Peter Kuantan’s (Vittorio Gassman), a refugee who has been in concentration camps for 10 years, stows away on a U.S. bound ship. Immigration authorities have no options except to send him back to Hungary. In desperation, Peter jumps from the ship, breaking a rib, and runs, hoping to find the soldier he saved while working for the Underground. All he knows is that the man is named Tom (Jerry Paris), plays the clarinet, and worked in Times Square. Unbeknownst to Peter, there is a clock ticking - if he is not located by 7am, he will be barred from entry to the U.S. forever. Our film is The Glass Wall (1953). Vittorio Gassman was new to American films (AFI catalog), though he had had starring roles on stage and in films in his native Italy. His recent marriage to Shelley Winters brought him to the U.S. and his role in this film. He’s impressive as Paul, a man with nothing to lose if forced back to his native land. In Mr. Gassman’s hands, Paul is an intelligent man who has seen too much in his lifetime. He knows his rights - he quotes The Displaced Persons Act, which states that “priority in the issuance of visas shall be given first to eligible displaced persons who during World War II bore arms against the enemies of the United States and are unable or unwilling to return to the countries of which they are nationals...” (UCLA Film and Television Archive article). His problem is, he has so little information that the government officials determine he must be sent back. Gassman’s Paul is determined, but desperate. He’s trying to save his own life - returning to Hungary is a death sentence.
Gloria Grahame is excellent as the down-on-her-luck lady who is befriended by Paul. Fired from her job when she became ill, sexually harassed by her work supervisor and by the landlady's son, Maggie Summers is a woman who is literally down to her last teabag - she goes to a restaurant to get a free cup of hot water for said teabag, and to eat the remains of someone else's lunch. It's when she attempts to steal a coat that Paul becomes involved. Her affection for this man who is the only decent person she's met is palpable. Shelley Winters wanted the part, but her studio (Universal) would not allow her to go to Columbia (Gloria Grahame: Bad Girl of Film Noir by Robert J. Lentz). We sincerely believe this was a very good thing. It's hard to picture anyone else but Ms. Grahame explaining how she came to be broke and friendless.
Another characterization that impresses is that of Tanya aka Bella Zakolya, an exotic dancer played by Robin Raymond. Like Maggie, Bella has to deal with sexism on a daily basis. A working mother, and the primary support for her widowed mother, she has learned to cope with the indignities of her job. She's still a caring human being; she's not stupid, as we quickly learn, but she has a good heart. Likewise, Tom (Jerry Paris) is a decent man, who is torn between his desire to marry his fiance, Nancy (Ann Robinson) and what he feels is his duty to assist the man who saved his life. Mr. Paris had a long career in films as a character actor - you might remember him as Marty's (1955) cousin. In television, he's remembered as Dick Van Dyke's next door neighbor, Jerry Helper. Mr. Paris also had a career as a television director (TCM article). He died in 1986.
It's a delight to see New York City, primarily Times Square circa 1952 through the film's lens. You also get a tour of the newly opened United Nations Building - the first film to use it as a location. Brian Camp's blog outlines many of the film's locations (using screen shots), as well as some notes on the many film titles we see on marquees. The reviews for the film were decent though not over the moon (Columbia Noir: A Complete Filmography, 1940-1962 by Gene Blottner). Regardless, this is a fast-paced, suspenseful, and thoroughly enjoyable film. If the
ending of the film is a trifle abrupt, it still is a satisfying movie
with an excellent cast, and still so very topical.
We'll leave you with the trailer and the suggestion that you add this to your viewing queue:
Based on the 1931 novel by Polan Banks, Street of Women (1932) tells the story of Larry Baldwin (Alan Dinehart), who by all accounts is happy and successful. He and his partner Linkhorn Gibson (Roland Young) are just about to complete work on a new skyscraper that will be the tallest building in the world. Larry is also very much in love with dress designer Natalie Upton (Kay Francis), who he considers his muse. But Larry is married - to the cold and conniving Lois (Marjorie Gateson) - and has avoided divorce to protect his daughter, Doris (Gloria Stuart). But Doris is now 18, and Larry decides it's time for him to be truly happy - by divorcing Lois and marrying Natalie. In most respects, this is a standard Kay Francis pre-code melodrama - she's in love, she suffers beautifully, and though she is involved with a married man, we know that their love is true and pure. But, get past that, and you have a lovely story that really does keep you engaged throughout. Though Ms. Francis' Natalie is considerably younger than Larry Baldwin, they have similar issues to face: primarily two young people who are dependent upon them for love and support, and who are equally unforgiving of their elders' passions and affections. For Natalie, her younger brother Clarke (Allen Vincent) is the source of her grief. Natalie's unease at revealing her relationship to Clarke makes a nice parallel to Larry's reticence towards opening up to his daughter.
While Kay Francis is perfect as Natalie, we had a hard time with Alan Dinehart in the role of Larry. It's really difficult to understand what she sees in him. Certainly, he is intelligent, but far from being the strong, silent type, Dinehart plays Larry as weak; he is cowed by everyone - his wife, his daugher, even Natalie. In fact, the only person who really loosens him up is Mattie (Louise Beavers), Natalie's maid. The interactions between Ms. Beavers and Mr. Dinehart are the scenes that finally show Larry as a human being. And while Mattie is just another of the many maids played by Ms. Beavers, she is warm, affectionate, and wise. She brings a humanity to her part that only an actress of her skill could realize. The juveniles - Doris and Clarke - are more brats than fully realized characters. Doris shows her affection for her father with a long kiss on the lips, that was more incestuouslydisconcerting than a signal of real affection. When it comes to understanding her father's misery at home - with a woman for whom Doris has little to no regard - she is uncaring. At the same time, Clarke, who has been supported by his sister since their parents' deaths, cannot conceive that Natalie might actually be able to make enough money to support them on her own (never mind that he's been willingly taking her financial support without question, including several years in Paris). Now that he no longer needs her, he rejects her needs and is cruel and biting to a woman who has shown him nothing but encouragement.
Allen Vincent had brief acting career - he appeared in 26 films from 1929 to 1939. Beginning in 1941, he worked as a screenwriter, and received an Academy Award nomination for Johnny Belinda (1948). Gloria Stuart, however, is probably best known for two films that were 64 years apart: The Invisible Man (1933) and Titanic (1997). The latter earned her a nomination as Best Supporting Actress. In between times, she worked on screen and off - retiring from films for a time (beginning in 1946) to run an art furniture shop, paint, and create bonzai trees (some of which are in museums). When her husband (to whom she'd been married since 1934) became ill in the 1970s, she returned to television work, and eventually to films. Ms. Stuart died in 2010, age 100. Her ashes were scattered in Santa Monica Bay, per her wishes.
Roland Young as Link is delightful. His portrayal really makes you wonder why Natalie doesn't select him instead. He's supportive and affectionate towards her, a good friend to Larry, and he is much smarter and stronger than his partner. He is quite believable as a potential lover, and very much called to mind the part he played would later play in Give Me Your Heart (1936), where he represents the older, more experienced romantic. He also is quite cagey, and a later scene involving Lois shows how sly and knowing he really is.
The sets are by Anton Grot (who did the set design for Stolen Holiday) and are marvelous, especially Natalie's somewhat art deco apartment. No costumer designer was cited, so we must tip our hats to the Warner Brothers costume department for again making Ms. Francis a raft of delicious gowns. This is a good film, and well worth a viewing! We'll leave you with a link to the film's trailer.
We are present at the birth of a baby girl - we are told she will be the richest woman in America when she grows up. Thus begins The Rich are Always with Us (1932), starring Ruth Chatterton as Caroline Grannard, that now all-grown-up baby. Caroline is married to Greg Grannard (John Miljan), but is also loved by Julian Tierney (George Brent). Though Julian wants her to divorce Greg (he suspects Greg is not faithful), Caroline loves Greg, and refuses to leave him. However, she quickly discovers that Julian is right, her husband has become enamored of Alison Adair (Adrienne Dore), and Greg wants a divorce. Thus begins the quest of Caroline and Julian to find one another. Though the plot seems fairly standard, the film is really quite intelligent and well done, as well as being a lot of fun. Ruth Chatterton is always excellent, and here she gives some real depth to Caroline. It's interesting that before we even meet her, we are told of Caroline's immense wealth.
Especially since her money plays no real part in her as a character. Are we being told this to make us expect a different person? Someone not
particularly nice? Caroline, however, is a good, kind person; the men with whom she is involved are financially well-off; we are never led to assume she was married for her money. The film really could be about any woman whose life is thrown into turmoil by an unfaithful partner. The title perhaps, refers more to a woman who is rich in goodness, rather than in money.
In her 9th film (and her 2nd year in Hollywood), Bette Davis appears in a supporting part as Caroline's friend Malbro. Davis is truly at her loveliest; here she appears, as she did in many of her earliest films, as a blonde and it is really quite becoming. Malbro is in love with Julian, but she is also close friends with Caroline, which presents her with a real problem. As you watch the film, you wonder if she will betray her friend in her pursuit of Julian.
Julian, as portrayed by George Brent, is a great guy with a lot of patience. In a sense, Brent doesn't have a lot to do but be long-suffering, but one of his powers as an actor is that he can always get you involved with him, without detracting from the rest of the action.
If Malbro is our example of the good friend, then Alison the exact opposite. As portrayed by Adrienne Dore, Alison is a piece of work; nasty, conniving
and a liar to boot. Despite the fact that she is treated well by Caroline's friend, we begin to see that they don't really
like or trust her. The relation between John and Alison reminded us of The Women, which we discussed some time ago. Watch for the scene, late in the movie where she is spying on Caroline.
We had seen Dore before, playing Tony in
Famous Ferguson Case. There doesn't seem to be a lot of information about her. She had a very brief career - she made 12 films between 1929 and 1933, and was in
the Miss American pageant for 1925. You can view a brief bio at the Allure blog. You can also see her in this clip, which features appearances by all of our main characters:
Finally, the film, in portraying the wealthy, again treats us to great clothing and great home furnishings. Long Island appears as the playground of the rich. We will leave you with the trailer to this film. We heartily suggest you to give The Rich are Always With Us a viewing.
