mark.waltz Great fiction comes from truth, and the experiences of one person can provide a fascinating escape for one person while revealing the horrifying facts that expose corruption. That's the goal of Glenn Ford, playing the title character, determined to save a fellow merchant marine (Stuart Erwin), wrongly accused of murder. In a story that screams "Jack London", the "Call of the Wild" author covers adventure, romance, ruthlessness, the desire for the truth and deception, packed into a powerful sleeper that set Ford on the road to stardom. Ford's romantic interests here are two completely different young ladies, streetwise Claire Trevor (as Erwin's sister) and Evelyn Keyes as the daughter of shipping liner owner Pierre Watkin. Between self proclaimed "crude" Trevor and well bred Keyes, Ford has his hands full. Then, there's Ian Macdonald as the ruthless ship's captain, the nastiest seaman outside of Captain Bligh, all charm when Watkin's around, but a truly vile human being otherwise.When a story combines so many themes together with intelligence and dignity, it is a treat for the reader, and in this case, the viewer. The cast is dynamic from top billing to the minor characters, with an intelligent and sincere performance by Frank Conroy as Ford's drunken confidante and Rafaela Ottiano as an observer at the party Ford invaded to get his side of the story heard. Way down the list is the always noticeable Charles Lane as a snarky publisher. This is one of those forgotten classics that slipped under the table in a great era filled with classics, but worthy of a new audience.

dougdoepke Glenn Ford gives a rousing performance as the title character. This was still early in his career, before the actor settled into his more familiar low-key film persona. But his spirit here is well placed since Eden has to struggle against social forces far stronger than he. Based on Jack London's autobiography, the screenplay shows how narrow the literary parameters were in London's day. Fiction served mainly as escapism for the leisure class and was a long way from the kind of raw reality Eden sought to portray. Naturally, the moneyed class didn't want to read about how tough life was for the industrial workingman. Thus, more familiar types of literary realism, such as London-Eden's, were generally suppressed. This is an important part of the screenplay and offers a glimpse of the barrier certain kinds of authors faced in getting published.The movie's central crux, however, is Eden's having to choose between staying with his working class roots, symbolized by Connie (Trevor), or ascending to the moneyed class with Ruth (Keyes). On a more abstract plane, it's also a contest between Truth with a capital T, on one side, and social position, on the other. Thus, it's also a movie of conflicting ideals. Basically, the movie starts fast, sags somewhat in the middle, and rev's-up for the climax. In fact, the first part, aboard ship, amounts to a hard act to follow. Frankly, I could have done without some of the ritual brawling with Raglan (MacDonald), which seems added mainly for action's sake. Nonetheless, it's a revealing little film with an energetic turn from headliner Ford and a good glimpse of the literary world, circa 1900.

kingcody3 The first time I saw this movie was in the early forties, when I was fourteen years old, the part I remembered best was the line; you ask for a dime at a time, and then the fist fights as boy's and as men, life aboard a ship. And I always liked the acting of Ian MacDonald as a heavy.Claire Trevor another favorite of mine, as the girl who was always faithful, and stuck with her man even though she was losing him.Evelyn Keyes as the haughty rich girl as one reader said.The girl who had everything, Stu Erwin is good too and the little boy whom I did not recognize,'till the closing credits rolled Dickie Moore. And Eden's goodbye to Raglan; he said a dime at a time and to me it looked like they parted as friendly enemies.I had been looking for this movie ever since I got my first BETA-MAX VTR as they were first called(Video Tape Recoders)I got my copy last week and I've really enjoyed it. "Boompa" kingcody3@comcast.net

artzau The quasi-autobiographical Martin Eden by Jack London is a haunting novel. The issues that emerge in the book give credence to London's likely suicide, in spite of the several protests of his heirs. The film here remains faithful to the story, i.e., a young man struck with the desire to be a writer and struggling with his own feelings of inadequacy and economic struggles. Glen Ford is great as Martin Eden, the rough-hewn genius whose work is plagiarized by a well known writer, Ian MacDonald's Raglan, and whose claims of authenticity are doubted by the woman he loves. Claire Trevor is great as the haughty rich girl, Connie and Stu Erwin does well as her brother, Joe. The film ends on a bright note, with Eden's success taken as a matter of course. The book ends on a very pessimistic note with Eden's suicide and his quest for virtue terminated. London's message in the book is a confused one, i.e., how could anyone know the real person under all that success and fame? Sadly, we must conclude London didn't know that man under his celebrity. Eden's life, like that of London, smacks of tragedy, while the film goes on with Eden living happily ever after. This film was made just before WW2. Glen Ford went on to distinguish himself in the US Navy, although he was a Canadian.