REVIEW: His Bridal Fright (1940)

His Bridal Freight
Columbia (1940)

Charley Chase goes to visit his girl Mary, but her father J.B. instructs the maid not to let him into the house. So he tries to sneak in and manages to mess up J.B.'s stamp collection, which is the "finest... west of the Rockies". J.B. gets a phone call regarding a carrier pigeon stamp, of which there are only four in the world, and that he'd pay $10,000 for. 

In order to win over J.B., Charley says he will form his own collection, starting with one of the "Pigemania Pigeons". Not knowing where to find stamps, he tries stealing letters from a mailbox, which lands him in jail. He asks a Chinese man if his letter has stamps from China on them, but alas, it was mailed in Brooklyn. He also asks a Hindu man, and an Italian, who tells him about mail-order brides. He figures he can write to the women in a "catalog" and get stamps from all over the world.

The idea works, and Charley ends up with piles of letters with stamps on them. Then, while going through the latest batch of mail with Sam (his valet?), Sam mentions he got a letter from an uncle via carrier pigeon from Pigoenmania. He shows Charley, who tips Sam a quarter after almost telling him the stamp is worth $10,000. 

Of course, the stamp manages to escape from Charley, leading to some silent-era style gags. But he gets it back, and now in J.B.'s good graces, Charley prepares to marry Mary.

Before the wedding, Charley waits for Mary and her father to arrive so they can drive to the church. But women he wrote to begin to arrive at his apartment. Mary and J.B. arrive outside and Charley hides the women in a car, which he accidentally locks bumpers with. A wild ride ensues, ending with everyone in "deep water".

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Charley's search for postage stamps is rather cute (especially to this stamp collecting-fan!), with some good, silent-era style gags, but the last part of the film, where he attempts to get married, slows things down too much.  Then there are the Columbia low-budget special effects, which we all know about from our youth watching Three Stooges shorts!

Bud Jamison is his usual Columbia-self, but Iris Meredith's performance is wooden.  And, as usual in these shorts, she is way too young to be engaged to Chase.

Modern audiences may not like the scenes with the Chinese, Italian, and Hindu men. But the whole idea is Charley is looking to see if they have any mail from their home countries.

Watching this short is a little depressing, given Chase passed away soon after. While he appears a bit older than his 46 years and had been in bad health, he actually seems full of pep.  Watch him look at the stamp from Bali, for instance.

If only he had lived longer, who knows what Chase could have done for screen comedy, if only behind the cameras...

Charley calls on his gal Mary... the maid says J.B. doesn't want him in the house

A breeze from the window Charley is at blows J.B.'s stamp collection around. 

 (Bud Jamison, Iris Meredith, and Charley Chase) 

Looking for a carrier pigeon carrying stamps!

One way to get stamps... and jail time...

Charley asking a fellow "inmate" if he gets mail with Chinese stamps... he doesn't... 

Write to the women in this booklet, get stamps in return!

Charley inspects a stamp from Bali as Sam looks on.

Charley gives Sam a quarter for his letter from Pigmania (Sam calls it Pigeonmania).

Charley peels his prize find off the envelope... no, it isn't this easy and modern stamp collectors are cringing right now... 

... stuck to the tire of a police car...

... up a tree with the stamp in-hand once again...

... the reason Charley is in a tree, the family dog, now in possession of the stamp...

Charley saves the "Pigmania Pigeon" from certain death!

The brides are starting to arrive from around the world, looking for Charley their husband-to-be!

Locking bumpers with a car full of "brides" with clueless Mary and J.B.

... a wild ride ensues, complete with Columbia low-budget special effects...

... off the bridge, into the drink...

Where's father? Charley has him by the hand...........

The the "Pigmania Pigeon"

REVIEW: Nor the Moon By Night / Elephant Gun (1958)

NOR THE MOON BY NIGHT (1958)

Aka: ELEPHANT GUN (USA)

This film is set in Africa, with Patrick McGoohan playing park ranger Andrew Miller, who has been writing to a woman named Alice (Belinda Lee) for years.  After her mother dies, Alice finally heads to Africa to meet and marry Andrew.  His brother Rusty (Michael Craig) isn’t fond of the idea, and thinks the arraignment will fail miserably.

Andrew becomes involved with problems involving local tribes, poachers, and stampeding elephants while Rusty is assigned to meet and watch over Alice until he can meet up with them.  Putting his job ahead of his woman results in his brother Rusty and Alice falling in love (lust?).  Andrew doesn’t know it yet, but Alice isn’t exactly the nice girl he thought she was.

A native park staffer is killed, and scenes of tribal members, other staffers, and poachers clashing follow.  Accusations as to who is responsible for the death fly.  Was it an evil ghost?  Was it the local white poacher and his men?  Was it a spurned lover?  The dead man’s widow seeks revenge.  Meanwhile Alice and Rusty cavort with each other.

Alice finally gets to meet Andrew when he is rescued after spending time up a tree, bleeding from an arm wound, trying to stay out of the mouths of local lions while a brush fire rages.  Laying on the ground in a daze, he looks at Alice as she hovers over him, giving her a gentlemanly “pleased to meet you”. 

The whole group finally end up together, relaxing in a camp house, where things seem rather frosty between Alice, Rusty, and a local white poacher’s young daughter named Thea, who has run away from home.  Andrew seems out of the loop.  Eventually, Thea, who has a crush on Andrew, confronts Alice about the fact she isn’t in love with him, but his brother, and should let Andrew know. 

Torrential rains begin to fall.  One thing leads to another, Alice and Rusty get passionate, Thea decides to go home, gather her things, and run away from her abusive father for good.  Andrew follows, thwarts Thea’s father who tries to bull-whip him, and takes her to safety.  He stops his Land Rover and, soaking wet, basically tells her she can live with him (and no doubt become his wife), giving her a kiss before the scene fades out.  

Alice thinks she has to leave Africa to face charges of killing her mother, who she was caring for before leaving to meet Andrew.  The charges are dropped, and she drives away with Rusty.

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Before watching this film, you must put yourself in the mind of an English audience-member in 1958.  Britain still has a large colonial presence all around the globe, including Africa.  Racism is still rampant as well, and censors still have much influence over film content. 

Having said that, the handling of scenes with local Africans is surprisingly realistic, dare I say even slightly respectful for the era, though modern audiences may take issue with the whole “voodoo curse” plotline and “rain dance” at the end.  But in all there is a rather authentic feel to most of their scenes (no blackface and seemingly no fake languages). 

The overall look of the film is not as impressive as an MGM Cinerama masterpiece, but for it’s time and budget it does make an impression, with it's wide-screen aspect and landscape shots

As for the animal scenes, they range from adorable to disturbing.  Were any animals “harmed during the making of this motion picture”?  I don’t know, but it sure looks like an elephant was shot somewhere at some time, and either the male lion who ends up draped over McGoohan was asleep from drugs, or downright dead.   

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I'll be completely honest... the only reason I watched this movie was because of Patrick McGoohan.  I think the only reason men watched it when it first came out was because of Belinda Lee!  For a 1950s British film, she sure showed off her figure and near the end had some rather steamy scenes with Michael Craig.  If any kids were in the audience, it was because of the wild African animals, most of which seemed to be real.

Supposedly the on-location production was plagued by “issues” with the cast and accidents like the one that put McGoohan in the hospital after crashing a vehicle.  In a magazine article he later stated that during filming pretty much every actor’s marriage ended but his.  Belinda Lee actually left the production to be with her lover and had to be persuaded to return.   

As for the main plot and cast, Lee’s character (Alice) starts out seemingly innocent and moral, dressing conservatively as she cares for her dying mother.  Craig’s (Rusty) seems dubious of brother Andrew’s (McGoohan) by-mail courtship of Lee.  He almost seems to be telling him he’s not man enough to have a relationship of any kind with a woman.  He no doubt doesn’t understand a man like Andrew, who is a thoughtful, quiet sort of guy, who seems genuinely happy Alice will finally be with him, but doesn’t quite know how to show it.

Everything starts to change once Alice arrives in Africa, and by the time the movie hits the half-way mark, you wonder if you are looking at the same characters as in the beginning!  Lee’s wardrobe style changes, and she basically turns into a tramp.  Rusty becomes a wolf, while Andrew is more interested in the animals in his care than the woman he is supposed to marry. 

It struck me that perhaps there was a casting change before shooting began.  Craig’s character is named Rusty, but he is a dark-haired man, while McGoohan has the reddish-brown “rusty” color hair (though sometimes it seems almost gray).  Craig is also handsome and muscular, and lets the audience know it.  But it is McGoohan’s character that gets all of the dangerous action scenes, though he is tall and lean (and keeps his clothes on).  

In order, Andrew almost gets bitten by what looks like a cobra (according to McGoohan, it was a real snake that had been milked of its venom), crashes his truck (like he did in real life off-camera), gets attacked by a lion, treed by more lions while bleeding profusely, almost burned by a brush fire while in said tree (the cast & crew helped fight a real fire according to a newspaper article), and almost bull-whipped at the end of the film while soaking wet.  All the while buff Rusty gets closer and closer (literally) with a ready and willing Alice. 

One subtle stunt that looked particularly impressive for a non-stuntman was when McGoohan, as an injured Andrew, climbs a tree with only one hand.  I couldn't climb a tree with THREE hands, yet alone one.  

Craig would have looked more “Hollywood” playing Andrew, but McGoohan could never have pulled off the sexiness of the scenes with Lee.  Instead, he gets all the danger and ends up with the young good-girl Thea played by Anna Gaylor, which may seem fitting to his fans.  One of his most natural scenes is the one where we first meet Thea, the poacher’s young blonde daughter.  She gives him a small monkey to hold while she questions him about his by-mail girlfriend.  She obviously has a crush on him, but he treats her like a little sister since she's not yet 18, calling her “Pigtails”.  Thea (Anna Gaylor) receives one of the very few McGoohan on-screen kisses, and if you really watch it, you can almost hear his brain say “I’ll just say what I mean with this little shoulder-bump and a smile” before planting that kiss. 

If you'd prefer not to watch this film as a lowish quality online copy, it is available as a Region 2 (non-US) DVD from Network in the UK (worth it, ladies, just to more clearly see Patrick's blue eyes)

REVIEW: Two Living, One Dead (1961)

TWO LIVING, ONE DEAD (1961/US 1964)

This is an Anthony Asquith remake of the 1937 Norwegian film “To levende og en død”, which in turn was adapted from the novel of the same name by author Sigurd Christiansen. 

Patrick McGoohan plays Berger, a quiet postal clerk who aspires to some day take over as the local Post Master.  Berger is happily married with a young son, but admits he has no other friends.  Though the young postal messengers he works with tease him behind his back, when one of them is sent by another clerk, Andersson (Bill Travers), to pick up a large sum of pension money for the very first time, Berger overhears and can tell the boy is afraid of the responsibility.  Berger takes it upon himself to walk part of the way with the boy to help ease his mind. 

The money is 10,000 krona, and that night, Berger is tasked with counting it.  As he works in an office, an off-camera tussle ensues in the next room, resulting in a fatal injury to Kester, next in line for Post Master by seniority, and a head injury to Andersson.  Berger is confronted in the office by one of the masked robbers, who holds him at gunpoint and demands the cash.  Berger weighs his options, thinking of his wife and son, and gives him the money.  Once the robbers are gone, Berger runs into the street for help.

The rest of the film deals with the public’s opinions on what is bravery and what is cowardice.  Andersson claims he was hurt while confronting the robbers, and wears his head bandage for over two weeks, bragging about his bravery to whoever will listen. He is the darling of the media and townsfolk.

Meanwhile, Berger is looked upon as a coward for not somehow protecting the money, or at least physically confronting the robbers.  As far as the Post Office is concerned, since he didn't risk his life for the good of the Postal Service, he isn’t a “company man” anymore and looses the Post Master job to less senior Andersson.  

Kester's wife seems to understand Berger's actions, obviously wishing her husband were still alive.

At first, Berger’s wife (Virginia McKenna) is on his side, but as time goes on, and she sees their son being teased and harassed in school, and her husband shunned by society, she begins to think he did the wrong thing after all.  Their marriage suffers as Berger starts going for nighttime walks, eventually meeting a man named Rogers (Alf Kjellin) who just so happens to live at Andersson’s rooming house.   The two strike up a minor friendship, discussing their problems, though not admitting they are actually their own (they belong to “a friend”).  Berger claims to know the “coward” from the Post Office, and Rogers speaks of a man dying in the hospital (actually his own brother). 

One night, Mrs. Berger sees her husband and Rogers walking outside their home, and asks this stranger inside.  One thing leads to another, and Rogers accidentally discovers Berger really is Berger.  It is now that Berger is finally told that their son has been targeted in school, and things break down even further.

Things come to a head the next night, when Berger visits Rogers, and discovers he and his brother were the robbers.  They learned of the large amount of money being at the Post Office through Andersson, who “talks too much” about work.  Berger asks if Rogers would have shot him to get the money, and gets a reluctant “yes”. 

But the most important thing Berger finds out, is that Andersson did not get injured by being brave fighting off the robbers.  He actually ran into a door frame while trying to escape, and was the real coward that night.  Berger takes Roger’s gun and, hell-bent on revenge, knowing Andersson would be at the Post Office working late on reports, goes to see him. 

Berger claims to be at the Post Office to help Andersson with the reports, and they begin to discuss the night of the robbery.  Berger asks Andersson if, given more time, he would have done things differently.  He begins to loose it as he points the gun at Andersson, and gives him 30 seconds to get 20,000 krone from a vault and give it to him.  If he doesn’t, he’ll get shot.  Andersson fumbles his way to and from the vault, dropping the cash box and money.  Kneeling on the floor, he holds up the messy box-full of cash to Berger, who suddenly calms down, and sits at the office desk.  When asked why he doesn’t take the money, Berger says that he “wanted to prove something… but it doesn’t matter any more…”

Next we see Rogers waiting for Berger, who checks his gun and sees it wasn’t fired.  The two men part, and Rogers walks across the street to the police station to turn himself in.  Berger goes home, where his wife has waited up for him with supper.  The film ends with them embracing.  They do have a future…

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As of early 2020, this film doesn’t appear to be available commercially.  There is a low-quality version which can be found online that looks like it came from an old VHS recording.  Because of the image quality, I can’t really attest to the overall "look" of the film.  This also makes it difficult to tell if Patrick McGoohan is made to look pale and tired with bags under his eyes, which would befit his character, or if it is just… well… not a Blue Ray DVD! 

The film does have a stark feel to it.  There is very little music soundtrack, which makes it even more so at times.  It is also a little confusing having a mainly British cast put in a Swedish setting. At least those actors didn't attempt accents...

In my humble opinion, the best performances are by Alf Kjellin (Rogers) and McGoohan (Berger).  Granted, Bill Travers’ character (Andersson) is basically a big oaf, and you can’t do too much with that in a drama.  Virginia McKenna as McGoohan’s wife is ok, and their son Rolf is played well by John Moulder-Brown. 

The idea of Berger accidentally meeting actual robber Rogers is a bit silly (or did Rogers seek him out?), but the two characters needing to talk to a neutral-party about their problems makes up for it.

McGoohan plays Berger as very quiet, but obviously warm hearted and intelligent.  As the story progresses, and his marriage falls apart, he becomes even more of a lost soul, though he never really gives in and try to change for the sake of others.  He knows who he is and why he did what he did.  But any display of emotion is very low key.  No “Number Six” outburst of anger here.  In fact, the second to last scene, where Berger slowly goes a bit batty as he confronts Andersson at gunpoint, he is actually ever-so-slightly “hammy”, though this may simply be how McGoohan felt a quiet, unassuming man like Berger would behave in that situation.  If a man isn’t prone to loosing his temper, doing so may actually be frightening to himself, and McGoohan’s Berger does indeed seem afraid of what he is doing in that scene.  

I must confess, though, I do feel McGoohan doesn't quite pull off being a loving husband and father.  The viewer knows that is what he is, but I got a sense he wasn't totally comfortable playing such a role.  I got this same feeling when watching his performance in the Disney film "Thomasina".  You would think a happily married father of three daughters would be a natural for such scenes, but there seems to be something missing.  Perhaps I am simply more used to his entirely natural depiction of sly, classy spies and angry or evil men.

The film does, though, give fans a rare "tender" scene showing Berger hugging his wife.

As for the subject matter, and who is in the right, that is up to the viewer.  Most of the cast views Berger as a coward for not risking his life to keep a large amount of money away from two robbers who had already injured two people.  Berger was thinking of his wife and son, but his boss thinks he should have sacrificed his life to the Postal Service.  Andersson could care less about Berger's plight, as long as he is viewed as a hero and in the limelight (hence keeping his head bandage on so long).  The dead man's wife would rather her husband be alive, plain and simple.  The audience is left to ponder just who was right or wrong.

All in all, I did expect a better film.  Perhaps if it were set in Britain and McGoohan gave his Berger a smidge more emotion, it would be a bit more engaging.