His Kind of Woman (1951)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

John Farrow
(more)

Writers:

Frank Fenton (written by) and
Jack Leonard (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

29 August 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

They were two of a kind ! ...and bound to meet, but neither of them knew what such a meeting would mean!

Plot:

A deported gangster's plan to re-enter the USA involves skulduggery at a Mexican resort, and gambler Dan Milner is caught in the middle.

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Mexico | Boat | Shirtless Male Bondage | Shooting

US TV Schedule:

Tue. July 21

11:00 AM

TCM

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Dan Milner
Jane Russell	...	Lenore Brent
Vincent Price	...	Mark Cardigan
Tim Holt	...	Bill Lusk
Charles McGraw	...	Thompson / Narrator
Marjorie Reynolds	...	Helen Cardigan
Raymond Burr	...	Nick Ferraro
Leslie Banning	...	Jennie Stone (as Leslye Banning)
Jim Backus	...	Myron Winton
Philip Van Zandt	...	Jose Morro
John Mylong	...	Martin Krafft
Carleton G. Young	...	Gerald Hobson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert J. Wilke	...	Nick Ferraro (scenes deleted)
Dorothy Abbott	...	Card player (uncredited)
Tol Avery	...	Fat hoodlum (uncredited)
Richard Bergren	...	Milton Stone (uncredited)
Danny Borzage	...	Lodge bartender (uncredited)
Mary Brewer	...	Lodge guest (uncredited)
Peter Brocco	...	Thompson's first henchman (uncredited)
James Burke	...	Barkeeper in Nogales (uncredited)
Gwen Caldwell	...	Lodge guest (uncredited)
Anthony Caruso	...	Tony (uncredited)
Robert Cornthwaite	...	Hernandez (uncredited)
Oliver Cross	...	Lodge guest (uncredited)
Jim Davies	...	Lodge guest (uncredited)
Daniel De Laurentis	...	Mexican boy in Nogales) (uncredited)
King Donovan	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Marietta Elliott	...	Redhead (uncredited)
Paul Fierro	...	Charles (uncredited)
Joel Fluellen	...	Sam (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Corley (uncredited)
Barbara Freking	...	Lodge guest (uncredited)
Gerry Ganzer	...	Countess (uncredited)
Ralph Gomez	...	Mexican foreman (uncredited)
Joseph Granby	...	Arnold (uncredited)
Henry Guttman	...	Man (uncredited)
Stacy Harris	...	Harry (uncredited)
Len Hendry	...	Customer (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes	...	Old-timer lodge guest (uncredited)
Don House	...	Lodge guest (uncredited)
Jerry James	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Geraldine Jordan	...	Lodge guest (uncredited)
William Justine	...	Gyppo (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Thompson's henchman #2 (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	Lt. Rodriguez (uncredited)
Billy Nelson	...	Ship's captain (uncredited)
Edwin Rand	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Bob Rose	...	Corley's servant (uncredited)
John Sheehan	...	Guitarist (uncredited)
Mickey Simpson	...	Hoodlum (uncredited)
Ken Terrell	...	Gunman (uncredited)
Mamie Van Doren	...	Lodge guest at bar (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Ernö Verebes	...	Esteban (uncredited)
Dan White	...	Tex Kearns (uncredited)
Joy Windsor	...	Lodge guest (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	...	Seaman (uncredited)
Sally Yarnell	...	Pianist (uncredited)
Maria Sen Young	...	Swaying waitress (uncredited)

Directed by
John Farrow
Richard Fleischer		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Frank Fenton		(written by) and
Jack Leonard		(written by)
Gerald Drayson Adams		story (uncredited)
Earl Felton		uncredited
Richard Fleischer		uncredited
Howard Hughes		uncredited

Produced by
Robert Sparks	....	producer
Robert Fellows	....	producer (uncredited)
Howard Hughes	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Leigh Harline

Cinematography by
Harry J. Wild		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Frederic Knudtson
Eda Warren

Production Design by
J. McMillan Johnson

Art Direction by
Albert S. D'Agostino

Set Decoration by
Ross Dowd
Darrell Silvera

Makeup Department
Mel Berns	....	makeup artist
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Ruman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Clem Portman	....	sound
John E. Tribby	....	sound (as John Tribby)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Howard Greer	....	gowns: Miss Russell

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director

Other crew
Howard Hughes	....	presenter
Boyd Cabeen	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Carmen Cabeen	....	stand-in: Jane Russell (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1951) (USA) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Smiler with a Gun (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

UK:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #14533) | Sweden:(Banned) (1951-1965)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

John Farrow finished the film, but Howard Hughes brought in Richard Fleischer to add a few shots (Hughes himself co-wrote the ending with Fleischer). Fleischer ended up reshooting the entire film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Milner bumps into Cardigan on the stairs, one of the bullets on Cardigan's hunting vest has slipped almost all the way through the holder. In the next shot, all of the bullets are in place and evenly aligned.

Quotes:

Dan Milner: Well, you see how it is: fools get away with the impossible.
Lenore Brent/Liz Brady: That's because they're the only ones who try it.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Private Screenings: Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell" (1996)

Soundtrack:

You'll Know

Superior Fun; a Noir Satire with Adventure; Intricate and Enjoyable Fare

Noir comedy adventures starring Robert Mitchum are a Hollywood rarity; especially this is true when the storyline is a good straight mystery to begin with adding fine touches of first-rate satirical comedy. He and Jane Russell, beautifully teamed as an adventurous tough-guy and a brave saloon singer are very smooth together, in a movie where Vincent Price supplies many of the laughs, and everything works as effortlessly as a wave crashing onto a Mexican beach's sands. The plot line is innately interesting. A gambler played by powerful Raymond Burr ensnares Mitchum by wrecking his enterprises. He then pays him to come to work for him. Object: to get back into the US from which he was deported as a crime boss--as a dead Mitchum, using his papers, etc. But where does Jane Russell fit into the plot? The joker in the deck is Price as a ham motion picture star who jumps at the chance to play a death-defying adventurer, and ends becoming a hero. The best moment in the film comes as Price and a mountainous cowardly deadpan brother-in-law of the Police Chief start off in a small boat overloaded with help for Mitchum--and slowly sink like a stone. But the battle on a boat is finally won, Price is thrilled to be wounded, Mitchum gets Russell and all comes out favorably in the end. The film was finished by Richard Fleischer with Howard Hughes after John Farrow had shot it already. Leigh Harline provided the music, Albert D'Agostino the inspired art direction. A very stylish B/W film all in all, with a leaven of comedy. The pace is surprisingly good, the gambling joint depicted very believably and the intricate storyline by Gerald Drayson Adams and Frank Fenton, Jack Leonard and others, holds together amazingly. This film was an enjoyable experience for many viewers when it was first released; a sultry romance, played by believable leads, added to the pluses. Mitchum and Russell are fine. Others in the huge cast include Charles McGraw, Tim Holt, Marjorie Reynolds, Jim Backus, Philip Van Zandt and many more, some familiar faces. A most enjoyable romp and a surprisingly good mystery.