MovieChat Forums > Stranger from Venus (1954) Discussion > Patricia Neal, 1926-2010

Patricia Neal, 1926-2010

posted 14 years ago by hobnob53
6 replies | jump to latest

I figured people would remember this fine actress on the site of The Day the Earth Stood Still (as is the case), so I thought I'd post a brief note of condolence for Miss Neal on the site of what is possibly her worst movie, this TDTESS wannabe, Stranger From Venus. Her first film in England after marrying Roald Dahl and moving there, and from the looks of her filmography, I'd say the experience soured her on making anything else in Britain, ever!

Still, it's an okay movie in a dopey way, vastly elevated beyond its deserved level thanks to the professionalism of Pat Neal (and Helmut Dantine), and given a bit more life because of her being in it. Her Oscar would have to await Hud a decade later, but Patricia Neal was always terrific, whatever the acting challenge. RIP.

[–] The_Dying_Flutchman 14 years ago

Hey guy, yer so wrong. This is anything but rubbish! I am very surprised you would put this down, you who love unmitigated American disasters. Cheap, yes, but without value? I think not.

Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.

[–] hobnob53 14 years ago

Hey, I never said it was without value. But re-viewing it recently it did seem worse than it had in the past...and this was one of the very first movies I ever recall seeing on TV, in the late 50s (on good ol' channel 5 in NYC, as Immediate Disaster). It's slow-moving and stagey, with very fake special effects, not that that bothers me. And poorly plotted, even for what it is. As re-configurations of The Day the Earth Stood Still go, I'll take the much-maligned but sweetly-creepy, unpretentious The Cosmic Man any day.

Let's face it -- the Brits could never do bad sci-fi pictures like us Yanks could. (See Devil Girl From Mars.)

Dreadful, absolutely sickly-sweet, music, too.

[–] The_Dying_Flutchman 14 years ago

I'll take "X: the Unknown" and the Quatermass flix over this one and maybe a few others if I could think of them. But I thought it worked on an extremely slim budget. I mean, most of the bilge I've seen over the years doesn't approach this one for allegorical finesse. Oh well, it's only personal opinion and that's it. I suppose it would have been in the realm of near greatness if Dantine had been replaced by the god who was Robert Clarke. Nudge, nudge.

Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.

[–] hobnob53 14 years ago

Nudge, nudge indeed. Don't be cute now, TDF. And apologize to the nice sun demon.

Dantine was a good actor, though an odd choice to play a Venusian, or an Immediate Disasterian, or whatever he was. Made a lot of money after inventing his cinnamon-flavored, teeth-whitening chewing gum, at least. Guess they picked him to play the spaceman because, it being a low-budget film, he provided his own Helmut.

But, X the Unknown, and the first two, Brian Donleavy Quatermass films, were terrific. I had a feeling you'd mention them, but they don't fall into the category of those truly cheap and boring British sci-fi flicks such as Stranger From Venus, Devil Girl From Mars or It Came From Within Uranus.

The Strange World of Planet X (US: Cosmic Monsters) and The Trollenberg Terror (US: The Crawling Eye) were examples of lower-budget UK-fi that did work well, if for no other reason than they moved, had better monsters and starred Forrest Tucker, the rich man's Robert Clarke.

[–] The_Dying_Flutchman 14 years ago

Ever seen "Hotel Berlin" with Dantine minus his chewing gum? I found it a very tidy "B" with good cast and message. Look it up sometime.

Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.

[–] hobnob53 14 years ago

Yes, I know Hotel Berlin well. It is very good, a rather remarkable film to come out at the close of the war. Sort of Grand Hotel with Nazis: same city, wrong year. Andrea King's would-be breakthrough role, but her career petered out and she wound up in Red Planet Mars, among other things. Ah, well. Men are from Venus, women from Mars, I suppose.