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:

Although great pains were used to disguise the name of the country in the film, Dr. Ferguson mentions that Pres. Farrago should go to a neurological hospital (which he mentions is just across the border) in Chile - which narrows the country down to either Argentina, Bolivia, or Peru. Other hints include: Peso/Dollar law, the blankets worn on the train, license plates on vehicles.

Quotes:

Raoul Farrago: 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.

Cary Grant stretching dramatic acting muscles...results interesting without being very exciting

Renown brain surgeon, vacationing in a Latin American country with his wife, is stopped from leaving by the President's wife and minions after the savage dictator falls ill. The doctor reluctantly agrees to operate, not knowing that his spouse has been kidnapped by the Revolution, who want the leader's head on a plate. Although he stays in a somber low-key throughout (with the exception of a comic teeth-brushing bit), Cary Grant is just as interesting acting in a dramatic film as he is in more lighthearted fare--though the lack of offhand humor here does make itself felt. Debuting director Richard Brooks, who also adapted the script from George Tabori's story, provides a steady pace which is neither gripping nor dawdling, and he handles his actors efficiently enough. A curious vehicle for its star and studio (M-G-M), the picture fails to unnerve us with its staged violence (which seems derivative of Fritz Lang) and angry, shouting mobs. What it does do well is present two important men on opposing sides reaching a temporary truce through medicine and illness. In this regard, "Crisis" is unusual and occasionally effective. ** from ****