{"id":39790,"date":"2017-12-16T21:59:53","date_gmt":"2017-12-17T04:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=39790"},"modified":"2020-12-02T16:19:20","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T23:19:20","slug":"dust-be-my-destiny-1939","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=39790","title":{"rendered":"Dust Be My Destiny (1939)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;As far as they&#8217;re concerned, I&#8217;m hanging by the neck already!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Poster-187x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"187\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-39792\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Poster-187x300.jpg 187w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Poster-80x128.jpg 80w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 187px) 100vw, 187px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn ex-con (John Garfield) embittered about being wrongly imprisoned is picked up for train-hopping and sent to a work farm, where he falls in love with the stepdaughter (Priscilla Lane) of a cruel foreman (Stanley Ridges) who dies shortly after a fight. On the lam, the falsely accused couple live a low-key life thanks to the generosity of a deli owner (Henry Armetta) who hires them, and later the owner of a newspaper (Alan Hale) who hires Garfield as a photographer &#8212; but the murder allegation continues to haunt them, and Garfield is convinced he&#8217;ll never get an even break.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Alan Hale Films<\/li>\n<li>Criminal Couples on the Run<\/li>\n<li>Ex-Cons<\/li>\n<li>Falsely Accused<\/li>\n<li>Fugitives<\/li>\n<li>John Garfield Films<\/li>\n<li>Marital Problems<\/li>\n<li>Newlyweds<\/li>\n<li>Priscilla Lane Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary asserts that this &#8220;exciting, romantic, well-acted&#8221; Warner Brothers flick &#8212; a &#8220;sleeper&#8221; &#8212; is &#8220;one of the best couple-on-the-lam films&#8221;, with Garfield and Lane (who he argues gives &#8220;her most appealing performance&#8221;) playing &#8220;a couple you can really root for.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple-1024x607.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-55998\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple-1024x607.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple-1536x910.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple.png 1565w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sadly, I disagree on all counts. Lane&#8217;s performance comes across as poorly directed:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1603\" height=\"917\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56005\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3.png 1603w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3-300x172.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3-1024x586.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3-768x439.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3-1536x879.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Couple3-472x270.png 472w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1603px) 100vw, 1603px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and the outcome of nearly every scene is predictably telescoped; as noted in the original <em>New York Times<\/em> review by Frank Nugent, &#8220;It&#8217;s not even fun anymore, outguessing the script&#8221; of a film which lies in &#8220;an apparently interminable line of melodramas about the fate-dogged boys from the wrong side of the railroad tracks.&#8221; Several key factors play against the film&#8217;s success. First, Garfield has a chip on his shoulder from the get-go: we never have a chance to see him as anything but a bitterly doomed protagonist who can&#8217;t seem to avoid fighting at the worst times. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield-1024x602.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"376\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-55999\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield-1024x602.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield-128x75.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield-768x452.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield-1536x903.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield-459x270.png 459w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Garfield.png 1573w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the world Garfield and Lane inhabit is too neatly black-and-white, with most primary characters either out to get the couple, or convinced they&#8217;re just a plucky pair needing a decent job. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2-1024x603.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"377\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-56001\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2-1024x603.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2-300x177.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2-128x75.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2-768x452.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2-1536x904.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2-459x270.png 459w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Nice2.png 1575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Most egregiously, there&#8217;s no way Garfield and Lane would or could have a chance at marital bliss once they initially run away from the law; I know this was a different era, but isn&#8217;t it inevitable they&#8217;ll be found? The most labored scene shows Lane attempting to strike out on her own due to the sheer exhaustion of being on the lam, only to realize within a few minutes that being with Garfield is worth it no matter what (though nothing has changed about their circumstances). <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street-1024x602.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"376\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-56000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street-1024x602.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street-128x75.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street-768x451.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street-1536x903.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street-459x270.png 459w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Street.png 1581w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Call me a sourpuss, but I wasn&#8217;t engaged by this one at all.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Atmospheric cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1545\" height=\"919\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-56003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3.png 1545w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3-1024x609.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3-768x457.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3-1536x914.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Dust-Be-My-Destiny-Cinematography3-454x270.png 454w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1545px) 100vw, 1545px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; only seek this one out if you&#8217;re a true Garfield fan. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0031259\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/601\/dust-be-my-destiny#articles-reviews?articleId=121581\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1939\/10\/07\/archives\/the-screen-the-warners-regenerate-john-garfield-again-in-the.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;As far as they&#8217;re concerned, I&#8217;m hanging by the neck already!&#8221; Synopsis: An ex-con (John Garfield) embittered about being wrongly imprisoned is picked up for train-hopping and sent to a work farm, where he falls in love with the stepdaughter (Priscilla Lane) of a cruel foreman (Stanley Ridges) who dies shortly after a fight. On the lam, the falsely accused couple live a low-key life thanks to the generosity of a deli owner (Henry Armetta) who hires them, and later&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=39790\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39790","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39790","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=39790"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39790\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56006,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39790\/revisions\/56006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=39790"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=39790"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=39790"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}