The Corn is Green(1945).

The Corn Is Green (1945). Drama. Cast: Bette Davis. It was adapted from the play of the same name by Emlyn Williams. John Dall and Joan Lorring were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

The people who live in a small countryside village, are surprised to learn that L. C. Moffat, their new school teacher, is a forty-year-old English woman named Lily Cristobel and not a man . Moffat begins making plans, to build a school for the children, who work in the coal mines and asks Miss Ronberry and the minister Mr. Jones, to help her. At first she has problems with the mine owners, who refuse to give the boys time the off from work in the mines and then from the owner of the barn she wanted to use for a schoolhouse.

Although she has many students, Moffat focuses her efforts on Morgan. She believes that Morgan is smart enough to attend Oxford, after she reads a line from his poem ... "and when I walk in the dark I can touch with my hands where the corn is green. "

She asks the Squire, to help Morgan, to apply for a scholarship to the university. Making Morgan feel bad, his friends tease him about his education.. Morgan , now feeling he no longer belongs, gets drunk and tells Moffat, that he wants to go back to working in the mines. She tells him that the decision is his to make. Morgan, leaves and runs into Bessie, who is against Moffat's school.

Morgan goes back to the mines, but is not happy and decides to go ahead with his plans to apply for the scholarship to the university. Moffat, helps him prepare for the examination, but on the morning of the test, Bessie, tells Moffat that she is pregnant with Morgan's child. Moffat decides that it is best to keep this news a secret from Morgan, for now. After the examination, Morgan tells Moffat how much he wants to attend the university.

Soon, the Squire, Miss Ronberry, Mr. Jones and Mrs. Watty, Bessie all arrive at the house. Bessie then tells everyone about her pregnancy and Mr. Jones offers to marry her, but she says she already has a man who will marry her, if the child does not come with her. Mrs. Watty comes up with the idea for Moffat to adopt the child. When Morgan learns that he is the father, he thinks it is best to marry Bessie, even though Moffat's does not agree..

Morgan, receives word that he has won the scholarship, will he decide to go on with his plan to attend the university?

A wonderful little film, There isn't a lot of action, but there are a few good dramatic moments that you will find yourself caring what happens to the characters.

Joan Lorring (April 17, 1926), first film role was in Song of Russia (1944). She made The Bridge of San Luis Rey in the same year, and, in 1945, performed with Bette Davis in The Corn Is Green as Bessie Watty. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role.

John Dall (May 26, 1918 – January 15, 1971) Was primarily a stage actor, he is best remembered today for two film roles; the cool-minded intellectual killer in Alfred Hitchcock's film , Rope and the trigger-happy lead in the film noir, Gun Crazy(1950).

He became famous co starring with Bette Davis in the film, The Corn Is Green, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950).

The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950). Cast: Lee J.Cobb, Jane Wyatt and John Dall.

When well to do Lois Frazer, wants a divorce from her husband, he decides that he is not going to let her get away so easy. After her husband with packed bags leaves for a trip, Lois finds a receipt for the gun he just bought lying on the floor. She believes that her husband is coming back to kill her.

Crying she calls her lover Detective Cullen and asks him to rush over. While they are talking, her husband returns to the house and sneaks in through a back door. Lois shoots him twice at close range. Cullen, knowing that the husband had an airline ticket for that night (his planned alibi) dumps the body off at the airport.

What follows will keep you sitting at the edge of your seat. Cullen, finds himself in the dangerous position of being assigned a case in which he was a witness. In trying to control the investigation, Cullen also has to deal with his younger brother, a new detective, by his side every step of the way.

I thought Lee J. Cobb and John Dall gave wonderful performances in this "B" film noir thriller. It is also nice to see a 20 year-old Lisa Howard, in a supporting role as Dall's new wife. I also thought that Jane Wyatt gave a wonderful performance playing the femme fatale.
Click to view : The Man Who Cheated Himself.


John Dall, is best remembered for two film roles: Alfred Hitchcock's film, Rope and the 1950 noir, Gun Crazy. He first came to fame in the film, The Corn Is Green, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Gun Crazy (1949).

Gun Crazy(1949). Noir. Cast: Peggy Cummins and John Dall. Director: Joseph H. Lewis, and produced by Frank King and Maurice King. Screenplay: Dalton Trumbo (credited to Millard Kaufman because of the Hollywood Blacklist), and MacKinlay Kantor was based upon a short story by Kantor published in 1940 in The Saturday Evening Post Gun Crazy was selected for the National Film Registry, and is also known as... Deadly Is the Female.(1950)

One stormy night, 14 year old Bart Tare breaks into a hardware store and steals a gun, but is caught by the Sheriff.

At Bart's trial, his sister Ruby, promises the Judge even though Bart has obsession with guns, he would never kill anything. She tells him about the time he was upset when he shot a chick with a BB gun as a small boy. Bart's friends, then share with the court how Bart refused to kill a mountain lion for the bounty, even though he was an expert shot. Ruby, asks the judge if Bart could live with her, but the judge thinks it is best to send Bart off to reform school.

Years later, Bart returns to town to find his old friends Dave, who has become a newspaper reporter, and Clyde, who is now the sheriff. Bart tells them that he just got out of the Army and is ready to settle down.

The three friends go to the town carnival, where they see sharpshooter Annie Laurie Starr. The carnival owner, challenges the audience members to a shooting match with Laurie, and when Bart wins, Packett offers him a job.

Bart and Laurie's attraction for each other angers Packett, and he reminds her about the man she killed in St. Louis. Bart walks in during their struggle and fires a shot, Packett fires them both. Bart and Laurie run away together and begin their life going, GUN CRAZY..

Video:

The bank robbery scene was done in one take, with no one except the actors and people inside the bank knowing that a movie was being filmed. When John Dall as Bart Tare says, "I hope we find a parking space," he really meant it. At the end of the scene when someone in the background screams that there's been a bank robbery... this was a bystander who saw the filming and really thought there was a bank robbery going down.

 

This film reminded me of the film Bonnie and Clyde. I loved the scenes of Annie and Bart driving, shot from the back seat of the car, as if we were part of the action. I also, loved the really funny banter back and forth between them. Not to forget to mention... the great twist at the end. Great film!!