The Scarf (film)
| The Scarf | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ewald André Dupont |
| Screenplay by | Ewald André Dupont |
| Story by | Isadore Goldsmith E.A. Rolfe |
| Produced by | Isadore Goldsmith |
| Starring | John Ireland Mercedes McCambridge James Barton Emlyn Williams |
| Cinematography | Franz Planer |
| Edited by | Joseph Gluck |
| Music by | Herschel Burke Gilbert |
Production company | Gloria Productions Inc. |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release dates | |
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Scarf is a 1951 American film noir written and directed by Ewald André Dupont and starring John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge, James Barton and Emlyn Williams.[3] The screenplay concerns a man who escapes from an insane asylum and tries to convince a crusty hermit, a drifting saloon singer and himself that he is not a murderer.
Plot
John Barrington, an escapee from an institution for the criminally insane, is not insane but the victim of a plot orchestrated by a clever murderer. The only person who believes Barrington's story is Ezra Thompson, a turkey farmer who hides him from the authorities. A singing waitress named Cash-and-Carry Connie unwittingly provides the clue that will prove Barrington's innocence.
Cast
- John Ireland as John Howard Barrington
- Mercedes McCambridge as Connie Carter
- James Barton as Ezra Thompson
- Emlyn Williams as Dr. David Dunbar
- Lloyd Gough as Asylum Dr. Gordon
- Basil Ruysdael as Cyrus Barrington
- David Bauer as Level Louie (as David Wolfe)
- Harry Shannon as Asylum Warden Anderson
- Celia Lovsky as Mrs. Cyrus Barrington
- David McMahon as State Trooper
- Chubby Johnson as Feed Store Manager
- Frank Jenks as Tom
- Emmett Lynn as Jack the Waiter
- Dick Wessel as Sid
- Frank Jaquet as Town Sheriff
- Iris Adrian as the floozy at Level Louie's Place
Reception
In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Bosley Crowther wrote: "For a picture so heavily loaded with lengthy and tedious talk, talk, talk, 'The Scarf' ... has depressingly little to say. As a matter of fact, it expresses, in several thousand words of dialogue—and in a running-time that amounts to just four minutes short of an hour and a half—perhaps the least measure of intelligence or dramatic continuity that you are likely to find in any picture, current or recent, that takes itself seriously."[1]
Critic Philip K. Scheuer of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Although 'The Scarf' ... begins in the Mojave Desert and moves to Los Angeles, it seems to be taking place in a never-never land all its own. Its characters are a strange lot, given to a kind of mystical mumbo-jumbo in their speech—though once in a while a thought comes through with striking pertinence—and they are involved in an adventure which, like the hero, is more than a little off-base."[2]
References
- ^ a b Crowther, Bosley (April 23, 1951). "The Screen in Review". The New York Times. p. 21.
- ^ a b Scheuer, Philip K. (June 2, 1951). "'Scarf' Unique Drama of Strange Characters". Los Angeles Times. p. 9.
- ^ The Scarf at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films.
Sources
- Farber, Manny (2009). Polito, Robert (ed.). Farber on Film: The Complete Film Writings of Manny Farber (Hardcover). New York City: Library of America. pp. 354–355. ISBN 978-1-59853-050-6.
External links
- The Scarf at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- The Scarf at IMDb
- The Scarf at the TCM Movie Database (archived version)
- The Scarf is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive