Barreras de orgullo

This one looks like it's almost lost in the mists of cinematic antiquity, since it doesn't appear to be available on video in a widescreen DVD. About the only place to catch it is on the FOX MOVIE CHANNEL, which occasionally hauls it out of the vaults for a letterboxed showing(e.g., currently during the month of June 2005).

Henry Hathaway was a particularly congenial director when it came to using the CinemaScope frame effectively and his cinematographer on this one, Lee Garmes, did some effectively moody work on the interiors and some first-class use of the exterior locations, as well, including what looked like a sequence that was difficult to shoot - at night in inclement weather on a river bank with floodwaters raging. Joseph Cotten, in a fairly unsympathetic role, led the cast, along with Ruth Roman as his wife. Also among the thespians were Jack Carson and Van Johnson, who was, not for the first time, quite convincing as a man whose addiction to alcohol was a primary focus of the fairly sardonic script by Sydney Boehm. One thing that sticks in my mind, so many years after seeing this film on a theater screen during its first release, is the fact that Peggy Knudsen, playing a rich married woman of the contemporary American southwest, is seen behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz 300SL "gullwing" roadster, one of the most desirable upscale cars of that era and an unimpeachable choice to display her character's privileged status.

Social and family drama slowly and elegantly directed by Henry Hathaway , adding an engaging screenplay by Sydney Boehm , based on the novel "Le fond de la bouteille¨by Georges Simenon . In the border town of Nogales, Arizona, a rich advocate at law and rancher named Patrick (Joseph Cotten) is solicited by his getaway convict brother Donald (Van Johnson) in aiding him to cross the frontier into Mexico . But Patrick is reluctant to help him , while his wife Nora (Ruth Roman) attempts to support him , despite she doesn't know his true identity . Brother against brother ... stripping the southwest's ranch society of its bought respectability !...

This cultured and dramatic family film contains a feud between brothers , thrills , rider pursuits , escapes and emotion . Hathaway does the human touch including lots of nice moments and enjoyable relationship blending enmity , brothership , fraternity and strong confrontration between siblings . Including some breathtaking and spectacular scenes about a river is flooded and they have to pass it . Performances are over-the-top , such as : Van Johnson as drunkard on the lam who had been sent to the penitentiary five years previously for killing a man in a barroom brawl , Joseph Cotten as the wealthy solicitor and rancher big-man-in-town , while Ruth Roman is pretty good as the bitter wife who doesn't know about his jail-bird brother on the loose . They are finely accompanied by a great support cast , such as : Jack Carson , Margaret Hayes , Jim Davis , Bruce Bennett, Brad Dexter, Peggy Knudsen, Margaret Lindsay , Nancy Gates , Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez , Robert Adler , John Doucette and Harry Morgan as a barman.

It displays a colorful cinematography in Cinemascope and Technicolor by cameraman Lee Garmes . Bing shot on location in Old Tucson, Arizona, Nogales, Santa Cruz Valley, Sonoran Desert, Sierrita Mountains , Ironwood Forest National Monument, Tucson Mountains, Mission San Xavier del Bac, West San Xavier Road, Tucson, Arizona . As well as moving and thrilling musical score by Leigh Harline . This well-developed in cracking style flick was stunningly directed by Henry Hathaway and usually works very nice . He does the human touch and full of insight that accompanied him during most of his films and the story develops pleasantly with an interesting plot and fully adjusted to the requirements of the action . Hathaway was the classic Hollywood craftsman giving prrolific and professional works . He had a long friendhip with John Wayne , both of whom collaborated in various Westerns , they included ¨Five Card Stud¨ , ¨North to Alaska¨ and Wayne's Academy Award-winning ¨True grit¨. Hathaway himself was only even nominated for an Oscar , but his movies themselves are testimony to his skills to heighten narrative tension and shoot action so exhilarating it made adrenalin run . Henry was a good artisan who had a long career from the 30s with successful films , and especially Westerns , as ¨Brigham Young¨ and ¨Raw Hide¨ . In his 60s Hathaway still got the vigour to make some fiery movies as ¨From Hell to Texas¨, ¨How the West was won¨, ¨Nevada Smith¨, The sons of Katie Elder¨and ¨Shoot out¨ . He was an expert on Western genre as he proved in ¨True grit¨ , ¨Five card stud¨ , ¨Nevada Smith¨ , ¨How the West was won¨ , ¨Rawhide¨ , ¨Brigham Young¨ , ¨Buffalo Stampede¨, ¨Garden of evil¨ and many others. Hathaway also directed other genres as Drama, adventures , Film Noir and about the Second World War that were all for studio Twentieth Century-Fox and included ¨The House on 92nd Street¨ (1945); ¨Wing and a Prayer¨ (1944); ¨You're in the Navy Now¨ (1951) and ¨13 Rue Madeleine¨ (1947). Rating : 6.5/10 , better than average .

"Le Fond De La Bouteille" is based on a true story ;Georges Simenon remembered his own past:he was the one who made it big whereas his brother Christian ,his mum's favorite ,was a washout,someone who always failed.Like the movie,the novel takes place on the Mexican border and that's why ,unlike other Simenon American adaptations ("The man on the Eiffel Tower ") it was successful because it' s hard for an American director to recreate the Parisian atmosphere.

And of course there is Henry Hathaway !When will they give this great director the place he deserves?I have seen many of his movies,some are among my favorites ("Peter Ibbetson" "lives of a Bengal Lancer" "Niagara").

Joseph Cotten was ideally cast as the "good " "Abel-like" brother ;and who could play his fallen brother but Van Johnson?Ruth Roman is less cold than usually :the actress is believable as a -apparently- frivolous party woman who helps her husband discover forgiveness and compassion.Hathaway makes a good use of the wide screen ,particularly in the scenes on the river -which recall those of "Niagara" which Cotten's presence reinforces.He also strikingly contrasts the luxury house and the seedy room Mildred and her children pack into.

Georges Simenon spent a part of his life not far from the Mexican border;his book was probably a catharsis.

On the surface Bottom of the Bottle seems like it could be really interesting. I like movies that show the middle 50's, there's a really nifty house with a kitchen right out of a mid 50's design book, it is beautifully shot with some nice scenery outdoors.

The key for me to really enjoy a movie is when I get hooked into the characters. I have to be interested in them, worried about them, find them likable or appealing even if in a sinister way. This movie fell flat for me because frankly I didn't much care for any of the characters. I guess I felt a little sorry for Ruth Roman, the wife who wanted children and her husband (Joseph Cotten) wouldn't 'give' her any... but Joseph Cotten just isn't the kind of person you can generate much warmth for. He's about as appealing as a first-aid cabinet. I like Van Johnson - usually - but his character here is a jerk even when he's sober. While his love and concern for his family makes him seem a little more human, I just couldn't empathize with him. He and Joseph Cotten, brothers in the story, never seemed very brotherly to me and between them it's hard to say which one I cared less about.

What happened to the horses when they crossed the river? I guess they were both just washed away and nobody cared? I didn't like that. They were Cotten's horses; the least he could have done was ask 'are they all right' and look pained when he found out what happened, but not even a mention.

If you want to watch a movie that shows some dysfunctional family life in the middle 50's including people battling the bottle and other demons, I would suggest the real gem 'No Down Payment'. I think it's ten times the movie that this one is. For me, this one is a yawn. If I hadn't been exercising during the time it was on it would have been a total waste of my time. I'll give it five stars because it's not BAD bad, but it's just not that good either. It's just a so-what movie.

A wonderful body of work. Saw it many years ago on AMC, but has not been shown since. I continue to look with the hopes that any video company would discover this gem and make it available.

Great display of location shooting and the work of the entire cast represent them at their finest.

Van Johnson has never been better, and Joseph Cotten holds on admirably to generate the contrast between the brothers. Ruth Roman,a stalwart of the profession, should have a festival somewhere dedicated to her work. I would definitely attend. I highly recommend one and all to search for this film, and I am happy that there are others who feel the way I do about this body of work.