Evening star., 1952-03-12

ulgnC at tine 1TanS.LuX.
Around this deranged and dram
q film that possesses both force ar
with documentary realism. but
with enough restraint to avoid
any unduly offensive intimationS
In THE Sniper's" theme.
The murderer played by Arthur
Franz is presented as an invol-
untary killer. a mentally unbal-
anced creature who victimizes
society but who is. in turn, the
victim Of q society that makes too
little provision for the treatment
Of his kind. As cinema editorials
60. the excited eloquence of THE
Sniper" Classics it as . special
item.
Even Kramer. who has dealt in
such rugged material as 1.-The
Champion" and 1.-THE Men," to|
mention but two of his produc-
tions. Is stepping up the power Of
his attack on audience vulnerable
ity with this film.
As a piece Of forceful journal
ism might, "The Sniper" bears al
dramatic resemblance to q COM
posite OF some of the more violent
front-page stories of recent years.
The tilt Of the story by Edna
and Edward Anhalt, adapted by
Harry Brown, is in favor of the
central figure. He is presented
more as a figure of pathos than
rs one of odium,
Kramer's cameras find him in
the first scene Of the picture ready
to kill q girl he sees kissing her
lover good night. Both the girl
and the would-be killer are spared
when the sniper's rifle misfires.
The latter. however. knows it was
mere accident that saved him
from his deranged impulse. His
frenzy to kill gives way to another
equally hysterical urge, to get
himself committed to medical
treatment before another tempta-
ton presents itself.
It is when he discovers that
there is no provision for such
eases as his that his now doubly
veneeful career of slaughter is
launched. Before his insanely
crafty campaign ends. three
women are dead and city has
become itself unhinged with fear
and outrage.
Edward DmytrykIs direction Of |
"The Sniper" is aimed at disclos-
ing not merely the psychopathic
aspects Of his key character but
also Of communities which find
themselves at the mercy of such
maniacs.
In the case of the young killer
played by Actor Franz. the film
never gives a specific why" toI
his urge to kill women. Some
where back in his childhood he
suffered the cruel disappointment
Of being unloved, but the flow OIL
the story Is more concerned with
the effect of this than with its
cause.
Between them, Director Dmy-
tryk and Franz have contrived d |
gripping portrait Of the sniper
type. They make it clear there
is no control for the rage which,
drives these honaicides, and argue
that until society provides one
1t will be the victim of them.
Pity and terror are expertly
blended in Franz man. He is
4 creature hunted by the police,
hunting for an escape from his
irresistible impulse to kill. In
his moments Of sanity, he is pre-
sented as an attractive young
male running from loneliness. In
those Of unbalanced desperation,
he Is a cunning criminal who
knows all the tricks of eluding
the dragnets set for him.
The heavy acting burden Of
the f1lm is placed upon Franz and
he gives authenticity to it's every
shifting mood. Whether he is the
sufferer or the cause of suffering,
he is acting with pretty close to
pure conviction.
1t is a performance that over
shadows all others in the film, but
Dymtryk is not a director to let
the most minor players work be
blurred. OF the subordinate
players, he finds a superb police
lieutenant in an undapper
Adolphe Menjou, two likely sniper
victims in Marie Windsor and
Mario Dwyer. a fiend Of a laundry
personnel woman in Geraldine
Carr, and a family comic land
lady in Mabel Paige.
As case histories 60, that Of
"The Sniper" sets something of
special standard in ruthless real
ism.
Bulletin board: Although the
Gayety theater remains dark un-
til March 81, mail orders are be-
ing received for T. s. Eliot's tri-
umphant verse play, 'The Cock
tail Party" The play, with
Dennis King and Estelle Win
wood, relights the house on that
date Carnegie Techs WASH
AMUSEMENTS.