La mano izquierda de Dios

William E. Barrett wrote novels in various genres but his works containing a religious element have proved more popular with film-makers, notably 'Lilies of the Field'.

'The Left Hand of God' boasts the excellent production values of Twentieth Century Fox, filmed in Daryl F. Zanuck's beloved Cinemascope by Franz Planer, with a strong score by Victor Young and a top-notch cast.

None of these factors alas is able to compensate for the disappointing script. Screenwriter Alfred Hayes is certainly no Grahame Greene and one critic referred to its 'mock religiosity'.

Director Edward Dmytryk and Humphrey Bogart had previously worked together on the excellent 'The Caine Mutiny' but Mr. Bogart's character here is rather one-dimensional although this actor is as always eminently watchable and has star quality in spades. As the phoney priest O'Shea he falls for the lovely nurse of Gene Tierney. There is a distinct simpatico between them despite the obvious age difference and that neither actor was in the best of health!

Great support from Agnes Moorhead, E. G. Marshall and Lee J. Cobb. Mr. Cobb's casting as a Chinese warlord is bizarre to say the least but typical of Hollywood at the time. The individual scenes between the five protagonists are excellent and the high stakes dice game between priest and warlord is the highlight.

Suffice to say this is a must for Bogie devotees of which this viewer is one but the film itself lacks focus and momentum. One cannot help but feel that an opportunity has been missed and that it remains an example of the Left hand not knowing what the Right hand is doing!

You won't get the urge to hail with hallelujahs, but you'll walk away shrugging, and mumbling what the, especially when Yang's encountered, but the film was always downward, poor Lee J. Cobb is quite the opposite of stupendous. You may also have concerns about the mule, although there's several that compete to trick and fool, with a story that's so thin, Bogey's a fogey and quite thin, deserving better than this festering pustule. At least it's short which means you don't have to endure, a bit less than 90 minutes of Yak manure, but you'll not forget poor Lee, an Asian minstrel - could he see? A film with very low appeal, without allure.

I first saw the film, and found it quite good. The story was catching, and the actors were splendid. As far as Bogart is concerned, I rank this movie with "the Caine Mutiny", and above "African Queen". Lee J. Cobb I found quite good too, and much more credible than Curd Juergens in "the Inn of sixth happiness". The rest of the cast gives, I think, a quite good idea of the missionary life in China. Which was the weak part in the otherwise good "Sand Pebbles". I read the book at least once a year. It explains more of the movie plot, and I recommend to anyone interested in the ethics of the film, but it should have been too long, if strictly respected in the screenplay. I'd rate the movie 9,5/10, admitting, though, that Bogart is one of my favorite actors, which could biase my judgment !

Great movie stars are rarely great actors. But they are people who exude elements of humanity, which we'd like to possess- John Wayne's toughness, Sharon Stone's glamour, Gary Cooper's inner silence, or Michael Douglas's ruthlessness. More unique than acting talent, Humphrey Bogart's element was that of hardened sinner whose inner spark of decency wasn't entirely subsumed. In this Cinemascope/colour movie, where Bogie's late-night drinking and myriad of broken marital relationships was visibly etched upon every facial crevice, the idea that he could pass himself off as a priest was ludicrous. But THE LEFT HAND OF GOD never demands that of him- nor us.

It makes instead, the not impossible proposition that a simple, remote Chinese community traumatised by marauders might presume Bogie to be the 'priest of Christ' they so anxiously await. We the audience, are privy to who Bogey is and still is. His un-Godly skill, which ultimately saves the mission from General Yang's terror, is entirely in character.

The Catholic theology was also dead on. Those whom Bogie absolved, married and buried were spiritually exonerated by the very innocence we moviegoers cannot share about Bogart. The power of the central argument of William Barrett's much dissipated novel, in spite of -or maybe because of, 50's Hollywood formulaic moviemaking- is somehow preserved.

The repetitious references to Bogey as 'the priest of Christ' and the ingenuous children's enigmatic broken-English farewell of 'Oole Kantackee Hom,' also persuade. We know Bogey must leave, and that he is redeemed in spite of himself. Even Bogie doesn't know that. We now also know that this life-scarred, bloodshot, poker-playing sceptic received a fair Hearing- after dying from throat cancer less than two years later on January 14th 1957 -at least from the left Hand Side of his Maker.

Considering it provides a rare opportunity to see Bogart in colour, is set during the civil war in China, Bogart pretends to be a gun-toting priest in his most bizarre role since playing a vampire over fifteen years earlier in 'The Return of Dr X' and Lee J. Cobb plays a Chinese warlord, you come out of it thinking "is that it?"

Bogart looks very old and tired, but he and the rest of the cast all do good work; although Victor Young's obtrusive score over-eggs the pudding as usual.