THE FILM
FILM DIRECTOR: Anthony Mann
SCREENWRITER: Philip Yordan (a front for blacklisted writer Ben Maddow who was uncredited)
FILM STARS: Robert Ryan, Aldo Ray, Tina Louise, Buddy Hackett, Jack Lord, Fay Spain, Vic Morrow, Lance Fuller, Rex Ingram, Michael Landon, Russell Collins
COUNTRY: USA
THIS BOOK
AUTHOR: Erskine Caldwell
TYPE: Novel
PUBLISHER: Pan
THIS EDITION PUBLISHED: 1958
COUNTRY: Great Britain
COVER: Paperback
THE ORIGINAL BOOK
ORIGINAL AUTHOR: As Above
YEAR FIRST PUBLISHED: 1933
ORIGINAL BOOK TITLE: The film title
NOTES
GENRE: Drama
WORDS: Great cast, good film though not as distinctive as the best of Anthony Mann … one of the best directors working the 1950s. The cast is great, Robert Ryan, perfect, Aldo Ray, always underrated, and Tina Louise, gorgeous. Future television stars Jack Lord, Vic Morrow, Lance Fuller, and Michael Landon are great in supports.
Caldwell’s book is an easy read, combining political (a “proletarian” novel concerned, in part, with the plight of union less workers), earthy, rootsy, comedic and sexually suggestive (perhaps that why it took 25 years to reach the screen) themes. The book was a big (read “BIG”) seller in the 30s and 40s and was banned from time to time … because of the sex, not the politics. Puritans of the time placed left wing agitators lower on the “annoyance ladder” than sly “pornographers” it seems, as did the film which also dwelt more on the “passion”.
LINKS
TRAILER
Tina. Louise.
yes, the glorious Tina Louise.
Tina Louise looks a bit like Sophia Loren in the above image. It’s a shame she didn’t have a more successful movie career. I believe she is the last remaining member of the Gilligan’s Island cast. A very hot woman.
Agreed. Yes, Tina’s career was a bit odd with some missteps. You would have thought it would be bigger. Then again everyone of a certain age group knows who she is which can’t be said of other comparable actress careers (Mary Ann Mobley, Sue Ane Langdon, Hope Lange, Yvonne Craig, Shelley Fabares etc).
I remember Hope Lange from The Ghost and Mrs Muir tv show. Only recall Yvonne Craig from when she played Batgirl on the original Batman show. I saw some repeats of the show a few years ago; needless to say she looked great in a tight leather costume, though Julie Newmarket as Catwoman took the prize.