Word: hook
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Since that December evening in 1904, when Maude Adams and Gerald Du Maurier originated the roles of Peter Pan and Captain Hook, some of the greatest English-speaking actors have been charmed in taking to the piano wire or donning an iron claw, including Eva LeGallienne, Joan Greenwood, Jean Arthur, and Mary Martin in the title role; and Alastair Sim, Charles Laughton, Boris Karloff, and Cyril Ritchard as the evil pirate Captain...
Eric Portman makes an excellent Captain Hook, thought one might wish that he occasionally played with more bravado, since the humor in this role is so meaty and the character is reminiscent of Malvolio in Twelfth Night. (The scene on the Pirate Ship, where Hook is duped by Peter and the orphan children is particularly reminiscent of the Garden Scene where Malvolio is duped by Sir Toby and his cohorts.) Mr. Portman, nevertheless, brings his own special qualities to the role...
...entirely different mood, neither nymph-like nor villainous, Ellis Rabb is absolutely superb. It is no news that Mr. Rabb is a fine classic actor (having appeared as Hamlet and Lear to great critical acclaim); but as Smee, Captain Hook's sentimental side-kick, he is just plain riotous. He has but to walk across the stage to get a laugh. The characterization is similar to one he used as Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream at Stratford last summer; but since he has considerably more to say as Smee, the concept is considerably enlarged. The shaky voice...
...idealistic, he joins the underground struggle against England, but soon comes face to face with the usual conflict between love (Wynter) and duty. In the novel, the hero resolved it by selling his friends to the Tans; according to the script, the peace treaty conveniently gets him off the hook, and only the diehard Cagney has to die. Best bit: a dockside rumble in which Cagney. jazzy as ever with his side arms, sputters some real far-out riffs on his revolver. Worst fault: the inconsistency of speech. Four of the featured players speak the king's English...
...into the air before thudding to the canvas on the seat of his white satin pants. He wobbled up at the count of nine, and stared bewildered in the direction of the Yankee bleachers. Johansson did not wait for him to turn around. He clipped him with a left hook, then smashed a right over the ear. Patterson fell. Five times more Patterson lurched gamely to his feet, and five times more Johansson smashed him down. At last Referee Ruby Goldstein called off the slaughter, and the freshest grin in boxing flashed over the unmarked face of Johansson...