Le chevalier de la vengeance

This film stars two of the most stunning women ever to step before a camera, and two of the most troubled ones: Gene Tierney and Francis Farmer.

Set in Georgian era England, this is an absorbing film. It's the story of Benjamin Blake (played as a child by Roddy McDowell and later by Tyrone Power) who after being orphaned at an early age, is cheated out of his title and inheritance by Sir Arthur Blake (George Sanders), his sadistic uncle who keeps him as a bonded servant.

Ben escapes and stows away to a remote island in the South Pacific at a time when travel was a lot more difficult than dropping into Harvey World Travel or hitting the Trivago App on your iPhone. Years later he returns to England to put things right.

Along the way he falls in love with two women. The first is Sir Arthur's daughter, Isabel Blake (Francis Farmer). Not much of it is made in the film, but this surely would have to be a non-starter as she was his first cousin. Nevertheless, Francis Farmer was never photographed to better advantage than in "Son of Fury", dazzling is a fair description. This was her last movie before her life fell apart.

The second is Eve, the native girl Ben meets on the island played by Gene Tierney. The camera loved her and those amazing cheekbones that allowed her to play a wide range of ethnicities from Ancient Egypt to Polynesia - nearly always as a princess. It's sad knowing that this was about the time she too was overwhelmed by personal problems.

Tyrone Power made every movie he was in seem important. Not just darkly handsome, you felt there was depth to his characters, and he could wear a Regency top hat and coattails as though he was born to the era.

For anyone who loves movies of the golden age, the fact that the film stars George Sanders is reason enough to see it. Along with his trademark disdain he projects a powerful physical presence. He was a big dude and in the boxing scenes he looks surprisingly fit, and as though he knew some moves. It would be best to smile when calling him a fop.

The whole production is polished with plenty of glass shots and moody sets; the slightly unreal quality gives it a touch of movie magic. The film features brilliant characterisations right down the cast list, and Alfred Newman contributed a vibrant score drenched in salt air and the aroma of the South Seas.

You don't have to be a film buff to enjoy "Son of Fury", but it adds to the enjoyment if you know something of the stars and the filmmakers. They have all gone now, but this film is a lasting testimony to their talents.

Those who claim Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift were the screen's all-time most beautiful couple apparently have never seen Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney. SON OF FURY is a wonderful multi-genre picture that goes from British period piece to South Seas romance quite smoothly. The film's plot has been well-explained by multiple IMDb members so I'll just concentrate on the performances.

The entire cast does fine work. Gene Tierney doesn't appear until a full hour as passed and her role doesn't require much except smiling and looking utterly beautiful and that she does to perfection. George Sanders (looking amazingly like John Wayne in the early scenes) has one of his most brutally villainous roles and he plays it without flinching, this is no character you love to hate, he's one scary SOB. This major 1942 film is also notable for giving breaks to two actresses who had been brushed off by many in Hollywood, the troubled Frances Farmer who plays Sanders' daughter (and Power's first love) and early talkie star Kay Johnson, making a very rare appearance, as Sander's wife. John Carradine has one of his most likable roles as a seedy castaway who turns out to be a great friend. There's also an exceptional performance from Harry Davenport (best known as Doc Meade from GONE WITH THE WIND) as Power's beloved grandfather.

And I've saved the best for last, the one, the only Tyrone Power. Was there ever a more gorgeous man in movies? And SON OF FURY fairly revels in his beauty, his beautiful mop of thick black hair, his stunning profile, manly arms, friendly eyes and infectious smile. And as a bonus, there are numerous scenes of Power shirtless, running around the island in sarong-like swim-shorts. To top it all off, Tyrone is a fantastic actor, one of classic Hollywood's best. He would have been a superstar in any era.

Some may remember Kenneth Anger taking this lush film's title and gender-bending it a bit to give his Frances Farmer chapter in "Hollywood Babylon" its tabloid tone, but this is truly a great movie (outside of the fact that it features not one, but two Tinseltown beauties who, in Anger's salacious words "drank at the well of madness") ... Farmer, after a string of uneven pictures, is relegated to a supporting role here, but actually fares better than leading lady Gene Tierney because 1) her role is far more complex and 2) her on-screen chemistry with star Tyrone Power is much more palpable. Perhaps the saddest thing about "Son of Fury" is the knowledge that despite the now recurrent difficulties being reported from the set, Farmer had caught herself a break and maybe a chance to finally ride out Paramount's punishment -- starting in 1938, of course, with the aptly-named (and perfectly awful) "Ride A Crooked Mile". But as we all know, the road got bumpier, the turns sharper and the potholes unavoidable ... To see Farmer surrounded not only by the likes of such A-list talent as Power and Tierney, but a stellar George Sanders and very young Roddy McDowell is to get a glimpse of what might have been. To read accounts of Farmer being tricked into watching this film years later while incarcerated in an insane asylum, if indeed true, is unforgivable ... Watch "Son of Fury" for everything the Golden Age of Hollywood purported to be -- solid, if not overly- spectacular, entertainment. It may not be the last film of Farmer's short-lived career, but it is our last look at this fine young actress at her peak -- as stunning and mythic as she was years earlier in "Come And Get It" -- but now with an undeniable sadness melting from within.

Most movies of Hollywood Golden Age are attractive. They share cleverly constructed plot and dialogue, high-standard direction and actors' performances. Perhaps because of the charm of past times, as a rule the characters are very nice guys, even the villains, like in "Son of Fury": who is really able to detest George Sanders? Yet sometimes a motive in the movie makes it outstanding. This is the case of "Son of Fury". In fact it shows the materialization of the most romantic dream of our youth, even improving it: to live in Polynesia and... with Gene Tierney! Gene is the improvement to our own dream. Her capacity to be lovely is unbelievable: just the scene when she uses a fork like a comb would be worth seeing the movie. And what about her polynesian dance in grass-skirt? When Tyrone Power leaves the island to take his revenge in England, the audience is disappointed: we don't see the point in leaving Paradise. The director seems to realize this feeling: in fact, Power's come-back to England is more an act of justice than of revenge. Anyway, we feel relieved when he finally settles his business and returns to the island, to his friends, to her. And there she is, alone on the reef... What is more common in a movie than the final kiss? Yet this one has something special. In that instant, we all are Tyrone Power and she... she is Gene Tierney, what could be better?

that Tyronne Power never got an Oscar or recognition is beyond me. he didn't have to open his mouth ....just the eyes demonstrated all emotions needed whether sadness....joy.....angriness. son of fury is a movie that captures our hearts from the beginning....the scenery....the music the acting flawless. gene Tierney she was a knock out..George Saunders you loved to hate him...harry davenport a granddad we want to cuddle. and of course Tyrone power in my opinion the handsomest actor to grace the screen....even today. Son of Fury is really worth watching...it grabs you from the start. Bravo...to think these actors have all passed away...its our lost.