Thomas Chalmers Movies
Derived from the classic 1951 Japanese film Rashomon, director Martin Ritt's The Outrage attempts to modernize the original story of rape and murder, transporting from medieval Japan to the American Southwest of the 1870's. The story is told within the framework of three men waiting at a railway station. A con-man (Edward G. Robinson) listens to the account of a trial held recently in the town as told by a prospector (Howard Da Silva) and a preacher (William Shatner) suffering from a crisis of faith in humanity. Three witnesses at the trial of a Mexican outlaw give conflicting testimony. Each version is shown in flashback. The outlaw, Juan Carrasco (Paul Newman), confesses that he bound the husband (Laurence Harvey), raped the wife, and killed the husband in a duel of honor. The wife (Claire Bloom) claims that the outlaw raped her, and then she stabbed her husband when he contemptuously blamed her for inviting the assault. The third witness, an old Indian (Paul Fix), declares that he found the dying husband who stated that he stabbed himself because he couldn't live with the humiliation. As the story continues to unfold, the validity of each of the stories is questioned before the truth is finally revealed. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Newman, Laurence Harvey, (more)
- 1963
A seven year old and his mother cope with his father's death in an auto accident. His grieving mother is in denial, and the rush of well-meaning relatives fails to help the situation. The boy observes the reaction of adults to the death of his father, taking refuge in the world and games of children to escape the sadness. Mary (Jean Simmons) slowly accepts her husband's death and begins to adjust to the devastating loss. The story is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by James Agee. Robert Preston plays the friendly, ill-fated husband whose brother Ralph (Pat Hingle) is the local undertaker in this dramatic tear jerker. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jean Simmons, Robert Preston, (more)
- 1961
Peter Ustinov went the auteur route as writer, director, producer, and star of this Cold War farce, based on his play and very similar to the equally well-regarded The Mouse That Roared (1959). Ustinov is "the general," leader of the tiny European nation Concordia, which is so small that it does not appear on any maps, and each government employee holds two positions (the general's chauffeur is also ambassador to the U.S.). Despite its diminutive size, Concordia is a full-fledged member of the United Nations. A vote on an important measure is split evenly, with Concordia getting the deciding vote, so the general abstains and goes home, giving fits to the U.S. and U.S.S.R., Cold War rivals which are on opposing sides of the issue. A campaign of persuasion is launched to sway Concordia to one side or another, but the canny general wants to keep his country neutral, so he schemes to introduce the Russian ambassador's son Igor Romanoff (John Gavin) to Juliet Moulsworth (Sandra Dee), the daughter of the U.S. representative. Shakespearean-style romance between the two attractive young people inevitably ensues, much to the chagrin of their home countries and the general's delight. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Ustinov, Sandra Dee, (more)
- 1927
Blind Alleys is basic comic material paced like a melodrama by Paramount's workhorse director Frank Tuttle. Thomas Meighan stars as a Merchant Marine captain who returns to New York with his new South American bride Gretta Nissen (a Swede playing a South American-well, it was a silent film). No sooner do they hit dry land than Meighan and his missus are separated during a traffic accident. Meighan spends the rest of the picture combing Manhattan in search of his wife, taking time out for a near-dalliance with Evelyn Brent. Blind Alleys was based on a play by Owen Davis Sr. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Thomas Meighan, Evelyn Brent, (more)
- 1923
This fantasy tale uses the Salem witch hunts as its backdrop and was based on the play The Scarecrow by Percy Mackaye. Goody Rickby (Maude Hill) has a child out of wedlock, but it dies when the father, Gillead Wingate (Frank Tweed), refuses to acknowledge the child or help the mother get medical aid. Wingate becomes one of the foremost figures in the witch hunts, and Goody plots her revenge with Dr. Nicholas, who is really the Devil (Osgood Perkins). Dr. Nicholas breathes life into a scarecrow (Glenn Hunter), which he plans to marry off to Rachel, Wingate's ward (Mary Astor). When the truth is discovered -- that Lord Ravensband is a mere scarecrow brought to life -- Wingate will be charged with practicing witchcraft and put to death. But the scarecrow actually falls in love with Rachel and because of that he finds his soul. The plan of Goody and Dr. Nicholas is foiled, and the scarecrow gives up his life so that Rachel can marry her true love, Richard Talbot. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi
