Mara Maru

Mara Maru

1952 Theatrical Poster
Directed by Gordon Douglas
Produced by David Weisbart
Written by N. Richard Nash
Based on story by Phillip Yordan
Sidney Harmon
Hollister Noble
Starring Errol Flynn
Ruth Roman
Music by Max Steiner
Cinematography Robert Burks
Edited by Robert L. Swanson
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release dates
 April 23, 1952[1]
Running time
 98 mins.
Country United States
Language English
Box office $1.5 million (US & Canada rentals)[2]
970,719 admissions (France)[3]

Mara Maru is a 1952 film directed by Gordon Douglas. It stars Errol Flynn and Ruth Roman.[4][5]

Plot summary

Gregory Mason and Andy Callahan are partners in a salvage business in Manila. Callahan is murdered after some drunken talk about sunken treasure; Mason is suspected by Lt Zuenon of the local police because he is in love with Callahan's wife, Stella.

Mason is arrested but is released after Steven Ranier comes forward and says he witnesses the murder. Ranier says he is a private investigator who worked for Callahan and Mason hires him to help him find Callahan's killer.

Ranier introduces Mason to Brock Benedict, who wants Mason to find and recover a diamond-encrusted religious icon off the Philippines coast, located in a sunken PT boat on which Mason and Callahan served. He offers to split the proceeds with Mason and Stella.

Mason goes to find the treasure on board the "Mara Maru", with Benedict and Stella coming along. Stella falls in love with Mason and discovers Benedict is planning to kill him as soon as the treasure is found. She tells Mason this but he insists on continuing the expedition.

Mason finds the icon and at first intends to keep it for himself. A storm hits and Stella, Mason and Mason's assistant Manuelo take refuge in a village. Manuel steals the cross intending to return it to the church, but is caught by Senor Ortega, who originally took the cross to hide it from the invading Japanese. Mason gets the cross off Ortega, just as Benedict and his henchmen arrive. A fight ensues in which Ortega gives his life to save Mason. Mason hands the cross to Manuelo to give to the church and he and Stella are united.

Cast

Production

Warner Bros announced in January 1950 that they had bought the film's story off Philip Yordan, Sydney Harmon and Hollister Noble.[6] Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts were originally reported as working on the script, which was described as about five war veterans who buy a Japanese war boat and set about salvaging a sunken war vessel.[7] Everett Freeman was assigned to produce.[8] In July 1950 Warners announced it for the coming year.[9]

In May of the following year David Weisbart was announced as producer.[10] In September, Warners said that Errol Flynn would star and Gordon Douglas would direct[11] Richard Nash had written the script.[12]

Ruth Roman and Raymond Burr were brought on board to support Flynn.[13] (Burr's weight had gone down from 300 to 185 pounds.[14])

Flynn made the film after an extensive period of travelling.[15]

It was shot at Warner Bros and on location at Los Angeles and Newport Harbors, Balboa Island, Catalina Island and the San Fernando Mission (doubling for a Manila Cathedral).[16][17]

Reception

According to The New York Times

The gobbledegookish title of Warner's Mara Maru is not the only obscure and unexciting thing about this stale adventure film. Its wholly improbable build-up of a criss-cross of rivalries... is bleakly confused and grossly tiresome, and when the action does finally get around to the business of diving for the treasure it is hackneyed and cheaply emotionalized. Even Errol Flynn and Ruth Roman as the working stars in its cast give the impression of being bored and indifferent toward it all.[18]

The Los Angeles Times said that "while its scenes of physical action are scarcely original... they keep one's eyes on the screen with a fair amount of absorption. What ails the overall production is that its performers talk too darn much."[19]

The Chicago Daily Tribune called it a "preposterous affair" with "a boringly complicated plot... poor."[20]

It was the last movie Flynn made for Warner Bros in Hollywood for that studio, where he had started out in 1935. However he did go on to appear in The Master of Ballantrae for them, and return to make Too Much, Too Soon.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "Of Local Origin". New York Times. 23 Apr 1952. p. 25.
  2. ↑ 'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', Variety, January 7, 1953
  3. ↑ 1952 French box office figures at Box Office Story
  4. ↑ http://www.allmovie.com/movie/mara-maru-v101578
  5. ↑ Bosley Crowther, 'Mara Maru', New York Times, April 24, 1952, accessed July 7, 1952
  6. ↑ Schallert, Edwin (16 Jan 1950). "Drama: Garbo Picture All Set; Douglas Subject Bought; U-I on Headline Trail". Los Angeles Times. p. 23.
  7. ↑ THOMAS F. BRADY Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. (29 May 1950). "METRO PLANS FILM OF 'AFTER ALL I DID': GREER GARSON CONSIDERED FOR LEAD--BOGART'S ASSIGNMENT IN 'PROJECT NO. 7' CONFIRMED CARNOVSKY ENGAGED FOR "CYRANO"". New York Times. p. 22.
  8. ↑ "FILMLAND BRIEFS". Los Angeles Times. 5 June 1950. p. B12.
  9. ↑ "JACK WARNER INDICATES NO TV FILMS PLANNED". Los Angeles Times. 14 July 1950. p. 22.
  10. ↑ "Warner Bros. Lists 52 Films on Schedule". Los Angeles Times. 30 May 1951. p. A3.
  11. ↑ "Drama: Errol Flynn Will Star in 'Mara Maru'". Los Angeles Times. 19 Sep 1951. p. B8.
  12. ↑ THOMAS M. PRYOR Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. (19 Sep 1951). "ERROL FLYNN GETS LEAD IN SEA STORY: Actor Will Star for Warners in 'Mara Maru,' Dealing With Search for Lost Bullion Leonard Gets Assignment". New York Times. p. 36.
  13. ↑ Schallert, Edwin (23 Oct 1951). "Drama: 'Desert Rats' Follows 'Desert Fox;' Unusual 'Napoleon' Film Slated". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.
  14. ↑ "Drama: Eileen Christy Lead With Bill Shirley". Los Angeles Times. 30 Nov 1951. p. 26.
  15. ↑ Hedda Hopper, 'Errol Flynn Halts Travels; Will Make Adventure Movie: Looking at Hollywood....', Chicago Daily Tribune 19 Sep 1951: a2.
  16. ↑ Tony Thomas, Rudy Behlmer & Clifford McCarty, The Films of Errol Flynn, Citadel Press, 1969 p 177
  17. ↑ http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/27256/Mara-Maru/articles.html
  18. ↑ Review of film at New York Times
  19. ↑ Scheuer, Philip K (3 May 1952). "Flynn Finds Drama on Ocean Floor". Los Angeles Times. p. 12.
  20. ↑ Tinee, Mae (8 May 1952). "Flynn Is Rugged Deep Sea Diver in This Movie: "MARA MARU"". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. c5.
  21. ↑ Schallert, Edwin (22 Mar 1954). "Drama: MGM Gives Big Boost to Total Output; Errol Flynn Ends Warner Pact". Los Angeles Times. p. B7.
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