Last night's film was "Earthbound"(1940), an ethereal ghost story, with biblical underpinnings, about a love triangle that ends up in murder. Sounds interesting, eh? It was one of those Mysterious Gems we sometimes uncover, prime examples being "The Enchanted Cottage" and "I'll Be Seeing You". Warner Baxter of "Crime Doctor" fame stars as "Nick Desborough", who is hiking in the Alps with his wife "Ellen" (Andrea Leeds). They're on their second honeymoon, and other than a slight mishap in which their dog almost runs off a snowy cliff, all could not be happier. Stopping for a picnic at the summit, they speak of true love and remaining married forever, even past death. Then, Nick's butler - wearing a suit and tie - arrives at the mountaintop with a telegram. Nick's been summoned to Paris at the request of his scientist friend "Jeff Reynolds" (Henry Wilcoxon). Nick, a wealthy philanthropist, is funding Jeff's new state of the art laboratory. Alas, the honeymoon must be cut short. Nick promises Ellen he'll return as fast as he can, two days at most, but when he gets to Paris and goes to Jeff's hotel, he discovers it wasn't Jeff who sent him the telegram. It was Jeff's wife "Linda" (Lynn Bari), who doesn't love Jeff but is head over heels for Nick, with whom she's been carrying on a years-long affair.
What a letdown. Here we thought that Nick was an upstanding guy, pledging Eternal Love to Ellen. It must be said that he's not a complete heel (just 87%), because he does tell Linda Reynolds that he doesn't appreciate the deception (the fake telegram), and that their affair is over. He tells her, "look, we never loved each other". It was a typical affair in other words, all about lust. Now he's found love with Ellen, but Linda is unwilling to let him go. Nick tells her to come to her senses and settle down with Jeff. "He's doing important work as a scientist, and he loves you. Surely you can be his support". But for Linda, it's Nick or no one. She pulls a pistol from her purse, and in a moment of madness shoots him dead.
His spirit immediately separates from his body in a surprising special effect.
For the next ten minutes, Nick doesn't realise he's dead. The notion starts to dawn when no one will answer him, when everything he tries to pick up falls through his hands. Finally, on a train, a friendly older gent befriends him, one "Mr. Whimser" (Charley Grapewin), who after some conversation suggests Nick read the bible. "It has all the answers you're looking for". Mr. Whimser is apparently an angel, which is why he can see and hear Nick. But Nick still thinks he's alive and has no time for reading. Mr. Whimser doesn't force the issue and bids Nick goodbye for the time being.
After Nick returns to America and his mansion, he finds Ellen grieving. This is when he begins to understand what has happened. He ends up attending his own funeral, ala Mr. Howell, and at that point he knows he's dead. Mr. Whimser shows up and explains everything to him. He realises he was murdalized, and that Linda Reynolds did it, but he doesn't want retribution, he just wants her to tell the truth. Because now, Jeff, Linda's scientist husband, is on trial for the murder. He's framed it to look like he shot Nick, to spare Linda a life sentence because he loves her. But she couldn't give two cents about him and is willing to let him rot in jail rather than admit what she did.
Nick the ghost is out-regisphilbined by this. He shows up at the trial and badgers everyone with the truth of what happened, including the judge, jury, lawyers and witnesses, but no one can see or hear him. However, because he truly loved his wife Ellen, she can sense his presence through their bond. He in turn discovers that he's able to influence her from the Other Side, so he starts planting suggestions in her mind, to get her to find evidence against Linda as the murderer, because his friend Jeff is heading for the big house. All Nick wants is for the truth to be told about his murder, and he knows that in uncovering the evidence, Ellen will find out about his long term affair with Linda. But love wins out, because Linda cracks at the end when confronted with the murder weapon.
You could classify "Earthbound" as a mystical, magical crime thriller. It's really good and has a cameo role by Ian Wolfe, the librarian who pushed Captain Kirk out the windum in one of the most irritating Star Trek performances ever! The "ghost of Nick" special effect is very well done, but the acting steals the show, especially Lynn Bari's meltdown at the end. The plot is telegraphed from the start, so therefore atmosphere is everything in this "Enchanted Subgenre" movie, but it's more than enough, and Mr. Whimser ties it all together at the end. Two Big Thumbs Up for "Earthbound" and a very high recommendation. The picture is razor sharp. ////
The previous night we were once again back with The Rough Riders, in "Down Texas Way"(1942). As the movie opens, "Marshal Tim McCall" (Tim McCoy) is relaxing on his ranch in Wyoming when he receives an invitation to a surprise birthday party for "Marshal Sandy Hopkins" (Raymond Hatton), who is running his hotel down in Texas. Tim leaves right away, and while he's en route, we watch Sandy enjoying a card game with his pal "John Dodge" (Jack Daley), who owns the saloon, the bank, and also the mortgage on Sandy's hotel. Mr. Dodge is nervous and confides in Sandy, showing him a letter from his ex-wife, who's been long thought dead. In fact, Dodge has raised his son "Dave" (Dave O'Brien) to believe his mom died in childbirth. In truth, she disappeared long ago, after the couple divorced (divorces were taboo in the 1880s). Gilligan: "Tab who?" The Skipper: "Not Tab Who, Gilligan! Tab-oo!"
But getting back to Mr. Dodge's wife, now she's returned, and she wants a reunion with her son, and hopefully with her husband as well. Mr. Dodge doesn't know how to respond to the letter, so he and Sandy say "the hell with it" and drink a couple shots. Then they continue with their game of pinochle.
As they are playing, Dave Dodge and his girl "Mary Hopkins" (Luana Walters) happen to be walking by on the sidewalk. Sandy overhears them talking, and suggests to Mr. Dodge that they fake an argument, just like the old days, when a game of cards would get them all worked up. "Let's give em a run for their money", Sandy says, and soon they are arguing over the pinochle game like they really mean it. On the sidewalk, Dave Dodge and Mary are aghast, thinking its a real argument. "One of these days, they're gonna kill each other over that stupid game" says a friend. Sandy and Mr. Dodge overhear this through the windum and have a good laugh, then they finish their game and Dodge goes back to his saloon to help the barkeep close up, only to be shot dead in the street.
Behind the scenes, you see, a man named "Bert Logan" (Harry Woods) is conspiring with the bartender to entrap Mr. Dodge and kill him. Logan is behind the "reunion" letter from Dodge's estranged wife, who is actually dead. Logan has hired an impersonator in her place, to inherit all of Dodge's ownings now that he is dead too, which she will then bequeath to Logan as her lawyer. He promises the lackey bartender a cut, and because Marshal Sandy was heard "arguing" with Dodge before he was shot, and because Dave Dodge testifies to this, Sandy is accused of his murder. A posse sets out to string him up and he's caught. But then, "Marshal Buck Roberts" (Buck Jones) rides into town and rescues him, by posing as an outlaw. Meanwhile, Marshal Tim has checked into the hotel. He tells Logan straight up, "I know you framed Sandy and i'm going to nail you". But Logan has some clout with "Sheriff Trump" (yes that's his name, played by Glenn Strange), so he pleads his case with him, saying that Tim is a crooked marshal, trying to help his deadly pal Sandy go free. Things look bad for Sandy until Buck "kidnaps" him from the posse. Remember, Buck's an "outlaw" who wants his own "revenge" on the Marshal who put him in the penitentiary. Once they team up with Marshal Tim back at the hotel, they reveal themselves as Federal agents and, with Sheriff Trump on board, they shut down Logan and the bad guys. As always, you absolutely cannot beat The Rough Riders, and how could you, with Jones, McCoy and Hatton all in the same movie? Two Big Thumbs Up for "Down Texas Way". The picture is soft but watchable. ////
That's all for this evening. In continuing with The Ring Cycle, I'm listening to "Das Rheingold" by Wagner. I hope you are enjoying your week and I send you Tons of Love as always.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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