Interesting, but dated social commentary piece set in a NYC tenement block
located right outside of a luxury apartment building. Why anybody with
enough money to buy a luxury condo would want to have their balcony overlooking
a ghetto filled with nonstop screaming and shooting, I have no idea but that's
what happens here. Anyway, down in the Depression-era 'hood you got a
bunch of teenage boys who yell and holler 24/7. These fuckers never shut
up. All day long they talk shit about people and about how their gonna
beat the crap out of everybody. Then you got the sad sack adults who walk
around all day like zombies. One scumbag woman even steals a cookie from a
baby! There's also unemployed Joel McCrea who has the hots for a rich girl
and Sylvia Sidney who has the hots for Joel McCrea. Entering into this
heavy drama are hoodlums Humphrey Bogart and Allen Jenkins. Bogie is
wanted for multiple murders, but risks coming out in the open to see his mom and
ex-girlfriend. Things don't go as planned and further drama unfolds in da
'hood.
The story for DEAD END is okay and the acting is passable, but it's all so dated
and cliche that there's really no power left in it. It's an interesting
watch, from a historical point of view and/or from the career perspective of the
stars (I was really into the scenes between Bogart and Claire Trevor since I
knew they would work together again in
KEY LARGO), but if you don't have the time to spend you'd be better off watching
something like I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG or even
GRAND HOTEL.
On a positive note: the Dead End Kids weren't as annoying here as they were in
ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES, there was a strong supporting cast (including Ward
Bond, Marjorie Main, James Burke, Minor Watson, Charles Halton) and the set was
very impressive. Director William Wyler wanted to shoot the film on
location in the slums of NYC, but Samuel Goldwyn said no and had set designer
Richard Day recreate the waterfront location entirely on a sound stage.
Day ended up receiving a Oscar nomination for his work.
Showing posts with label Ward Bond. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ward Bond. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Saturday, April 12, 2014
HONDO (1953)
Way off out in the middle of the unsettled New Mexico Territory, homesteader
Geraldine Page sees a lone man walking across the desert towards her
house. She and her young son are all alone since her husband left...but
this isn't her husband returning. No, it's Army despatch (yes, it's spelt
with an e) rider Hondo Lane (John Wayne). He got his ass kicked a few days
ago by some Indians and now he's without a horse. Once rested up he does
some chores around the house in exchange for a horse. While he's at it he
makes quite an impression on Geraldine. He can't lollygag around though,
he needs to get back and tell the Army that the Apaches are gearing up for
war! Will Wayne and Geraldine's paths cross again?
I liked HONDO. The story is a little different than your average cowboys versus Indians story thanks to the fact that the Indians were actually portrayed as humans and not just bloodthirsty savages. The relationship between Wayne and Geraldine was believable and I thought she was fantastic. I knew she was a master from her performance in INTERIORS, but seeing her give a performance nearly to the same level 25 years earlier was quite surprising. Beautiful photography, Ward Bond with a beard, quick pace, James Arness in a small role, cute looking dog. Worth a watch for western fans.
One interesting fact about HONDO is when the production went over schedule director John Farrow (yes, Mia's father) had to leave to start on his next project so John Ford was brought in (uncredited) to finish the job! How crazy is that?!
I liked HONDO. The story is a little different than your average cowboys versus Indians story thanks to the fact that the Indians were actually portrayed as humans and not just bloodthirsty savages. The relationship between Wayne and Geraldine was believable and I thought she was fantastic. I knew she was a master from her performance in INTERIORS, but seeing her give a performance nearly to the same level 25 years earlier was quite surprising. Beautiful photography, Ward Bond with a beard, quick pace, James Arness in a small role, cute looking dog. Worth a watch for western fans.
One interesting fact about HONDO is when the production went over schedule director John Farrow (yes, Mia's father) had to leave to start on his next project so John Ford was brought in (uncredited) to finish the job! How crazy is that?!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)