An unprecedentedly long absence partially justified by an exceptional long leave is hereby interrupted by a few notes on a (relatively) recent incursion to the Cinemateca Portuguesa, to see In Harm's Way.
In Harm's Way is the 32d and probably one of the worst feature films directed by Otto Preminger, austro-hungarian Hollywood émigré and one of cinema's greatest scope virtuosos, who practically singlehandedly belied Fritz Lang's famous quip to the effect that the format was only good to film snakes and funerals. Of what I saw of his very rich filmography, spanning almost half a century, my favourite remains Carmen Jones (1954), which, to paraphrase possibly apocryphal Yiddish translators of Shakespeare, adapted to the screen and improved Bizet's eponymous opera, giving it a contemporary African-American setting.
Back to In Harm's Way: it tells the story of chip of the ol' block US Navy officer “Rock” Torrey (John Wayne), his family, friends and crewmen and the events that visit them in Hawaii in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. Loves lost and won, families split and reunited, young men and women cut down before the prime of life and uniformed men with unspeakable pasts redeeming themselves through the ultimate sacrifice, a soap opera plot compressed in 2,5 hours that nevertheless seems to last at least 4.
In Harm's Way was justly lambasted for the dismal effort it is, and The MacMahonian finds no case for revisionism here: incompetent sub-soap script, half baked production, sleepy performances from an all-star cast, and so on, In Harm's Way was clearly a lost battle in Hollywood's then ongoing war with TV. But a few things still stand out, at least in the eye of this beholder: marvellous chiaroscuro black and white photography scope (by Loyal Giggs, who inter alia shot very differently but even more wonderfully Cecil B de Mille´s 1956 Ten Commandments), one of Saul Bass' seminal 60s credits, lo-budget sea warfare FX mixed with docu footage which make for rudimentary but therefore all the more physical battle scenes, and not least an ageing John Wayne uncharacteristically allowing occasional vulnerability to show through is rugged navy officer tungsten front.
Maybe just diehards can enjoy In Harm's Way, but for them The MacMahonian is written. Ergo our numerous readership :) .