The Roots of Heaven (1958)

THE ROOTS OF BOREDOM

This movie is boring. Yes, I know that isn't the most substantive of criticisms, but it's the truth. And it's not the good kind of boring. A movie can be boring as long as when you think back on it, you still are not bored. I can give no such good tidings towards The Roots of Heaven, a film who's noble message is drowned in an ocean of it's own failure. Harsh, surely, but what makes it even more infuriating is that in trying to spread the word on an important issue, but no one is listening because the film's just not interesting enough.

Look, protecting endangered species is a basic component of being able to maintain our current ecosystems. And I know how this sounds like I'm just regurgitating a science textbook, but it is becoming more important each and every day. And, yet, in the 1950s, the subject of preservation was not nearly as mainstream as it is today. That is why when a big budget Hollywood production intent on taking the issue head on deserved to be commended. It deserved to be appreciated, and above all it deserved to be seen. But audiences did not deserve this. Turgid melodrama, drab imagery and a one note depiction of a rather interesting story makes the idea of preservation further from my mind than ever, despite Trevor Howard mentioning how much he loves "the elephants" every five minutes.

I'm not saying that the message should have come first, but it would have been nice if they had put forth some worthwhile film making along with it. Instead this just feels flat. Even Huston's return to Africa trips over itself. In The African Queen, you could really see the difficult shoot manifesting itself on screen. The beautiful lush scenery of Africa and the film's success, however, vindicates the shooting conditions and crafts something exceptional out of the madness. And yet, when he came back, the results couldn't have been more different.

Despite having the capability to showcase the wildlife and beauteous nature of Africa more readily than through the narrow river confines of The African Queen, nothing of the sort is achieved. Instead, the majestic images of elephants fall flat, the vast emptiness and expanses of the landscape is painted in atypically bland Technicolor. This is a black and white film shot in a place that demanded more than just simple framing and shots. Indeed, even though the film was shot in Africa for nearly five months, one can see green screen effects used on a few occasions, taking one both out of the film and out of the atmosphere which had been attempted up to then.

And in fact, the irony here is almost delicious. John Huston made a movie about protecting elephants when he proved so obsessed with shooting one during the filming of his previous African set adventure. But, despite this almost hypocritical move, there was the chance he could have had a change of heart, right? I have no idea, but if this film is any indication, probably not. Message movies only work when the director, the writer and the producers actually care about the message they are trying to promote. Here, it just seems like everyone involved (save perhaps the valiant Trevor Howard, though that could also just be him, you know, acting) is not interested at all with the issue. It just seems like they wanted to finish the film and move on.

And yes, I know it was a difficult shoot. Even without knowing the history, I could read it on the actor's faces. When Juliette Greco's character falls ill, she really does look more sick than any makeup artist, no matter how accomplished, could manage. Perhaps that's because she most likely was. Speaking of Greco, she is serviceable in a role that essentially just serves as someone to keep the men in the audience entertained. The "star", Errol Flynn is in about five major scenes and is drunk in nearly all of them, which, for some reason I am assuming was not all acting.

And the leading man, Trevor Howard, basically plays one note the entire film. The spotless, selfless crusader who will do anything for his cause is a great part, but not if you ignore a little something called "depth" and portray him as just a hero, everything just becomes bland. And bland is true of much of the film. It doesn't have the courage to tackle it's subject head on, and despite Howard's conviction, we are never shown enough of the elephants to know why exactly we are supposed to care so much. And despite Orson Welles's best efforts (yes, Orson Welles is in this movie. I know, I was surprised too), the media press storm that descends around Howard never really feels realistic.

Neither does his abrupt about face when he goes from petition waving pacifist to renegade eco-terrorist who hangs out in the desert a bit and then shoots people in the rear. And, in one of the strangest sequences Huston ever directed, he crashes a party full of evil, rich elephant hunters and then proceeds to pick a woman out of the crowd and spank her. Now, I know Huston was no feminist, but even this sequence is a bit too much. It's almost as if he presents it in a comical light, and though I know it was not meant to be taken this seriously, it is just an utterly bizarre way to go about exacting your "save-the-elephants" plan.

Now I know I must sound bitter, and truth be told, I am. I go into everyone one of these films (well, except maybe Phobia, but that one really had no chance anyways) with an optimistic attitude. This has helped me be both surprised and disappointed with many of the films I've reviewed. And it's not that I don't mind watching some terrible movies for the sake of this website (ahem, Phobia), but the fact that those are just movies. This one seemed to be destined for a higher purpose. It felt to me that it wanted to educate people, and that it failed makes me feel bitter.

Yes, I know, I'll get back on track. This movie likes to be preachy, but the way it goes about spreading it's word is so lackluster and underwhelming that it's gospel just gets tuned out. And that's too bad, because this film was right.

The Roots of Heaven,
1958,
Starring: Trevor Howard, Juliette Greco and Errol Flynn,
Directed by John Huston,
5/10 (D-).

RANKED:
1. The African Queen
2. The Dead
3. The Man Who Would Be King
4. Moby Dick
5. The Asphalt Jungle
6. The Red Badge Of Courage
7. The Night Of The Iguana
8. Key Largo
9. The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean

10. The Misfits
11. Beat the Devil
12. Reflections in a Golden Eye
13. Fat City

14. Victory
15. Wise Blood
16. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
17. Under The Volcano

18. The Unforgiven

19. Across the Pacific
20. Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison

21. The List of Adrian Messenger
22. Annie
23. Prizzi's Honor
24. The Barbarian and the Geisha
25. The MacKintosh Man
26. Sinful Davey
27. In This Our Life
28. We Were Strangers
29. The Bible: In The Beginning...

30. The Roots of Heaven
31. Phobia: A Descent Into Terror  

Across the Pacific (1942)

*I apologize for my extended absence, but I'm back now. So, take that positively I hope!*

"MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS"

Yes, that may very well be a euphemism, but not one of my doing I can assure you. It comes from a scene in 1942's Across the Pacific where Humphrey Bogart is sizing up his revolver in comparison with Sydney Greenstreet's. I'll leave it to you to discover who's was bigger, but, needless to say, both men found it necessary to rely on their guns in the very near future.

This film was John Huston's second time working with Humphrey Bogart, after their highly successful prior pairing on The Maltese Falcon. It seems as if Warner Brothers wanted some more of that magic, because they brought back Mary Astor and Sydney Greenstreet along with Bogart and Huston (sadly, Peter Lorre could not make it to the reunion). In an oddly prophetic twist of fate, when the film was originally put into production it revolved around a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which Humphrey Bogart was to thwart. Unfortunately, when the Japanese actually attacked Pearl Harbor, it necessitated a move of location to the Panama Canal (though, apparently, the title had no reason to be changed and remains absurd as they never get to the Pacific Ocean).

The war also had unintended consequences as it meant that, like so many other Americans of the period, John Huston was caught in a wave of patriotic duty and joined the army. Leaving halfway through shooting the film's climactic chase, Huston's replacement Vincent Sherman asked how Bogart could possibly escape such a situation, and Huston remarked something along the lines of "I have no idea, your problem now!" But what exactly does Humphrey Bogart have to do "Across the Pacific"? Well, the plot revolves around Bogart's character Rick Blaine, ah sorry, Rick Leland, being dishonorably discharged from the army. After a failed attempt to join the Canadian forces, the bitter Leland decides to offer his services to anyone who can may, and boards a steamer headed for the Orient.

On board he meets both the enigmatic Dr. Lorenz (Greenstreet) and the alluring Alberta Marlow (you'll never guess where she comes from. Wait for it... Alberta! Who saw that one coming?), played by Mary Astor. Leland naturally becomes enamored with the seductive Marlow, and they begin a romance. But yet, the Doctor begins to appear more and more like a Japanese sympathizer, climaxing in a scene where he offers Bogart money for secret navy information. Bogart is on the fence, and just as it looks like our intrepid hero might be crossing over to the dark side, it turns out he is an American spy! Can this one dashing hero save the Panama Canal from a nefarious Japanese attack?

Well, I won't tell you that until you've seen it of course! There are two things that concerned me before watching this one. First: that it would be a simple generic patriotic action film and second: that there would be some offensive Japanese stereotypes included in the mix. On the first count, I was not wrong. In many ways, Across the Pacific is similar to Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's Contraband. Both films feature a dashing hero, a morally grey female love interest and a group of Axis sympathizers plotting an attack. Both are undoubtedly fun features, with some excellent dialogue and suspense in both, but they're really nothing special in the end.

On the second count, I was pleasantly surprised. There were only two lines in the film when I detected any outwards racism, and neither of them detracted from my opinion of the film much, other than me having to stifle a giggle over how ridiculous they sounded in the mouth of Bogart and Astor. For the most part, the Japanese are treated just as the Germans were in Contraband. Nefarious, evil, scheming bastards they may be, but it has very little to do with the colour of their skin. Such politics are refreshing in such an otherwise generic experience.

Another positive note I took from my viewing was the chemistry between Astor and Bogart. During The Maltese Falcon, there was always an icy edge to their banter. Here, it's a lot more playful, and the film is better for it. Both Astor and Bogart get to sneak in some simply beautifully constructed barbs at each other, and despite Astor's typical turn into the helpless female by the end, her integrity and singularity from the first two scenes is impeccably preserved.

Bogart too is in fine form. He has a tendency to phone in his performances sometimes, but here he's perfectly involved in the plot and it makes watching the film much easier because his commitment shines through to the viewer. Sydney Greenstreet's wonderful voice is well suited for the many scenes he shares with Bogart, and his last scene is actually rather tragic in a heart breaking way, which had Huston not been, well, fighting in a war, the camera may have captured in a more interesting way than the format Vincent Sherman had in mind.

Sen Young is a bit annoying as a supporting passenger on the cruise only because most of his scenes involve breaking up Astor and Bogart, who are such a joy to watch on their own. Seeing Don Siegal's name in the credits is a bit of a surprise, but I suppose doing the "montage" (as he is credited for) must be as hard a job as any other. Speak of the devil, the editing is rather good in this film, and so are the "montages". Bogart's costume must have been reused for Casablanca because it looks exactly like the hat/suit/overcoat combination he wore in that film's famous climax. It also doesn't help that his character's name is Rick or that Alberta's (I seriously can't get over that) last name is Marlow. Foreshadowing Pearl Harbor is creepy enough, but foreshadowing both of Bogart's most famous future characters? That's just incredible.

The cinematography dips into the luscious world of shadows that black and white portrays so well. Many scenes, such as those at night, are fantastically photographed. And yet, even despite his departure, the film is well directed by Huston. His relaxed style is very helpful as it takes ones eye off the the filmmaking and onto the story which, although cliched and generic, is still interesting. You can tell he must have been having fun on set because, for the most part, the film flows so well. It's not his best work, but it seems like a great job in any case.

And that pretty much sums up Across the Pacific in a nutshell. It's fun, interesting and involving, but it's also generic, cliched and half baked. Take what you will from it, but at least it's a good ride.

Across the Pacific,
1942,
Starring: Humphrey Bogart Mary Astor and Sydney Greenstreet,
Directed by John Huston,
6/10 (C).

RANKED (This list has been readjusted since last seen):
1. The African Queen
2. The Dead
3. The Man Who Would Be King
4. Moby Dick
5. The Asphalt Jungle
6. The Red Badge Of Courage
7. The Night Of The Iguana
8. Key Largo
9. The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
10. The Misfits
11. Beat the Devil
12. Reflections in a Golden Eye
13. Fat City

14. Victory
15. Wise Blood
16. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
17. Under The Volcano

18. The Unforgiven

19. Across the Pacific
20. Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison

21. The List of Adrian Messenger
22. Annie
23. Prizzi's Honor
24. The Barbarian and the Geisha 
25. The MacKintosh Man
26. Sinful Davey 
27. In This Our Life
28. We Were Strangers
29. The Bible: In The Beginning...
30. Phobia: A Descent Into Terror