Desperate Search (1952)

Good , But It Is Overrated By Some

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

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.

The Desperate Search that Howard Keel is on is for his children whom he has custody of for six weeks every summer as per the court agreement with ex-wife Patricia Medina. The two kids, Lee Aaker and Linda Lowell, survive a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness and are on their own in the woods. As was the custom in those bygone days of the big studios you had someone under contract you kept them working. In Keel's case they had no big musical property for him at the moment so he was put into this B film which could have used color to accentuate the nice rural settings the film was shot in. Desperate Search had the action alternate between the kids and their struggle to survive and the search and rescue operation which Keel and Medina are both part of as they are both pilots. In the former young Lee Aaker stands out as he tries to keep himself and his perpetually whining and crying sister safe and moving from the wreck to where he thinks dad might be searching. Through most their scenes the two children are playing tag with a hungry mountain lion and the most frightening scene in the film is little Linda Lowell wading into a river to escape the mountain lion.Medina is a competitive sort by nature and her competitiveness carried over into the marriage which caused the breakup. Keel's second wife is supportive Jane Greer who is not a pilot and she and Medina almost get to scrapping the way Alexis and Crystal used to on Dynasty.Desperate Search moves at a nice pace and the cinematography and editing is really first rate. A few more production values and this could have been an A feature.

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.