Johnny Trouble *** (1957, Ethel Barrymore, Cecil Kellaway, Stuart Whitman, Carolyn Jones, Edd Byrnes) – Classic Movie Review 8328

Director John H Auer’s 1957 Warner Bros black and white romantic drama Johnny Trouble stars lovely old Ethel Barrymore (aged 77) as Katherine Chandler, who desperately searches for her lost errant grandson, Johnny Chandler, nicknamed Johnny Trouble (Stuart Whitman), now a tough ex-Marine.

Johnny Trouble is a well-meaning but treacly tale of hope lost and regained, lifted above the norm by Barrymore’s superior playing in her final film, though Whitman is kind of dull. It is written by Charles O’Neal and David Lord, based on the story Prodigal’s Mother by Ben Ames Williams.

Also in the cast are Cecil Kellaway, Carolyn Jones, Jesse White, Rand Harper, Paul Wallace, Edd Byrnes [Edward Byrnes] as Elliott, Edward Castagna, Nino Tempo, James Bridges [Jim Bridges], Paul Lukather, James Bell, Samuel Colt, Kip King, Gavin Muir, Jack Larson, Sam McDaniel and Frank McLure.

Johnny Trouble is directed by John H Auer, runs 80 minutes, is made by Clarion, distributed by Warner Bros, written by Charles O’Neil and David Lord, based on the story Prodigal’s Mother by Ben Ames Williams, shot in black and white by J Peverell Marley, produced by John Carroll (executive producer) and John H Auer (producer), scored by Frank De Vol and designed by James W Sullivan.

The title track Johnny Trouble is written by Peggy Lee and performed by Eddie Robertson.

It was the final film of Jack Larson (1928–2015) until Superman Returns (2006) 49 years later when he played Bo the Bartender. He played Jimmy Olsen in 101 episodes of TV’s Adventures of Superman, 1952-1958.

In memoriam, Edd Byrnes of 77 Sunset Strip, who died on 8 January 2020, aged 87.

 © Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8328

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Edd Byrnes [Edward Byrnes] co-stars as Elliott in Johnny Trouble (1957).