Stars In My Crown (1950)

From MGM: One of the several Western gems directed by Jacques Tourneur. IMO this film, which takes place in a small town right after the civil war, is one of the most underrated from this era, and one of Tourneur's and star Joel McCrea's best. This movie and "No Way Out" with Sidney Poitier (also released in 1950) were two Hollywood dramas ahead of their time dealing with the subject of racism. Tourneur was very sensitive to the issue, and in his films, black characters were always portrayed positively. McCrea is new-in-town, tough-but-compassionate preacher Josiah Gray, and Dean Stockwell plays his young adopted son John. Josiah comes to the town to build a church and provide spiritual comfort for the sick. An unseen, adult John narrates the film; in one scene we're treated to a very entertaining sequence -- my favorite in the movie -- where young John is called on stage to be a traveling showman's assistant in his magic show. But the rest of the film's tone is a serious one; John describes how his best fishing buddy was Uncle Famous (played by Juano Hernandez), a freed slave and one of the major supporting characters in the film. Throughout the movie he's threatened by the racist townfolk, but finds encouragement in the friendship of Josiah and his family. Meanwhile, the faith of town doctor Dr. Harris (played by All My Children's James Mitchell) is tested when the town breaks out with a contageous disease, which may or may not have been spread by young John. With Ellen Drew as Josiah's wife, Lewis Stone as Dr. Harris' father, and Ed Begley, who does not play a very nice person in this. When does he ever? This is not your average "stranger-in-town-who-touches the-lives-of-the-townsfolk" picture. The ending is powerfully moving. The film is unforgettable. Based on the novel by Joe David Brown, who also wrote Kings Go Forth and Addie Pray.

Postscript: James Mitchell passed away on January 23, 2010. Read a tribute by Laura at her blog here.

A review from the blog Just a Cineaste here.

Dead End (1937)

Great cast and performances. Based on the play by Lillian Hellman, who also wrote the screenplay. Takes place in a slum neighborhood in New York. First, we're introduced to a gang of hoodlums. This group of actors appeared again in some other pictures, so they were dubbed, "The Dead End Kids". Silvia Sidney plays the sister of one of them; she's struggling to keep food on the table for herself and the kid. Her political activism and her brother's delinquency causes her endless stress. She vents to her friend Joel McCrea, a former gang member who is now a struggling architect, looking for work and waiting for his big break. In comes Humphrey Bogart, also a former "Dead End" kid, now wanted by the law. His character - Baby Face Martin - has plastic surgery and becomes unrecognizable. He hangs around the neighborhood and tries to reconcile with his mother (played by Marjorie Main) - who wants nothing to do with him - and his ex-girlfriend played by Claire Trevor, now a sick and broke prostitute. Ms. Trevor's one 5-minute scene with Bogart was so powerful and memorable with audiences that she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Feeling completely depressed and rejected, Bogart attempts to kidnap of the neighborhood rich kids for ransom, but is shot down at the end, which provides' the film moral lesson, which McCrea explains to one of the kids - stay off the streets. The Dead End Kids steal this movie with every scene they are in. Silvia Sidney is very powerful and moving as well, and also deserving of a nomination. Bogart is perfect as the gangster. Silvia Sidney gets top billing, though. Bogart had not yet made his mark. Produced by Samuel Goldwyn and directed by William Wyler. Ward Bond plays one of the cops.

Read More about the Dead End Kids from the blog FilmFiles.

Dawn has written a great review of this movie on her blog.