JohnHowardReid
Copyright by 1956 by Republic Puictures Corp. New York opening at the Mayfair: 29 August 1956. U.S. release: 17 August 1956. U.K. release through British Lion: 14 January 1957. Australian release through 20th Century-Fox: 18 July 1957. Sydney opening at the Plaza (ran two weeks). 8,139 feet. 90 minutes.SYNOPSIS: A smuggler, headquartered in Lisbon, attempts to get his hands on a $25 million fortune.NOTES: Milland's second film as a director, following A Man Alone.COMMENT: As Republic movies have a considerable cult following, I racked my brains as to which film I should review next for IMDb. I came up with Lisbon, mostly out of sheer perversity. I like the movie, but most Republic fans do not, as their interest usually lapses for the studio's products after 1950. What Lisbon has to recommend it are its players, its locations and its music score. Maureen O'Hara has a rare unsympathetic role, Milland is his usual suave self, while Yvone Furneaux plays the real heroine with considerable charm. But it's villain Claude Rains who has all the best lines: "Burn two of her dresses!" he screams to his servant. "She kicked me-hard!" replies the eager flunkey. "Indeed? Then burn just one of her dresses." With material like this, the hardworking Rains easily steals the movie's acting honors from Francis Lederer's maniacal killer and Percy "Aloma of the South Seas" Marmont (who makes but a brief appearance near the end). But it's the real Portuguese locations that lift Lisbon into the must-see class. Milland's direction is lively and he uses his backgrounds with considerable skill. In fact, the Naturama screen (it's actually Franscope in disguise) is so cleverly utilized and tightly framed that Lisbon cannot be squeezed at all happily into a standard TV image (which is another reason of course why the usual roster of Republic admirers don't like it).Nelson Riddle's haunting music score, including his top-of-the-chart "Lisbon Antigua", is an unexpected bonus.
Red-125
"Lisbon" (1956) was directed by Ray Milland. In theory, the stars are Milland, as Capt. Robert John Evans, Maureen O'Hara as wealthy Sylvia Merrill, Claude Rains as rich gangster Aristides Mavros, and Yvonne Furneaux as Maria Maddalena Masanet, a young woman who is "secretary" to Mavros. In fact, the real star of the movie is the beautiful city of Lisbon. The plot involves Rains as a successful Greek criminal, and Milland as a smuggler. They are both "gentlemen thieves," but Milland is an honest thief, and Rains is a very dishonest thief.Maureen O'Hara is the wife of a wealthy man being held captive somewhere. (Somehow, the U.S. State Department is involved as well, although it what never clear to me what they were doing in the movie.)The plot reminded me of "To Have and Have Not," except that Milland isn't Bogart, and O'Hara isn't Bacall. (Actually, I should say Furneaux isn't Bacall. It's complicated.) The best part of the film is the few minutes when Milland and O'Hara spend time in a fado club. The beautiful young fadista is the brilliant Anita Guerreiro. Now, 60 years later, Guerreiro is still singing fado in Lisbon. We heard here sing the fado in a club in April, 2017!We saw this film on (gasp) VHS. It would probably work better in a theater, but it's unlikely that anyone will ever show it, except maybe in a retrospective of one of the leads. If you have VHS capability, watch it that way. Just don't expect to see a thrilling melodrama. Expect to see the city of Lisbon, and that's a city worth seeing.To summarize, if you want to see boats and bad guys, watch "To Have and Have Not." If you want to see Lisbon and hear Guerreiro, watch "Lisbon."P.S. Dumbest line in the show, spoken by by Milland when O'Hara asks him about the fado Lisboa Antiga. "It's home sweet home for Brazilians." It's not.Smartest line in the show, spoken by Yvonne Furneaux, when she tells Milland that he's going to be killed, and he ignores her. "Imbecile!"
mamalv
Lisbon is the local for this adventure romance, starring Ray Milland and Maureen O'Hara. It is beautifully photographed on location and the story is rousing and the intrigue suspenseful. Claude Rains, is the thief who Sullivan hires to get back her elderly husband, a millionaire, who has been kidnapped by the Chinese. Rains, is of course, suave, devious, and wonderful as the man of many tastes, including beautiful young women. He has always been good in such a part, as he was in Notorious, as the Nazi spy. Ray Milland is dashing, elegant and just nice to look at. His part as the smuggler gives him a chance to use a little comedy, especially when pursued by a beautiful young woman who Raines employs as a "secretary." She is enamored of Milland and she tries to help him escape the hands of Sarafin, who works for Raines and wants to kill Milland to keep the girl for himself. Maureen seduces Milland, but he rejects her advances after she tells him she wants her husband back "dead." He returns the husband alive, and Raines is picked up by the police for the smuggling that Milland was doing all along. Nice twists all around. Milland is still so wonderful to look at and listen to, it is not surprising that all the women are in love with him. For those who thought that Yvonne Furneaux had a hard time throwing herself into the arms of Milland, you have to remember that she is living with Claude Rains as his mistress. Therefore Milland would not look older to her. He directs this film with just enough pace to make it interesting, and the O'Hara character is smooth and crafty. Beautiful to look at scenery only adds to the pictures appeal.
ptb-8
Probably one of Republic's last good films, LISBON is a feast for the eyes and a good thriller to boot. Produced in Portugal, I assume on a Republic budget subsidised by the Portugese government or tourist office, Ray Milland produces, directs and acts in a lush and lavish romantic drama. The music theme Lisbon Antigua was a massive radio and disc hit in its day and it would be inetersting to know who much in boxoffice it contributed. The indoor studio scenes are very snazzy and well decorated, but some outdoor seabound back projection is wobbly. Still, the location shoot is used to excellent effect and I would say was very much influenced by To Catch A Thief, as is the whole reason for the film existing. Republic didn't make anything much of note around this (maybe only COME NEXT SPRING)and it is probably as modern and A grade as they were able to create by 1956. They folded in 1959, their market overtaken by Allied Artists, AIP and TV. It would be so beautiful to see on a cinema screen as it is in republic's NATURAMA process, their very own brand of CINEMASCOPE. Well worth finding and enjoying.
AD
