Slander (3 stars)

Slander, from 1957, is a hard-hitting drama starring Van Johnson, Ann Blyth, and Steve Cochran.  Featuring Marjorie Rambeau in a supporting role, Slander takes a look at the ugly world of tabloid journalism, and given that such media has increased probably a thousandfold in the 50+ years since this film was made, I think it is completely relevant to today.

H. R. Manley (Steve Cochran), publisher of the tabloid Real Truth Magazine knows that circulation is down and that to boost sales, he will need to get a very sensational copy on the newsstand.  Telling his reporters that there is something dirty in everyone's past, he encourages them to dig up the dirt on a squeaky-clean person. Manley believes that the cleaner a person is on the outside, the dirtier they are underneath, and furthermore, he believes that he is only giving his readers what they want---juicy, scandalous truth.  Manley's mother (Marjorie Rambeau), however, who is ashamed of her son's line of work, relates the gossip magazine to nothing less than the provision of opium, in that people may want it, but it is actually very harmful to them.

Scott Martin (Van Johnson) becomes the "dirt" target.  Now a puppeteer who has just recently begun putting his kid-friendly talents to work for a breakfast cereal company, Mr. Martin is an ex-convict.  Though he served a 4-year sentence for the crime committed when he was a 19-year old, given his current clean, good-guy, safe-for-kids reputation, the revelation of his past mistake will be a disaster, plus the publicity will be harmful to his wife, Connie (Ann Blyth), and their young son.  Though the Martins plead with Manley to not publish the long-dead information, the only way Manley will refrain from doing so is if Scott passes on dirt about Mary Sawyer...a new movie star sensation, with whom he grew up.

Will Scott save his own reputation by ruining that of another?  Will Manley listen to reason and come to realize that he is hurting people with his gossip magazine?  Will he decide to pull the article about Scott?  These are the questions which play out in the balance of this film.



Slander is an interesting, exciting film, and as already stated, is totally relevant to today.  With the explosion of the internet, scandalous stories are available 24/7, and we all read them...without ever a thought to the lives which are broken as a result of the ugliness being published.  It's too bad this film didn't convince us of the harmful effects of this kind of writing.  Steve Cochran is his usual sleazy, nasty self here. Both Van Johnson and Ann Blyth are good and solid in their roles, but I think Marjorie Rambeau, as Cochran's mother, takes the prize.  She is fantastic. 

While this film is not out on DVD, it is available in its entirety on YouTube.  I hope you get a chance to see it.

Happy viewing!!

High Barbaree (3 stars)

High Barbaree, from 1947, is a romantic war-time drama starring Van Johnson and June Allyson, with Thomas Mitchell and Cameron Mitchell taking on supporting roles.  The film begins with navy nurse Nancy Frazier (June Allyson) bidding goodbye to her childhood sweetheart, navy flier Alec Brook (Van Johnson) as he leaves for a bombing run.  When Alec's plane is hit and he is forced to crashland in the ocean, his entire crew, except for his co-pilot Joe (Cameron Mitchell), perishes.

Alec and Joe are in very dire straits---they are in the middle of the massive Pacific Ocean, and no one knows their position.  Their radio is dead, and their water tank has been hit.  So, with little more than a tiny bottle of water and the parachute material, with which they hope to make sails, Alec and Joe attempt to survive until help comes for them...if it ever does.

As Alec and Joe struggle to keep their hopes alive, Alec reminisces about his life.  He tells Joe about Nancy and about High Barbaree, a fabled Pacific island his uncle had spoken about long ago.  A magical, beautiful island, High Barbaree became the root of all Alec's childhood dreams, and as children, he and Nancy had always talked about going there one day.  As Alec checks his crash position, he realizes that High Barbaree ought to be no more than 100 miles from where his plane crashed; he and Joe hope to make it there.  But as Alec flashes back into the past, he begins to wonder if High Barbaree ever existed.  Perhaps it was something his uncle had only made up...perhaps he is just delusional to think he and Joe could find refuge there.

This film alternates between the present situation and many different periods of Alec's life.  It's a sweet and interesting story.  Van Johnson and June Allyson were really great together.  I have to admit, though, I can never watch June Allyson without her famous Jo March words---"Christopher Columbus"---coming to mind.  Just the sound of her voice, and I'm automatically thinking Little Women.  She's always a delight, and I think she is totally lovely here in High Barbaree.  Van Johnson is one of those always-likeable actors.  He seems to talk with a smile in his voice...if that makes sense.  I definitely always enjoy him.

Although High Barbaree is not a fantastic movie, I definitely enjoyed it and will certainly watch it again.  I don't believe it's out on DVD, but TCM shows it periodically so you could catch it there.

Happy viewing!!