"The General Died at Dawn" Review

 

by Daniel White

An unusual star vehicle for Gary Cooper, Paramount's The General Died at Dawn's (1936) atmospheric look is one of its strongest selling points. Cinematographer Victor Milner has cloaked the flick in layers of shadow and fog, bestowing upon this adventure tale a noirish feel. Directed by Lewis Milestone, Coop plays American idealist O'Hara, who's determined to help a group of struggling Chinese, being terrorized by vicious warlord General Yang (Akim Tamiroff).

On board a train bound for Shanghai, O'Hara is set up by the beautiful but untrustworthy Judy (Madeline Carroll) and finds himself at the mercy of Yang and his nasty cohorts. Clifford Odets penned the screenplay and his wordy, pro-democracy pontificating slows things down a bit. Especially all that heady grandiosity spewing forth from Gary Cooper's mouth. Cooper is best when silent and in action. His credibility as an actor falters when he's forced to stop doling out haymakers and start delivering fancy speeches. However, the film is a response to the growing threat of fascism that was engulfing the world. Odets, Milestone and those involved can be forgiven for their earnestness.

The use of yellowface should not be forgiven. It was the custom in Hollywood at the time for Caucasian actors to play Asian roles. Besides being offensive, it's annoying. The Armenian born Akim Tamiroff is the primary culprit here. With his chop-chop English, he easily grates. Most of the other Asian roles are actually played by Asians, which is a huge plus in the film's favor. That many are enacted with dignity and restraint is an added benefit.

Miss Carroll looks lovely as the conflicted Judy. Traipsing about in her Travis Banton designed outfits, she is a dead ringer for Marlene Dietrich. With William Frawley as a truly ugly American (when he shouts racist vitriol at the Chinese, it's unsettling. I always thought Fred Mertz was such a lovable old codger!), Porter Hall, Dudley Digges and Philip Ahn, The General Died at Dawn is currently available on YouTube.