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Home , Alexander Knox, Arthur Kennedy, Bradford Dillman, George Nader, Hell to Eternity, Hope Lange

cial climber. Hunter, as the professor what proves to be a sordid suburbia, responsible for Wagner's eventual are Mitchell/Woodward, Hingle/Rush, downfall, was believably bland but and Randall/North. Hunter's wife is wasted. How much better this film attacked by Mitchell; Hunter himself might have been had Hunter and Wag- is cruelly beaten when he tries to ner exchanged roles! avenge her; villain Mitchell goes to 20. GUN FOR A COWARD. (Universal- his death under an auto; his wife Jo- International, 1957.) Directed by Ab- anne Woodward goes off in a taxi; and ner Biberman. Cast: Fred MacMurray, the remaining couples demonstrate , Janice Rule, Chill their new maturity by going to church. Wills, , Josephine Hut- A distasteful mess. chinson, Betty Lynn. In this , Hunter appeared When Hunter reported to Universal- as the overprotected second of three International for Appointment with a sons. "Coward" Hunter eventually Shadow (released in 1958), he worked proved to be anything but in a rousing but one day, as an alcoholic ex- climax. Not a great film, but a good reporter on the trail of a supposedly one. slain gangster. Having become ill 21. THE TRUE STORY OF JESSE with hepatitis, he was replaced by JAMES. (20th Century-Fox, 1957.) Di- . Subsequently, Hunter rected by . Cast: Robert told reporters that only the faithful Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, , Agnes Moorehead, Alan Hale, Alan nursing by his wife, Dusty Bartlett, Baxter, John Carradine. whom he had married in July, 1957, This was not even good. Robert pulled him through. (She later pre- Wagner was miscast in the title role, sented him with two sons. Still later, and Hunter couldn't begin to breathe in September, 1966, she presented him life into his role of brother Frank with divorce papers, alleging that he James. All concerned, including the drank to excess and was careless versatile director, got deservedly bad with money.) notices. 22. THE WAY TO THE GOLD. (20th Century-Fox, 1957.) Directed by Rob- 24. COUNT FIVE AND DIE. (20th ert D. Webb. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Century-Fox, 1958.) Directed by Vic- , Barry Sullivan, Walter tor Vicas. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Nigel Brennan, Neville Brand, Jacques Au- Patrick, Annemarie Duringer, David buchon, Ruth Donnelly, Tom Pittman. Kossoff, Rolf Lefebvre. Far better was this low-budget ef- Hunter's most underrated film. A fort in which Hunter was very fine as British production, it cast him as an an ex-convict on the trail of stolen American engaged in counterespionage gold. A kindly lawman (Sullivan) ef- work with English and Dutch patriots fects his regeneration, and black-and- in wartime London. The snake in this white CinemaScope photography great- hotbed of spies and counterspies is ly enhanced a film that never won the Dutch girl Annemarie Duringer, whom attention it deserved. Hunter loves. He refuses to believe 23. NO DOWN PAYMENT. (20th Cen- the girl's treachery until the final mo- tury-Fox, 1957.) Directed by Martin ments, when each shoots the other. Ritt. Cast: , Sheree She expires in a deserted basement; North, , Jeffrey Hunter, he, in a deserted alley. That the Hunt- , Barbara Rush, Pa- er character was very likable, but tricia Owens, Pat Hingle. slightly stupid, enhanced the tension In this one Hunter is married to Pa- and added an air of realistic tragedy to tricia Owens. The neighbor couples, in the last scenes. It was a difficult role,

10 FILMOGRAPH From 's film (1960). It is the Southwest, the Civil War is now over, and a criminally-charged black soldier (the title role) has been befriended by Tom Cantrell (an army officer) and Mary Beecher. (, May 26, 1960, thought Jeffrey Hunter, as Cantrell, and Con- stance Towers, as Mary, to be "quite persuasive" in their roles.) and Hunter never faltered in making it 26. IN LOVE AND WAR. (20th Cen- credible. tury-Fox, 1958.) Directed by . Cast: , Dana 25. THE LAST HURRAH. (Columbia, Wynter, Jeffrey Hunter, Hope Lange, 1958.) Directed by John Ford. Cast: , Sheree North, , Jeffrey Hunter, Dianne Nuyen, Mort Sahl. Foster, Pat O'Brien, , It's a miracle that Hunter (and his , James Gleason, Ed- hapless co-stars) survived this banal ward Brophy, John Carradine, Ricardo film. Hunter was one of several rugged Cortez, Wallace Ford, Frank McHugh, Marines. A 101-minute mishmash that Carleton Young, Frank Albertson, seemed to last twice as long. Anna Lee. John Ford paged him again, this 27. SERGEANT RUTLEDGE. (Warner time for the role of the nephew of a Bros., 1960.) Directed by John Ford. politician (Tracy) against Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Constance Tow- whom forces conspire for the purpose ers, Billie Burke, , of destroying his career. Hunter's act- Juano Hernandez, Willis Bouchey. ing during Tracy's death scene was John Ford rescued Hunter by offer- poignant, and critics and public alike ing him the role of an army lawyer cheered the film whose cast of pros who defends a black soldier falsely helped make it one of the best films accused of rape and murder. Hunter of the year. was believable and moving in this

FILMOGRAPH 11 29. KEY WITNESS. (MGM, 1960.) Directed by . Cast: Jef- frey Hunter, Pat Crowley, Dennis Hop- per, Joby Baker, Susan Harrison, Johnny Nash, Corey Alien. A suspense film in which Hunter witnesses a wanton murder, and, be- cause he refuses to keep silent, finds himself and his family threatened. An above-average programmer.

Late in the year 1960, producer Sam Bronston created a controversy when he announced that Jeffrey Hunter had been chosen for the role of Christ in King of Kings, to be made in Spain. (H. B. Warner played Christ in Cecil B. DeMille's silent version released in 1927.) Bronston and director Nich- olas Ray justified their casting of Hunter by citing his emotional scope "When the focus is fixed very simply as an actor. (Also a factor was the on the figure of Jeffrey Hunter as near-hypnotic effect of his blue eyes, Christ and on the acting of a which were to become the object of few familiar episodes in the Savior's life, there is a certain photographic many jests by nit-picking critics.) reverence and purely pictorial elo- Hunter was awed at the prospect quence in 's elaborate of playing Christ, as is attested by screen biography of the Messiah, the following, which was attributed to 'King of Kings.' "—Bosley Crowther him: in The New York Times, Oct. 12, 1961. "It's absolutely impossible for me to regard this remarkable opportunity worthwhile film. as a part for which I, an actor, can 28. . (Allied prepare! I can only approach it with Artists, 1960.) Directed by Phil Karl- two guideposts—absolute humility son. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, David and a willingness to accept the emo- Janssen, Vic Damone, Patricia tional and spiritual leadership of my Owens, , Richard director and the religious advisers for Eyer, , Bill Williams. this film upon whose wisdom we all Hunter had one of his best roles as are relying. a man who as an orphan boy was adop- "Mr. Bronston agreed that it would ted by a kindly family of (pre-Pearl be impossible for me to discuss with Harbor) Japanese-Americans and who later becomes emotionally torn when, authority my feelings about playing as a marine, he is compelled to fight Christ, so during the five months I'll the Japanese overseas. This bio- be dedicated to this role I'll keep my graphical film had none of the phony activities off-the-set anonymous." embellishments which so often wreck such films; and Hunter, as the Marine "But I wasn't prepared for the re- hero who captures 800 enemy soldiers actions I got from thousands of Span- and civilians, was powerfully per- ish extras...when I appeared for the suasive. Sermon on the Mount; many dropped to 12 FILMOGRAPH their knees. Of course they knew I Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna, was an actor playing a part...still I Hurd Hatfield, Ron Randell, Viveca was a living representation of a Fig- Lindfors, Rita Gam, Carmen Sevilla, ure they had regarded from childhood Brigid Baslen, Harry Guardino, Rip with awe. I didn't know what to do, Torn, Frank Thring, Guy Rolfe. Mau- but instinctively pretended not to rice Marsac, Gregoire Asian and notice rather than intrude upon this . Beneath notice except as an ex- gesture of devotion. ample of the depths to which a widely- "It was then that I began to real- read critic could sink was Time maga- ize what I'd undertaken and I felt it zine's review, part of which read: even more deeply as the film went "The imitation of Christ is little bet- along. I knew the Bible, of course, ter than blasphemy. Granted that the but no better than most. The story of role is impossible to cast or play; Jesus, as it's come to us, is sacred granted that the attempt may neverthe- legend. But I'd never thought much less be worth making...but what ever about Him as a flesh-and-blood per- possessed them to cast Jeffrey Hunter, son, as a Man who lived on this earth a fan mag cover boy with a flabby face, a cute lopsided smile, baby-blue among people and times not too differ- eyes and barely enough histrionic ent from ours, today." ability to play a Marine? During production, Hunter deliber- The critic also said the film might ately kept himself aloof from others in better be called "I Was a Teenage the cast and crew and in isolation Jesus." when he wasn't working. "I never The New York Times's Bosley smoked," he said, "but Christ drank wine, Christ saw people. He ate with everybody. He wasn't a man of the shadows." In October, 1961, King of Kings had a lavish world premiere at the Egyptian in Hollywood. Everyone's at- tention was focused on Hunter, who arrived to see, for the first time, his interpretation. (He had avoided view- ing the rushes.) The -Hol- lywood area reviews were glowing in their praise of the film and Hunter. However, reactions varied widely else- where, which led me to believe I was the only non-Hollywood reviewer who thought Hunter was fine in his role. True, the film avoided—unlike DeMille spectacles—showing miracles credited to Christ; granted, too, that Christ's divinity was suggested rather than asserted. Withal, Hunter had me The Second World War— seized with him, believing in his characteri- from the Americans by the Japanese— zation, all the way. an American sailor on the island must hide—a Chamorro girl helps him. (Jef- 30. KING OF KINGS. (MGM, 1961.) frey Hunter and Barbara Perez in Directed by Nicholas Ray. Cast: the film No Man Is an Island, 1962.) FILMOGRAPH 13 Crowther, on the other hand, said: 32. NO MAN IS AN ISLAND. (Univer- "Mr. Hunter wears his make-up nobly sal-International, 1962.) Directed by and performs with simplicity and John Monks, Jr., and Richard Gold- taste, ...". stone. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Marshall Controversy over this version of Thompson, Barbara Perez, Ronald King of Kings will perhaps continue Remy. for years. Perhaps there is no defin- Hunter might well have refused to itive evaluation—only varying evalu- do this film, ostensibly the true story ations. of George Tweed, the only American sailor on Guam to escape capture dur- 31. MAN TRAP. (Paramount, 1961.) ing the early years of World War II. Directed by Edmond O'Brien. Cast: The real Tweed was truly heroic, but Jeffrey Hunter, David Janssen, Stella the screenplay made him, the natives Stevens, Elaine Devry, Virginia Gregg, who protected him, and the service- Hugh Sanders. men with whom he came in contact, Hunter as a betrayed husband (who hackneyed characters of the worst was no Boy Scout himself). Though sort. Hunter's sincerity and technical the film was pulp fiction, it benefited competence availed him little. from the performances of Stella Ste- 33. THE LONGEST DAY. (20th Cen- vens as Hunter's tramp of a wife, tury-Fox, 1962.) Directed by Ken An- David Janssen as Hunter's scheming nakin (British scenes), wartime pal, and Hunter himself as the (American scenes), and Bernhard victimized husband whose anguish had Wicki (German scenes). Cast: Eddie a painful intensity. Albert, Paul Anka, Arletty, Jean-Louis

Incarcerated in a mental institution, Jim (Jeffrey Hunter), a young man who has killed another man, is compelled to undergo psychological testing by Dr. Larstadt () in the Warner Bros. film Brainstorm (1965). 14 FILMOGRAPH In Murieta (1965), Jeffrey Hunter (left) played the title role, that of a young Mexican who comes to mid-19th-century to hunt for gold only to be hunted himself as the leader of a band of Mexican raiders. (right) played Capt. Love, an American who, having befriended Murieta, tries to help him but, as fate would have it, becomes his executioner.

Barrault, , Bourvil, of France by the Allies in World War , , Sean II. Connery, , Irina Demick, 34. GOLD FOR THE CAESARS. (MGM, Fabian, , , 1964.) Directed by Andre DeToth. , Gert Frobe, Leo Genn, Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Mylene Demon- John Gregson, Paul Hartmann, Jeffrey geot, Ron Randell, Massimo Girotti, Hunter, Curt Jurgens, Alexander Knox, Giulio Bosetti, Ettore Manni, Georges Peter Lawford, Roddy McDowell, Sal Lycan. Mineo, , Kenneth Hunter hitting his all-time low with Moore, Edmond O'Brien, Ron Randell, perhaps his worst performance. A Francoise Rosay, Robert Ryan, Tommy made-in-Italy film with, as its locale, Sands, , , a Roman colony in ancient Spain. , Peter Van Eyck, Robert Hunter was an architect-slave who Wagner, and John falls in love with the governor's mis- Wayne. tress (Demongeot). For this he is to Hunter in a cameo role in a film be killed, but the governor first sends which should have been called The him on an expedition to find gold for Longest Film. Seldom has a spectacle Rome. Hunter saves himself and finds won such widespread but undeserved happiness with Demongeot. praise. It's enough to note that Hunter was briefly effective as a beached in- 35. THE MAN FROM GALVESTON. fantryman in this story of the invasion (Warner Bros., 1964.) Directed by Wil- FILMOGRAPH 15 liam Conrad. Cast: Jeff Hunter, Pres- a secret agent befriended by Oriental ton Foster, , Joanne girl France Nuyen. The two save Los Moore, Edward Andrews, Kevin Hagen, Angeles from destruction by projecting Martin West. themselves into the future (in other Bad, but mercifully brief. It ran 57 words, "Dimension 5"), discovering minutes, which was more than enough where a bomb has been hidden and to tell the trite tale of a brash young foiling a dastardly plot. Does it sound lawyer (Hunter) in old . This wildly harebrained? It was. was the film of Hunter's subse- 39. A WITCH WITHOUT A BROOM. quent and popular television series (Producers Releasing Organization, Temple , and had limited 1967.) Directed by Joe Lacy. Cast: large-screen exposure in this country. Jeffrey Hunter, Maria Perschy, Gusta- 36. BRAINSTORM. (Warner Bros., vo Rojo, Perla Cristal. 1965.) Directed by . A filmed-in-Spain fantasy comedy Cast: Jeff Hunter, , Dana about an American professor at Madrid Andrews, Viveca Lindfors, Stacy Har- (Hunter) who is loved by the reincarna- ris, Kathie Brown, Philip Pine, Mi- tion of a 16th century witch (Maria chael Pate, Robert McQueeney. Perschy). They go not only backward Fun! This suspense film had Hunt- in time (to different eras) but also for- er saving the wife (Anne Francis) of ward (to the 22nd century). Though his wealthy employer () their mishaps were fairly funny, nei- from suicide, falling for the unstable ther performer was well served. And lady, and then feigning insanity in Motion Picture Herald noted that order to kill Andrews and escape retri- "...Hunter moves through the film bution. An intriguing plot woven so with too serious a demeanor,..." skillfully that flaws in its fabric be- (Apr. 26, 1967). came apparent only after the film 40. A GUIDE FOR THE MARRIED ended. And what an ending! what with MAN. (20th Century-Fox, 1967.) Di- Hunter going insane (or does he?) rected by Gene Kelly. Cast: Walter under the careful (or cruel) gaze of Matthau, Robert Morse, Inger Stevens, Viveca Lindfors, as an enigmatic psy- and guest stars , Jack chiatrist. Was she accurate in her di- Benny, Polly Bergen, Joey Bishop, agnosis that Hunter was insane or Sid Caesar, Art Carney, Wally Cox, was she taking revenge for his slurs Jeffrey Hunter, , Hal on her womanliness? Hunter and Lind- March, Louis Nye, Carl Reiner, Phil fors were seen to good advantage. Silvers, Terry-Thomas. 37. MURIETA. (Warner Bros., 1965.) Hunter was one of many guest Directed by . Cast: stars, and his brief appearance (at the Jeffrey Hunter, Arthur Kennedy, Diana outset) went unbilled. He was a moun- Lorys, Sara Lezana, Roberto Camar- tain climber, clinging fiercely to the diel, Pedro Osinaga. side of a mountain "because it's Made in Spain, this film had Hunter there!" Unless viewers were alert, playing a humble Mexican who turns they'd have missed him. outlaw when his wife is raped and 41. CHRISTMAS KID. (Producers Re- killed. Largely overlooked and con- leasing Organization, 1967.) Directed fined mainly to programmer bookings. by Sidney W. Pink. Cast: Jeffrey Hunt- er, Louis Hayward, Gustavo Rojo, 38. DIMENSION 5. (Feature Film Perla Cristal, Luis Prendes. Corp. of America, 1965.) Directed by Franklin Adreon. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Hunter had the title role, a hero- France Nuyen, Harold Sakata, Donald villain, or in the words of Variety, "a Woods, Linda Ho. real mixed-up kid." He played a lad In this colorful but confusing film, whose father hated him because the Hunter had few opportunities. He was lad's mother had died following child- 16 FILMOGRAPH birth. He created a tragic figure as the (Since I intended to confine my doomed young man. Variety called his notes to Hunter's theatrical films, I work "fine" and the film, a Western will not try to cite all of his radio, made in Spain, "one of the better television, and stage credits. How- entries by producer Sidney Pink." ever, I should perhaps mention the 42. CUSTER OF THE WEST. (Security, Lux Radio Theater version of the film 1968.) Directed by Robert Siodmak. Rawhide; broadcast in 1955, it had Cast: , Mary Ure, Jeffrey Hunter and in the Tyrone Hunter, , Kieron Moore, Lawrence Tierney, and Robert Ryan. Power and roles. As A sort of action study of General for his television work, let me point George Custer (Robert Shaw), with out just a few highlights. He was ex- Hunter in a supporting role and this cellent as an explorer in an episode of tepid observation from The Film Our American Heritage (1960), gave Daily: "Jeffrey Hunter and Ty Hardin an Emmy-worthy performance in "Sev- register with some effectiveness as en Miles of Bad Road" on 's Custer's army aides." Chrysler Theatre (1963), and was par- 43. THE PRIVATE NAVY OF SGT. ticularly memorable as a mutant in a O'FARRELL. (, 1968.) two-part episode of (1966).) Directed by Frank Tashlin. Cast: Gina Lollobrigida, Bob Hope, Phyllis On May 27, 1969, Jeffrey Hunter, Diller, Jeffrey Hunter, Mylene Demon- geot, John Myhers, Mako, Henry Wil- 42, died following brain surgery. Po- coxon, Dick Sargent. lice said he apparently had been in- Hunter as a navy lieutenant in a jured in a fall in his Van Nuys, Calif., dated comedy set in the South Pacific home. He was survived by his third of World War II. wife, Emily McLaughlin, a television 44. SEXY SUSAN SINS AGAIN. (Cal- actress, and his sons Chris (by Bar- tex, 1969.) Directed by Francois Le bara Rush), Henry H. McKinnies III Grand. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Pascale and Scott (by Dusty Bartlett), and Petit, Jacques Herlin, Terry Torday, Steele (Miss Bartlett's son by a pre- Femi Benussi, Daniela Giordano. vious marriage whom Hunter had adopt- It was sad to see Hunter in this ed). strained comedy with Terry Torday as Jeffrey Hunter often said that this Sexy Susan, who, despite bare breasts and bottom, didn't sin all that much. would be his best advice to an aspiring Hunter was revealed bare, too (rear actor: "Be natural, sincere and honest only), and the film served neither him- on and off screen and stage or radio. self nor his admirers well. A good acting job must come from the mind and heart."