CINEMA
The Juggler. (General Release.)—Fort Ti. (London Pavilion.) IN fear, presumably, of our vitriolic pens, The Juggler has not been shown to the Press prior to its general release, but there was really no cause to keep it from us save that, being directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Kirk Douglas, it should have been first-class, which it is. not. The scene i.. Israel in 1949, and Mr. Douglas plays the part of a German refugee suffering a neurotic but (seeing that he has been in a concentra- tion camp) natural terror of prisons or any- thing, such as a uniform, which savours of them. Having socked a policeman in Haifa he takes to the hills and is finally rescued from the past, which is his worst gaoler, by the love of a good woman, a co-refugee played by Milly Vitale. In spite of sincere attempts to make this film atmospherically and psychologically convincing it never quite rings true, each scene and each character being an inch or two off the beam; and though Mr. Douglas, hampered by an ultra-Aryan face, acts extremely well, one is never caught up in his affairs. There is a cylinder missing somewhere and the engine frequently stalls. Which, if not dire, is disappointing from such a fine chauffeur.
Fort Ti is a three-dimensional film in the old-fashioned style, by which I mean it is necessary to wear glasses to watch it, that it appears to be taking place under the sea and that its producers are enamoured of tricks. Perhaps they are wise to rely on the latter .for their effects, for nobody, however bored by a script, can fail to react to a cannon being fired in his face, even if this reaction merely takes the form of closing the eyes. A film of more than usual triteness, Fort Ti is concerned with Rogers' Rangers, British Redcoats, Indians, spies, and a smashing marmalade blonde. The cast includes Joan Vohs, George Montgomery and Lester Matthews, and they, with some of the most implausible Red Indians I have ever seen, are directed with slap-happy hopefulness by William Castle who, proud of his ability to throw tomahawks into the audience, has evidently decided we have had our money's worth. Perhaps I am being unduly harsh, but these early 3D films with their sleazy distor- tion give me such vertigo I am inclined to get cross. I am fairly sure, however, that were this film penny plain it would not be in the least bit good.
VIRGINIA GRAHAM
Previous page
