RED DUST
US, 1932, 83 minutes, Black and white.
Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Gene Raymond, Mary Astor, Donald Crisp.
Directed by W.S. van Dyke.
Red Dust is a steamy story of Indochina, a rubber plantation during a drought – hence the red dust. Clark Gable portrays a plantation owner. Jean Harlow comes up-river – and in the time of the pre-code in American films, she is presented as a prostitute. She has to stay on the plantation until another boat comes to take her down-river. In the meantime a surveyor arrives, ill with malaria, with his rather prim wife. However, the wife is attracted to the plantation owner …
This is a film about passion, ably played by its cast.
It was remade twenty years later, with an African setting, as Mogambo. Clark Gable was the plantation owner once again. This time the prostitute was Ava Gardner. Donald Sinden and Grace Kelly were the couple – and the film was an early one for Grace Kelly to exhibit the combination of ice and sensuousness.
The film is interesting in terms of its popular story – the kind of Somerset Maugham story popular at the time. However, it is interesting to see the more frank expressions of professions and passion in the pre-code era.
1. The film's reputation as a classic for Clark Gable, Jean Harlow? The remake, Mogambo?
2. The film as an example of early sound film-making, black and white photography, editing, jungle locations? An authentic Indochina atmosphere?
3. The impact of the stars at the beginning of their careers? Harlow and Gable together? Mary Astor and her impact?
4. The presentation of the isolation, the rubber plantation with the great attention to the detail of the processing? The atmosphere of Indochina in the thirties? Isolation from Saigon? The presentation of the dust storms, the significance of the title? The heaviness and oppressiveness of the rain? Suitable atmosphere for this kind of love story of fidelity and infidelity?
5. The presentation of the characters born to this world, Denis and the stories about his parents, the death of his mother, his associates, attitudes towards the native workers? Dedication to work, skill in producing the rubber? Denis and his character and forceful personality, the clash with Vantine? The infatuation with Barbara? His deliberate pursuit of Barbara, helping Gary, noble attitudes? The effect of his manoeuvring things? His finally being shot but taking the stance of a hero? A textbook presentation of a noble/ignoble hero?
6. The characterization of Vantine, the contribution of Jean Harlow, the humour of her wisecracks, the presentation of her prostitute activity and reputation? The externals as being judged bad, the typical 'heart of gold' girl? Her observation, her participating in work? Denis's final nobility?
7. The intrusion of the Willises, their arrival, the New York world, civilization? The attitude of Vantine calling her 'The Duchess'? Barbara's slapping Denis, the illness, their respectability, Barbara and the latent Infidelity? Her infatuation with Denis and the final shooting? Gary and his gratitude, idolizing Denis, jealousy? The exploration of the theme of fidelity and infidelity, love?
8. The contribution of the minor characters with their work, loyalties, drunkenness? Serious aspects, comic?
9. The exploration of love, fidelity and infidelity, decisions of a moral nature?
10. The presentation of human nature, the simplification of character and issues? The nature of their resolution?
