Non mi ucciderete

Director of Union Depot and Baby Face, Alfred E. Green guides an accomplished cast in a crime-oriented feature worth watching. Garfield commands the screen but the irrepressible Brenda Marshall earns our attention and affection. Marshall is on the lam from charges in Nevada, is smarter than Garfield and is the long distance love of his life. Released from prison he has unfinished business that takes him away from her. Garfield's moment of truth comes in a memorable scene with Marjorie Rambeau, who plays his mother. A noted Broadway actress since 1913 and in movies since 1917, she stops this show with her own unexpected dominance. The familiar George Tobias is her partner in setting a positive tone. Lundigan shows some real emotion in a lesser role.

In this hammy melodrama from Warner Brothers and director Alfred E. Green, Italian immigrant "Mama" Teresa Lorenzo (Marjorie Rambeau) struggles to raise her son Joe on her own. Despite the hardship, she even agrees to adopt Joe's orphaned, homeless friend Nick. As the boys grow into men, Nick (William Lundigan) stays on the straight and narrow, graduating from college. Meanwhile, Joe (John Garfield) has fallen into a life of crime, which he keeps secret from Mama. When Joe returns home with new girlfriend Laurie (Brenda Marshall), the stage is set for conflict as Nick falls for the gal, too.

This is yet another substandard film that Garfield had to endure, and this one is further hampered by some bad acting and a cliche script. Rambeau is just terrible as the stereotypical "Mama", sporting one of the most exaggerated phony accents ever committed to celluloid. George Tobias, too,lays it on thick, but one expects that of his generally boisterous performances. Marshall makes for a bland leading lady, and I had a hard time figuring out why both guys went crazy over her.

East of the River (1940)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Predictable Warner film tells the story of two friends who go different ways in life. One becomes a good guy while the other, played by John Garfield, can't seem to stay out of trouble. We've seen this story countless times so I'm going to guess Warner just used one of their old screenplays to give Garfield something to shine in. We've seen this story in countless gang pictures from the studio so if you've seen at least one of them then this film won't offer you anything new. As usual, Garfield is given a boring screenplay but he makes the film watchable due to his great performance. He's very strong in the film and allows us to feel sorry for him as well.

Two boys behave badly and are to be sentenced. The Italian mama of one implores the judge to let her take care of her son and he hesitantly agrees. The other one, though, is off to reform school. He has no parents. So mama says she will adopt him; and William Lundigan and John Garfield are raised as if they were brothers, above a restaurant in Little Italy.

This movie begins stylishly, with a tour guide telling about New York. Not too different from what they say 80-some years later than the action is meant to take place. Orchard Street used to be an orchard and yes, Canal Street was once a canal.

And the action is standard Warner Brothrs crime drama issue. Not at all bad. Brenda Marshall, furthermore, is very appealing as a moll who decides to walk the straight and narrow. She was a beautiful woman in a somewhat unusual way and, though not a great actress based on her performances, she could have been coached into one had she been so inclined.

The problem is the casting. OK, John Garfield was not Italian. Neither was Edward G. Robinson, but they both played Italians at times. However, what really shocked me is the direction of the mother character, and her man friend as well, to use thoroughly implausible "he's-a my good- bambino"-type dialect. It's almost as if major characters were in blackface.

I didn't notice who the secondary players in the cast at the beginning and was horrified to see that the marvelous character actress Marjorie Rambeau ("Primrose Path," "Scandal Sheet," among many superb performances) was playing this role.

It was in keeping with the times to a degree but it comes across as offensive today. .

It is 1927 New York City. Joey Lorenzo is a kid who gets into trouble. He and his friend Nick batter a railroad worker. The cops track them down. The Judge is ready to send them both to reform school. Joey's mom convinces the Judge to give them a second chance and she agrees to take on the orphan Nick. Nick grows up to be a great student and the perfect son. On the other hand, Joe Lorenzo (John Garfield) grows up to be a bad student and a criminal although his mother doesn't know that part. He comes home with his criminal girlfriend Laurie Romayne.

This idea of a triangle upon a triangle is interesting. It's the two boys and their mother in one. The other one is the boys with the girl. I never really felt for Nick or quite frankly Laurie although her progression is more interesting. Big momma is doing big momma things and she dominates. As for Garfield, he does fine as the urban hood. I believe it sometimes. I'm not sure about the ending, but that's kind of a Hollywood safe ending. All in all, I like some parts and less with other parts.