THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN

Lee Bowman and Marguerite Chapman

THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN (1946). Director: Lothar Mendes. 

"There's something wrong with that man!"

New York newspaper columnist Gilbert Archer (Lee Bowman) is shocked to learn that an old friend of his, a priest, has supposedly committed suicide. He believes the man was murdered, and is soon surrounded by a host of suspicious characters. There is an attractive lady named Laura Brown (Marguerite Chapman); a weird character who claims to be her father, Ernst (J., Edward Bromberg); a highly sinister "reverend" who carries guns (George Macready) and his equally unpleasant better half (Katherine Emery); a nasty creature named Rausch (Noel Cravat); the shifty lawyer George Bradford (Edgar Buchanan) and others. Most of these people seem to be after a pair of bibles that have been secreted somewhere and contain the location of a lost painting depicting the Walls of Jericho -- done by no less than Leonardo da Vinci. People would kill to get such a priceless painting, and indeed there are soon more murders ... 

Bowman with J. Edgar Bromberg

The Walls Came Tumbling Down boasts an absorbing and convoluted plot, several good performances from an interesting cast, an attractive credits theme by Martin Skiles, and a pretty fast pace to boot. Yet ... the whole thing is somehow second-rate. Maybe it's that Lee Bowman, while competent, isn't the most thrilling leading man, or that there are other directors who could have done more with the material. But while you're enjoying the plot twists and turns you're not quite believing any of it. Lee Patrick is also in the cast as Bowman's put-upon secretary, and she's as snappy as ever, and Elisabeth Risdon is fine as the dead priest's sister and another murder victim. Bowman never quite seems to evince enough rage over the terrible deaths of people he cares about. Marguerite Chapman is excellent as the mysterious woman who could be a heroine or a femme fatale.

Verdict: Fair-to-middling film noir. **1/2.  

FLIGHT TO MARS

Huston, Franz and Mitchell

FLIGHT TO MARS (1951). Director: Lesley Selander. 

Five people travel on a spaceship to Mars: scientists Professor Jackson (Richard Gaines), Dr. Lane (John Litel of Runaway Daughters), and Dr. Barker (Arthur Franz); along with Barker's apparent fiancee and assistant, Carol (Virginia Huston); and reporter Steve Abbott (Cameron Mitchell of The Silent Scream). During the journey triangle tension develops between Barker, Carol and Steve, but they are in more danger from passing meteorites. Arriving on Mars they discover an advanced underground civilization. Although the leader, Ikron (Morris Ankrum of Beginning of the End), seems friendly to the earthlings and offers to help them repair their rocket ship, in reality he is scheming to steal their technology so they can leave their dying planet and take over the earth. 

The latest in Martian fashions!

Flight to Mars begins well, with some interesting discussions aboard the ship en route to Mars, and sincere attempts at characterization. One of the scientists puts forth the interesting theory that the universe is one enormous living being. Unfortunately, once the group reaches Mars, the film turns into a dreary and rather dull and cliche-ridden story of dying planets and alien treachery. Fortunately, some of the Martians are on the side of the visitors and help them, and there is some minor suspense as the earthlings make their getaway from Mars. The acting is good enough for this Monogram production. Marguerite Chapman is cast as Alita, a fetching Martian lady who falls for Barker even as his cast-off girlfriend begins falling for the persistent Abbott -- the soap opera aspects of the story are not compelling. 

Verdict: Begins well, becomes a bore. **.