Director: JACQUES TOURNEUR. Based on the story "Education of the Heart" by Irwin Shaw. Screenplay: Charles Schnee. Art directors: Albert S. D'Agostino, Alfred Herman. Set decorators: Darrell Silvera, Harley Miller. Music: Roy Webb. Music director: C. Bakaleinikoff. Assistant directors: James Lane, Joel Freeman, Nate Slott. Make-up: Robert M. Cowan, Lee Greenway. Costumes: Edward Stevenson. Sound: Earl Wolcott. Camera: Harry J. Wild. Film editor: Frederic Knudtson. Make-up supervisor: Gordon Bau. Special photographic effects: Russell A. Cully. Sound mixer: Clem Portman. RCA Sound System. Producer: Robert Sparks. Copyright 24 August 1949 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at Loew's Criterion: 12 October 1949. U.S. release: 8 October 1949. U.K. release: 11 September 1950. Australian release: 1 June 1950. 7,061 feet. 77 minutes. Australian release title: INTERFERENCE.
SYNOPSIS: The domestic and career problems of a star football player.
COMMENT: It's not hard to see parallels between this screenplay and Charles Schnee's later script for "The Bad and the Beautiful". The exposé of professional football has much the same virtues (and vices) as that celebrated probe into Hollywood: hard-hitting, realistic-seeming yet very snappy, brittle dialogue; fascinatingly believable yet slightly off-beat characters enmeshed in fast-moving situations they have difficulty controlling.
The "ordinary" characters are often at the mercy of their own attitudes and vices which enable them to be manipulated by more ruthless self-seekers.
On the down side, Schnee has a liking for melodrama. He disguises this tendency much more skillfully here than in "The Bad and Beautiful".
Aided by a team of really professional technicians, Tourneur has directed this picture with remarkable skill. Only the opening breakfast scene with Jeff Donnell strikes a slightly false note. Once we enter the football stadium, the pace rarely slackens.
Aside from Miss Donnell and Mr Backus — both of these performances seem a little forced — the playing is uniformly excellent. Scott and Mature are both perfectly cast (Tourneur keeps Vic's inclination to over-do the eyebrow-raising and forehead-furrowing under admirably tight control).
Lucille Ball has a pleasing (if subsidiary) role as a cynical secretary, whilst the support, led by the forceful Lloyd Nolan, is full of fascinating cameos — far too many to discuss here. As for Sonny Tufts, himself a former footballer, he handles this role with commendable finesse.
OTHER VIEWS: Schnee and Shaw have brilliantly interwoven a downbeat football story with an equally dark drama of manners. Unforgettable players include June Bright as the suicidal Billy, Art Baker an aged playboy, Don Beddoe a penny-pinching manager, Gordon Jones a major league budget casualty.
Professional football is the anything but easy living of the title. It's based on a fine short story by Irwin Shaw called "Education of the Heart". Screenwriter Charles Schnee has expanded this very ably. There are two strong, interweaving plot lines and some memorable characterizations. We always remember the scenes of Holly's dismissal from the team, Paul Stewart's repulsive news photographer, and Art Baker's steely seducer. Indeed, the playing of the entire cast is excellent. Director Jacques Tourneur has taken good advantage of actual location shooting with some fine camera-work by Harry J. Wild. - JHR writing as Charles Freeman.
SYNOPSIS: The domestic and career problems of a star football player.
COMMENT: It's not hard to see parallels between this screenplay and Charles Schnee's later script for "The Bad and the Beautiful". The exposé of professional football has much the same virtues (and vices) as that celebrated probe into Hollywood: hard-hitting, realistic-seeming yet very snappy, brittle dialogue; fascinatingly believable yet slightly off-beat characters enmeshed in fast-moving situations they have difficulty controlling.
The "ordinary" characters are often at the mercy of their own attitudes and vices which enable them to be manipulated by more ruthless self-seekers.
On the down side, Schnee has a liking for melodrama. He disguises this tendency much more skillfully here than in "The Bad and Beautiful".
Aided by a team of really professional technicians, Tourneur has directed this picture with remarkable skill. Only the opening breakfast scene with Jeff Donnell strikes a slightly false note. Once we enter the football stadium, the pace rarely slackens.
Aside from Miss Donnell and Mr Backus — both of these performances seem a little forced — the playing is uniformly excellent. Scott and Mature are both perfectly cast (Tourneur keeps Vic's inclination to over-do the eyebrow-raising and forehead-furrowing under admirably tight control).
Lucille Ball has a pleasing (if subsidiary) role as a cynical secretary, whilst the support, led by the forceful Lloyd Nolan, is full of fascinating cameos — far too many to discuss here. As for Sonny Tufts, himself a former footballer, he handles this role with commendable finesse.
OTHER VIEWS: Schnee and Shaw have brilliantly interwoven a downbeat football story with an equally dark drama of manners. Unforgettable players include June Bright as the suicidal Billy, Art Baker an aged playboy, Don Beddoe a penny-pinching manager, Gordon Jones a major league budget casualty.
Professional football is the anything but easy living of the title. It's based on a fine short story by Irwin Shaw called "Education of the Heart". Screenwriter Charles Schnee has expanded this very ably. There are two strong, interweaving plot lines and some memorable characterizations. We always remember the scenes of Holly's dismissal from the team, Paul Stewart's repulsive news photographer, and Art Baker's steely seducer. Indeed, the playing of the entire cast is excellent. Director Jacques Tourneur has taken good advantage of actual location shooting with some fine camera-work by Harry J. Wild. - JHR writing as Charles Freeman.