Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake
Directed by John Cromwell
Written by Philip Dunne from a novel by Edison Marshall
1942/USA
Twentieth Century Fox
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Eve: You will go! If you stay out of pity, I will throw myself in sea.[/box]
This is an OK costume drama notable for a unique chance to see George Sanders boxing bare-chested.
It is sometime in the 18th Century. Young Ben (Roddy MacDowall) is being raised by his humble grandfather to become a blacksmith. The other children tease him because he has no name. One day, Sir Arthur Blake (Sanders) comes into the shop, announces that Ben is the illegitimate son of his deceased older brother and the gunsmith’s daughter, and takes Ben away to live with him ostensibly to be educated. Instead, Ben is made an indentured servant and treated even more cruelly than the rest of the heartless Sir Arthur’s minions. He grows up to be Tyrone Power.
Sir Arthur’s daughter Isabel (Frances Farmer) lusts after the handsome Benjamin and eventually falls in love with him. Finally, he can bear his mistreatment no more and attacks Sir Arthur. Now he is a fugitive. He escapes as a seaman on a vessel headed on an around the world voyage. He meets fellow seaman Caleb Green who tells him of a fortune in pearls to be found off the coast of a South Sea Island, They detour the ship and go AWOL on the island.
The islanders had previously been visited by Spaniards who abused them and are hostile to the two adventurers. But when Benjamin shows them the scars on his own back the locals accept them with open arms. Benjamin is promptly enchanted by the beautiful islander he calls “Eve” (Gene Tierney). He declares her his bride since no one knows when another ship will arrive to take the pearl hunters back to England.
Their ship does come in and the rest of the story is devoted to Benjamin’s adventures as he seeks to redeem his rightful inheritance courtesy of the treasure trove of pearls he brings with him. With Elsa Lanchester as a prostitute who helps Benjamin escape.
This is alright but I didn’t find it gripping. This kind of thing isn’t usually for me though and those who like costume dramas will find this a very polished one.
This was the last film Frances Farmer made before alcoholism and erratic behavior caused her parents to commit her to a series of insane asylums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fClx_LTSI
Trailer
