DEEP WATERS
(20th Century-Fox) ‘THE most obvious and the most elementary criticism that one could make of Deep Waters is that they are not really very deep at all. In the literal or oceanographical sense, the action is confined to the moderate soundings of the Maine coastline where Dana Andrews ekes out a comfortable enough living catching lobsters in company with a cheerful Portuguese (Cesar Romero) who would much rather breed rabbits or raise chooks, or indeed do anything other than catch lobsters. Nor is the story much deeper as a_ psychological study. It pays conventional attention to the men-must-work-and-women-must-weep theme inseparable from the emotional life of a fishing community, but employs it simply as a source of mild conflict between Andrews and his girl (Jean Peters). Nor is one in doubt at any stage that Miss Peters will eventually surrender her comfortable job as a child welfare officer (and her comfortable car) and settle down among the lobsterpots. The most promising complication in a film which can best be described as -‘mild is the presence of a 10-year-old orphan, played with commendable _ intelligence by Dean Stockwell. This small boy, son of a drowned fisherman, is the special charge of Miss Peters who feels in honour bound to dissuade him from following his father’s calling. With the twin drives of heredity and environment operating in direct opposition to her, Miss Peters’s struggle is a hopeless one from the outset. Even when the youngster decides to run away from all womenfolk he steals a boat and makes for the open sea-giving the director his chance to stage a really tempestuous sea-rescue, in the studio, with some unbelievably stormy back-projection, Apart from this lapse, the settings are remarkably fine and fairly well photographed (all the exterior work was done on the Maine coast) and there is a pleasantly fresh atmosphere about the entire film. And I quite enjoyed the sight of Cesar Romero (last seen by me in the refulgent trappings of Hernan Cortes) rigged out in grubby old clothes. He seemed to enjoy the change himself.
. BAROMETER MAINLY FAIR: "Deep Waters." OVERCAST: "Night Has a Thousand Eyes."
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19481203.2.48.1.2
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 493, 3 December 1948, Page 24
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356DEEP WATERS New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 493, 3 December 1948, Page 24
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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