I deny your right to kill me
A Catholic Mission in 1947 China has been waiting for a replacement priest ever since their last father died. Father O'Shea arrives to the village with a strange sense of purpose. He is a handsome man that has a sense of purpose and strength unlike most priests. When the leader of a
militia threatens to invade the village, the Father O'Shea's true colors may surface.
"Don't rely on that collar too much, father."
"Do you want me to take it off?"
Edward Dmytryk, director of The Young Lions, The Mirage, The Reluctant Saint, The Caine Mutiny, Golden Gloves, and The Falcon Strikes Back, delivers The Left Hand of God. The storyline for this picture is interesting and had the potential to be on par with Guns of San Sebastian (Charles Bronson and Anthony Quinn); however, the action was not as fierce as the previously referenced picture.
"His eyes are so beautifully unhappy."
This film initially grabbed my attention due to the impressive cast that includes Humphrey Bogart, Lee Cobb, Gene Tierney, E.G. Marshall, and Agnes Moorehead. I did find Humphrey Bogart impressively strong and charismatic; however, I thought the action scenes were a bit lame. The story is fairly cool and delivered well but this is far from my favorite Bogart picture.
"Every man finds his own path."
Grade: B-/B
October 12, 2011
