Fate is the Hunter (1964) Classic Movie Review 296

Fate is the Hunter (1964)

Hello to all of the classic people that are returning. I am glad you are back. I want to welcome any new visitors. Today on Classic Movie Review, we are taking on Fate is the Hunter (1964).

I have always liked this film. I’m a general aviation buff, anyway. The story is compelling, and the acting is superb. Who could not like a film with Nancy Kwan and Suzanne Pleshette?

This film has a pretty low 6.8[1] score on iMDB.com. On Rottentomatoes.com, the film has a 40% on the Tomatometer and a 62%[2] audience score. I feel the film is better than that.

New York Time Film critic Bosley Crowther didn’t like the film and said in part in a December 10, 1964 review:

“…is a film you may be sure will never be shown as an in-flight diversion in commercial planes. And it might be better for airline travelers if they never see it anyplace. For not only is it about the crash of a commercial plane, in which 53 are killed, but it also makes airplane travel look more chancey than taking a rocket into space.

…Mr. Ford makes the dismal discovery (which is heavily hinted at early) that the accident was caused by a cup of coffee spilling over an instrument box and short-circuiting some critical wiring. Man, that’s coffee! But it’s a stupid, annoying film.”[3]

Actors – Fate is the Hunter (1964)

Returning

We have a massive number of returning actors. So, let’s get going.

Glenn Ford plays the role of airline executive and crash investigator Sam McBane. Ford is one of my favorite actors and was first covered in the excellent film Blackboard Jungle (1955).

Rod Taylor played caviler and swaggering pilot Captain Jack Savage. Taylor never fails at being exciting. Taylor was first covered in the campy Sci-Fi World Without End (1956).

Jane Russell had a small bit where she played herself. Russell was first covered in the first of the Billy Jack trilogy, The Born Losers (1967).

“Underdog” voicer Wally Cox played wartime radio engineer Ralph Bundy. This actor was first covered in the tremendous anti-war film The Bedford Incident (1965).

Nehemiah Persoff was sold as airline engineer Ben Sawyer. Persoff was first covered in the Film Noir Sweet Science movie The Harder They Fall (1956).

Portrayer of angry guys Bert Freed played family lawyer Dillon. Freed was first covered in the second film of the Billy Jack trilogy, Billy Jack (1971).

Dorothy Malone had a small part as heiress Lisa Bond and short-term fiance of Savage. Malone was first covered in the western noir Warlock (1959).

Constance Towers had a small role as Mcbane secretary Peg Burke. Towers was first covered in the beloved John Wayne Civil War film The Horse Soldiers (1959).

New

Nancy Kwan played the racially attacked ichthyologist Sally Fraser. Kwan was born in China in 1939. Her father was a Chinese architect that worked for British intelligence in World War II. Kwan’s mother was a model of Anglo origins.

Kwan’s father escaped with her and another sibling ahead of the attacking Japanese at the beginning of World War II. The family, sans the mother, remained in northern China for five years before returning to a wealthy life in Hong Kong. The young Kwan had a pony and was an excellent rider, as shown in today’s film.

Kwan attended a local Catholic girl’s school until she was 13. She then transferred to Kingsmoor School, where she studied dancing. After studying Tai Chi, Kwan decided to study ballet. At 18, she began studying at London’s Royal Ballet School.

Kwan applied for a Ray Stark production role but didn’t do well with the acting test. She was given a small role in the stage performance of “The World of Suzie Wong.” France Nuyen was offered the lead role in the film but was forced to withdraw. Kwan was then selected for the role of a Hong Kong prostitute in The World of Suzie Wong (1960). She was terrific opposite veteran actor William Holden. Kwan was nominated for the Best Actress in a Drama Golden Globe award for this role but won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer – Female.

Kwan should have been nominated for the best supporting actress Oscar. However, the competition was too stiff, with Shirley Jones winning for Elmer Gantry (1960)[4], also playing a prostitute. Also nominated were Glynis Johns for The Sundowners (1960) and Janet Leigh for Psycho (1960).

Kwan’s fame skyrocketed when Flower Drum Song (1961) was released. She was on the cover of “Vouge” magazine and had a hairstyle named after her cut. Kwan continued to make films and travel the world. Today’s film, Fate is the Hunter (1964), was her sixth film.

Kwan played an island native in the comedy Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. (1966), where she wanted the stranded Dick Van Dyke to marry her. I never understood why Van Dyke got on the helicopter. Kwan later appeared in the Dean Martin James Bond spoof The Wrecking Crew (1968). During the film, she met the great martial artist Bruce Lee, and the pair became good friends.

Kwan was also active on television, with roles in “Kung Fu” 1972-1975 and “Hawaii Five-O” 1968-1980.

In 1972, Kwan returned to Hong Kong to be with her ailing father. While she continued to work in Asia, her popularity in America faltered. She had expected to spend a year in Hong Kong but stayed for nearly a decade.

When Kwan returned to America, she acted in miniseries and nighttime soap operas. She also continued in movies. One notable film from this era was Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993), an origin story of her old friend.

Kwan is still alive and active as of this writing.

Suzanne Pleshette played the crash-surviving stewardess Martha Webster. Pleshette was born in 1937 in New York City. Her father was a television executive, and her mother was a former dancer.

Pleshette attended New York City’s High School of the Performing Arts, although she did not feel she was a gifted actor. After high school, Pleshette attended Syracuse University and Finch College for a semester each. Afterward, she attended the Neighborhood Playhouse and was trained by Sanford Meisner.

This lovely actress debuted on Broadway in 1957. Her first television role was also that year. The following year Pleshette was in the Jerry Lewis comedy The Geisha Boy (1958). She mainly continued in television roles with a few films sprinkled in. On Broadway, she replaced Anne Bancroft as Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker.”

In 1963, Pleshette had a part in The Birds (1963). Other films include the Raoul Walsh-directed A Distant Trumpet (1964), of course, Fate is the Hunter (1964), Disney’s The Ugly Dachshund (1966), Disney’s Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968), comedy western Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971), and The Shaggy D.A. (1976). During this period, she was extremely active on television.

In 1972, Pleshette began her role as Emily Hartley on “The Bob Newhart Show” 1972-1978. She was in 142 episodes, where the couple usually spent time talking while lying in bed. Bob Newhart had another show called “Newhart” from 1982 to 1990, where he was an innkeeper. For the final episode of “Newhart,” Pleshette returned as Emily Hartley. Newhart woke with his wife from the first show, turning the later show into just a dream sequence.

Pleshette was diagnosed with cancer in 2007 and died the following year.

Story – Fate is the Hunter (1964)

The movie begins with a Consolidated airplane being loaded for a flight. Company executive Sam C. McBane (Glenn Ford) exits his office. At the dispatch area, airline pilot Jack Savage (Rod Taylor) asks McBane if he wants to go fishing. McBane looks at Savage’s basket and fishing tackle with incredulity.

McBaine gives weather information to the director of operations and maintenance, Ben Sawyer (Nehemiah Persoff). Savage razzes McBane for being so devoted to the airline and talks about McBane’s assumed forthcoming promotion. McBane and Sawyer inform Savage that Sawyer is up for the same job, and it’s far from a done deal. Savage tells McBane that the money is on him and they should get together soon.

On Savage’s flight, stewardess Martha Webster (Suzanne Pleshette) and D’Arcy (Marianna Case) are preparing the plane for departure. Savage and his co-pilot Murray (Joe Patridge). Savage flirts with the ladies. Wanting to see D’Arcy again, he asks that she bring him a cup of coffee when she has time.

The crew goes through the pre-flight checklist as the passengers board the plane. As a troupe, they have a small child traveling alone. Savage seems a little distracted as the plane begins to taxi. The plane is heading from Los Angeles to Seattle. Savage is disappointed when Martha brings the coffee forward.

Martha is seated in the co-pit as the plane begins to take off. As the plane climbs, there is a bang as the right engine explodes, starting a fire. Savage is cool and orders everything cut to that engine and to turn on the extinguisher.

Savage calls for an emergency landing but can’t because three planes are in the pattern. The fire is out, and the left engine is working well. Savage notes that his coffee has spilled. Suddenly the radio goes out, and the warning bell rings, noting that the left engine has also gone out.

Savage orders all power and fuel going to the left engine to be cut off. Martha sees that both engines are out, and the passengers should be made ready for a crash. The air traffic control team says the plane has fallen below the radar.

Co-pilot Murray is happy as Savage guides the doomed flight onto a flat sandy beach. The landing is going fine, and the plane is slowing. To their horror, the pilots see a wooden pier ahead. As it hits, the plane explodes into a massive fireball.

The credits begin to roll over the billowing flames.

Fire trucks, ambulances, reporters, and onlookers arrive. McBane and VP Stillman (Robert J. Wilke) arrive at the crash site. McBane and Sawyer see that the landing was level, and they may have been okay if not for the pier.

Three people, including Martha, were thrown clear and survived the crash.

McBane and Sawyer examine the cockpit and see the empty coffee cup. Proctor (Robert F. Simon) from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) takes over the crash and asks for a place to store the wreckage. McBane is beset by reporters, including Dan Crawford (Max Showalter). McBane says that the right engine failed after takeoff. Sawyer says the failed engine did not cause the crash because the left engine was still working at the last radio contact. McBane defends pilot Savage. An airline executive explains how a black box works. Wow. Long time back.

Stillman says the FBI thinks it may be sabotage because one passenger took out almost $400,000 of flight insurance. McBane orders the plane checked for explosives over the objections of CAB Proctor.

The mother of the child stumbles through the crash site and finds her child’s doll.

Reporter Crawford tells McBane that two more passengers died, leaving only Martha. Crawford says that it is tough luck. McBane says luck has nothing to do with it. Crawford says the pier should have been removed two days prior, but the contractor extended his hunting trip because the hunting was good and delayed the job. McBane states again the crash is not the result of luck.

McBane goes to the hospital and grills Martha about what happened on the flight. She says that the warning lights for both engines were on, and the alarm was ringing. Martha breaks down with survivor’s guilt.

The parts of the airplane are gathered in a giant hangar. One of the inspectors finds Seagull feathers in the right engine, explaining why the engine failed. An ornithologist says this gull species rarely flies on the landside and should not have been at the location.

Sawyer and McBane are taken to the left engine, and it’s in perfect working order. This contradicts what Martha previously stated. The men are informed that the black box has been destroyed as well. They haven’t given up on the sabotage theory. They have identified passenger Stanley Richards, which may have been played by Bert Stevens.

Proctor, Sawyer, and McBane go to listen to the voice recordings. Crawford comes in with a news scoop that Savage was seen in a bar a few hours before takeoff. McBane still defends his friend. Savage was seen in two bars with a very drunk friend.

Sawyer reminds McBane that Savage came from a flying circus and was quite a partyer back in the day. Sawyer and McBane argue about the fault of the crash.

Stillman, Proctor, Sawyer, McBane, and another man listen to the flight tape in the tower. McBane points out that Savage’s voice shows he is clear and in control. All three planes that kept Savage from immediately landing were off of their schedule, another act of fate.

Proctor and the crew are called by the FBI. Stanley Richards’ luggage was found, and it was clear. They also say that Richards’ traveling companion had a premonition about the flight and failed to board. That is when Richards bought the insurance. I’m flashing back to Sonny Bono and Van Heflin.

Secretary Peg Burke (Constance Towers) allows Mark Hutchins to enter the room. The report of drinking has hit the newspaper. They are worried that they will be sued. Stillman, Hutchins, and Stevens attack the character of bachelor Savage. One even says he is dating a Chinese girl. Their words, not mine. McBane fights back against the smearing of the pilot. McBane says he was a co-pilot with Savage during the war. Sawyer and McBane fight again. Stillman demands that they blame Savage.

After the men leave McBane’s office, Peg comes into the room. She makes sense in saying it wasn’t one thing but many things. She also warns him he will not get the promotion if he goes against the team and defends Savage.

McBane goes to the bar where Savage was seen before the flight. Bartender Bernie (Stanley Adams) says he is sure it was Savage who was drinking. Bernie mentions that the man with Savage was crocked. The waitress (Laurie Mitchell) says the friend’s name is Micky. They also say Savage paid the band to play “Blue Moon.”

McBane goes to an upscale apartment complex where Savage used to live. McBane finds the checked jacket that Bernie said Savage wore in the bar. A fish tank in the room seems out of character for Savage. There is a small accordion, and McBane looks at a lady’s garter. It triggers a flashback to the war where Jane Russell, playing herself, is entertaining the troops at a USO show. Savage and McBane are together. They are wearing the World War II China Burma India Theater (CBI)[5] patch, which may indicate that Savage was connected with the Flying Tigers.

Russell throws her garter, and McBane catches it. He wins a date with the actress/singer. Savage arrives while McBane is getting ready for his date to tell him it is canceled because he has to fly a cargo mission in the morning. Savage takes Russell on a date splashing mud on McBane as they drive by.

In the morning, Russell and Savage come back from their date. McBane and the crew are waiting to leave on the cargo flight. Savage has obtained another garter. Savage is sleepy and plans to rest while McBane does the difficult flight. From the footage, it seems like they are flying over the Hump from India to China over the eastern edge of the Himalayan Mountains[6]. The Hump was and still is one of the most dangerous places to fly on the planet.

As Savage requested, crewman Ralph Bundy (Wally Cox) tells him they are over a Japanese base. Savage goes on the radio and broadcasts an accordion-backed off-key version of “Blue Moon.” McBane tells Savage that the plane is overweight and losing altitude.

Savage takes over the flying while McBane helps two men parachute from the plane. Bundy is stuck, and Savage says he will take care of him. McBane jumps. 

Back at the airbase later, McBane and the two men that jumped are brought back. They look like they have a week or two of wear. They are shocked that the plane Savage was flying is already back at the base. Savage is a hero for having saved Bundy and the plane. Savage gets rewarded with a command in Greenland.

Savage gloats over McBain. Savage gives the second garter to McBain.

Returning to the present time, McBane sees a picture of a woman, Lisa Bond (Dorothy Malone). The landlady says that the woman is a Pasadena heiress. McBane plans to visit Lisa even though she may be in mourning.

When McBane arrives, Lisa is having a lively party at her home. Her excuse is that the party was scheduled and couldn’t be stopped in time. Lisa could care less because they had a short romance that began with Savage rescuing Lisa from a broken airport bathroom door. McBane gets snotty about her attitude, but Lisa stops him and begins to tell her and Savage’s story. Savage didn’t fit into her world. Lisa also says Savage was seen a few weeks later with a Chinese. Their words, not mine. McBane pushes Lisa, and she says that Savage was totally unreliable.

McBane calls Peg and says they’re sunk when it comes to defending Savage. Peg reports that Savage broke up with the Chinese girl he was dating in a short fashion because he changed his insurance beneficiary to a woman named Sally Fraser.

McBane goes to Marineland of the Pacific. Is that the same as the Cetacean Institute?

He is taken to a laboratory where Sally Fraser (Nancy Kwan) is working as a researcher, and she is Chinese. McBane is shocked that she has an English-based last name. Sally talks about being a World War II orphan in China. She also says that Savage told her McBane was a good man.

Sally flashes back to meeting Savage. She was riding, and he was fishing. The ichthyologist Sally leaps off her horse to attack Savage, who is netting a trout he has hooked. The fish gets away, and he tries to throw her into the water. They begin to talk, and before long, it is love.

This meeting is the day of his engagement party. Since he didn’t really want to marry Lisa, he hung out with Sally. Savage knew his late arrival and smelling of fish would end the engagement.

Sally says Savage was kind and considerate. Sally says she will use the insurance money on research. Sally says the crash was a result of fate. McBane rejects this out of hand. She replies that fate is the same as a god with a divine plan. Sally mentions that Ralph Bundy had visited her earlier in the day. They decide to go see Ralph hoping to find the elusive Micky.

Bundy tells that during the bailout, he was frozen and was fighting to not jump. Savage stayed with the struggling plane to save Bundy. After the struggle, Savage forces Bundy to help him fly. Savage gets the airplane through a gap in the mountain. Savage never says that the enlisted man freaked out.

In the current time, Bundy talks about Mickey Doolan (Mark Stevens), a member of Savage’s Greenland crew. He does not know where Mickey lives.

The night before the hearing, McBane goes to see the assembled wreck. Out of the dark comes Mickey Doolan. Mickey says it was not Savage’s fault that the plane crashed.

Mickey flashes back to his time as a co-pilot for Savage in Greenland. The fear of flying was destroying Mickey. Savage always seemed relaxed and sang “Blue Moon.” Savage remains calm as they lose all the engines and glide into the field.

McBane brings Mickey back to the current time. All of the drinks that Savage bought the night before the crash were for Mickey. Mickey says Savage told him he would never leave unless he left something behind. Mickey continues that Savage spent years trying to get the sick man into A.A. McBane gives the dipsomaniac money to take a taxi to the hearing in the morning.

In the morning, the hearing begins in the large hangar where the crash has been reconstructed. Lawyer Dillon (Bert Freed) represents some crash victims’ families. Sitting behind Dillon is a woman that often appeared in the trial audiences on “Perry Mason” 1957-1966, known affectionately as the “Little Old Lady in a Hat.”

McBane is called to the stand. Crawford is giving a live news report. Sally and Mickey are present, and Martha is watching from her room. McBane discusses the three possibilities, sabotage, mechanical or human error. McBane defends his friend, while Dillion acts like a jackass.

McBane explains how all the elements have conspired to contribute to the crash. He doesn’t want to say fate. The audience reacts badly to his comment. He then basically says it is gods will. The audience and the lawyers react badly again. The company asks for a recess to prepare to throw McBane under the bus.

Stillman and the team come into McBane’s office. As they begin to rage at him, Martha calls and says she believes what he said at the hearing.

The board of directors are insisting that McBane be fired immediately. McBane says he wants to replicate the flight using the same conditions. The hard part is McBane has to convince Martha to go along on the test flight. She is the only one who knows firsthand what happened on the flight. As he talks to her, a delivery boy shows up with her cleaned and pressed stewardess uniform.

Sawyer helps prepare the plane for the test by loading sandbags for cargo and passenger weight. Al Robbins (John Hubbard) signs on for the test as co-pilot, and Sawyer volunteers as the engineer. McBane’s plan is to follow the timeline of the crash. At the last minute, Martha overcomes her PTSD and boards the plane for the test flight.

Martha begins performing her duties as the pilot goes through the checklist. When the engines light, Martha is visibly stricken. Bundy and Sally are waiting on the flight line. Oddly, the wind is the same as the night of the crash.

Martha brings the coffee as the plane taxis. She shows McBane where the cup was placed on the console.

Mickey arrives as the plane leaves the ground. The control tower uses the crash tape recording to help the simulation. McBane cuts the right engine on schedule. The plane lurches, and then they feather the engine and simulate cutting fuel and power to the engine. Martha confirms the sequence.

Following the recording, they simulate the radio being out. The control tower calls the test flight back when the radio goes out. The alarm on the left engine goes off. Martha is freaking out. McBane orders the crew to restart the engine. However, it doesn’t come back on until the beach is in sight. McBane pulls the plane out of the dive. McBane begins his landing approach when he sees the spilled coffee on the console.

McBane has Sawyer pull the panel and see it is full of coffee. McBane says the short-circuit made it seem like the left engine was also out. McBane has the crew restart the left engine and brings the plane home. Sawyer is also happy that it wasn’t Savage’s fault. McBane tells Martha the coffee spill was not her fault. He says it will be fixed in the fleet, and this type of accident will never happen again. McBane tells Martha that Savage said he would never die without leaving something behind.

McBane sees Savage’s friend waiting. He takes Martha to meet them. 

Conclusion – Fate is the Hunter (1964)

Naturally, no commercial aviation company would sign on to be featured in the film. For the film, the team took a DC-7 and made it look like a modern commercial aircraft.

Ernest K. Gann wrote a book that detailed his many flying adventures before, during, and after World War II. The story in this movie is not really in his book, and Gann claimed that he had his name removed from the project because he was unhappy with the results.

Chapter 17 of Gann’s book is about recreating an engine failure in a test flight, but the cause was not a coffee spill. Chapter 18 is similar to the event depicted in another great aviation film, The High and the Mighty (1954).

There was an extensive array of actors in this film. Since many were in flashbacks, Glenn Ford was the only actor to work with most others. The plot device used for this film was a single person interviewing many people to find out about another dead person. This method was most famously used the Orson Welles’ directed Citizen Kane (1941).

This film tanked when released and lost money for the studio. However, it is an exciting tale and a pretty good watch. Just don’t watch it while you’re flying.

World-Famous Short Summary – Three things you don’t want to run out of at the same time are airspeed, altitude, and ideas.

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Beware the moors.

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[1] iMDB.com
[2] Fate Is the Hunter – Rotten Tomatoes
[3] New York Times
[4] 1961 Oscars.org
[5] China Burma India Theater – Wikipedia
[6] The Hump – Wikipedia