, just like in The Fighting 69th,
in a fair number of scenes in the background, or off to the side. As
Sergeant Maylon Stark, we see George sporting a new hairstyle. That
longer, wavy crop of hair above his forehead has been sheared into the
“military do”. George appears to be healthier and is quite comfortable
in his role as Sergeant Stark, proving once more that he wears a uniform
well! It is his appearance in this film though that makes me believe he
would have been great as Major Groves in The Deserter.
As for the main characters in the film, there is Montgomery Clift
(Prewitt) who has his own war to fight. His enemies are not the
Japanese, but his own fellow soldiers. He is fighting for their
respect, especially when he refuses to represent the unit at a boxing
match. He falls victim to Sgt. Henderson, who had been egging him on to
fight. By the way, Robert J. Wilke, who portrays Henderson, is Bingham
from the gym in “Perry White’s Scoop.” One of George’s scenes is among
the spectators at Prewitt and Henderson’s fight. There’s just a look on
George’s face where you wonder if he would have jumped in and started
boxing himself! George is running in and out in scenes in the kitchen
and mess hall, or remaining in the background to Clift and Lancaster’s
characters. Of course, there is the one unforgettable scene between
George and Burt Lancaster that we’ve seen in photos. George, sporting a
Hawaiian shirt, shows us a more seasoned actor. This is now fourteen
years after he had been Brent Tarleton in his other Academy Award
picture. The “Face and the Voice” tell it all with his most memorable
line: “Leva tells me you've been eyeing the Captain's wife like a hound
dog at huntin’ time. “ In the tavern we see Reeves’ character taking
obvious delight in watching the rear view of a lady passing by. George
is also part of the force trying to defend the base from the Japanese
Zeros on the roof of one of the buildings, shooting at the planes as
they pass overhead.
The movie features layers of plot to be explored. There is the
soldier’s life in the barracks, complete with drills, KP duty, antics
during weekend passes, and the competitive nature between military units
in the boxing matches. There is the journey where Prewitt leads us –
from his having to prove himself to his fellow soldiers to his tragic
death because he didn’t have proper identification. There are two love
affairs going on – Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr, along with
Montgomery Clift and Donna Reed. Of course, probably the one scene that
everyone remembers from this film is the love scene between Lancaster
and Kerr. Her line of “Nobody ever kissed me the way you do” says it
all. The other piece is the unexpected attack on Pearl Harbor with the
troops unprepared and the chaos that resulted.
One of the most interesting aspects of this film is that some of its
stars were “acting out of character”. In her last film of 1953,
Deborah Kerr, usually very prim and proper is carrying on a torrid love
affair with Burt Lancaster. Also missing is her unmistakable British
accent. Then there’s Donna Reed, the wholesome wife of Jimmy Stewart in
It’s A Wonderful Life and later on The Donna Reed Show,
now a “lady of the night”. This performance won her the Oscar for Best
Supporting Actress. Ernest Borgnine was used to playing the heavy or
villains that enjoyed torture, so his role as Sgt. “Fatso” Judson was
the norm. What is unusual is that two years later, Borgnine would win
the Oscar as best actor for his performance in Marty, a character
who is 360° from the one he had in From Here To Eternity.
While it’s always good to see George on the screen, his experience is an
example of how fickle Tinseltown can be – one day you could be a rising
star, and the next you are as old as yesterday’s news. As Jan
Henderson/Steve Randisi write: “Reeves’ cinematic future would grow no
brighter than this. What a shame such a highly talented actor never
made it to a higher level of notoriety. But such is the justice in the
Hollywood jungle” (p.237).
THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF TOM SMITH (1943)
George’s first film of 1943 was a ten-minute short with very different
consequences of war – the life of a POW. Most POWs at the mercy of the
Japanese were forced into building roads and were extremely
malnourished. This was intended to be part of the government propaganda
films shown to the troops only. For Reeves’ fans, however, it’s a good
thing this one has become available. You see George in a starring role
and at his finest. What piques your initial interest are the scrolling
credits shown on crumpled pieces of paper, with printing and scribbled
drawings in the background. From the book: “The narrator sets the
tone: “This is the story of Tom Smith, prisoner of war. This is the
story of a man in a prison cell. This is the story of death in Japan.”
(p.113). The opening scene shows George standing in the cell, which
looks more like a dungeon. He is gazing out through the barred window
to the outside; this is a far cry from what he would experience during
the TAOS episode “Divide and Conquer”.
We hear George’s voice sarcastically state, “Come to romantic Japan in
cherry blossom time. All the ads in slick magazines and smiling, lying
faces.” No sooner have we heard these words than the door flings open
and the Japanese captain appears. George is nervously grabbing his arm
with his other hand, awaiting his fate. The captain tells him how he
was educated at Yale, class of ’32. Tom Smith (Reeves) lightheartedly
states, “You probably won’t be able to understand me. I never got out
of a jerkwater college.” The young soldier is then told of his crime –
the graves of the Japanese gods were destroyed and he must pay with his
life. George lets us see the reality and disbelief sinking in: “Shot?
Well…. I’m an aviator, a soldier, I only…” and he is then cut off. The
captain uses strong words to convey his sentiment: “We will strike such
a terror in your homeland that you will never come here again.” One can
only wonder if he was predicting what would have taken place at Pearl
Harbor. George’s voice becomes as cold as steel: “Your gods are gonna
have plenty of headaches.” He is then told he has 20 minutes to live,
so he decides to write his last will and testament. Going through his
pockets he finds some string and a Liberty dime. If we fast-forward to
season one of TAOS, his demeanor is the same at the coffee and donut
stand in “The Secret of Superman”.
Your heart really goes out to this soldier as George masterfully shows
us in flashbacks what he bequeaths. To his sweetheart, Grace, it is the
right to happiness, based on a certain day in June that meant so much to
both of them. To the kids on his block, it was the “American earth –
real, solid, green.” To Gramps (Lionel Barrymore), it was the freedom
to say what he thinks. George now looks at the dime from his pocket and
ponders what is inscribed on it: Liberty, In God We Trust. He hears his
grandfather’s voice saying, “Ya gotta believe or you ain’t nobody.”
While being walked through the prison yard with the firing squad, Tom
Smith carries on a conversation with his grandfather. You can hear the
fear in his voice as he says, “Gramp, I’m going to lose my life.
They’re killing us. Us Americans.” The visual of showing George up
against a wall, hands tied behind his back, with Lionel Barrymore
overhead is very powerful. Barrymore tells him he will have calm
dignity if Tom believes. I can’t do George’s delivery justice, as it is
very inspirational: “I believe. And I believe we’ll come back here in a
great cloud of bombers. And the sky will be filled with our wings and
our bombs and we’ll burn this evil from the face of the earth!” The
close-up of George’s face bears the resignation that I can only compare
to the TAOS episode, “The Big Freeze” as Superman is entering the blast
furnace. Twelve guns aim at him and fire. He falls to the ground and
the captain takes out his pistol and shoots him in the back of the
head. The once clenched fists now open to reveal the Liberty dime in
the palm of his hand.
The final scenes shift to Barrymore on his front porch and Walter
Brennan delivering the mail. Barrymore delivers an appeal to the
citizenry here: “Tom died for something. All the Tom Smiths died for
something. What are we doing to help them? We’re going to help the
living Tom Smiths.” He tells people to support the national war fund.
Brennan glances at a letter to the mother of Harry Jones. “Harry Jones,
prisoner of war in Germany. You gotta help him!” Barrymore now points
his finger at the camera and says, “It’s up to you.”
NOTE: Here is a link to the video on YouTube:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ROMKBE4Xo9s
Thanks to Green Ink Girl, Thom for his eyes, and Jan for his ears!
March 2008
We now turn to a different side of George’s career. This one is in two
parts and the subject of these films is war and what it does to people.
GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)
George Reeves was a well-read man and like many other actors of his time
appeared in several films whose themes were war in the forefront or as a
backdrop. His last film of 1939 would open a door in his career as well
as introduce him to one of his lifelong friends. Appearing in a film
with Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia deHavilland, Thomas Mitchell and
Victory Jory (with whom he would appear in the Hoppy films), and Vivien
Leigh must have been quite a thrill for the young Reeves. In Gone
with the Wind we get a glimpse of what life was like in the South.
Filmed at RKO’s “Forty Acres”, attention to detail was paid with the
plantations, main streets in Atlanta, and the lavish costumes worn by
the ladies and gents. The opening scene is at the Georgia plantation,
Tara, home to the O’Hara family. We get our first glimpse of Scarlett
outside with “two red-haired, exuberant young men who have recently been
expelled from college” (p.13). Both Stuart Tarleton (George), and his
brother, Brent (Fred Crane) were accustomed to the “Lifestyles of the
Rich and Famous”. This included many parties, formal balls, foxhunts,
horse racing and having a large, forced labor force to work the farms.
The impending war is the topic of the moment until Scarlett forces it to
change to the next social event on a neighboring plantation.
In the early scenes of this movie classic, we see George and Fred
catering to the whims of Scarlett O’Hara, hoping to win her favor and
become her choice of beau. Both George and Fred exhibit youthful
enthusiasm and charm so convincingly in these encounters with Vivien
Leigh. Their talk of the War and how they look forward to becoming
gallant heroes is evidence of their naiveté. The romantic myth of going
off to war certainly didn’t include the horrors they would witness.
Fighting for their way of life was a desperate attempt to preserve the
traditions of their culture, families, and lifestyle with slaves. Little
did they suspect that they would never again return to their
plantations, but end their lives at Gettysburg. While both George and
Fred have brief appearances in the epic, they show how quickly war can
change a young man’s life as well as end it.
While the Tarletons are no longer in the film, Vivien Leigh’s character
thought back to the carefree days that had been an intrinsic part of her
life before the war. Now, with the war over and devastation all around
her, Scarlett poignantly shows the lengths that someone will go through
to just maintain what little one has. Land was of paramount importance,
which is why Scarlett fought so hard to keep it, live off of it, and
even die for it. If the song “I Will Survive” had been around back then,
Scarlett would have claimed it as her very own theme.
Even though this was not George’s first film, it was a marvelous end to
the year 1939. Gone with the Wind introduced the world to a
future star whose light would shine, twinkle and fade over the next
twenty years.
FIGHTING 69TH (1940)
In his second film of 1940, George is paired up with some of Hollywood’s
heavyweights in Fighting 69th. Jan and Steve have
nicknamed this film Private Bessolo Marches Again. With the USA
on the brink of entering WW II, this film was all about sparking
patriotism using WW I as the timeline. The real life military regiment,
as the title suggests, has a rich history of valor from its New York
Irish members. The authors of Crimson Cape aptly call this
a “morality play about cowardice and redemption.” Included in the cast
are George Brent (Major Donovan), Pat O’Brien (Fr. Duffy), and Frank
McHugh (Terence Burke) who will team up with Reeves later that same year
in ‘Til We Meet Again. James Cagney is the rebellious Jerry
Plunkett. Among the supporting cast are Dennis Morgan, John Litel, and
Alan Hale, who appeared with Errol Flynn in many movies, and would be
with George the following year in The Strawberry Blonde.
We see George with the other recruits in a tent during their physical.
George is sporting a plaid, ivy cap and his first spoken words are “Does
it hurt much, Doc?” The camera then shows us some of the drills and
maneuvers the troops rehearse prior to deployment. George’s next
appearance as Pvt. Jack O’Keefe is in a passing scene with Fr. Duffy
(O’Brien). When asked how his wife was, George delivers with a
convincing Irish brogue, “Expecting again, Father!” In the middle of
all this another company joins the 69th—the Alabama 4th—the
outfit who defeated them at Vicksburg during the Civil War. One of the
men in the unit from the South is a familiar face from TAOS, “Human
Bomb”, Trevor Bardette. Brent’s character delivers an inspirational
speech for “Those men are coming as Americans” in order to unite the two
units into “the rainbow division”.
When Cagney’s character discovers that O’Brien’s character is a priest,
George is seen standing right behind Cagney. George’s expression of
amazement that Plunkett didn’t know Duffy was a Father is memorable. The
scene changes to include the tune of “Over There” as we see a smiling
George exiting the train with the rest of the troops on European soil.
One sequence takes place for Christmas showing the troops singing “The
Old Gray Mare”. And who should be strumming the guitar but none other
than George Reeves! While in the trenches, Plunkett starts acting out.
Actually he is panicking, but the other men don’t realize it. George,
with a look of disdain states “Gee, that guy hates himself”. Overcome by
fear of dying, Plunkett picks up a flare gun. Once again Reeves responds
with “Hey! What are you doing? Cut that out!” No sooner are these
words uttered than Cagney fires the gun. With the flare sacrificing
their position, the enemy bombs start pounding the troops. George really
does frantic well with “They’re breaking the whole line and we’ll be
next!” The next bomb causes the trench to collapse right next to them.
Reeves’ final line delivers the impending doom, “Sarge warned you not to
mess with those flares. Now all these guys are dead and you done it!”
And then comes the final bomb that will bury Reeves and the rest,
leaving Plunkett alive to deal with all the guilt, remorse, and shame.
In order to atone for his cowardice and the loss of so many of his
fellow soldiers, Plunkett dives into a manhole to assist Alan Hale with
fire power to create a path for the troops to advance. In the process, a
bomb lands in the manhole. Plunkett states he does this for the memory
of his fallen comrades. With that, he covers the bomb with his helmet
and body in one of the greatest acts of heroism for the 69th.
The end of this film honors Fr. Duffy, but on the right we see all the
fallen members of the Fighting 69th marching. George is seen
at the beginning with his face dirtied among the gallant heroes. If this
doesn’t get your patriotic spirit going, nothing will!
February
2008
The film begins with Kern Shafter (Ray Milland)
being stripped of rank and dishonorably discharged for attacking a
fellow officer, Edward Garnett (Hugh Marlowe). These two, once friends,
are now bitter enemies because of the love for the same woman. If Mr.
Marlowe looks familiar, it is because the year before this film was
made, he was the jealous love interest of Patricia Neal in The Day
The Earth Stood Still. Shafter cannot readjust to civilian life so
he heads to another fort in the Dakota Territory where anonymity might
afford him a chance to re-enlist. What he does not know is that his old
rival is now a captain at the same fort.
This film brings George together with people from
his future TV series and other movies he will make over the next five
years. There’s Harry Lauter, who was in almost every major series of the
1950’s except TAOS. This could be because he was busy in Tales of the
Texas Rangers. Ironically, he appeared with Mr. Marlowe in The
Day The Earth Stood Still. Other TAOS alums include: John Doucette
as uncredited Bill at the way station tending bar. Hugh Beaumont (“The
Big Freeze”) as Lt. Cooke seen in the beginning of the film and 5 years
before taking on his signature role as Beaver’s dad, Ward Cleaver. Ray
Montgomery has a short appearance as Osborne. This is the same year he
would begin his recurring role as Professor Ogden in Ramar of the
Jungle, and four years prior to his two appearances in TAOS (“Dagger
Island” and “The Jolly Roger”). Another familiar face with George is
Chief John War Eagle, as Red Owl. He will later appear in Westward
Ho, The Wagons as Indian chief, Wolf’s Brother. He had a presence on
the screen as an Indian Chief for he was a real chieftain.
Rounding out the cast are Helena Carter, love interest for both Garnett
and Shafter and Forrest Tucker, who sports an Irish brogue. Seeing his
antics in this movie will give you a bird’s eye view of how he will be
in “F Troop”.
This is a typical cavalry vs. Indian movie, which
will appeal to all who used to watch these as a kid. With Indians always
portrayed as ignorant, savage warmongers, and soldiers always the “good
guys”, this film takes a slightly different stance. Bugles has a
social commentary delivered by the scout, who states to Garnett that the
Sioux have been “pushed back just about as far as they’re going to be
pushed.” He goes on to say that these are the last of the hunting lands
and buffalo and the last freedom for the Indian. Events in the beginning
of this film are leading up to the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
Shafter (Milland) meets a Lt. Smith (Reeves), who
arrived on the stagecoach. The glimpse of George is fleeting, along with
the few words he says, acknowledging his escort back to the fort. One
of George’s scenes takes place on a patrol where Indians have massacred
prospectors. The troops are split up and Reeves is left to take care of
the dead. Later in the film we see George riding next to Capt. Garnett.
Reeves’ next scene comes as the troops, which include Forrest Tucker and
Ray Milland are standing around, awaiting further orders. George rides
up to them, and with the voice of authority says to Milland, “Sergeant,
take six men and report to Garnett. The rest of you men make camp.” And
he rides off once more.
Garnett abandons Shafter and the five others,
leaving them defenseless against impossible odds with the Indians.
Forrest Tucker suffers a fatal injury, but provides the diversion for
Shafter to escape and return to safety. Shafter, having walked for
miles, comes upon the troop encampment. A shocked Lt. Smith (George)
sees the weary soldier and greets him. The Lieutenant tells Shafter that
they were told he was dead. George really lets the compassion and
caring show forth in these brief scenes. Shafter tells him that Garnett
left them to die. George wants him to rest, but Shafter decides he has
to rejoin the troops. The Battle of the Little Big Horn is about to
begin, and also where his rivalry with Garnett comes to a head. Shafter
is injured and Garnett is killed by an Indian. Not to worry though,
Shafter ends up in a military hospital and he receives word that the
President has reinstated him as a Captain, and he wins his lady fair.
RANCHO NOTORIOUS (1952)
This RKO film directed by Fritz Lang was George’s
only movie made in 1952 in which he appeared with a memorable cast. It
starred Marlene Dietrich, Arthur Kennedy, Mel Ferrer, William Frawley
(Fred Mertz), Jack Elam, Frank Ferguson (“Lady In Black”), Dan Seymour
(“The Stolen Costume”) and John Kellogg (“Night of Terror”, “Five
Minutes To Doom” and “The Big Freeze”). Dietrich, at age 51 proved she
still had star presence as the owner of a ranch named Chuck-A-Luck,
providing sanctuary to outlaws for a percentage of what they stole. The
film starts out with a theme song played during the credits, interwoven
throughout the story.
The film starts out with a tender scene between
Arthur Kennedy (Vern) and his fiancée, Gloria Henry (mom to Dennis the
Menace). He presents her with a diamond brooch from Paris before he
departs on a cattle drive. She works in the assayer’s office, which is
held up. We hear woman’s screams, gunshots and then the two outlaws head
out of town. When Vern hears the news and returns, he is told that his
love “wasn’t spared anything”, implying that she had been raped, and
then murdered. The camera focuses on her hand, which has the obvious
traces of skin under her nails. Of course, this is long before CSI and
forensic teams. Vern is now on a mission to find the man who committed
so brutal a crime.
He comes upon Mel Ferrer, helps free him from jail,
and together they head to Altar Keane’s (Dietrich) ranch. As the theme
states, Vern still seeks the killer, “and deep within him burn the fires
of hate, murder, and revenge.” When Altar takes Vern to meet the rest
of the inhabitants, we get our first glimpse of George. The camera
focuses on Preacher (Ferguson), however, at the left of our screen, seen
as a silhouette is a familiar-shaped head with a full crop of hair.
George’s character is Wilson. The authors state “George has a supporting
role as a lecherous desperado who has sought refuge at the hidden ranch”
(p.227). Altar adds, “He spends most of his time chasing the ladies. No
girl is safe when he’s around.” When Vern makes reference to Wilson’s
two deep gouges on his left cheek as the result of one girl’s fight, he
is set straight. “No, a bobcat gave me these—a REAL bobcat.” Throughout
the film, George does have some memorable lines. He refers to Altar as
a “mighty handsome filly.” When Vern is breaking a bronco, Wilson
states, “He can handle a horse all right.” When Vern states the filly
is “Like a lot of women—takes a lot of breakin’ before she comes along
nice and even”, George is beaming and responds “You’re dead right on
that!” George is seen throughout the film as an intrinsic part of the
outlaws hiding out at the ranch. He tells a story to all about one of
his romances. At the end, we hear one of the famous Reeves’ hearty
laughs—similar to what he would have at the end of “Haunted Lighthouse”,
when Peter the parrot flies in after citing “Help me! I’m drowning!” A
robbery for the gang doesn’t go as planned and we see the surviving
members hiding in a back room. George has substantial dialogue, starting
with “I’ve never seen anything messed up finer”. His other lines convey
an air of authority, which seems to rival Ferrer’s character, which
actually planned the job in the first place. Nevertheless, it’s good to
see George take the lead in this segment. Wilson (George) was supposed
to bushwhack Frenchie (Ferrer) back at the ranch, however, Vern gets the
drop on him and leaves him tied up outside. Our George very convincingly
cuts himself free on a sharpening tool and shoots at Frenchie, but Altar
takes the shot herself, saving his life. Vern brings Wilson down, ending
George’s appearance, while Ferrer and Vern ride off together into the
sunset.
PONY EXPRESS DAYS (1940)
Although this was one of the shorts that George
did, he was given top billing in it and provides us with another
memorable performance. Jan and Steve have also named this one Wild
Bill George. This film references the California gold rush, which
brought many adventurous folks out west to seek their fortune. The
timeframe for this film would be pre-Civil War and before Lincoln’s
election as president. At this time there was no AT&T linking the
continent, so the western states were isolated from what was going on
back east and in Washington in particular. To solve that problem, the
Pony Express was born.
In the opening scenes, we see recruits signing up
as riders. In the foreground is one recruit who has been accepted and is
now taking the oath. Now we see George, who has been directed to one of
the company’s heads to see if he will be accepted. Reeves had a sense of
presence that is undeniable. His rugged, youthful good looks are so
evident in this little film! As a special feature on the Warner TAOS
DVDs, the introduction states so eloquently, this one “features the
young actor in the role of William ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody, and stands as
yet another example of Reeves’ talent, energy and charisma.” His
character is a man eager to help support his family since his father
died, leaving his mother and siblings behind. He has all the
requirements except that he is overweight for riding the horses long
distances. His sincerity and willingness to work, however, result in his
getting a job at the Northern Nevada station taking care of the horses.
As he walks out of the central office, one of the partners states “The
kid’s got spunk!” (p.45).
The interaction between Bill Cody (Reeves) and
Nevadie (J. Farrell MacDonald) is quite entertaining. I would venture to
bet that George had no idea he would reunite with MacDonald eleven years
later during Superman and the Mole Men. When Johnny, one of the
riders falls victim to an Indian attack and can’t go on, it is Our Man
Bill who takes up the challenge of the mail must go through. This film
highlights George’s riding and shooting ability, as well as his acting.
Cody rides for two days straight, as all the way stations have been
subject to Indian raids. With his horse lame and exhausted, he collapses
just outside Fort Churchill. The news he carries is that Lincoln has
been elected president, which is then wired to Sacramento. One thing you
wonder is if that plaid shirt is the same one that he will be wearing in
the Hoppy films later on? Only the wardrobe coordinator knows for sure!
At the end of the film the narrator indicates that
the Pony Express lasted only nineteen months and now the
transcontinental telegraph system had been established. Johnny says the
only thing left is for him to join the Army. Nevadie is going back to
hunting buffalo and taking his young friend “Buffalo” Bill Cody with
him. George’s final line says it all: “Buffalo Bill Cody! It’s got kind
of a nice sound, doesn’t it, Johnny?”
Special thanks to Green Ink Girl and Ralph Schiller
February 2008
The year
1939 was a hallmark for two actors whose paths were to cross not once,
but twice over the next two years. It was the year that George Reeves
was cast as Brent Tarleton in Gone with the Wind opposite Vivian
Leigh. It was also the year that the beautiful Merle Oberon was cast as
Cathy Linton opposite Sir Lawrence Olivier in Wuthering Heights.
Both films were to achieve Oscar success, though not for these two
stars.
Merle
Oberon was born in Bombay, India of mixed Welsh and Indian heritage.
Born Estelle “Queenie” Thompson she changed her name in1939 to Merle
Oberon at the urging of her then husband, Alexander Korda. (http://www.imdb.com).
Korda would later produce one of her movies to be discussed here.
 In
1940, both Reeves and Oberon would first appear in the film ‘Til We
Meet Again. This was a remake of the Warner Brothers One Way
Passage. The remake starred George Brent, Merle Oberon, and Pat
O’Brien. The movie begins on a cruise ship leaving Hong Kong bound for
San Francisco. Merle Oberon is terminally ill with what is later
revealed as angina pectoris, a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the
heart. This takes place long before cardio-dilators, angioplasty, and
coronary artery bypass were treatment options, thus incurable. Merle
meets the handsome George Brent over what he calls the “paradise
cocktail”. She is unaware that he is a convicted murderer who had been
apprehended by Pat O’Brien and is being taken back to San Quentin to be
put to death. The two hit it off and, finishing the cocktail, they break
their glasses, leaving the stems intertwined at the bar. The camera
focusing in on the stems becomes a trademark for the two lovers. Jan
Alan Henderson and Steve Randisi describe this as “Broken Glasses,
Broken Hearts”. (Photo courtesy of Jan Henderson)
Rounding
out the supporting cast are Frank McHugh (The Fighting 69th,
Going My Way), Geraldine Fitzgerald, who is honeymooning with her
husband, played by Reeves, and Eric Blore (Jamison in the “Lone Wolf”
series). As for George, the authors stated it best: “While Fitzgerald’s
character develops a close connection to the leads, George’s does not.
His dialogue is very sparse, with the bulk of his lines occurring when
his screen wife invites the couple to an island luau.” (p.28).
Nevertheless, George’s facial expressions are worthwhile as he and his
wife are rolling the dice at the betting table. His exuberant smiles are
plentiful, even though short during this part of the film. The full head
of wavy hair and lovesick moonstruck looks are all over the place!
Every time
George Brent and Merle Oberon have tender moments, there is music
playing in the background that could have been from a Dorothy Lamour
vehicle without the sarong! As we sail along with Brent’s character, we
discover that he has two accomplices who plot to drug Pat O’Brien and
enable their friend to escape his fate. At the prospect of never seeing
her lover again, Oberon suffers another attack just as Brent is supposed
to be whisked from captivity. Being so much in love though, he cannot
bring himself to abandon her. Oberon is taken off for medical attention
while Brent is once again in handcuffs. Neither one is aware of the
hopelessness of each other’s conditions. Merle refers to the precious
moments they’ve had together as “the gifts the gods bring”. Brent, on
the other hand tells her “Whatever happens, we belong to each other.”
With Oberon in bed resting, the ship’s doctor briefs Brent on the
gravity of her condition. The two pledge to meet on the next New Year’s
Eve at the Palace Bar in Mexico City for another paradise cocktail.
The final
scenes are in the Palace Bar. We see George Reeves and Geraldine
Fitzgerald to the left of the screen while people are singing “Auld Lang
Zyne”. With the camera still on these two, we hear the breaking of
glass. The camera now moves to the right and on the bar are the stems of
two glasses—forever entwined, forever together. As the authors warn us:
“This film might be a tad mushy for contemporary audiences. This is a
solid Warner Brothers romantic programmer, with lots of Kleenex power.”
(p. 29).
After
their first movie together, George had busily appeared in eighteen
films. In 1941, he and Merle were reunited for Lydia. This MGM
film was produced by her husband, Alexander Korda and directed by Julien
Duvivier, revered as one of the greatest men of French cinema (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0245213/bio).
Ironically this film was
based on a French film entitled Un Carnet de Bal, written by the
director and L.Bush Fekete. Unlike the original seen in France, this
film was a dismal box office failure. This story of unrequited love is
unraveled throughout the film, and I found it to be quite charming. The
period costumes are wonderful and the chandeliers wreak of opulence.
The film begins with the familiar voice of Pierre Watkin on a radio
program paying tribute to one Lydia MacMillan for her involvement with
an orphanage for blind and crippled children. We see Joseph Cotten as a
senior citizen while the scene then focuses on a stately, elderly woman.
In truth, her voice does not even sound like the Merle Oberon we’ve seen
in Wuthering Heights or ‘Til We Meet Again. Both she and
Cotten agree to meet the following week. Little does Lydia realize that
her old friend has assembled all of the men who were in love with her.
She takes them on a trip spanning forty years, while sharing their
stories collectively.
 George’s
character of Bob Willard is the love of Lydia’s youth. He is the hero of
the Yale football team. He is the dashing young man who sweeps her
across the dance floor at her first ball. Merle uses the line of “The
Night Has a Thousand Eyes” from Francis William Bourdillon’s poem when
speaking through rose-colored glasses about Bob. [Actually, I could not
help but think of Bobby Vee’s song of the same title]. She sees him as
the very romantic knight in shining armor and plans to elope with him.
On that fateful night, however, she becomes frightened when she
witnesses an inebriated Bob becoming quite aggressive and rushes back
home. Lucky for her, Lydia’s grandmother, portrayed by the wonderful
Edna May Oliver intercedes and tells Willard to not darken her doorway
again.
The scene now switches to Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick going off to war.
Lydia sees him off at the dock, only to come upon a little blind boy. As
she returns him to his home, she is touched by the abject poverty and
living conditions of so many handicapped children. Merle’s character
uses the MacMillan wealth to form an institution for the children. It is
here that she meets the blind Frank Audrey, a pianist whose music
enables the children to “see” what their eyes cannot. He falls madly in
love with Lydia, just like Bob and Michael. Frank even wrote a concerto
for Lydia, but her heart belongs to another.
 The
mystery man in Lydia’s life is Richard Mason, a sailor, much like her
grandfather. The two have a romantic interlude and then, one fateful
day, he tells her he must leave because of another woman who has some
sort of hold on him. He keeps stringing Lydia along by sending her
letters with rings inside, asking her to wait for him. Finally, he
agrees to meet her at a church on New Year’s Eve so that they can be
married. We see her waiting in what appears to be a candle-lit chapel;
the bell rings three times. With no sign of Richard, the heartbroken
Lydia returns once more to her home. Good old reliable Michael finally
wears her down and she agrees to marry him. Fate decrees this is not the
case as Granny dies suddenly, while celebrating the engagement of her
granddaughter. Unwilling to settle for anything less than the truest of
loves that she has already had, she devotes her life to the blind and
crippled children.
In the final scenes we see Captain Richard Mason arrive with Lydia
rising to greet him. The fact that he doesn’t even know who she is gives
Lydia a fitting end. As our authors state so well: “In one of the most
poignant endings ever filmed, Lydia realizes that she wasted her love on
a man who not only neglected her, but forgot that she ever existed”
(p.97).
All the flashbacks done, Frank states that “Lydia loves the sound I
make”. George’s character states that “I’ve been repenting for forty
years treating a girl like that who loves me”. The pleasant surprise we
see in this film is perhaps a preview of what George would have looked
like as an older man in his 70s or 80s. And while Michael stated that
he would recognize Lydia even “a hundred years from now”, we probably
would feel the same way about our George Reeves.
Lydia photos courtesy
of Carl Glass
January 2008
As a contract player, George Reeves was in movies of diverse material;
after all, if you are an aspiring actor, you just keep on working. The
goal is to show directors and producers your range, for it is only here
that you attract as many of the studio “biggies” as possible. We’ve
already seen that Reeves handled westerns well – including the
horsemanship and shooting skills required, along with the ability to
wear both the hero and villain hats. This installment of Behind
the Crimson Cape: The Cinema of George Reeves takes on a tour to
the “present” time for two of George’s romantic comedies.
As I watched both of these movies, it struck me that they have some
things in common. It seems that Hollywood, while far from being the
ideal place to learn lessons in life, seemed to give us a good deal of
“the moral of the story is…” In each of these films we see one marital
partner as extremely domineering and overbearing. Marriage in both of
these is not seen as a partnership, but rather, a boss and at least one
other person to whom orders are given. Both these films take us on the
journey of what happens when those attitudes remain transfixed.
.jpg) “Father
Is A Prince” (1940) was based on a New York play from 1934 of the same
name. The cast includes Grant M. Mitchell as John Bower, Nana Bryant as
Susan Bower, Jan Clayton as daughter, Connie, and John Litel, as Dr.
Mark Stone. Mr. Bower is dictatorial, running a close second to King
Midas for all of his miserly ways. Shocking is that wife, Susan had to
convince her husband for three weeks that their younger son
needed a tonsillectomy! Dr. Mark Stone is a familiar face, and the
voice of reason for this family. Daughter, Connie Bower, is on a
much-needed vacation after suffering a nervous breakdown. I sincerely
doubt that psychological disorders were a thing to be discussed, so this
film is breaking ground. Nevertheless, while Connie is on vacation, she
meets the handsome man of her dreams, Gary Lee, portrayed by…you guessed
it – our very own George Reeves! Reeves is youthful, enthusiastic and
sincere. When he says how much he loves Connie, you do believe it.
.jpg) Imagine
the shock when your daughter comes home from a vacation with a young man
and announces that she is engaged to be married! Any mother would have
concerns, and Susan is no exception. She ponders how she is going to
break the news to her husband; given the fact that he has just learned
that the IRS is demanding $8,000 in back taxes from his business. Mr.
Bower owns a factory, which manufactures carpet sweepers, which is what
people used to use for the area rugs, mainly heavy Orientals that
covered the bare floors. The conflict in this story is that the
prospective son-in-law has two strikes against him: his father (Pierre
Watkin) manufactures “Little Jiffy” vacuum cleaners, arch rival to the
carpet sweeper; and Gary is a lawyer, whom Mr. Bower detests as much as
the vacuum. This film has reminders of a long-gone era: door-to-door
salesmen, carpet sweepers, and doctors who make house calls!
 In
accordance with the rules of etiquette, Mrs. Bower stages her own
version of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” with Gary’s parents, her
sister, Tess Haley (Lee Patrick, Henrietta Topper) and husband Ben Haley
(Frank Ferguson from “The Lady In Black”). Everything comes to a head
when John Bower, home from work in the foulest of moods, states
distastefully, that he doesn’t associate with high society, and causes a
terrible scene in front of guests and family alike. George attempts to
confront his future father-in-law, but recants at Connie’s urging him to
leave. After the hasty departure of the Lees and Haleys, Susan
verbalizes her embarrassment. She scolds her husband for humiliating
not only herself, but their daughter, Connie as well. Susan’s
retaliation of her husband’s selfish and miserly ways, states that moral
support is needed from him and not just the fact that he brings home the
bacon. Then it happens…what has built up for years and the cause of
Susan’s intensifying headaches. She states that the biggest mistake of
her life “might be my wedding day”. At that point she tells her husband
she is leaving him and taking the children with her. She spoke for all
abused wives when she stated, “You’re a living insult to every decent
husband!” And before he can respond, she collapses on the floor. John
suddenly realizes he has no control over her. At the hospital the
prognosis is grave and a specialist must be called in. John states that
no expense will be spared. It is Lee Patrick’s character that calls
John’s attention to the fact that only when he is close to losing her
that he realizes what he has had. This does have a happy ending, as John
will probably never take his wife for granted again. He transforms from
being the frog back to the prince.
Also in 1940, George appeared in Calling All Husbands, also based
on a New York play from 1929. This film was a remake of Love Begins
At Twenty. The husband and wife team in this one are Ernest Treux as
Homer Trippe and Florence Bates as Emmie Trippe. Lucile Fairbanks (niece
of Mary Pickford) is daughter Bette, and George Tobias is Oscar
Armstrong. Homer is a likeable guy, the assistant manager of the second
hand furniture department in the store. George is seen early on in this
one as Dan Williams, the delivery clerk at the same store, and love
interest of Homer’s daughter, Bette.
Without seeing her, George shows us a glimpse of the dominatrix, Emmie
when he says, “Your family only has one mind – your wife’s!” Indeed,
Mrs. Trippe rules her husband and has forbidden her daughter to see Dan.
Ironically, throughout the early parts of the film, Emmie constantly
demands respect for elders, but belittles Homer to her own daughter: “I
could have married Oscar Armstrong instead of your father”. In fact,
the entire family has been hearing that for over 30 years! Daughter
Bette is compelled to defend her father, reminding that he has supported
wife, daughter and wife’s sister all these years. Of course, she is duly
chastised.
There are some wonderful scenes with George as Dan and Bette. Unable to
openly date, they walk to the train station. Ever so persuasive as he is
handsome, George tells her: “Bette, it’s useless to wait any longer.
Marry me now – tonight. Right this minute. This very second.” Now I ask
you, with George’s hands on your arms, looking straight into your eyes,
and hearing his voice, who could resist? And Bette is no exception! The
couple decides to get married that very night and head out on their
honeymoon. Reeves is priceless like a kid, with not only the looks, but
the tone of voice saying, “Boy, wait’ll you see the look on your
mother’s face. Boy, oh boy, oh boy!”
Meanwhile, irony favors Homer as his nemesis; Oscar Armstrong appears at
the door, looking like a bum. Homer invites him to dinner the next day
so that his wife will no longer see him with rose-colored glasses. But
Oscar appears in impeccable attire, stolen from the store where Homer
works. Emmie, seeing him, relates that her dream come true was that her
“two childhood sweethearts meet and fight a duel over me.” Now enter the
sheriff and storeowner, as Oscar is being arrested for robbing the
store. Emmie still cannot believe that her Prince Charming could be
capable of such a thing. Finding out that Homer has been acquainted with
Oscar, Emmie turns on her husband stating, “So you committed a crime and
tried to shift the blame to Oscar so as to disillusion me”.
The scene now switches to find George with Oscar’s accomplice, in a
fight scene that we have seen in westerns and in TAOS. He overpowers the
thug, brings him to the Trippe household, and Homer is been cleared of
all wrongdoing. The sheriff carts his prisoners off to jail. After
George is promoted to store hardware buyer with a raise, he and his
bride depart for their honeymoon. Homer becomes the full manager of the
second hand furniture department with a raise. A very contrite Emmie,
now alone with Homer states, “I realize I’ve been a fool for thirty
years.” And they live happily ever after while taking a second
honeymoon.
December 2007
Have you often wondered just how many films George Reeves happened to
do? We are fortunate to see some of them, even if they are repeated. It
wasn’t until I actually read this book that I realized the extent to
George’s film career. Truly, this book is like the Library of Congress
for George Reeves cinema. The serious collector or hardcore fan
should purchase this one. Jan and Steve give an excellent synopsis
of each film, and also add their own commentary on the performances of
George and the other cast members. They have included marvelous stills
from most of the films as well. To truly do justice to this primer of
Reeves movies, I’m doing this in several installments.
The Preface, which also appears on the sleeves of the book cover, really
sets the tone. “The life of show people is never secure, never stable;
yet some do quite well in the real world, and others go off the rails.”
(p. xi). Although George never achieved the level of a Gable, Bogart,
Jimmy Stewart or Cary Grant, he seemed to have the same attitude as
Dabbs Greer—you just keep on working. George’s films run the gamut from
very good, mediocre, and to wondering why he was in some at all. As the
authors clearly state, “This book is about the part of George Reeves’
life that we hope he would have wanted his fans to know about, not about
scandal and death” (p.xii).
We begin with a favorite venue of mine—the western. I watched westerns
more because of the horses, but even now, I watch the Saturday morning
westerns on cable. One of my favorites was Hopalong Cassidy. Of the 66
films William Boyd starred in, George Reeves appeared in five. About
50% of these films were produced in Lone Pine, California while the town
scenes were from Paramount’s backlot. After Paramount dropped the Hoppy
series, Harry Sherman bought the rights to them, as lower budgeted
films, which include George’s appearances. And so, Pardners, saddle up
while we ride off across the dusty plains!
|
Glass
House Presents
