Classic movie site with rare images, original ads, and behind-the-scenes photos, with informative and insightful commentary. We like to have fun with movies!
Archive and Links
grbrpix@aol.com
Search Index Here




Monday, January 18, 2016

20th's Christmas Gift To 1947 Crowds


Captain From Castile (1947) Is Noir With A Sword

Merry Christmas, Cleveland
Fox and I-Tunes earn plaudits for delivering this costs-be-damned blockbuster to High-Def watchers at long last. Castile needs all of aural/visual help it can get, locations (spectacular) and Alfred Newman scoring being best elements. Otherwise, certainly story-wise, it is episodic, sometimes clunky, at two hours and twenty minutes the epic takes to unfold. I haven't read Samuel Shellabarger's source novel, but judging by result here, it may be much the same (can anyone confirm or deny?). I call Castile and two-years-later Prince Of Foxes "noir with swords" for hanging costumes on grim subject matter where double-dealing is rife and no one's to be trusted. Lacking is cheer of Zorro or The Black Swan. Did all genres come out of WWII under such cloud? Less swash than vinegar, Castile makes us pay dear for color, music and spectacle it's best known for.


Tyrone Power's title character is three times arrested and bound up in chains. His twelve-year-old sister is tortured to death by the Inquisition. Second half sees Ty head-shot with an arrow --- painful on-screen surgery follows. Captain From Castile fairly hangs with crepe, and we wonder if this was war-born attitude on part of writer-producing Lamar Trotti, director Henry King, or both. Buffs recall Nightmare Alley as Fox and Power's big depart from dream merchandising, but Captain From Castile is the real downer. Still ... I watch and watch again. There was delay seeing Castile a first time, a single 70's run on Charlotte Channel 9 before the SFM Holiday Network ran it w/considerable trims in the early 80's. 16mm Technicolor prints (so few extant) were Rembrandt equivalent for collectors at the time. On High-Def streaming, Castile looks good as I suppose technology can allow, the prior DVD well in shade beside it.


Fox tied holiday hopes on Captain From Castile for 1947, the tab at finish $4.5 million, spending bested only by Forever Amber (6.3!). There was just no way to get that back, and so Castile, despite being a hit ($5.9 million worldwide), lost over a million. Fox would cinch belts after free-spend year that was '47. We can really see economies imposed with product from 1948, the new order lasting to intro of Cinemascope and hypo, if temporary, supplied by that wide process. Costs ran amok most when on location, Captain From Castile gone south of border to face delay and weather-imposed snafus. Mexican backdrop is a lift, King and crew shooting against clouds as well as expected blue sky. The effect rates high on 40's color charts and presages some of departure John Ford would take from Tech orthodoxy for She Wore A Yellow Ribbon two years later. We expect volcanoes on view to be matte-painted, but they're real, and erupting in the bargain. Henry King had habit of flying his private plane over sites under consideration; he'd see and remember best of landscape from hundreds of square miles observed (King knew Mexico from air vantage long before Captain From Castile). "Filmed Where It Happened" brag was honestly applied here, Mexico location standing in for action set there, plus Spain background of a first half.


Captain From Castile is history, if harsh. The Cortez expedition, joined by Ty Power's title character, was bold grab for loot, and the film makes no amend for ruthless ways gold was got. Castile reflects postwar reality of wised-up patronage and everyone out to serve himself. Clear-drawn black-and-white of hero v. villain goes past shades of gray to rendering a whole cast dark, reason Castile disturbed me at young age where I preferred Zorro world of right being might with evil vanquished. So don't come to Castile for heroes in clean skirts. Power as much as anyone serves selfish end and continues so to the fade. Wounds of foresaid arrow plus Act Three stabbing don't materially change his attitude (Ty laughs when Aztec temples are leveled by raiding Cortez). First apostle of me-first is Caesar Romero in latter role, him stealing Castile second half as ultra-motivated New World despoiler. Today's rigid Code would make Cortez a heavy on no uncertain terms, but in 1947? --- you go, Hernando.


In-house star creation was still achievable, if tougher, after the war. 20th needed names to replace a senior class eased out with transition to the 50's. Tyrone Power felt ground shift as vehicles took modest turn after Castile loss. It would be Gregory Peck henceforth for first chair at Zanuck table (a not dissimilar passing of torch went on at Warners as Burt Lancaster took projects once defaulted to Errol Flynn, and Peck was there too to have intended-for-Flynn Captain Horatio Hornblower). The Fox broom swept women as peremptorily, "new faces" brought on sure as a high school's prom queen was dethroned by next year's pick. Jean Peters had not an ounce of experience, film or stage, but Henry King gave three days to testing her and clinched female lead for the newcomer with his endorsement to DFZ. Such was Zanuck's trust in King that he stamped Peters a go, major career a clinch with Power away. Thus could stars be born with a single and highest-profile production such as Captain From Castile.

9 Comments:

Blogger shiningcity said...

The sudden change in movie attitude following WWII always fascinated me. The strict adherence to promoting national unity during the war, followed by post-war anti-heroes and noirish despair was quite a sudden and drastic change and always triggered political suspicions in me. Personally, I believe a big reason was the change in "enemy". Leftest screen writers, more than happy to crusade against world fascism, were far less inclined to do the same against world communism, turning instead to the defeatism of despair.

12:09 PM  
Blogger John McElwee said...

Richard Roberts shares some very interesting info regarding Vincent Price's turndown of a part in "Captain From Castile":


Hello John,

Vincent Price once said that the only major film role he turned down when he was under contract to Fox was a villain in CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE and he said he turned it down because the character was so vile that it could only hurt the actor playing it, he also said it did hurt the career of the actor who ended up playing it, but didn't elaborate on what part it was or who the actor was. I always figured it was John Sutton, but could it have been Cesar Romero? Price also felt the whole feel of the script for CASTILE was unpleasant and he didn't want any part of it.

Price's comments soured me on the film before I ever saw it, but neither it nor PRINCE OF FOXES have ever been favorites for exactly that overlong unpleasantness that permeates both films, they just go on and on with that and I was always surprised that the triple threat of NIGHTMARE ALLEY, CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE and PRINCE OF FOXES didn't make audiences a bit leery of going to see Ty Power in fear of a less-than-lovely evening at the Cinema. Apparently that didn't happen, but it always seemed to me that Power worked the hardest at demolishing his pretty-boy, nice-guy image more than any other major star, including Dick Powell.


RICHARD

1:29 PM  
Blogger Markoboy said...

I read the book after seeing the film on TV many times over the years...I always enjoyed the movie but had the feeling that a lot of action stuff was left out...sure enough, the book was a great read with action and a lot more detail...in fact, after reading the book I can hardly enjoy the movie now!

2:15 PM  
Blogger James Corry said...

Here's hoping that "Twilight Time" (or some other botique company, or perhaps even Fox Home Video itself) will release "Captain From Castile" to blu-ray.....and YES, I am an "old-fashioned, hands-on, physical-media guy!"

Brad

5:52 PM  
Blogger CanadianKen said...

The 40's began and ended with wonderful Flynn and Power swashbucklers - "The Sea Hawk" and "The Mark of Zorro" in 1940, "Adventures of Don Juan" and "Prince of Foxes" in '49. I loved all four. Elements of- if not melancholy, then certainly, reflection - in the last two were, I think, pretty effectively combined with the rousing adventure aspects. And, of course, production values on each was superb. For me, all four stand as classics. But I think the '47/'48 season brought some real genre highlights as well. "Captain from Castile", Max Ophuls' "The Exile"(Fairbanks Jr) and Joseph H. Lewis' "The Swordsman"(with Larry Parks, of all people). Ophuls' got surprisingly effective work from Maria Montez in "The Exile". Her role's brief - but loads of fun. Larry Parks and Ellen Drew are also good in "The Swordsman", even gamely committing to Scottish accents. But I've always wondered whether the film might have been even better had Columbia cast genre stalwart Louis Hayward and studio contractee Evelyn Keyes. Anyway, as I said, Parks and Drew do just fine. No thoughts of recasting "Captain and Castile", though. Power's terrific. And I'm glad you spotlighted Jean Peters in your article. Has there ever been a more convincingly love-struck or loyal heroine than Peters' Catana? A really impressive debut from a beautiful newcomer. I'm a John Sutton fan, too. And it never occurred to me that the effectiveness of his villainy in "Castile" may well have limited future assignments. He'd certainly been sympathetic in previous films like "Hudson's Bay" and "Jane Eyre". Aside from their -to me - effective story-lines -"Castile","Exile" and "Swordsman" are all very beautiful to look at, the Power film certainly the most eye-poppingly lavish of the trio. Glad you spotlighted it. Puts me right in the mood to watch it again this evening.

7:45 PM  
Blogger Beowulf said...

According to the IMDB, Sutton seems to have had a long and successful career after CAPTAIN.

4:10 PM  
Blogger Kurt Burgess said...

It is a ponderous film at times. For me, Romero does steal the show. His entrance is so refreshing, thinking, finally they will climax this thing. But just when you think a wrap is in store, everyone is off the another far off country story line.

7:10 PM  
Blogger John McElwee said...

Sutton had an interesting part in 1941's "A Yank In The R.A.F." as rival to Tyrone Power for affections of Betty Grable, and for a while, it's a real contest, not least because at this point, Sutton was himself being floated as possible successor, or substitute, for Fox lead men should they become uncooperative or unavailable.

8:05 PM  
Blogger CanadianKen said...

I think the fallout from "Captain from Castile" for John Sutton was not that it was a career ender. He did indeed work steadily till his premature death in 1963. It was simply that his villainy was so thoroughly accomplished in that film that - from then on - with occasional exceptions, he tended to be typecast as cads. He played sympathetic characters in his first couple of post '47 films. But he'd been cast in these before "Castile" had played out its run. By '49, when he menaced Maureen O'Hara in "Bagdad", he was pretty much installed as a go to guy for elegant onscreen nastiness. In the early 40's he'd certainly established his credentials as a sympathetic and dashing actor. He's marvelous (opposite Gene Tierney) in "Hudson's Bay". And if I remember correctly, Margaret O'Brien has said that she and fellow child actor Elizabeth Taylor had huge on set crushes on Sutton during the making of "Jane Eyre" where he played the kindly Dr. Rivers. In the end, though, whether typecasting did or did not limit his screen opportunities, I think Sutton was a fine, charismatic performer, excelling especially in period films. And I always look forward to renewing onscreen acquaintance with him.

10:16 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

grbrpix@aol.com
  • December 2005
  • January 2006
  • February 2006
  • March 2006
  • April 2006
  • May 2006
  • June 2006
  • July 2006
  • August 2006
  • September 2006
  • October 2006
  • November 2006
  • December 2006
  • January 2007
  • February 2007
  • March 2007
  • April 2007
  • May 2007
  • June 2007
  • July 2007
  • August 2007
  • September 2007
  • October 2007
  • November 2007
  • December 2007
  • January 2008
  • February 2008
  • March 2008
  • April 2008
  • May 2008
  • June 2008
  • July 2008
  • August 2008
  • September 2008
  • October 2008
  • November 2008
  • December 2008
  • January 2009
  • February 2009
  • March 2009
  • April 2009
  • May 2009
  • June 2009
  • July 2009
  • August 2009
  • September 2009
  • October 2009
  • November 2009
  • December 2009
  • January 2010
  • February 2010
  • March 2010
  • April 2010
  • May 2010
  • June 2010
  • July 2010
  • August 2010
  • September 2010
  • October 2010
  • November 2010
  • December 2010
  • January 2011
  • February 2011
  • March 2011
  • April 2011
  • May 2011
  • June 2011
  • July 2011
  • August 2011
  • September 2011
  • October 2011
  • November 2011
  • December 2011
  • January 2012
  • February 2012
  • March 2012
  • April 2012
  • May 2012
  • June 2012
  • July 2012
  • August 2012
  • September 2012
  • October 2012
  • November 2012
  • December 2012
  • January 2013
  • February 2013
  • March 2013
  • April 2013
  • May 2013
  • June 2013
  • July 2013
  • August 2013
  • September 2013
  • October 2013
  • November 2013
  • December 2013
  • January 2014
  • February 2014
  • March 2014
  • April 2014
  • May 2014
  • June 2014
  • July 2014
  • August 2014
  • September 2014
  • October 2014
  • November 2014
  • December 2014
  • January 2015
  • February 2015
  • March 2015
  • April 2015
  • May 2015
  • June 2015
  • July 2015
  • August 2015
  • September 2015
  • October 2015
  • November 2015
  • December 2015
  • January 2016
  • February 2016
  • March 2016
  • April 2016
  • May 2016
  • June 2016
  • July 2016
  • August 2016
  • September 2016
  • October 2016
  • November 2016
  • December 2016
  • January 2017
  • February 2017
  • March 2017
  • April 2017
  • May 2017
  • June 2017
  • July 2017
  • August 2017
  • September 2017
  • October 2017
  • November 2017
  • December 2017
  • January 2018
  • February 2018
  • March 2018
  • April 2018
  • May 2018
  • June 2018
  • July 2018
  • August 2018
  • September 2018
  • October 2018
  • November 2018
  • December 2018
  • January 2019
  • February 2019
  • March 2019
  • April 2019
  • May 2019
  • June 2019
  • July 2019
  • August 2019
  • September 2019
  • October 2019
  • November 2019
  • December 2019
  • January 2020
  • February 2020
  • March 2020
  • April 2020
  • May 2020
  • June 2020
  • July 2020
  • August 2020
  • September 2020
  • October 2020
  • November 2020
  • December 2020
  • January 2021
  • February 2021
  • March 2021
  • April 2021
  • May 2021
  • June 2021
  • July 2021
  • August 2021
  • September 2021
  • October 2021
  • November 2021
  • December 2021
  • January 2022
  • February 2022
  • March 2022
  • April 2022
  • May 2022
  • June 2022
  • July 2022
  • August 2022
  • September 2022
  • October 2022
  • November 2022
  • December 2022
  • January 2023
  • February 2023
  • March 2023
  • April 2023
  • May 2023
  • June 2023
  • July 2023
  • August 2023
  • September 2023
  • October 2023
  • November 2023
  • December 2023
  • January 2024
  • February 2024
  • March 2024