Diables au soleil

Veteran Hollywood director Delmer Daves was just on the verge of a dramatic change of career switching from masculine fare like war films and westerns to films for the ladies when he made this rather subdued war film set in the French Riviera towards the end of hostilities in the Second World War which combines elements of both, along with an unusual race angle with Natalie Wood's part recalling her role in 'The Searchers'.

Frank Sinatra and Tony Curtis (who plays a complete jerk) aren't exactly actors you would expect to see in such rugged surroundings, but as photographed in black & white by Daniel L. Fapp and scored by Elmer Bernstein it has a solid technical base; although the scene where Curtis plays the trumpet like Bernstein's jazz score evokes the fifties rather than than the forties.

My father owns a paperback edition of the Joe David Brown novel which inspired this film and I recall reading it many years ago. Ever since his Oscar triumph in FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953), Frank Sinatra tried to augment his typically light material with heavier stuff: in 1958, he had two of the latter back-to-back (along with Vincente Minnelli’s SOME CAME RUNNING) and, curiously enough, he finds himself with the less showier of the lead roles here.

Tony Curtis’ part as the smooth-talking but put-upon charmer is effectively an extension of his Sidney Falco in Alexander Mackendrick’s SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957). The female roles are equally well filled: a lovely 19-year old Natalie Wood plays a young mulatto American raised in France who comes between Army “buddies” Sinatra and Curtis, while 35-year old Leora Dana is cast as Wood’s proud middle-aged mother (she must have quite impressed Sinatra because she was in SOME CAME RUNNING too – as Arthur Kennedy’s wife).

The film – backed by a fine score from Elmer Bernstein and including a jam session featuring Curtis and real-life jazz musicians – is well enough made scene by scene and certainly well acted, but the effect is slightly diluted by the unnecessary and ultra-soapy coda (Sinatra losing an arm, Dana dying, Wood gathering together and teaching war orphans – but especially the corny children’ song at the very end). The film is much more of a romantic melodrama than it is a war movie, but the few action sequences therein are good and well spread out throughout the film.

Delmer Daves may have been best renowned for his Westerns – but his very first shot as a director had actually come via a war movie, DESTINATION TOKYO (1943), and he eventually returned to the same territory intermittently with PRIDE OF THE MARINES (1945), TASK FORCE (1949) and, finally, KINGS GO FORTH itself.

When I saw the previews to "Kings Go Forth" in 1958, I was excited. This looked like an important picture with big stars (Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood). That I already realized this at the age of 9 still strikes me as fairly remarkable. Later, I couldn't remember much about it after seeing it, except for its climactic battle scene. So, when it showed on Turner in 2005, I decided to watch it again. The interracial theme is certainly dated now, but this was strong stuff in 1958, particularly for someone from the South. After all, at that time southern department stores had separate restrooms for "White" and "Colored," and interracial marriage was ILLEGAL in southern states. However, the interracial theme is really not all that important to the story, as the themes of Sinatra's alienation, Wood's infatuation and Curtis' narcissism are probably elements familiar to MOST of us. Ever pine for a girl/guy friend who fell hard for someone else who was showier or better looking? I would, however, like to touch on what I believe is an unfair criticism of the film; i.e., that Natalie Wood is not convincing as someone of mixed race. Blonde, blue-eyed Cameron Diaz is Swedish and Cuban, and has said in interviews that her father's skin is black and that it is very likely her children would be.

I thought Natalie Wood and Tony Curtis were just great in this movie, as was Leora Dana as Natalie's mother. Wood never received her due as an actress and I thought her French accent was just fine. Curtis is absolutely chilling in his confrontation with Dana and Wood and it is easy to understand why Sinatra would want to kill Curtis. I think Sinatra is somewhat miscast as the "ugly duckling" who pines for Wood. After all, we've all seen too many movies where Sinatra's won the hearts of girls as pretty as Wood (if there ARE any other girls as pretty as Wood). Watching the film again, I couldn't help but wonder what Charles Bronson could have done with Sinatra's role. Nonetheless, given the potentially explosive (at that time) interracial element, it is unlikely "Kings Go Forth" would have been made without Sinatra's participation. Further, the episodic structure of "Kings Go Forth" plays against the sexual tension of a love triangle. Finally, the ending is almost annoyingly noncommittal. It shouldn't be; after all, there are enough clues as to what should eventually transpire between the principals. I think, here, the problem continues to be Sinatra. He is simply too aloof and passionless.

Given my criticisms, you may be surprised to know I really like "Kings Go Forth." I give it a "7". Oh, and for the record, the French ARE, historically, a VERY racially tolerant people. Witness "Cajuns," the French and Indian War, Josephene Baker and their acceptance of Indo-Chinese Eurasian children.

Frank Sinatra made an awful lot of World War II pictures, though he never looked terribly convincing dressed in battle uniform (especially the helmet, which covers most of him). Here, he's a no-nonsense Lieutenant with the U.S. Army stationed in France, fighting the Germans as well as Corporal Tony Curtis, an educated, self-assured trust fund kid on the run from his life of privilege. They spar a bit before becoming buddies, but when Curtis quickly and skillfully steals Sinatra's girl away...well, war is hell. The girl is played by Natalie Wood--she's French by way of West Virginia and Philadelphia!--and there's some hesitant talk early on of her being from a white mother and a black father (it gives Frank momentary pause, but Tony thinks of her ancestry as a novelty). The European locations are well-chosen, though director Delmer Daves' staging is sometimes poor (Frank is struck by Natalie the first time he sees her--which is to say, the back of her head!). The battle scenes are also disappointing, hurt mostly by choppy editing, and when Sinatra and Curtis take on a treacherous plan of attack near the end, we're not sure why these two were picked (other than the fact they're the stars). Not a very good movie, but not a boring one either. Wood's accent is for the birds, but Curtis fills the bill nicely and Sinatra does a solid dramatic turn. His narration is overused, and he has more chemistry with the woman playing Wood's mother than Nat herself; but, for a wartime soaper, a fairly interesting occasion. **1/2 from ****

Loving triangle , hormones and war rage in this sensitive story set against the backdrop of WWII France . The usual premise is the following : Frank loves Natalie who loves Tony ; the plain and simple triangle is interwoven with racism and warfare scenes . The film contains human drama , passion , emotion , tragical events , character description in deep and complemented with a loving triangle and battles . These elements provide the setting for this piece of dramatic deeds , giving it its own special quality and ambient . Toward the end of World War II, two American soldiers 1st Lt. Sam Loggins (Frank Sinatra) and (Cpl. Britt Harris Tony Curtis) fighting in Southern France become romantically involved with a young, American woman called Monique Blair (the role of Monique was originally written with Dorothy Dandridge in mind) . When Sinatra asks for her hand in marriage she refuses because of some secret reasons . She chooses one to love and the other to befriend . Her background will reveal more about them than her . They'd been through the living hell of war , eating dirt , crawling on their guts , but the real was to come when they fell in love with the same girl . As big and brave and bold a love story as has ever been exploded on the screen¡ . At the end the soldiers take on a dangerous assignment behind enemy lines with unexpected consequences .

This wartime movie picture is an enjoyable tale with an interesting characterizing about a few characters , tragic drama and evocative outdoors from French Riviera , including some war scenes . The film utilizes an oft-used storyline of the war movie genre which has two soldiers in love with the same girl . This stirring as well as intimate story is a passionate retelling and a touching triangular drama . The storyline relies heavily on the continued relationship among them ; in spite of , the movie results to be better than average , being surprisingly good and compellingly realized . Based on a novel by Joe David Brown with thought-provoking screenplay by Merle Miller . Nice acting by trio protagonist , all of them give fine performance along with a fine support cast such as Karl Swenson and special mention of Leora Dana as mummy Blair . Thrilling as well as moving Original Music by the maestro Elmer Bernstein . Atmospheric and adequate Cinematography by Daniel L. Fapp .

The motion picture was professionally directed by Delmer Daves , though not particularly satisfying on either race front or the war . Daves was a good professional , he began as a technical adviser on films with a college background . Soon afterward he entered films as an actor, and after appearing in several pictures he began collaborating on screenplays and original stories. He wrote scripts for many of Hollywood's best films of the 1930s and 1940s, including The Petrified Forest (1936) and Love affair (1939) . Turning director with the classic Destination : Tokio (1943), Daves often wrote and produced his own pictures. Of the many films he made, the westerns he did were especially close to his heart ; as a youth he had spent much time living on reservations with Hopi and Navajo Indians . As he was a Western expert such as proved in ¨The hanging tree¨ , ¨3:10 to Yuma¨, ¨The last wagon¨, Jubal , ¨Drum beat¨, ¨Return of the Texan¨, ¨Cowboy¨ and the notorious ¨Broken arrow¨ .