John Farrow was a celebrated Australian-American screenwriter, film director and producer. He bagged in an ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Around The World in Eighty Days.’ He also earned an ‘Academy Award’ nomination for ‘Wake Island.’ He started his career as a technical adviser and script consultant. ‘The Big Clock’ is considered as one of his highly regarded films. ‘Men In Exile’ marked his directorial debut in 1937. He had an accomplishing career which includes popular movies like ‘Where Danger Lives,’ ‘John Paul Jones,’ ‘Hondo,’ ‘Five Came Back,’ ‘The Sea Chase,’ ‘Alias Nick Beal,’ ‘His Kind of Woman,’ and ‘Back from Eternity,’ to name a few. ‘The Saint Strikes Back’ was one of his highly profitable works which was followed by ‘Sorority House,’ which was described as a surprise hit. He has a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame.’
Based on the 'Mutiny of 1788,’ this Academy Award-winning movie follows British Naval vessel HMS Bounty, captained by tyrannical Bligh, on its voyage to Tahiti. When Bligh’s ruthless discipline causes surgeon’s death, and he shackles crew-members in chains, ship’s Lieutenant Christian leads rebellious crew into mutiny, setting Bligh adrift in a boat. Later, midshipman Byam, though not part of the mutiny, faces court martial.
District Attorney Joseph Foster wants to become a governor to bring down the criminal underworld. One day he makes a deal with a stranger named Nick Beal and begins rising up the ranks of power, but becomes corrupted. He finally manages to escape the deal with the help of his wife Martha and his friend Thomas.
The story focuses on a fake wizard, who earns his living by fortune telling at a nightclub. But trouble begins when he suddenly develops an occult power and all his predictions, especially those involving death, start becoming true. One of his friends also earns millions by using his tips. But far from being happy, his new-found psychic power frightens him.
Jim Down is a stage director, who is quite successful in his career. However his life is unhappy, as he is married to a dominating wife Anne, who drives him to a mental breakdown. Eventually, he finds himself in a state-run mental hospital. Anne visits every day under the pretext of offering him her love and support. However, the truth is that she keeps on criticizing him, for his failings. Jim soon meets a young actress named Charlotte, who might be able to help him escape and start a new life.
This romantic war drama western film tells the story of a US Army scout named Hondo Lane, who discovers a woman and her son living in the midst of warring Apaches. He develops sympathy for the duo, and feels that he needs to protect them.
On its way to Panama City from New York, due to a fierce nighttime storm, a plane crashes in a jungle that is inhabited by cannibals. Weeks go by, and they eventually manage to get the airplane repaired, but things get complicated because it can now carry only five passengers.
The movie tells the story of Scotland native, John Paul Jones, who becomes a legendary U.S. Naval officer through his many heroic feats after adopting USA as his home country. He even carries out personal missions from George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Marie Antoinette, and Catherine the Great showing the respect he had earned.
Charles Stewart, the spoilt son of a shipping tycoon, is pressganged on one of his father’s ship, ‘Pilgrim', commanded by heartless Captain Thompson, where he witnesses the crew’s hardships and daily floggings. He befriends Richard Dana, a novelist trying to get first-hand experience of ship life. After suffering a scurvy outbreak and brutality beyond limits of endurance, the crew rises in mutiny.
Comet Over Broadway is an American drama film which tells the story of Eve Appleton, who is the wife of a small-town garage owner, but hopes to become a theatrical star some day. When her husband is sent to prison for accidentally killing an actor, she decides to go away and pursue her dreams.
Seven Days Leave is a drama film which tells the story of a soldier who is wounded while fighting during the First World War. While recovering in London, he is informed by a nurse that a Scottish widow has started believing him to be her son. In order to provide her with comfort, he decides to go along, and pretends to be her son.
Rocky feels guilty thinking that he may have caused the death of his commanding officer in Tunisia. He decides to pay a visit to the officer’s widow, and they soon fall for each other.
During the Japanese invasion of China, a cynical and macho profiteer meets a beautiful schoolteacher. Along with his friend, he helps protect her, her schoolgirls as well as a baby from the Japanese military.
Around the World in 80 Days is an Oscar winning adventure comedy film which is based on a novel of the same name by Jules Verne. The story revolves around Phileas Fogg, an English gentleman, living in the 19th century, who makes a bet that he can travel around the world in eighty days. Along with his French valet Passepartout, he sets out on an adventurous journey.
A mild-mannered widower who lives in a small Norwegian village is enraged at the atrocities of the Nazis against his fellow peaceful villagers. He escapes to Britain and returns leading a commando force against the Nazis.
Calcutta is a crime drama film, which revolves around Neale and Pedro, who fly cargo between Chungking and Calcutta. When their friend Bill gets murdered, they are drawn into the investigation. Neale meets Virginia, Bill’s fiancée, and soon becomes suspicious of a conspiracy. However, he also finds himself getting attracted to her.
White Gold is a silent western film which revolves around a beautiful young Mexican girl and a sheep rancher from Arizona, who get married, after which they return to the latter’s ranch, where he lives with his elderly father. The father is unable to accept the fact that his son is giving so much attention to her, which makes him dislike the girl. Therefore, he does everything that he can, to make her life as miserable as possible.
A commercial plane carrying eleven people crash lands into a South American jungle occupied by brutal cannibals. To escape, the plane has to be repaired and pilot Robert Ryan successfully manages to do that. However, the plane can now only carry five passengers. Who gets to return to safety?
Based on the best-selling novel by aviator and writer Ernest K. Gann, this film is about early air mail operations. Four McDonald brothers are hired by an airlines to fly the national air mail for the country's Air Mail Service when the company spots them performing stunt flying at a carnival.
American adventurer Al Colby is hired by a woman called Anna Luz and her antiquities collector husband to help them to smuggle an artifact from Havana into Mexico, where it can be properly valued. He agrees; but the process is not at all safe and easy.
Alan King is a British army captain who is serving in Colonial India. He faces discrimination when his fellow soldiers learn that his mother was a Muslim. Eventually, he is put in charge of training local recruits by Brig. General Maitland. Over some time, he begins to develop feelings for the General’s daughter. His life takes a turn when a local leader begins a revolt for freedom against the British Colonial rulers.
Submarine Commander Ken White, remembers his early years in his navy career, when two of his men were killed while following his orders. Even though he receives a promotion, the events still continue to haunt him, and also affect his marriage. When the Korean War flares up, he is called back to active duty again, and lead the submarine once more.
Hans Schmidt is an elderly spectacle maker in a village, who is approached by a mysterious man to design a lens that will make everything and everyone appear beautiful. In exchange, he promises to fill his shop with gold.
Copper Canyon is a Western action adventure film, which revolves around a fugitive who is asked to help a few miners who are terrorized by some locals.
Bandit Jose Esqueda hates settlers in his Texas town and attacks them. Jose’s adoptive brother, Rio, teams up with new settler, King Cameron, and gets close to Cameron’s wife Cordelia. As Rio continues to save Cameron’s life and Cordelia falls in love with him, a final gunfight with Jose will decide all of their fates.
During the Gold Rush, Lieutenant Jonathan Trumbo goes AWOL to guide a train to California. En route, he is joined by Lily Bishop, earning her enmity when he accuses her of cheating at cards. Lily later opens a salon in Pharaoh City and becomes friendly with powerful Pharaoh Coffin, who is against granting of statehood to California while Trumbo holds the opposite view.
Eleanor is an actress who is dating many men, including Bunny Harris, unaware of the fact that he is a gangster. Harris is the financier for one of her shows, but when he suddenly gets murdered and is found dead in her apartment, Eleanor finds herself in deep trouble.
Botany Bay is a 1952 drama film, which takes us to the year 1787. It tells us the story of a wrongly imprisoned medical student, who is being shipped along with other prisoners to Botany Bay. He also finds himself being victimized by the ship’s captain.
During the last days of the Civil War, rebel Confederate Captain Brett Sherwood, traveling across Colorado to join Quantrill, saves gold prospector Lane Waldron from being hanged for a killing committed by Brett. Lane is accompanied by his fiancée Chris who hates Quantrill for destroying her family. In a confrontation with Quantrill’s raiders, Lane gets killed, while Brett realizes the truth about mercenary Quantrill.
Full Confession is a crime drama film which tells the story of a man named Michael O’Keefe, who is falsely convicted of a crime which was actually committed by another man named Pat McGinnis. Father Lona, a Catholic priest, knows the truth, but unfortunately he cannot reveal it, since he is bound by his vows. Therefore, he tries to convince Pat to reveal the truth himself.
A woman gets married to a rich wine producer although he is unaware of the fact that her eyes are on his wealth. Soon, she makes a new lover, with whom she plots to get rid of her husband.
A small plane carrying a deputy sheriff Frank Munson and a handcuffed prisoner named Ed, crashes due to a storm, in the California wilderness. Frank and Ed soon find an isolated farm, where they take shelter, but soon Ed tries to escape from Frank, as Frank intends to kill him, rather than take him to the police.
John Farrow Awards
| Around the World in 80 Days | Best Writing, Best Screenplay - Adapted | 1957 |
