The Silver Screen Oasis

Yesterday It Happens Every Spring (1949) was broadcast on TCM at 2pm. I'm a sucker for many baseball movies, especially as there are hints--despite the veil of snow on the ground in the world outside my window--that actual Spring weather promises to come again. To be honest, as an overage rookie Ray Milland does give a mild, charming performance as a professor who finds that he can play better baseball through chemistry, (see "MacMurray, Fred", "Professor, Absent-Minded, The", "Flubber, Son of" for other detours down this same trail). Yet this film, at least for me, belongs to one other actor--and his name is Paul Douglas.

Playing a fading baseball catcher named Monk with the split personality of a suspicious, wounded badger and a good time Charlie, Douglas is the salt in this film's requisite sweetness. Even though the incredibly hardworking actor was brand new to movies in 1949, his presence fills every scene he appears in with warmth, color and weight of the years and his own bulk that no acting school could teach.It would be the first of many sports related films for the actor.


To round out the weekend, Douglas made another appearance in a TCM premiere showing of the excellent Henry Hathaway movie, Fourteen Hours (1951), this morning, on the 1st of March at 9:30am and again on the 20th of this month at 10pm. If you love good acting, do yourself a favor. Don't miss these performances by a uniquely earthy character lead who, for a too brief period, made an indelible impression on American movies.

Fourteen Hours gives us Paul as Everyman in a cop suit, one Police Ofc. Charlie Dunnigan, with his anxious performance displaying a natural manner and sincerity. Paul Douglas also conveys more than is written in the script as he heroically tries to help a man on a ledge of a midtown Manhattan hotel, working impatiently against the youth's despair and his own department's flaws, particularly the pomposity shown by the upper echelon bureaucrats. Douglas plays a traffic cop in NYC who attempts to help a desperately suicidal young man (the sadly underrated Richard Basehart) on a ledge of a hotel. Fighting the brass, self-pitying parents, (Agnes Moorehead & Robert Keith, who are both fine in small roles), and fatigue, the actor performs what amounts to a tour de force, since without his solid, humane presence, the film, while catching the urban atmosphere nicely, would not hold up without the burly shoulders of Paul Douglas' talent to carry it. Btw, blink and you'll miss some future stars such as Grace Kelly, (in her first movie), and Jeffrey Hunter in this movie in brief roles. For me, however, it is the presence of the character actors Frank Faylen, Ossie Davis, Jeff Corey, Harvey Lembeck, and myriad others throughout this film that gives it texture and reality. One particularly nice scene comes after the big wheels from the NYC police have arrived in all their loudmouthed glory.


Paul Douglas with Martin Gabel as a psychiatrist in Fourteen Hours (1951).

Brushing off the mere traffic cop who has held things together for them, in an instant, we see the mix of embarrassment, resentment and resignation pass across Paul's mug, and, as he turns to leave, he physically seems to deflate a bit as he walks away, back toward the street. Another fine moment comes at the last scene, when, after Dunnigan's family arrive on the scene, Douglas' character is absorbed almost bodily into their garrulous embrace, all of them seemingly oblivious to his ordeal. It is then that we catch a glimpse of his inner life. For just an instant, we see that there is much about his everyday experiences that he can never fully explain to them, even as the exhausted Dunnigan tries valiantly to respond to their needs.

I missed IT HAPPENS EVERY SPRING, but watched FOURTEEN HOURS last night. The Paul Douglas performance for me is in CLASH BY NIGHT, but he was excellent here as well. I seldom think of Henry Hathaway or Richard Basehart when mentally compiling a list of favorite directors or actors, but I rarely fail to enjoy their movies, especially in film noir.

For her first movie, I was surprised that Grace Kelly had as much screen time as she did. Harvey Lembeck never fails to bring a smile to my face. Howard Da Silva and Agnes Moorehead were born for their roles (aside: I haven't seen the majority of her work, but from CITIZEN KANE to ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS to Bewitched, there certainly seems to be some consistency in her roles.). I tried to imagine selling this story: Okay, see, Basehart, you're the star and you're standing on a fake ledge through the entire movie. Just act nervous and don't move alot, but make each move count. We'll occasionally cut to a divorce story, a new love story, and some cabbies. Sounds exciting doesn't it? Another reason I never would have made great movies.

I agree that Fourteen Hours is an excellent picture, as is Paul Douglas' performance. Richard Basehart was about ten years old for his character, but did well in his role, I think, as did Martin Gabel in his. I have this film on DVD, which has a wonderful commentary track -- it helped me to understand a lot that I didn't see on my own, particularly as regards the relationships between Robert and his mother and Robert and his ex-fiancée.

I just caught the tail end of It Happens Every Spring and noticed how actually trim Douglas was. He seems to be a "big fat guy", but it's really just his big face that makes him *seem* that way.
I love his charactors but especially love him in The Solid Gold Cadillac with Judy Holliday. She is smitten with him and so are we, he's just adorable....a big gruff bulldog kind of guy.

Does anyone else ever confuse him with Broderick Crawford? Their voices are so similar and they often play similar roles. But I think Douglas is much more subtle and loveable.

HI and welcome over here. I hope you enjoy it.

I like Paul Douglas in "The Solid Gold Cadillac" as well. He and Judy really have a nice chemistry. I'm not one to confuse him with Crawford, though they have seemingly similar builds and robust voices, I agree with you that Douglas is much more of a teddy bear. I'm not sure Crawford could have fit the roles Douglas did as easily.

I've enjoyed Douglas' work in all the films mentioned here, but still treasure him most for his lead role in a movie I discovered just last year, a British film called The Maggie.
It's a small movie, in tone & scope, and one that can seem a little disengaging at first, though its dividends are considerable for the patient viewer; also not helping is the difficulty one can encounter tracking down this little gem.
The style of its "smallness" is, in fact, quite reminiscent of an Archers production, though neither Powell nor Pressburger was involved. But, if at all possible, do book yourself passage on The Maggie; brown-bagging it has never been more fun!

I just happened to watch "Fourteen Hours" this morning on DVD. As everyone else has said, it is a terrific movie and Paul Douglas is very good.

I had watched "He Walked By Night" a few weeks ago, and it struck me that Richard Basehart seemed to have the market cornered, for a few years at least, on compelling guys who are enigmatic. Who is this clean cut guy who steals electronics and hangs around sewers? Who is this clean cut guy standing on the ledge of the 15th floor? Hey, we'll cast Richard Basehart and people will watch and supply their own answers.

Who played the dour cabby who came up with the idea of betting on when the guy would jump? He looked very familiar to me, but I couldn't place him. The face was a little too young and round for me to place.

Jeffrey Hunter was very good in what little he had in "Fourteen Hours."

Henry Hathaway is largely forgotten today, but I think many of his films hold up very well.

MikeBSG asked:

Who played the dour cabby who came up with the idea of betting on when the guy would jump? He looked very familiar to me, but I couldn't place him. The face was a little too young and round for me to place.

The ever-entertaining Harvey Lembeck.