Betrayed (1954 film)

Betrayed

Promotional movie poster for the film
Directed by Gottfried Reinhardt
Written by Ronald Millar
George Froeschel
Starring Clark Gable
Lana Turner
Victor Mature
Music by Walter Goehr
Bronislau Kaper
Cinematography Freddie Young
Edited by John D. Dunning
Raymond Poulton
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • September 7, 1954 (1954-09-07)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $1,674,000[1]
Box office $4,177,000[1]

Betrayed is a 1954 war drama film directed by Gottfried Reinhardt from a screenplay by Ronald Millar and George Froeschel, and starring Clark Gable, Lana Turner and Victor Mature. The music score was by Walter Goehr and Bronislau Kaper, and the cinematography by Freddie Young. The picture, Gable's last for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, was filmed on location in the Netherlands and England and was based on the story of turncoat Dutch resistance leader Christiaan Lindemans, also known as "King Kong." The supporting cast features Louis Calhern, O. E. Hasse, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Ian Carmichael, Niall MacGinnis and Theodore Bikel. Betrayed was the fourth and final movie in which Gable played opposite Turner, and their third pairing set during World War II.

Diana Coupland provided Turner's singing voice in the song, "Johnny Come Home".

Betrayed was spoofed in the film Top Secret! (1984).[2]

Plot

Betrayed is an espionage thriller set in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II, and revolves mostly around the Dutch resistance movement.

Dutch intelligence agent Pieter Deventer (Clark Gable) is ordered to keep an eye on suspected collaborator Fran Seelers (Lana Turner). Both Deventer and Seelers join the Dutch underground, making contact with a flamboyant resistance leader known as "The Scarf" (Victor Mature).

As 'Carla Van Oven', Seelers' assignment is to use her feminine charms to gain the confidence of admiring Nazi officers. Within the next few weeks, several underground operatives are captured and shot, and it begins to look as though Deventer's suspicions concerning Seelers are correct, though he is strongly drawn to her. The ultimate revelation of the collaborator's identity settles the issue of whether the couple can be enemies or lovers.

Cast

Production

Shooting of a scene for Betrayed in Maastricht. Clark Gable walks past a crowd (1953)

The film was at one stage known as The True and the Brave with Kirk Douglas mentioned as a possible star.[3] Richard Widmark was at one stage a fore runner for the part played by Victor Mature.[4] Ava Gardner was to play the female lead but was eventually replaced by Lana Turner.[5]

Filming took place in late 1953 and early 1954, on location in Holland and England.[6]

It was the last film Gable made for MGM under his contract with them, which ended in March 1954.[7]

Release

Box Office

According to MGM records the film earned $1,966,000 in the US and Canada and $2,211,000 overseas, resulting in a profit of $821,000.[1]

Critical reception

In a 1954 New York Times review, critic Bosley Crowther wrote "By the time this picture gets around to figuring out whether the betrayer is Miss Turner or Mr. Mature, it has taken the audience through such a lengthy and tedious amount of detail that it has not only frayed all possible tension but it has aggravated patience as well. Miss Turner and Mr. Gable have had many long-winded talks; Mr. Mature has thumped his chest like Tarzan and bellowed his boasts a score of times. An excess of espionage maneuvering has been laid out on the screen. The beauties of the countryside of the Netherlands have been looked at until they pall."[2]

Home media

Betrayed was released on DVD and digital download on March 23, 2009 as part of the Warner Archive.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. 1 2 http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D05E0DC1538E23BBC4153DFBF66838F649EDE
  3. ↑ Schallert, E. (1953, Jul 30). River boat perennial bought; london tale of reincarnation set. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/166494673?accountid=13902
  4. ↑ Schallert, E. (1953, Aug 28). Vistarama exhibited; justin rival of power, spy role for widmark. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/166536709?accountid=13902
  5. ↑ U.S. GROUP TO LEAVE FOR FILM IN AFRICA: Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews Will Make 'Duel in Jungle' in Kruger National Park Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES.. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 18 July 1953: 6
  6. ↑ By THOMAS M PRYORSpecial to THE NEW,YORK TIMES. (1954, Jan 27). CHAMPION TO FILM E. E. HALE CLASSIC. New York Times (1923-Current File) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/113154208?accountid=13902
  7. ↑ By THOMAS M PRYORSpecial to THE NEW,YORK TIMES. (1953, Dec 18). GREER GARSON TO DO A MOVIE IN ENGLAND. New York Times (1923-Current File) Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/112727444?accountid=13902
  8. ↑ http://www.wbshop.com/Betrayed-+EST-MOD/1000088122,default,pd.html

External links

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