Crisis (1950)

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

George Tabori (story)
Richard Brooks (writer)

Release Date:

7 July 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Carefree Cary Grant on a gay holiday with his lovely bride walks right into DANGER!

Plot:

Dr Ferguson is a brain surgeon, on vacation with his wife in a small Spanish-speaking country. This...

Plot Keywords:

Dictatorship | Brain Tumor | Beautiful Woman | Doctor

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Dr. Eugene Norland Ferguson
José Ferrer	...	Raoul Farrago (as Jose Ferrer)
Paula Raymond	...	Helen Ferguson
Signe Hasso	...	Senora Isabel Farrago
Ramon Novarro	...	Colonel Adragon
Gilbert Roland	...	Roland Gonzales
Leon Ames	...	Sam Proctor

Also Known As:

Basra (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:G

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Director Richard Brooks was as the Santa Anita race track where he met Cary Grant and struck up a conversation about this film; Brooks wrote the story but also wanted to direct but none of the studios would let him, but Grant asked for a copy of the script and loved it - so much so that Grant himself went to MGM and said he would love to do the movie but only if Brooks was the director.

Quotes:

Raoul Farrago: At least permit me to thank you. You have done a great service not only to me but to the people of my country.
Dr. Eugene Norland Ferguson: I only saved your life I didn't vote for you.
Raoul Farrago: Neither did they.
[smiling]

Excellent and unconventional for it's day

I suppose people who are just looking for a vehicle to swoon over Cary Grant will be find this movie dull. Not that he's not '"swoonable" in this. He's great! But this film has to be viewed as a serious drama that attempts for the first time in Hollywood (!) to look at the issues of a Third World country. It's the first time! Hollywood was still making safe, 'nice' movies, and was heavily in the horror and insanity of McCarthyism. That a film like this could be made at all, is amazing. This is a pretty 'small' film, shot mostly on soundstages with a little known supporting cast. But that cast is great, especially Jose Ferrer, who really gives one of his very best screen performances. The score is excellent, the tension is well-paced, and the script... well, it may seem dated today, but considering how many people didn't know (and still don't know!) what's happening in other parts of the world, it packs a lot of information in usually, a very eloquent way. And you just gotta love the idea of the dictator watching his surgeon rehearsing the surgery that might possibly take his life! For it's time, this is a remarkable film. Today, it is less so, but still is very worthwhile entertainment.