JOHNNY DARK

US, 1954, 85 minutes, Colour.
Tony Curtis, Piper Laurie, Don Taylor, Paul Kelly, Sidney Blackmer, Scatman Crothers.
Directed by George Sherman.

Johnny Dark is a star vehicle for Tony Curtis and Piper Laurie who were emerging as top stars at Universal Studios in the early part of the 1950s. They had also appeared together in The Prince Who Was a Thief. This was the year that Tony Curtis also appeared in Houdini and The Black Shield of Falworth with his then wife Janet Leigh.

The film is familiar racing car material. Curtis is Johnny Dark, an enthusiast and an engineer who designs a new type of racing car. However, the sponsors won’t let him drive it so he enters it in another race and goes with his girlfriend. The film is mainly an opportunity for some fast car driving in American locations. The film was remade during the 1960s by Jack Arnold as The Lively Set.

1. An entertaining film? An early Tony Curtis vehicle? A Universal B feature of the fifties, style?

2. The sports genre and the conventional presentation of characters, glamorizing of cars and the race? Conventional presentation, different?

3. Photography, colour, locations, photography of the race? Bright musical background? Special effects, especially for the speed of the cars? Why do audiences so much enjoy the presentation of cars, speed?

4. How credible was the plot? The character of Johnny and his skill in car engineering? The world of racing cars? Big business? Romance? Johnny Dark's success? Big business backing him? Luck and chance? Satisfactory enough for this kind of light film?

5. How well drawn was the character of Johnny? Tony Curtis' style, hero? Skill in driving? Ambitions and plans for his cars? Lucky chances and his response? His preoccupation with the car over Liz, Duke? His anger at Duke when it was his own fault, for the failure in the race? Ambitions? Being humanized? His enterprise during the race? The happy ending? A conventional story - that most audiences like to identify with? Why?

6. The contrast with Duke? His skill in driving, risks? His wanting Liz? His rivalry, antagonism? Yet basic good-natured giving in at the end? Credible?

7. The character of Liz? As part of the Fielding family, attitude towards her grandfather, her work, involvement in the car design, infatuation with Duke, love for Johnny and yet her anger with him? The happy episodes? Her devotion and her exasperation? A typical heroine that most audiences can identify with?

8. The minor characters and the strength of their characterization: Scott and his memories of the past, his enterprise in the Fielding works, his quick thinking to save Fielding, promoting Johnny, betting against Fielding, coming to Johnny's aid? The American 'good guy'? The contrast with Fielding and the critique of big business? His vanity, wealth, anger and dominance over people, his being saved by Scott? His not backing Johnny and his deceit? The humour of his gradual involvement and his face being saved? The humour of Abby as the devoted, tough minded American secretary? The humour?

9. The presentation of the cars, the atmosphere of the fifties and the world of sports cars, the races and their dangers, the commentators and the fans, most of the footage being given to the final race and getting audiences involved?

10. A satisfactory entertainment, reflecting our world, the ordinary preoccupations of ordinary characters, ambitions, love?