Stubs - O. Henry’s Full House

O. Henry’s Full House (1952)  Starring (in alphabetical order): Fred Allen, Anne Baxter, Jeanne Crain, Farley Granger, Charles Laughton, Oscar Levant, Marilyn Monroe, Jean Peters, Gregory Ratoff, Dale Robertson, David Wayne, Richard Widmark. Directed by Henry Koster, Henry Hathaway, Jean Negulesco, Howard Hawks, Henry King. Screenplay by Richard L. Breen, Walter Bullock, Ivan Goff, Ben Hecht, Nunnally Johnson, Charles Lederer, Ben Roberts, Lamar Trotti. Based on the short stories "The Cop and the Anthem" in New York World (Dec 4, 1904); "The Clarion Call" in New York World (Oct 29, 1905); "The Last Leaf" in New York World (Oct 15, 1905); "The Ransom of Red Chief" in The Saturday Evening Post (Jul 6, 1906); and "The Gift of the Magi" in New York World (Dec 10, 1905) by O. Henry. Produced by André Hakim. Run time: 117 minutes. Black and White. USA Comedy, Drama, Anthology, Christmas.

While it wasn’t common practice for studios to make a series of short stories into movies, 20^th Century-Fox thought that the writings of William Sydney Porter, also known as O. Henry, were worthy of such a treatment. That is not to say anthology films were not made; they have been made frequently in India, Italy, and Great Britain, to name a few. Anthology films had been made prior to this one in Hollywood, most notably If I Had a Million (1932), produced by Paramount and including a segment directed by Ernst Lubitsch.

That said, it is thought that three films produced in the UK were the inspiration for O. Henry’s Full House: Quartet (1948) was based on stories by Somerset Maugham, who also personally introduced each one. Quartet was such a success, two sequels were made Trio (1950) and Encore (1951), also based on Maugham short stories. Paramount picked up the sequels for distribution in the U.S and the films were both critical and commercial successes.

Seeing as each segment was written, directed and starred different people, we’ll take each segment of the film one at a time.

Since O. Henry was dead by the time this film was made, the studio found another author to stand in his place. John Steinbeck was responsible for some of the best-known works to come from the 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s. His vitae reads like a High School English class curriculum with such books as Of Mice and Men (1937), The Grapes of Wrath (1939), and East of Eden (1952), just to name a few.

Author John Steinbeck is your host for O. Henry's Full House.

The film opens with Steinbeck, supposedly in his study, discussing how O. Henry created many noteworthy stories, often set in New York City, which O. Henry referred to as Bagdad on the Subway. First up is “The Cop and the Anthem”.

The Cop and the Anthem starring: Charles Laughton, David Wayne, Marilyn Monroe. Directed by Henry Koster. Screenplay by Lamar Trotti. Based on the short story The Cop and the Anthem" in New York World (Dec 4, 1904) by O. Henry. Production: January 1952.

Winter has arrived and homeless bum Soapy Throckmorton (Charles Laughton) is preparing to spend it in the comforts of jail. Soapy is well-educated and lazy. He discusses his plans with his friend, another homeless man, Horace Truesdale (David Wayne). Horace doesn’t like Soapy’s idea.

One thing Soapy Throckmorton (Charles Laughton) does to get arrested is order a costly meal he can't pay for.

Nevertheless, Soapy goes about trying to make his plan a reality. His first idea is to steal an umbrella from a passerby (Philip Tonge). However, the passerby apparently stole it himself and, thinking it was from Soapy, gladly gives it to him before hurrying away. Next, Soapy goes to a fancy restaurant and orders a multi-course meal that he can not pay for. But rather than being arrested, the restaurant, in the spirit of the season, lets him go.

Unfazed, Soapy throws a discarded horseshoe through a shop window, but witnesses think Horace did it and the police chase after him.

Soapy accosts a woman (Marilyn Monroe) who turns out to be a prostitute.

In a last-ditch effort, Soapy approaches a young woman (Marilyn Monroe), hoping that he’ll be arrested for annoying her. However, when she turns out to be a streetwalker, he has to cover his actions to prevent her from being arrested.

Frustrated, Soapy and Horace seek shelter in a church, and the peaceful surroundings remind Soapy that he grew up privileged and pampered, with dreams of living a fine life. Determined to reform, Soapy leaves, but is arrested by police for loitering outside the church. Although Soapy pleads with the judge, that he is a changed man, the judge still sentences him to ninety days in jail.

Back in his study, Steinbeck explains that O. Henry learned about jail "the hard way" and never felt superior to the people about whom he wrote. "The Clarion Call" is a good example of this.

The Clarion Call: Starring: Dale Robertson, Richard Widmark. Directed by Henry Hathaway. Screenplay by Richard L. Breen. Based on the short story "The Clarion Call" in New York World (Oct 29, 1905) by O. Henry. Production: January 16 to 23, 1952.

Policeman Barney Woods (Dale Robertson) returns to his New York City station after escorting a counterfeiter to Ft. Leavenworth. There, he speaks to one of the detectives about the brutal murder of a man called Norcross. Apparently, the only piece of evidence is a gold pencil holder, engraved "Camptown Races 4 July 1901," which was left at the scene.

Policeman Barney Woods (Dale Robertson) searches and finds Johnny Kernan (Richard Widmark).

He doesn’t reveal that he recognizes it and casually asks if he can borrow the evidence. Barney then goes in search of its owner, hardened criminal Johnny Kernan (Richard Widmark). Johnny was Barney's boyhood friend, is delighted when Barney finds him, and tells him he is on his way to Chicago.

Barney reveals that he is a policeman and that the pencil holder, which was a prize won by them in a singing contest, links Johnny to the murder. Johnny then confesses to the killing but caustically reminds Barney that he owes him $1,000. Johnny had lent the money to him when Barney suffered heavy gambling debts years earlier. Knowing that Barney could not arrest him while he is still in his debt, he dismisses his former friend.

Barney does his best to raise the money he owes Johnny.

Barney then spends the afternoon taking out loans and cashing in his insurance in an attempt to raise the money, but he can only raise $300, which Johnny refuses. He tells Barney that he must pay him the full amount to get square. Johnny then taunts Dave Bascom (House Peters), city editor of The Clarion Call, who is dining nearby. Johnny is adamant that he will not be able to catch the Norcross murderer.

Johnny taunts Dave Bascom (House Peters), city editor of The Clarion Call.

Downhearted, Barney returns to the police station. There a headline in the newspaper catches his eye and causes him to rush to Bascom's office.

Later, Barney intercepts Johnny in his train compartment and gives him $1,000 before trying to arrest him. Johnny fights back and even pulls a gun on Barney, but Barney has disabled the firing pin. As Johnny is escorted off the train, he spots The Clarion Call's evening headline, which offers a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the Norcross killer.

Back in his office, Steinbeck then relates that although O. Henry was born in North Carolina, he loved New York, and one of his stories, "The Last Leaf," is about the artists of Greenwich Village.

The Last Leaf: Starring Anne Baxter, Jean Peters, and Gregory Ratoff. Directed by Jean Negulesco. Screenplay by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts. Based on the short story "The Last Leaf" in New York World (Oct 15, 1905) by O. Henry. Production: February 20 to 26, 1952.

Actor Sheldon Sidney (Bert Hicks) breaks Joanna Goodwin's (Anne Baxter) heart.

Joanna Goodwin (Anne Baxter) is heartbroken when her lover, actor Sheldon Sidney (Bert Hicks), abruptly ends their relationship. In her grief, Joanna wanders through the streets during a snowstorm. Finally, her eccentric, Russian neighbor, painter Behrman (Gregory Ratoff), finds her and carries her to the apartment she shares with her sister Susan (Jean Peters).

The doctor (Richard Garrick) diagnoses that Joanna has pneumonia. Despite Sue's best efforts, Joanna continues to grow worse.

Behrman, who is fond of the sisters, sells one of his surrealistic paintings to art dealer Boris Radolf (Steven Geray ) to pay for Jo's prescriptions. Radolf urges his friend to paint in a more realistic style, so that he can sell his work, but Behrman refuses.

Susan (Jean Peters) tries to help Joanna, but she appears to have lost the will to live.

The doctor tells Sue that Jo apparently has lost the will to live. One evening, Joanna tells Sue that the ivy vine clinging to a wall outside their window has steadily been losing leaves, and she believes it to be a sign that when the last leaf falls, she will die.

Painter Behrman (Gregory Ratoff) tries to console Susan.

Behrman, discouraged over his lack of success, gets drunk but nonetheless tries to cheer up the despondent Sue. When she awakens, Joanna is thrilled to see that the "leaf" is still there, and assures Sue that she will recover fully.

The sisters are then saddened to learn that Behrman died from exposure during the night. Susan then discovers that the last leaf has only been painted on the wall and deduces that Behrman painted the leaf for Joanna, but decides not to tell her. She tells her that someday she will realize what a great artist Behrman was.

Back in his study, Steinbeck notes that O. Henry once wrote that "no one was too good to slip, or too bad to climb." As an illustration of his point, he wrote "The Ransom of Red Chief".

The Ransom of Red Chief Starring: Fred Allen, Oscar Levant, Lee Aaker, Irving Bacon, Kathleen Freeman, and Robert Easton. Directed by Howard Hawks, Screenplay by Ben Hecht, Nunnally Johnson and Charles Lederer. Based on the short story "The Ransom of Red Chief" in The Saturday Evening Post (Jul 6, 1906) by O. Henry. Production: May 22 to June 2, 1952.

Con men Sam "Slick" Brown (Fred Allen) and William Smith (Oscar Levant) arrive in Alabama.

In the early 1900s, confidence men Sam "Slick" Brown (Fred Allen) and William Smith (Oscar Levant) are driving through rural Alabama. Down on their luck, they set up camp near a cave and plot how they can raise capital for a phony stock scheme.

Over William's objections, Slick suggests that they kidnap a child for ransom, figuring that parents will pay anything to get back their child. However, they get more than they bargained for when the boy they abduct, J. B. Dorset (Lee Aaker), proves too wild for them to handle.

Meanwhile, the parents, Ebenezer (Irving Bacon) and his wife (Kathleen Freeman), take notice, but don’t do anything about getting him back or reporting the crime.

When Slick leaves to drop off the ransom note, J.B. intimidates William with his pocket knife and ends up with his watch and William with a black eye. Slick manages to get it back when he returns, but things go downhill from there.

J. B. Dorset (Lee Aaker) proves to be too much for Slick and William to handle.

While they await the ransom, William and Slick spend a harrowing twenty-four hours being tormented by J. B., who manages to steal their watches, insists on being called "Red Chief," and "sics" a wild bear on them. J.B. also gives “flowers” to William, which end up being poison ivy.

Finally, the weary men receive a note from J. B.'s father Ebenezer stating that he will take the boy off their hands for $250.

Desperate to be rid of J.B., Slick and William return him to his parents, along with all of their money. As they race away, before J. B. can catch up with them, William bemoans his black eye and poison ivy rash, but Slick tells him to cheer up, for a confidence man is nothing without confidence.

Back in his study, Steinbeck relates that at the turn of the century, certain social leaders declared that there were only four hundred people in New York worth knowing. In rebuttal, O. Henry wrote what has become one of his most famous stories, "The Gift of the Magi".

The Gift of the Magi Starring Jeanne Crain and Farley Granger. Directed by Henry King. Screenplay by Walter Bullock. Based on the short story "The Gift of the Magi" in New York World (Dec 10, 1905) by O. Henry. Production:  November 19 to 27, 1951.

Jim Young (Farley Granger) and his pregnant wife Della (Jeanne Crain) are happy and deeply in love.

Accounting clerk Jim Young (Farley Granger) and his pregnant wife Della (Jeanne Crain) are happy and deeply in love, despite their poverty. On Christmas Eve morning, Jim and Della joke about the lavish gifts they will give each other.

On his way to work, Della and Jim see the perfect Christmas gifts for each other.

When Della walks Jim to work, they stop and admire the wares displayed in store windows. Of special interest to Della is a platinum watch fob that would go perfectly with Jim's heirloom pocket watch. Jim, meanwhile, points out three, elegant silver combs that would look beautiful in Della's long lavish hair.

Jim's hopes for a Christmas bonus are dashed.

Jim is planning on using his Christmas bonus to buy the combs for her, but their boss, A.J. Crump (Harry Hayden), announces that because things are tight, they will only get $3 in their next check.

Maurice (Fritz Feld) pays to cut off Della's hair.

Meanwhile, determined to get the fob for Jim, Della sells her hair to hairdresser Maurice (Fritz Feld) for $20. When she eventually sees her cropped head in a mirror, she tearfully wonders if Jim will still love her.

Della is shocked by her own appearance.

Even though the watch fob is more than she has, the shop owner Menkie (Sig Rugman) lets her buy it for what money she does have.

When Jim arrives home, he is astonished by Della's appearance, but assures her that nothing could lessen his love for her.

Jim then gives Della her Christmas present, the silver combs, and although her short hair can no longer hold them, she is touched by Jim's thoughtfulness.

The two are in good humor after their gift exchange.

Della then gives Jim the platinum fob, and wants him to use it right away. That’s when he admits that he sold his watch in order to buy her the combs. As the couple then laugh and embrace, they listen to carolers sing about the joys of the season.

The film premiered in Los Angeles in September with the five stories but one of them, "The Ransom of Red Chief", was cut from the film after receiving a poor reception, before it was shown in New York in October. Some outlets described it as O'Henry's Four of a Kind.

After watching the film, I agree that "The Ransom of Red Chief" is the weakest of the five. Unlike the others, that sequence did not come together as well as the others. It seems much less believable and not as funny as Hawks may have thought it was. The talents of Fred Allen, perhaps best known as a radio host, and Oscar Levant, not to mention the writers involved, aren’t enough to save it.

Nunally Johnson apparently wrote the first draft when the two characters were supposed to be played by Clifton Webb and William Demarest. When Allen and Levant were cast, Hawks had the other two writers refashion the script for them. So displeased was he with the end result, that Johnson tried to have his name removed from the credits.

The Four of a Kind version was what The New York Times reviewed, as the film is referred to by that name. The unsigned review is somewhat critical of the choice of Steinbeck to narrate, ”He is obviously not O. Henry. Nor is he as suave as Mr. Maugham. These stories need no introduction. They thoroughly stand on their own.” Steinbeck does come across as a bit gruff and not someone you would think of introducing what, for the most part, are somewhat lighthearted. But I think the introductions are good for anyone new to the work of O. Henry, as Steinbeck does sprinkle his narration with information about the author many might now know.

The review doesn’t have issue with the idea behind the film, ”… O. Henry is an author whose brief tales are as worthy of movie digestion as are those of Somerset Maugham.” However, the reviewer does think that some of the “surprise endings” won’t have the same effect since the stories are so well known, “Naturally some of the surprises that characteristically top off each tale are so familiar to so many people that the impact of them may be lost.” In reference to “The Gift of the Magi”, the reviewer contends, “Every American above the eighth grade must know the topper to this tender tale of the poor but devoted young couple who exchange gifts at Christmas-time—and discover the truth of the proverb that it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

This might not be so true anymore, as O. Henry’s tales are not as well-read or as fresh these days. Therefore, the surprise endings might work better for modern audiences, though the stories themselves might not garner the same interest. These short stories deal with a time in American history that many might not be able to relate to.

The acting for the most part, is pretty good throughout, though I find Richard Widmark’s performance rather jarring. Interestingly, I’ve read this is not a part Widmark wanted. As the reviewer points out, and which Widmark himself supposedly felt, he is redoing “the gangster-era eccentric that Mr. Widmark created in Kiss of Death” (1947), the giggling, sociopathic villain Tommy Udo. But when threatened with the ruin of his career if he refused, Widmark did the film. A toned-down performance might have worked better, but he gave the director what he wanted.

Some of the actors deserve credit for their performances. Charles Laughton is good in the “Cop and the Anthem”. His Soapy character recalls, for me, the Walrus from the “Walrus and the Carpenter” segment in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland (1951), though in this case, he sees the error of his ways, the Walrus did not.

“The Last Leaf” comes across as a bit overly dramatic, but Gregory Ratoff gives a good performance as a very three-dimensional supporting character. You get a real sense of Behrman’s own pains, but that at his heart he’s a loving caring person. In some ways, he’s the star of this part of the film.

Jeanne Crain and Farley Granger play their parts well, too. They come across as a very loving couple who are happy with their lots in life. As the reviewer notes, they are more blessed to give than to receive.

Overall, the film makes for an interesting view. This will probably not be on anyone’s favorite film list, but it does provide some insights into the life and work of O. Henry and does bring some of his better-known short stories to life.