The Tarnished Angels

Infobox Film
name = The Tarnished Angels


image_size =
caption = Original poster
director = Douglas Sirk
producer = Albert Zugsmith
writer = George Zuckerman
Based on a novel by William Faulkner
narrator =
starring = Rock Hudson
Robert Stack
Dorothy Malone
Jack Carson
music = Frank Skinner
cinematography = Irving Glassberg
editing = Russell F. Schoengarth
distributor = Universal International
released = flagicon|USA January 6, 1958
runtime = 91 minutes
country = United States
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0051055

"The Tarnished Angels" is a 1958 American drama film directed by Douglas Sirk. The screenplay by George Zuckerman is based on the 1935 novel "Pylon" by William Faulkner.

Plot and cast

The film focuses on disillusioned World War I flying ace Roger Shumann, who spends his days during the Great Depression making appearances as a barnstorming pilot at rural airshows with his parachutist wife LaVerne and worshipful son Jack and mechanic Jiggs in tow.

New Orleans reporter Burke Devlin is intrigued by the gypsy-like lifestyle of the former war hero but is dismayed by his cavalier treatment of his family and soon finds himself attracted to the lovelorn LaVerne. Meanwhile, Roger barters with wealthy and aging business magnate Matt Ord for a plane in exchange for a few hours with his wife. Tragedy ensues when Jiggs' anger about his employer's refusal to face family responsibilities causes him to make a rash and fatal decision.

Production notes

The Universal-International film reunited director Sirk with Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone, and Rock Hudson, with whom he had collaborated on "Written on the Wind" two years earlier. Stack and Malone played brother and sister in their previous appearance together.

Sirk, known for such melodramas as "Magnificent Obsession" and "All That Heaven Allows" filmed in vivid Technicolor, shot "Angels" in black-and-white to help capture the despondent mood of the era in which it is set. Faulkner considered the film to be the best screen adaptation of his work [ [http://www.lib.umich.edu/spec-coll/faulknersite/faulknersite/hollywood/hollywood.html William Faulkner at the Special Collections Library of the University of Michigan] ] .

Cast

*Rock Hudson ..... Burke Devlin
*Robert Stack ..... Roger Shumann
*Dorothy Malone ..... LaVerne Shumann
*Jack Carson ..... Jiggs
*Robert Middleton ..... Matt Ord
*Alan Reed ..... Colonel T.J. Fineman
*Troy Donahue ..... Frank Burnham
*William Schallert ..... Ted Baker
*Christopher Olsen ..... Jack Shumann

Critical reception

In his review in the "New York Times", Bosley Crowther said the film "was badly, cheaply written by George Zuckerman and is abominably played by a hand-picked cast. The sentiments are inflated — blown out of all proportions to the values involved. And the acting, under Douglas Sirk's direction, is elaborate and absurd." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9500E2DB1539EF3BBC4F53DFB7668383649EDE "New York Times" review] ]

"Variety" called the film "a stumbling entry. Characters are mostly colorless, given static reading in drawn-out situations, and story line is lacking in punch." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117795458.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 "Variety" review] ]

"TV Guide" rates it four out of a possible four stars and calls it "the best-ever adaptation of a Faulkner novel for the screen, directed with passion and perception by Sirk . . . The acting is first-rate here, and the script is outstanding, full of wit, black humor, and occasional fine poetic monologues." [ [http://www.tvguide.com/movies/tarnished-angels/review/119813 "TV Guide review] ]

References