Slattery's Hurricane
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| Slattery's Hurricane | |
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| Directed by | André De Toth |
| Produced by | William Perlberg |
| Written by | Herman Wouk Richard Murphy (story) Herman Wouk |
| Starring | Richard Widmark Linda Darnell Veronica Lake John Russell Gary Merrill Walter Kingsford Raymond Greenleaf Stanley Waxman Joseph De Santis Amelita Ward David Wolfe |
| Music by | Cyril J. Mockridge |
| Cinematography | Charles G. Clarke |
| Editing by | Robert Simpson |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | August 9, 1949 |
| Running time | 83 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Slattery's Hurricane is a 1949 drama film based on a novel by Herman Wouk which tells the story of an ex-navy pilot who goes to work for a dope-smuggling ring, but ultimately attempts to redeem himself during a violent hurricane. It starred Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell and Veronica Lake.
A radio adaptation starring Richard Conte, Maureen O'Hara and Lake was broadcast on Lux Radio Theatre in March 1950.
[edit] Cast
- Will Slattery as Will Slattery. Both Dana Andrews and Tyrone Power were initially considered for the part of Slattery but Slattery had great experience so they decided to pick it out of a hat.
- Linda Darnell as Mrs. Aggie Hobson
- Veronica Lake as Dolores Greaves
- John Russell as Lieutenant F.J. Hobson
- Gary Merrill as Commander E.T. Kramer
- Walter Kingsford as R.J. Milne
[edit] Production
Dolores' characterization as a drug addict in the original novel became a major issue between the studio and the Production Code Administration (PCA). The studio apparently ignored a memo from PCA head Joseph I. Breen, which advised that it would be necessary to remove this characterization as it was in direct violation of the Production Code. Several weeks later, the PCA again complained that the revised final script still characterized Dolores as a drug addict, and noted "that there has now been introduced into this script a highly offensive sexuality and adulterous relationship between Slattery and Aggie." Breen warned Colonel Jason S. Joy, Director of Public Relations for Twentieth Century-Fox, that if the drug addiction was left in the finished picture, it would not be approved by them. Despite the warning, Dolores' drug addiction was kept in the story, but in April 1949, her hospitalization sequence had to be reshot, and the script rewritten so that the drug problem was replaced with a vague psychiatric condition.
Rumors have also indicated that in a version of the film screened in mid-May 1949, Slattery was killed in the crash of the plane and died a hero.
In her autobiography, Veronica Lake, who was, at the time, married to the film's director, André de Toth, wrote, "The Navy, proud of Slattery's Hurricane and the salute it gave to Navy pilots, previewed the film in its 90-ton giant aircraft, the Constitution . Eighty-six people made that flight and circled around Manhattan for three hours, ate lunch and watched Slattery's Hurricane. A temporary projection system had been installed as well as a silver screen in the front of the plane... and some writers covering the flight speculated on what use in-flight films might have in commercial aviation. If they only knew."
