Poisonous snow

Movie
German title	Poisonous snow
Original title	A hatful of rain
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1957
length	109 minutes
Age rating	FSK 16
Rod
Director	Fred Zinnemann
script	Michael V. Gazzo ; Alfred Hayes ; Carl Foreman
production	Buddy eagle
music	Bernard Herrmann
camera	Joseph MacDonald
cut	Dorothy Spencer
occupation
	Don Murray : Johnny Pope; Eva Marie Saint : Celia, his wife; Anthony Franciosa : Polo, his brother; Lloyd Nolan : John Pope Sr., father of both; Henry Silva : Johnny's dealer "mother"; Gerald S. O'Loughlin : Chuch; William Hickey : Apples; Paul Kruger : Barman; Ralph Montgomery : Spectators at the football game; Michael Vale : taxi driver; Art Fleming : mounted policeman;

Poisonous Snow (Original title: A Hatful of Rain) is an American social drama by Fred Zinnemann from 1957. Like many of his early works, the film is kept in a semi-documentary narrative style, which benefits its claim to being realistic.

action

The film is about the "GI Generation" in New York in the early 1950s. Johnny Pope served in the Korean War and was seriously injured in the process. To relieve his pain, he was treated with morphine in the military hospital. This treatment made him dependent. Back home, Johnny tries, despite clear signs of his addiction, to hide his drug addiction from his pregnant wife Celia and his rather helpless father. Johnny is having a hard time finding his way back in civil life. His little brother Polo tries to be a support for him.

Polo really wants to help Johnny, and so he gives the desperate big brother, who is begging for his support, the money he needs to get drugs. Johnny devours tons of it, and his dealer is his best friend. After all, Polo's income is no longer enough, and Johnny even borrows money from the dealer. As the vicious circle takes on more and more dramatic forms, Johnny reveals himself to his wife and father. This seems to be the first glimmer of hope that he will admit his addiction and that he urgently needs help. From now on, Johnny wants to change his life from the ground up.

background

The template for the film was provided by one of the three scriptwriters, Michael V. Gazzo . From November 9, 1955 to October 13, 1956, his play A Hatful of Rain ran with great success at two theaters on Broadway . In a total of 398 performances you could see Ben Gazzara as Johnny Pope and Shelley Winters as his wife Celia. Anthony Franciosa and Henry Silva also played in the film the characters they had already played on Broadway.

The film was made in early 1957 in the 20th Century Fox studios in Century City and on the streets of New York . The film builds came from Lyle R. Wheeler and Leland Fuller . The song Birdland Blues was composed by Lionel Newman . Poisonous Snow premiered in New York on July 17, 1957. The film opened in German cinemas on September 27, 1957. He was nominated for three Golden Globes (Fred Zinnemann, Eva Marie Saint , Anthony Franciosa) and an Oscar (Anthony Franciosa for Best Leading Role). At the Venice Film Festival in 1957, Zinnemann received two awards. Franciosa received a Coppa Volpi there .

Reviews

The lexicon of international films judged: “Moving drama, staged realistically and presented above average. Demanding entertainment. ” The film's large lexicon of people called Poisonous Snow a“ depressing drug drama ”. Don Murray's acting performance praised her as "a gripping and at the same time shuddering study of a junkie".

In Halliwell's Film Guide states: "One of the first drug dramas. Straightforward: well acted, and quite powerful. "The Movie & Video Guide found:" Realistic melodrama of the living hell dope addict Murray undergoes, and the effect on those around him; fine performances. "

Web links

Toxic snow in the Internet Movie Database (English)

Individual evidence

↑ Carl Foreman was not originally named because he was blacklisted at the time the film was released; only 14 years after his death, in 1998, was his name officially added.
^ A Hatful of Rain in the Internet Broadway Database
↑ Klaus Brüne (Red.): Lexikon des Internationale Films, Volume 3, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1987, p. 1330.
↑ Kay Less : The film's great personal dictionary . The actors, directors, cameramen, producers, composers, screenwriters, film architects, outfitters, costume designers, editors, sound engineers, make-up artists and special effects designers of the 20th century. Volume 8: T - Z. David Tomlinson - Theo Zwierski. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-340-3 , p. 546.
↑ Kay Less : The film's great personal dictionary . The actors, directors, cameramen, producers, composers, screenwriters, film architects, outfitters, costume designers, editors, sound engineers, make-up artists and special effects designers of the 20th century. Volume 5: L - N. Rudolf Lettinger - Lloyd Nolan. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-340-3 , p. 595.
^ Leslie Halliwell : Halliwell's Film Guide, Seventh Edition, New York 1989, p. 449.
^ Leonard Maltin : Movie & Video Guide, 1996 edition, p. 550.

[1] Carl Foreman was not originally named because he was blacklisted at the time the film was released; only 14 years after his death, in 1998, was his name officially added.

[2] A Hatful of Rain in the Internet Broadway Database

[3] Klaus Brüne (Red.): Lexikon des Internationale Films, Volume 3, Reinbek bei Hamburg 1987, p. 1330.

[4] Kay Less : The film's great personal dictionary . The actors, directors, cameramen, producers, composers, screenwriters, film architects, outfitters, costume designers, editors, sound engineers, make-up artists and special effects designers of the 20th century. Volume 8: T - Z. David Tomlinson - Theo Zwierski. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-340-3 , p. 546.

[5] Kay Less : The film's great personal dictionary . The actors, directors, cameramen, producers, composers, screenwriters, film architects, outfitters, costume designers, editors, sound engineers, make-up artists and special effects designers of the 20th century. Volume 5: L - N. Rudolf Lettinger - Lloyd Nolan. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-89602-340-3 , p. 595.

[6] Leslie Halliwell : Halliwell's Film Guide, Seventh Edition, New York 1989, p. 449.

[7] Leonard Maltin : Movie & Video Guide, 1996 edition, p. 550.