Psi laju, karavane prolaze

SINOPSIS

Na jednom uglednom američkom sveučilištu radi dr. Noah Praetorius (Cary Grant) čije je poimanje medicine sve samo ne uobičajeno. Umjesto fiziologije i patologije, dobrodušni dr. Praetorius radije koristi psihologiju i ljubaznost u odnosu s pacijentima. To, dakako, izaziva nerazumijevanje liječnikovih kolega, osobito ljubomornog prof. Rodneyja Elwella (Hume Cronyn). Konzervativan i u pristupu medicini i u društvenim nazorima, prof. Elwell uskoro pokrene istragu o Praetoriusovom životu i karijeri, te njegovom odnosu sa zagonetnim gospodinom Shundersonom (Finley Currie). Istodobno dr. Praetorius pokušava pomoći mladoj studentici Debori (Jeanne Crain) koja je u vezi s bivšim mladićem ostala trudna izazvavši gnjev oca Arthura (Sidney Blackmer)" Redateljski i scenaristički tour de force američkog sineasta Josepha L. Mankiewicza (A Letter to Three Wives, All Abot Eve) nastavio se i početkom 50-ih. Tako je Mankiewicz 1951. snimio hvaljenu humorističnu dramu People Will Talk čiji je scenarij napisao prema tekstu njemačkog dramatičara Curta Goetza (Hokuspokus). Poznata je Goetzova drama Dr. Med. Hiob Praetorious u Mankiewiczovoj osuvremenjenoj obradi doživjela samorazumljive promjene (radnja se zbiva na američkom sveučilištu), ali je u potpunosti zadržala duh izvornika i njegovu poruku o ljudskoj borbi za vlastita načela, a protiv licemjerja okoline.
Kako je Mankiewicz oduvijek slovio kao politički liberal, humoristična se drama People Will Talk smatra oglednim primjerom redateljeva obračuna s vladajućom hipokrizijom i rastućim konzervativizmom u SAD-u nakon početka Hladnog rata, dok je lik prof. Rodneyja Elwella parafraza tadašnjeg "lova na vještice" koji nije mimoišao ni Hollywood.

People Will Talk was less a movie than a conduit for the genteel liberalism of screenwriter/director Joseph M. Mankiewicz. Cary Grant plays Dr. Praetorius, an unorthodox medical professor at a sedate midwestern college who seems more interested in the human soul than in the cold facts of the human body. Praetorius nemesis is a conservative rival doctor (Hume Cronyn) who presses for an investigation of our heros clouded past.with special emphasis given the mysterious old man (Finlay Currie) who lives with Praetorius and waits on him hand and foot. In the course of the film, Praetorius falls in love with one of his students, an unmarried pregnant girl (Jeanne Crain). At the climactic hearing concerning Praetorius fitness, the presiding judge (Basil Ruysdael) decides that Praetorius "modern" methods are more worthwhile than the pragmatic, cut-and-dried theories of his enemies. Based on a German play by Curt Goetz, People Will Talk is a bit too proud of its own cleverness, with Mankiewicz political planks being wedged in at all the inappropriate times (while conversing with the father of the pregnant girl, Praetorius launches on a gratuitous attack against farm subsidies!) Still, the film is ten times more intelligent than most of Hollywoods 1951 output, and contains one of Cary Grants best and subtlest seriocomic performances. Bonus: In the first scene of People Will Talk, the snoopy lady who brings Praetorius "shady" past to the attention of Hume Cronyn is played by an uncredited Margaret ("Wicked Witch of the West") Hamilton. . Hal Erickson


Successful and well-liked, Dr. Noah Praetorius becomes the victim of a witchhunt at the hands of Professor Elwell, who disdains Praetoriuss unorthodox medical views and also questions his relationship with the mysterious, ever-present Mr. Shunderson. Fuel is added to the fire when Praetorius befriends young Deborah Higgins, who has become suicidal at the prospect of breaking up with her lover.