Tête chaude

A disappointing screenplay hurt my full enjoyment of seeing John Garfield, one of my favorite actors. He behaves badly most of the time, so I found it hard to accept his rather sudden transformation into a self-sacrificing angel because his mother (Marjorie Rambeau) lectures him. He hadn't listened to her before, so why did he start? Similarly, Brenda Marshall, who we hear at the start was forging signatures on checks, is also transformed after she gets the taste of family life with Rambeau and falls in love with Garfield's adopted brother, William Lundigan. These plot elements didn't ring true. But worse, the final behavior of the revenge-seeking gangsters, led by Douglas Fowley, was too stupid to be believed, although it did create some suspense.

The acting wasn't too bad. I got used to the thick (but understandable) Italian accents of both Rambeau and George Tobias, both of whom were very good. So is the child actor, Joe Conti, who plays Garfield as a boy. The rest of the cast did what they could with the material, but the film must have been very heavily edited. As one who is interested in credits, I noticed that Charley Foy never appeared, and both Robert Homans and Jimmy O'Gatty are barely seen and have non-speaking roles. All three get onscreen credit, while other actors with large speaking parts are uncredited. The three must have had good agents.

Gotta admit it, no studio was as good at making crime movies as Warner Brothers during the 1930's. With Cagney, Bogie, and, here, John Garfield, there were fewer actors at any one studio who were as good at being bad. And that's what makes "East of the River" so watchable. The performances help to turn what's basically a routine crime drama into a watchable, second-string noir treasure.

As to the basic plot, that's been done again and again in endless variations. Warners even used it at least a half a dozen times. Boyhood best friends/brothers get into some sort of juvenile scrape. One goes "good," the other "bad." Both meet years later and thereby hangs the tale. However, when the boys are played by Garfield and popular 30's second-lead William Lundigan and the girl they both love by Brenda (Mrs. William Holden) Marshall, the good performances that result raise the story above the standard clichés. Almost as good, albeit with a lot of stock "Italian" mannerisms ("You a good-a boy!"), is Marjorie Rambeau as the boys' mother. Rambeau was one of those actresses who could shine in a broom closet, playing either the star's mother or a world-weary chippie (Catch her her in 1931's "The Secret Six" sometime) with equal finesse, transcending whatever stereotyped qualities may have been in the script. Also excellent are old Warners standby George Tobias as an excitable "Italian" waiter, Douglas Fowley as a particularly despicable heavy, and Moroni Olsen playing yet another of the authority figure roles he always did so well.

Okay, "East of the River" may not be in the same league with "Little Caesar," "The Public Enemy," "Angels with Dirty Faces," or even "You Can't Get Away with Murder." What it IS, though, is an excellent little (75 minutes) crime melodrama of the old school that is definitely worth a look.

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.

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.

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. .