His Kind of Woman **** (1951, Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Raymond Burr, Vincent Price) – Classic Movie Review 1257

Jane Russell is on her best form as Robert Mitchum’s kind of woman, in the delirious 1951 black-and-white film noir thriller His Kind of Woman (1951).

Director John Farrow’s 1951 delirious black-and-white film noir thriller His Kind of Woman stars Robert Mitchum as gambler Dan Milner, who sets off for a Mexican resort to pick up a big-bucks payment, only to find he’s the fall guy in a plot to rescue sinister gangster Nick Ferraro (Raymond Burr).

The estimable Jane Russell is on her best form as Mitchum’s kind of woman, sexy chanteuse Lenore Brent, aka Liz Brady. The duo sizzle with electricity, igniting sparks, and make a perfect sparring romantic star pair, caught up in the deported gangster’s plan to re-enter the US.

With an involving and expert screenplay by Frank Fenton based on the unpublished story Star Sapphire by Gerald Drayson Adams, this is an atmospheric, suspenseful and highly enjoyable noir-style crime melodrama. It has an intriguing tone: its tongue is exactly where it needs to be, slightly in cheek, and there is a whole lot of sassy dialogue for experts to get their waspish tongues round.

It is all expertly and dynamically directed for pace, tension and mood by Farrow (father of Mia). Just when it seems about to run out of steam, Vincent Price’s deliciously extravagant and gloriously camp performance as barnstorming, famous ham movie actor Mark Cardigan refreshes its energy. Milner is disappointed to find that Lenore is Cardigan’s girlfriend but happier when his estranged wife Helen (Marjorie Reynolds) turns up at the resort too.

Russell sings a couple of songs: ‘You’ll Know’ (by Harold Adamson and Jimmy McHugh) and ‘Five Little Miles from San Berdoo’ (Sam Coslow).

Tim Holt enjoys a rare non-Western role as the drunk Bill Lusk who flies in to Mexico, claims to be an undercover agent for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Charles McGraw, Jim Backus, Leslie (Leslye) Banning, John Mylong, Carleton G Young and Philip Van Zandt also co-star. It is Mamie Van Doren first film roles as uncredited lodge guest. Anthony Caruso, who plays Tony, one of Burr’s henchmen, later guest-starred three times on Burr’s TV show Perry Mason (1957).

Direction and script are not entirely Farrow and Fenton’s work. Executive producer and interfering RKO Radio Pictures studio boss Howard Hughes was unhappy with some of Farrow’s work and he got un-credited co-director Richard Fleischer to cut, add and re-shoot a number of scenes, including a new ending.

Hughes persuaded Fleischer to do the work by threatening not to release The Narrow Margin, which Fleischer had just filmed for RKO, and Fleischer found himself having to discuss the work in meetings with the partly deaf Hughes by shouting.

Hughes also organised a team of writers to write much of the film, adding many pages to Fenton’s original screenplay. Mitchum later said much of the script was made up as they went along.

Hughes decided to replace Lee Van Cleef with Raymond Burr as the crime kingpin during filming and all of his scenes had to be expensively re-shot with Burr.

Despite the turmoil of the film’s production, and the long 120-minute running time that ensued, it turned out great. It was a box-office hit, taking $2 million in US rentals, and has since developed a well-deserved cult following thanks to TV screenings. It’s a fine entertainment.

Alas, though, the film recorded a loss of $825,000, close to the $850,000 amount spent on the reshooting of the film. Hughes’s decision to shoot the boat sinking scene alone cost $150,000.

The support cast are Charles McGraw, Marjorie Reynolds, Jim Backus, Leslie Banning, Philip Van Zandt, John Mylong, Carleton G Young, Dorothy Abbott, Tol Avery, Richard Bergren, Danny Borzage, Mary Brewer, Peter Brocco, James Burke, Gwen Caldwell, Anthony Caruso, Robert Cornthwaite, Oliver Cross, Jim Davies, Daniel De Laurentis, King Donovan, Marietta Elliott, Paul Fierro, Joel Fluellen, Paul Frees, Barbara Freking, Gerry Ganzer, Ralph Gomez, Joseph Granby, Henry Guttman, Stacy Harris, Len Hendry, Stuart Holmes, Don House, Jerry James, Geraldine Jordan, William Justine, Mike Lally, Alberto Morin, Bill Nelson, Edwin Rand, Robert Rose, John Shehan, Mickey Simpson, Ken Terrell, Mamie Van Doren, Dale Van Sickel, Erno Verebes, Dan White, Joy Windsor, Bud Wolfe, Sally Yarnell, and Maria Sen Young.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1257

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