Desperate Search (1952)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Desperate Search isn't the best old movie out there to choose from, but if you're looking for a higher-end B movie that's exciting, you might want to check this one out. Howard Keel is a divorced dad who only gets to see his kids once a year. When he puts little Lee Aaker and Linda Lowell on an airplane to return to their mother's house, he has no idea it might be the last time he ever sees them. . .The airplane crashes, and both nervous parents, Howard and his ex-wife Patricia Medina, are left in limbo since no one even knows where the crash occurred. Keep in mind this was made in 1952, when cell phones and GPS technology didn't exist. Also, at that time, it was a really big deal to put two young children on an airplane alone and ask the stewardess to look out for them! The good news for Howard and Patricia is that they're both airplane pilots, so they can both aid in the "desperate search" for their kids. The bad news is that Howard's current wife, Jane Greer, suspects she might lose the love of her husband.Parts of the movie are incredibly exciting, in particular when a very mangy and hungry mountain lion makes an appearance. Parts of the movie are confusing, when Patricia Medina shows up. She looked so much like Jane Greer I continually got them mixed up and didn't know which scenes involved which actress! I enjoyed seeing Howard Keel in a dramatic non-singing role, and boy, was he curt! I lost track of how often he snapped at Jane, poor thing. Still, he looks awfully handsome in the cockpit.

Desperate Search (1952)** 1/2 (out of 4)Interesting drama from MGM about father (Howard Keel) and his new wife (Jane Greer) who must search the wilderness after a plane crashes with the man's two children. Things get a little testy as his ex-wife and the mother (Patricia Medina) of the children shows up and causes more harm that good. The introduction by Robert Osbourne mentioned that MGM was trying to cut out their multi-million dollar pictures and try their hand at smaller productions and this here is one of them. The film isn't a complete success but it's certainly a lot better than its reputation would have you believe. I think the obviously small budget hurts the film somewhat as there's a lot of action that we never get to see. This includes the actual plane crash, which in most disaster type pictures would have been the film's highlight. Instead, we briefly see the plane on fire and that's pretty much it. Another minor problem is a few goofs including, after the crash, the two kids being shown without a cut and their hair and clothes appear like they just stepped out of a trailer and not out of a plane crash. With that said, the film still offers some pretty intense scenes especially when the children come under attack by a mountain lion. There are at least three of these scenes and each on is pretty intense. Another plus is that Keel and Greer are very good in their roles. This isn't the type of picture you'd expect to see them in but both do good jobs. Medina easily steals the film as the ex-wife who never overplays the part yet still manages to be very believable and actually turns out to be one of the most hated villains in a film like this. Keenan Wynn does a good job in his part as does Lee Acker as the 9-year-old son. I don't normally bash child actors but Linda Lowell plays his younger sister and I must say she gives one of the worst performances I've ever seen from a child. The screenplay has her mostly crying and screaming, which is fine but unfortunately the child couldn't cry and it's obvious the director just had her screaming to make up for this. Here scenes are all pretty bad when trying to "act" like she's crying and it becomes very obnoxious. The limited budget doesn't give us too much footage in the wilderness but at 71-minutes the film goes by pretty quickly and manages to be entertaining despite a few problems.

Hollywood movies made for a few years after the Second World War often had hidden political or sociological agendas. In some cases it was the studios trying to promote or to demonstrate a commitment to old-fashioned values. In other cases it was simply the perception of the marketing people that audiences wanted a return to the pre-war days. The extensive mobilization required to win the war had let the genie out of the bottle of women's occupational choices. Women had served in the military, become military and civilian pilots, and replaced men in most factory jobs. When the men returned home they reclaimed most of their jobs but the myth of a woman's inability to work productively outside the home had been exploded. For many, a big issue was how to undo this damage. "Desperate Search" (1952) tapped into this anxiety. The story revolves around two very young children, 9 year-old Don Heldon (Lee Acker) and his 7 year-old sister Janet (Linda Lowell) who are the only survivors of a small plane crash deep in the wilderness. Acker will look familiar to baby boomers as he went on to play Rusty in "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin" and Russel in the first season of "Spin and Marty". Their father Vince (Howard Keel) and mother Nora (Patricia Medina) are rival pilots who fly search missions for the missing plane (the two are divorced). Although in black and white there is a lot of beautiful scenery. The editors have some difficultly matching the second unit stuff to the in-studio flying sequences and special effects. One particularly amusing shot shows Vince's plane in a very steep dive on what is supposed to be a gliding approach to land on a small lake. But if you suspend disbelief a few times you can get into the peril of the children, the anxiety of the searchers, and the relief of everyone when they are reunited. At first glance the film seems conflicted in its portrayal of women (as was the country at that time), but in final analysis it comes down squarely on the side of traditional roles. Elaine Stewart (one of Hollywood's all-time most beautiful actresses) plays a stewardess and Medina a pilot; but Stewart is killed in her occupation and Medina hinders the search by questioning the wisdom of her ex-husband. And at the end Medina's co-pilot (Keenan Wynn) has her pretty much convinced that she should become more traditional; in the husband supporting (but still very brave) model of Vince's new wife Julie (Jane Greer).The traditional agenda is even more obvious with the children. Don is only slightly older but plays the protective big brother to an extreme. Poor Janet is almost constantly (and I mean constantly) crying and whining. The resourceful Don keeps his little sister safe while he takes the steps that will lead to their rescue. A little bit of this would have gone a long way but it is run into the ground. Also note that it is a growth experience for the boy but the girl is simply anxious to get back to her dolls.Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

HOWARD KEEL was MGM's robust baritone who would still be making big musicals for his home studio--but DESPERATE SEARCH was designed to keep the actor busy when there were no musical assignments ready for him. It's strictly a programmer for the bottom half of a double bill, running only one hour and thirteen minutes.Keel acquits himself well--strong and earnest--as the pilot who is part of a search organized to find his two children missing in a plane crash. His ex-wife, PATRICIA MEDINA, is on hand to stir up a little love rivalry over his affections. JANE GREER is the current wife, anxious that the organizers listen to her husband's idea of where to look for the downed plane. KEENAN WYNN is Keel's pilot friend.The children are shown stranded in the wilds of British Columbia with a cougar lurking nearby adding danger to their already dire situation. LEE AAKER plays the sturdy and resourceful youngster with the sister who is hysterical most of the time--something that could have been toned down a bit for my taste.An interesting trifle with nice work from Keel, Greer and Medina.