Review – O. Henry’s Full House

Five directors exploit the author’s gift for the clever twist of the tale to reasonably good effect. Though the final two stories – “The Ransom of Red Chief” (directed by Howard Hawks no less) and “The Gift of the Magi” – are the show stoppers, I was impressed by the lead-off adaptation of “The Cop and the Anthem.” Charles Laughton plays the lead, backed up by brief appearances by several recognizable faces including Marilyn Monroe. And in “Clarion Call” Richard Widmark gives the bad guy role a spin disturbingly similar to what Frank Gorshen would later do as The Riddler. They even got John Steinbeck to do the introductions. As film adaptations of literature go, this one’s not too bad. Mildly amusing