FOLLOW THE SUN

US, 1951, 93 minutes, Black and white.
Glenn Ford, Anne Baxter, Dennis O’ Keefe, June Havoc.
Directed by Sidney Lanfield.

A routine sports biography typical of the popular films of 1950. Glenn Ford and Anne Baxter were popular stars at the time. Ben Hogan was a golfing hero of the forties and fifties (and, incidentally, can be seen as himself playing in the Martin and Lewis comedy The Caddy).

The film is based on Readers Digest articles and has that popular tone - the American background, the difficulties, the practice, the hopes and dreams, the stern serious player in comparison with other celebrities, the happy romance, the accident and the recovery. This kind of material has been done many times and the film is enjoyable in its way but of interest to golf fans.

1. Entertaining? A portrait of an American sportsman? A tribute to him? A sports film?

2. The film as adapted from Reader's Digest articles - the popular level of presentation, characterisation? The selection of incidents? the treatment with patriotism, sentiment and romance? A conventional sports film?

3. Black and white photography, locations, the Hogans following the sun in the golf tournaments? The focus on golf sequences? The importance of the crash and its impact, Hogan's recovery and therapy? The popularity of the stars?

4. The realism - the blend of fact and fiction about a sports celebrity? An atmosphere of authenticity? Sufficient for the purposes of a sport's story?

5. Hogan as hero and golfer? The humour of the sequences of Ben himself and Val as children and their bumping into each other, the proposal and the buying of the car (and Val's car sickness - and her having to get over this)? The buying of the car, the marriage, the ambitions? Hogan's training as a boy working at the golf club? His playing in the tournaments, the competitiveness, his seriousness? His not making friends easily? His gradual moving up the ladder? The financial difficulties? The concentration and his eventual wins? His lack of popularity with the sports writers? His friendship with Chuck and Chuck's wife? The clashes with the competition? The accident and Hogan's attitudes before it - carelessness? The seriousness of his injuries? The military service background and the air force coming to the rescue? The operation, the after care? His determination to walk again? The heroism of staying at home and watching on television, the repercussions of the fan mail and his mellowing, his going into practice, competition? The gruelling nature of the re-match and his losing? The banquet and tribute? A picture of a genuine man trying his best in his field? Glenn Ford's genial interpretation?

6. Anne Baxter as Val? her support, overcoming her own difficulties, being on the road, the money, making
friends with the golfing wives? her support of her husband? The attack on the sports writer and his cynicism? Her being uninjured in the accident? her continued support, keeping him at home, allowing him to go back into play? Her being vindicated? An American heroine?

7. Chuck and his genial aspects, celebrity, friendship with Ben? The clashes, the reconciliation in hospital? His wife and her humour, support?

8. The antagonistic journalist and his offhandedness, sarcastic writing?

9. How enjoyable were the golf sequences - their authenticity, interest, commentary, the crowd? The importance of learning to play before a crowd?

10. The theme of excellence, practice and long hours, competitiveness, the ruthlessness needed to win?

11. Heroism in facing accidents, crises, the will overcoming the body? satisfying human and sport's drama.