FEARLESS FAGAN

US, 1952, 79 minutes, Black and white.
Janet Leigh, Carleton Carpenter, Keenan Wynn, Richard Anderson, Ellen Corby.
Directed by Stanley Donen.

Fearless Fagan is the slightest and lightest of pleasant comedies. Janet Leigh portrays a singer who discovers an army private who is great friends with a lion. He is played by Carleton Carpenter who sang with Debbie Reynolds in Two Weeks With Love. Keenan Wynn and Richard Anderson are other army officers.

The film is mainly the story of the amiable friendship between the private and Fagan the lion. It was directed by Stanley Donen immediately after making Singin’ in the Rain – a bit of time off from rather more powerful film-making.

1. The tone of the title? Indication of comedy? The basic appeal of the idea, treatment and the results?

2. The film as a piece of Americana? The background of the circus, of Hollywood, the war? Humorous routines to farcical complications and happy outcome?

3. The brevity of the film, B-budget? Black and white photography and atmosphere?

4. How credible was the plot? The clown and his love for the lion, his taking it into the war with the inevitable repercussions? The encounter with the Hollywood star? The clashes with the army personnel? Sufficiently believable for the light touch?

5. Floyd Hilston as the hero, his role as the circus clown, his routine with Fagan, the bond with the lion and his reaction, his life in the army the encounter with Abby Ames? The ups and downs of his army career, the farcical situations? Final romance? A character sketch or a portrayal?

6. The presentation of Fagan? Audience reaction to lions? In circuses, outside circuses? The bond with Floyd? The humorous situation? the instilling of rear, army reaction? The happy ending?

7. Abby Ames as a Hollywood star, attractive style, clashes with Floyd, reaction to Fagan, the happy resolution? Sergeant KelIy? and Captain Daniels and the reaction? The portrayal of the crew, getting humour out of war situations? To the treatment of the humorous situations, farcical atmosphere, crises?

8. How appropriate was the romance? Sentiment? Did it blend well with the comedy?

9. The film as a piece of Americana, the presuppositions about heroes and heroines, good, everything working out rightly at the end?