Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)

A Marine and a Nun, The Marine (Robert Mitchum) is shipwrecked on a Pacific Island and the Nun (Deborah Kerr) has been left behind there, they find comfort in one another as the two wait out the war.First, I want to say I think it is a shame that the Japanese actors are uncredited. Sure, they have only a very small part. But still, with a cast of basically two people, would it hurt to add these two guys? (Even IMDb has no idea who they are.) But what I really liked about this film is just how strong Robert Mitchum is. I love him as a dirty, nasty villain, in such classics as "Cape Fear" and "Night of the Hunter". But you know what? This just shows he also has a caring side and can actually come across as romantic and sweet when he wants to.Deborah Kerr is also good, but I wish they had not scripted the nun to be so naive. She comes off as very ignorant at times, which is unfair. No doubt any real nun would be quite worldly.

I grew up in the 60's and attended Catholic schools. To a young man Nuns were the most mysterious people we could imagine. They lived life behind the doors of covenants and as young boys we thought that god himself might strike us down if we were to ever somehow end up inside one. They wore the unusual clothing including what I believe were called "habits" as head gear and one was left wondering wonder what else they may have on. This movie educated me to the fact that the nuns were indeed women. That they have feelings and dreams and more then just a devotion to God. I will always remember how in 2nd grade I had wet myself in class and was sent to the principal for punishment. Instead of being punished Sister St Mary Dennis comforted me. Destiny finds Mr Allsion and Sister Angela in a situation where two people very different upbringings are thrown together and must rely on each other to survive. The 1950's release date forced the director to hold back on the love interest but he did a great job of conveying what each of them felt. It was a very good movie that I think begs for a remake using a more modern day Hollywood storyline.

The movie, set in 1944, begins with a US marine drifting on a rubber raft to the shore of a small island in the South Pacific during World War II. The rugged chap, Corporal Allison, discovers a Roman Catholic nun, Sister Angela, living all alone after she was inadvertently left behind by those who fled before the impending Japanese onslaught. The island has plenty of natural foods, with along with fishing, will provide the two with plenty to survive. Although the two are incompatible – the corporal is crude, while the nun is refined – they make the best of what they have. They learn to co-exist and share a not uncomfortable existence. It all changes when a small Japanese detachment arrives to secure a base on the island. Before that they shelled the island, destroying many of the breadfruit and coconut trees.Now the soldier and nun retreat to a hidden cave on higher ground, and the lifestyle of two mismatched people becomes less comfortable. Now they have to hide from peril. The corporal can still provide food like fish, but as they cannot take a chance on cooking, it must be eaten raw. Here Sister Angela has a problem, so the marine takes a huge chance and sneaks into the Japanese encampment to take a large supply of canned goods. The nun says that she will surrender herself to the Japanese, as the worst that can happen to her is that she will be placed in an internment camp. "That is not the worst thing that can happen," replies the corporal, discouraging her.Sister Angela wears a white habit, meaning that she has not yet taken her final vows of celibacy, after which she will wear a black habit and exchange her silver ring for one of gold. The marine begins to fall for the nun, but of course she will have none of it. In the purpose of her life and religious training, she is spiritually married to Jesus. Meanwhile, the main bond of the two leads is mutual respect for their beliefs. The marine understands that his job as a soldier is to protect her from harm. The nun's job is to pray. Those who maintain that this movie could have been a "love story" do not understand that being a Catholic nun means going beyond the things of this world. And a story about falling in love would not be the point of the film! After a time American forces prepare to invade the island. Will the nun and soldier survive the ordeal? This film has heart. Although the story is simple, it is beautiful. Two people essentially carry the whole picture, and the acting is great. Also the movie is a visual delight. As the situation is dangerous and often tense for our hero and heroine, the picture is not boring. See the expression on Mitchum's face when he smells the welcome bottle of sake. Although Deborah Kerr received an Oscar nomination for this movie, Robert Mitchum did not. Never did either performer ever win an Academy Award for acting. Hard to believe, is it not?

THE FILM:In 1957, Robert Mitchum is in Tobago, filming Fire Down Below. He arrives back in the United States, and he finds out that he has another gig. A marine and a nun stuck on an island. The island: Tobago.The film is called, Heaven Knows, Mister Allison. The plot alone draws comparisons to The African Queen. And there is Deborah Kerr, playing a nun. Again.THE PLOT: Corporal Allison was boarding a raft on a scouting mission, off of a submarine in 1944's Pacific. The Japanese bombed him, and he was left alone in the raft. When he came to, he was alone in the raft, in the middle of the Pacific. After a while, he drifted to an island. After checking out some abandoned shacks, he found Sister Angela, a nun, in the church. He falls asleep, and when he wakes up, Sister Angela is praying.After initially meeting awkwardly, the two soon become comfortable together, and come close to being friends. It is when the Japanese land on the island, that the strange relationship is put to the test. THE CRITICISM: Just to make myself clear, I thought that this film was a pale imitation of The African Queen. It's not a bad film, just not as good as that film. That said, it does have it's entertaining moments. I feel that it lacks that magic that was captured with The African Queen. Kerr and Mitchum have absolutely terrific chemistry, so the blame rests rather on the screen play. The film has a terrific setup, and then after a while, there is only so much you can do with a Marine and a Nun, without delving into some nasty business.Unfortunately, because of the production code, you can only go so far. So then we are fed multiple moments of Mitchum acting macho while Deborah Kerr gets to sit on the sidelines and pray. There are only two characters for the whole film, and if they begin to get tiresome, you have a serious problem. Don't get me wrong, Deborah Kerr can act the part, and Mitchum is certainly very macho, but again, only to a point until it becomes tedious. Then the Japanese decide to make the island a base, and Mitchum falls for the nun. She of course, is engaged to Jesus.The film is beautifully shot, in Colour and Cinemascope (widescreen). The lush island of Tobago never looked better. I spoke of the performances above, but to recap, Mitchum and Kerr were good, not great. The screenplay was awkward, and it felt forced at points, but the problem was the limitations of the production code.Huston's direction was good (notice good, not great). I couldn't help but imagined how he felt whilst directing it. It feels rushed, the shots get the story told, but he doesn't add much visually. Overall I feel that it felt kind of like he was doing it for the money, and he was frustrated about it. You can tell that he was limited, and it made him frustrated.It was not bad, but not great. Overall, the word I would use to describe the film is limited. Limited in plot options, performances, direction and screenplay.Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, 1957, Starring: Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr Directed by John Huston 7/10 (B-)(This is part of an ongoing project to watch and review every John Huston movie. You can read this and other reviews at everyjohnhustonmovie.blogspot.ca)