User Reviews

Woke up in the early-AM with the opening credits to this film just rolling on the screen. Tired as I still was, I couldn't take my eyes off of it and watched the whole thing. Beautifully-shot. Script sensitively handles both Van Johnson's character's alcoholism and the familial-strife at its roots - very adept for it's day. Capably acted by all.

And I agree with previous comments: Ruth Roman is someone whose career is deserving of a serious re-visiting. She rarely seemed to get choice parts, but always managed to impress. Indeed, some of the films she was in may have been bad but from what I've seen, SHE was never the reason.

Here is yet another example of a good, solid 1950's film that is wrongfully ignored/neglected for the simple reason that it doesn't star "Marilyn," "Marlon," or "Audrey".

A wonderful body of work. Saw it many years ago on AMC, but has not been shown since. I continue to look with the hopes that any video company would discover this gem and make it available.

Great display of location shooting and the work of the entire cast represent them at their finest.

Van Johnson has never been better, and Joseph Cotten holds on admirably to generate the contrast between the brothers. Ruth Roman,a stalwart of the profession, should have a festival somewhere dedicated to her work. I would definitely attend. I highly recommend one and all to search for this film, and I am happy that there are others who feel the way I do about this body of work.

Enjoyed this great Classic film from 1956 starring a great cast of actors, namely: Van Johnson, (Donald Martin) who was serving time in Joliet Illinois Prison and seeks the help of his brother, Joseph Cotton, (P M Martin) who is a very successful rancher and well known throughout the community. P M is not very happy about his brother showing up, because he never told anyone about his brother and that he had a bad problem with drinking which caused most of the problems in his life.

Ruth Roman, (Nora Martin) played the role as wife to P M who did not really get along and now that Donald Martin appears, his wife becomes interested in her husband's new friend, not knowing it is his brother. There is plenty of action and this is truly a great classic from the Year 1956, enjoy. Nora Martin teaches her husband about being your Brother's Keeper, the hard way.

This one looks like it's almost lost in the mists of cinematic antiquity, since it doesn't appear to be available on video in a widescreen DVD. About the only place to catch it is on the FOX MOVIE CHANNEL, which occasionally hauls it out of the vaults for a letterboxed showing(e.g., currently during the month of June 2005).

Henry Hathaway was a particularly congenial director when it came to using the CinemaScope frame effectively and his cinematographer on this one, Lee Garmes, did some effectively moody work on the interiors and some first-class use of the exterior locations, as well, including what looked like a sequence that was difficult to shoot - at night in inclement weather on a river bank with floodwaters raging. Joseph Cotten, in a fairly unsympathetic role, led the cast, along with Ruth Roman as his wife. Also among the thespians were Jack Carson and Van Johnson, who was, not for the first time, quite convincing as a man whose addiction to alcohol was a primary focus of the fairly sardonic script by Sydney Boehm. One thing that sticks in my mind, so many years after seeing this film on a theater screen during its first release, is the fact that Peggy Knudsen, playing a rich married woman of the contemporary American southwest, is seen behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz 300SL "gullwing" roadster, one of the most desirable upscale cars of that era and an unimpeachable choice to display her character's privileged status.

"Le Fond De La Bouteille" is based on a true story ;Georges Simenon remembered his own past:he was the one who made it big whereas his brother Christian ,his mum's favorite ,was a washout,someone who always failed.Like the movie,the novel takes place on the Mexican border and that's why ,unlike other Simenon American adaptations ("The man on the Eiffel Tower ") it was successful because it' s hard for an American director to recreate the Parisian atmosphere.

And of course there is Henry Hathaway !When will they give this great director the place he deserves?I have seen many of his movies,some are among my favorites ("Peter Ibbetson" "lives of a Bengal Lancer" "Niagara").

Joseph Cotten was ideally cast as the "good " "Abel-like" brother ;and who could play his fallen brother but Van Johnson?Ruth Roman is less cold than usually :the actress is believable as a -apparently- frivolous party woman who helps her husband discover forgiveness and compassion.Hathaway makes a good use of the wide screen ,particularly in the scenes on the river -which recall those of "Niagara" which Cotten's presence reinforces.He also strikingly contrasts the luxury house and the seedy room Mildred and her children pack into.

Georges Simenon spent a part of his life not far from the Mexican border;his book was probably a catharsis.

A rich rancher and lawyer has to accommodate his on-the-run brother who has escaped from a prison. Joseph Cotten has had better parts to play than this one, although it isn't too bad. A lot of the best scenes are in his ranch house, which with the set decorations and DeLuxe color looks really great. As well is a get together that occurs at another ranch house which looks equally cool. There's a lot of drinking going on and talking about drinking, but Van Johnson, who's supposed to be the alcoholic brother on the lam from Joliet for killing someone in a bar fight doesn't have a part that captures the essence of alcoholism very effectively. In the end his part is not believable. Jack Carson, however, who plays Cotten's neighbor on the next ranch over, is great as the movie heads into a manhunt for Johnson, with Carson leading a posse. The central story of Cotten and Johnson as two brothers who overcome their differences has been done so many times that it isn't much of a story. Ruth Roman, as Cotten's wife is OK though her sexual frustration with Cotten (they sleep in separate rooms and have been doing so for a long time) is also not believable. If she had started something with Johnson, this film would have been launched into another orbit. As it is, it's burdened by predictability with only the cool sets, DeLuxe color, and Carson to save it.

Usually Van Johnson is cast as a nice guy next door, the kid from just around the block who just happens to be around when everybody wants to dance--and in many ways, he was the happy simpleton to June Allyson's perky plans, or played off Esther Williams by just being nice and attractive in a chubby way. Here, Johnson earns his chops as an escaped convict with a severe drinking problem who runs to his brother for help only to meet the same brick wall the two of them built growing up. The brother, played coldly by stolid Joseph Cotten, is a wealthy rancher, but has problems of his own, having married for reasons never quite made clear, but mired in a long-time childless relationship with svelte, intelligent Ruth Roman, here, as in so many films, holding an anchor on some out of control emotions. Except for what I felt was an unnecessarily saccharin final five minutes, the plot zips with some intensity along the Mexican-American border, and the assured direction of veteran Henry Hathaway assures the viewer of a Cain-Abel story with modern ranch trimmings. Johnson, who passed away in 2008, could always be relied upon to be an easy leading man in musicals, from Two Girls and A Sailor, In The Good Old Summertime (with Judy Garland), but also served well in wartime dramas Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo and Caine Mutiny; in this film, however, Johnson stretched his talents beyond the usual and turned in his most distinctive role.

Social and family drama slowly and elegantly directed by Henry Hathaway , adding an engaging screenplay by Sydney Boehm , based on the novel "Le fond de la bouteille¨by Georges Simenon . In the border town of Nogales, Arizona, a rich advocate at law and rancher named Patrick (Joseph Cotten) is solicited by his getaway convict brother Donald (Van Johnson) in aiding him to cross the frontier into Mexico . But Patrick is reluctant to help him , while his wife Nora (Ruth Roman) attempts to support him , despite she doesn't know his true identity . Brother against brother ... stripping the southwest's ranch society of its bought respectability !...

This cultured and dramatic family film contains a feud between brothers , thrills , rider pursuits , escapes and emotion . Hathaway does the human touch including lots of nice moments and enjoyable relationship blending enmity , brothership , fraternity and strong confrontration between siblings . Including some breathtaking and spectacular scenes about a river is flooded and they have to pass it . Performances are over-the-top , such as : Van Johnson as drunkard on the lam who had been sent to the penitentiary five years previously for killing a man in a barroom brawl , Joseph Cotten as the wealthy solicitor and rancher big-man-in-town , while Ruth Roman is pretty good as the bitter wife who doesn't know about his jail-bird brother on the loose . They are finely accompanied by a great support cast , such as : Jack Carson , Margaret Hayes , Jim Davis , Bruce Bennett, Brad Dexter, Peggy Knudsen, Margaret Lindsay , Nancy Gates , Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez , Robert Adler , John Doucette and Harry Morgan as a barman.

It displays a colorful cinematography in Cinemascope and Technicolor by cameraman Lee Garmes . Bing shot on location in Old Tucson, Arizona, Nogales, Santa Cruz Valley, Sonoran Desert, Sierrita Mountains , Ironwood Forest National Monument, Tucson Mountains, Mission San Xavier del Bac, West San Xavier Road, Tucson, Arizona . As well as moving and thrilling musical score by Leigh Harline . This well-developed in cracking style flick was stunningly directed by Henry Hathaway and usually works very nice . He does the human touch and full of insight that accompanied him during most of his films and the story develops pleasantly with an interesting plot and fully adjusted to the requirements of the action . Hathaway was the classic Hollywood craftsman giving prrolific and professional works . He had a long friendhip with John Wayne , both of whom collaborated in various Westerns , they included ¨Five Card Stud¨ , ¨North to Alaska¨ and Wayne's Academy Award-winning ¨True grit¨. Hathaway himself was only even nominated for an Oscar , but his movies themselves are testimony to his skills to heighten narrative tension and shoot action so exhilarating it made adrenalin run . Henry was a good artisan who had a long career from the 30s with successful films , and especially Westerns , as ¨Brigham Young¨ and ¨Raw Hide¨ . In his 60s Hathaway still got the vigour to make some fiery movies as ¨From Hell to Texas¨, ¨How the West was won¨, ¨Nevada Smith¨, The sons of Katie Elder¨and ¨Shoot out¨ . He was an expert on Western genre as he proved in ¨True grit¨ , ¨Five card stud¨ , ¨Nevada Smith¨ , ¨How the West was won¨ , ¨Rawhide¨ , ¨Brigham Young¨ , ¨Buffalo Stampede¨, ¨Garden of evil¨ and many others. Hathaway also directed other genres as Drama, adventures , Film Noir and about the Second World War that were all for studio Twentieth Century-Fox and included ¨The House on 92nd Street¨ (1945); ¨Wing and a Prayer¨ (1944); ¨You're in the Navy Now¨ (1951) and ¨13 Rue Madeleine¨ (1947). Rating : 6.5/10 , better than average .

And also well-directed, Joseph Cotten in particular with the often-told Cain and Abel theme. This is explored with the backdrop of alcoholic brother,Van Johnson.

"JD Martin" is well-established lawyer living near the Mexican border with his neglected wife, Ruth Roman.Cotten, often cast memorably in noir films (most notably his performance in Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt" as the "merry widow murderer"), reverses roles here as he is the ostensibly sensible conformist, and Van Johnson the nice guy who is down on his luck Jailed for a bar brawl, he escapes from a Joliet Illinois prison.There are a few cloying scenes with Johnson calling his displaced family on the lam in Nogales Mexico.Other than that, Cotten steals the show here as troubled older brother who reinvented himself and wants to forget his impoverished childhood in Iowa.

The set decoration is notable here,shadows and glass, interesting 1950's architecture and subtle notes of intrigue. It hints at the idea that, everything is not necessarily as it seems.Cotten and his wife attend the requisite cocktail parties "...we can't miss a party at Lil Breckenridge's"...Roman tells her husband,though she seems miserable and unfulfilled.

Well-written, and worth watching more than once for Cotten and several nuanced performances.

While not quite a masterpiece or a classic, The Bottom Of The Bottle is involving, suspenseful, and watchable. Like many movies of the era filmed on location, especially those made by director Henry Hathaway, it uses the atmosphere and landscape to get you involved. It's hard to picture this story taking place anywhere else (though it's based on a novel that took place in France).

Van Johnson heads the cast as an escaped convict and an alcoholic, who ends up at the doorstep of his older brother (Joseph Cotten), an affluent lawyer in Nogales. Arizona, during the aftermath of a big rainstorm that has caused the local river to rage and flood its banks. Johnson needs to get across to Mexico, where his wife and children are waiting, down to their last cent.

As a prominent attorney, it would be career suicide for Cotten to help his brother to leave the country. He seems cold and unfeeling, but after all, he has his own life to think of. It turns out, though, that years ago, he had a chance to help his brother (who's innocent) and didn't. He has become a shell of his former self, and his wife (Ruth Roman) realizes they're living a kind of half-life, partying and socializing with the other well-off people in town, in a kind of substitute for real happiness.

Eventually their friends (who have met Johnson, whom Cotten has passed off as someone else) realize Johnson is the escaped convict they've all become aware is in the area. But he has escaped into the wilderness, and is going to try to cross the turbulent river waters - even though he's gone back to drinking, in his desperate state. What happens from then on, you'll have to see.

Van Johnson is pretty great - he was an actor who played for charm, usually, and created a kind of familiar, laid back personality that he used in a lot of his roles. But here he has to create a completely different character, that you might expect to see played by a different type of actor.. And he pulls it off. Cotten, also, plays against type, and does it well. They don't really seem much like brothers. There's roughly a 10 year age difference, and they're different physical types. But being good actors, they make it work.

The great Lee Garmes photographed in CinemaScope, and the screenplay is by Sidney Boehm. Though somewhat turgid and heavy, the movie keeps you going and has a suspenseful last quarter and a satisfying pay off.

On the surface Bottom of the Bottle seems like it could be really interesting. I like movies that show the middle 50's, there's a really nifty house with a kitchen right out of a mid 50's design book, it is beautifully shot with some nice scenery outdoors.

The key for me to really enjoy a movie is when I get hooked into the characters. I have to be interested in them, worried about them, find them likable or appealing even if in a sinister way. This movie fell flat for me because frankly I didn't much care for any of the characters. I guess I felt a little sorry for Ruth Roman, the wife who wanted children and her husband (Joseph Cotten) wouldn't 'give' her any... but Joseph Cotten just isn't the kind of person you can generate much warmth for. He's about as appealing as a first-aid cabinet. I like Van Johnson - usually - but his character here is a jerk even when he's sober. While his love and concern for his family makes him seem a little more human, I just couldn't empathize with him. He and Joseph Cotten, brothers in the story, never seemed very brotherly to me and between them it's hard to say which one I cared less about.

What happened to the horses when they crossed the river? I guess they were both just washed away and nobody cared? I didn't like that. They were Cotten's horses; the least he could have done was ask 'are they all right' and look pained when he found out what happened, but not even a mention.

If you want to watch a movie that shows some dysfunctional family life in the middle 50's including people battling the bottle and other demons, I would suggest the real gem 'No Down Payment'. I think it's ten times the movie that this one is. For me, this one is a yawn. If I hadn't been exercising during the time it was on it would have been a total waste of my time. I'll give it five stars because it's not BAD bad, but it's just not that good either. It's just a so-what movie.

When the story begins, Donald Martin (Van Johnson) arrives at his brother Pat's (Joseph Cotten) ranch during a horrific rainstorm. You really don't know exactly what's happening but you know that Donald is on the run from the law. Soon, the house is filled with guests, as Pat and his wife are having a party. So, Donald is introduced to everyone...and you still wonder exactly what had happened.

So what had happened? Apparently several years earlier, Donald killed someone in a bar fight and claimed it was in self-defense. You also learned that at that time, Pat did nothing to help or even acknowledge him. Additionally, Donald is shocked to learn that Pat's wife had no idea she even had a brother-in-law! So, there is a lot of tension between them....and waiting for the swollen river is a must. The problem is that Donald's family is waiting for him in Mexico...and they are broke and need him. So what's next?? Well, quite a bit....but I'll leave it up to you to see this movie.

This one starts slowly and didn't grab my interest until about midway through the picture. So hold on....it's worth it in the long run and it's an excellent story that's about so much more than a prison escape.

Interesting film dealing with family relationships and ultimate responsibility for family actions.

Successful lawyer, Wendell Corey, must come to grips when his convict brother, Van Johnson, escapes from jail and shows up at his doorstep. Corey had abandoned Johnson and a younger sister years before to get away from the poverty stricken family.

The film succeeds because it shows the eventual path that must be taken by a sudden ethical turn in the life of Corey. I am my brother's keeper is the theme of this well-played film.

Ruth Roman is wonderful as the sympathetic sister-in-law to Johnson. While it is true that the film ultimately turns into a modern day posse-like hunt for Johnson, it succeeds because of its redeeming quality of family relationships above all else.