This week’s mystery movie has been the 1949 MGM picture “Intruder in the Dust,” with David Brian, Claude Jarman Jr., Juano Hernandez, Porter Hall, Elizabeth Patterson, Charles Kemper and Will Geer, from a screenplay by Ben Maddow based on the novel by William Faulkner. The movie was photographed by Robert Surtees, with art direction by Cedric Gibbons and Randall Duell, music by Adolph Deutsch, set decoration by Edwin B. Willis and Ralph S. Hurst, and makeup by Jack Dawn. It was produced and directed by Clarence Brown.
“Intruder in the Dust” is available on DVD from Warner Archive for $16.99.
Mary Mallory notes that the Film Noir Foundation recently posted a three-part interview with Claude Jarman Jr. on “Intruder in the Dust.”
“Intruder in the Dust” opened in Los Angeles on Nov. 11, 1949, at the Four Star Theatre.
Nov. 11, 1949: “Intruder in the Dust” opens in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Times movie critic Edwin Schallert said (Nov. 12, 1949):
The scenes are perhaps among the cruelest and bitterest that have ever reached the screen. The stolid faces, especially of the men, that watch for what might be a crucial event are a strange study of human inhumanism. It is a horrible effect …. But for all its values, which are very high indeed, the picture leaves something wanting in retrospect. We still don’t want to concede that any large segment of our population in this country is that ruthless. We feel that it is undermining to our general spirit in the eyes of the world in general. And we feel also that what the picture had to say does not quite come off, and that it isn’t helped one whit by pretty final speeches about conscience.
New York Times movie critic Bosley Crowther said (Nov. 23, 1949):
Out of the mordant material of William Faulkner’s “Intruder in the Dust,” which told a savage story of an averted lynching in a sleepy Southern town, Producer-Director Clarence Brown has made a brilliant stirring film. Under the title of the novel, it opened at the Mayfair yesterday. And without one moment’s hesitation, this corner, still shaking, proclaims that it is probably this year’s pre-eminent picture and one of the great cinema dramas of our times.
For Monday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Julia S. Marshbanks.
For Tuesday, we have a young mystery guest. Just ignore Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Elzie Emanuel with Claude Jarman Jr. as Back of the Head Guy.
Brain Trust roll call: Jenny M. (mystery movie and mystery guest). Most impressive.
For Wednesday, we have a lady with a hat.
Update: This is Elizabeth Patterson.
Note: Tuesday’s Back of the Head Guy was irresistible to the Brain Trust. 🙂
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery guest and Back of the Head Guy), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests, plus Back of the Head Guy), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and Back of the Head Guy), Don Danard (Tuesday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests, and Back of the Head Guy), Jenny M. (Tuesday’s mystery guest and Back of the Head Guy) and Beachgal (mystery movie, Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests, plus Back of the Head Guy).
For Thursday, we have these mystery guests. They are talking to this mystery gent:
Update: David Brian, left, Claude Jarman Jr., center, and Will Geer.
(Hint: This is not Bill Raisch, the one-armed man from “The Fugitive.”)
Update: This is Porter Hall, a long way from “Double Indemnity.”
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Don Danard (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Sheila (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guest), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery guest and Back of the Head Guy), Jenny M (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Gary Martin (mystery movie, Tuesday’s Back of the Head Guy and Wednesday’s mystery guest), Beachgal (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Roget-L.A. (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Dewey Webb (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery guest), Patrick (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery guest and Back of the Head Guy, and Wednesday’s mystery guest), David Inman (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guest), Tucson Barbara (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Benito (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery guest, Tuesday’s Back of the Head Guy) and Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guest).
And for Friday, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is Juano Hernandez.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Beachgal (Thursday’s mystery trio), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery one-armed man), Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery trio and one-armed man), Patrick (Thursday’s mystery guests), Alan Warren (mystery movie), Lorenzo (mystery movie and mystery youth), Diane Ely (Thursday’s mystery youth), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and mystery guests), Patricia van Hartesveldt (mystery movie and mystery youth), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Bob Hansen (two of Thursday’s mystery trio), Gary Martin (Tuesday’s mystery guests and Thursday’s mystery trio) and LC (mystery movie and mystery mystery cast).
ladailymirror.com 
Maria Ouspenskaya?
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Alas, no.
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I met a lovely elder actress some sixty years ago who, then in her eighties, greatly charmed me. This may not be Madame Sul-Te-Wan, but I would be remiss if I didn’t at least give her a shout out.
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Very interesting guess. But alas, no.
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I, too, thought it might be Madame Sul-Te-Wan, especially due to the fact that on Sept. 12, on her 80th birthday, a banquet was given in her honor.
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Julia S. Marshbanks in Intruder in the Dust.
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There must be another Madame Sul-Te-Wan. The one I knew in 1958 was 85 years old, and died shortly thereafter.
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INTRUDER IN THE DUST. Alberta Dishmon yesterday, Elzie Emanuel and Claude Jarman Jr. as back of the head guy today.
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Monday: Julia S. Marshbanks in INTRUDER IN THE DUST
Tuesday: Claude Jarman, Jr. & Elzie Emanuel
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I’m going to pull a Julie here with a back-of-the-head pick of Claude Jarman in Intruder in the Dust. What the hey!
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I think today’s Mystery Man is Elzie Emanuel.
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Julia Marshbanks and Elzie Emanuel plus Claude Jarman, Jr. make this INTRUDER IN THE DUST.
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Elzie Emanuel with the back of Claude Jarman’s head.
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Willie Best for Tuesday?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Tues is Elzie Emanuel – back of the head guy is Claude Jarman Jr. – the movie is the film adaptation of the Faulkner novel, Intruder In The Dust.
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Monday must be Julia Marshbanks, Lucas’ wife Molly.
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Tuesday’s guy kinda looks like Jimmy Robinson, which might make back-of-the-head guy Mickey Rooney – from one of their dozens of movies.
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Interesting guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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So Monday must be Julia S. Marchbanks. Elizabeth Patterson today. There is on + sign, so I’ve been checking for the past hour and a half to see when the photo had been added. If I hadn’t noticed there was a new wrong comment, I wouldn’t have known that there was a new photo.
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Today’s Mystery Lady sure looks like Elizabeth Patterson.
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Elizabeth Patterson, ‘Intruder in the Dust’.
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Today is Elizabeth Patterson in “Intruder in the Dust ” and back-of-the-head was Claude Jarman.
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Elizabeth Patterson
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Just a wild guess: Claude Jarman Jr,(bohg), and Elizabeth Patterson in Intruder in the Dust.
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Wen is Elizabeth Patterson
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Wednesday’s mystery lady with a hat is Elizabeth Patterson, a.k.a. Mrs. Trumbull on I Love Lucy
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Elizabeth Patterson.
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Elizabeth Patterson
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iNtruder in the dust
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Alberta Dishmon, Elzie Emanuel talking to the front of Claude Jarman, Jr’s head and Elizabeth Patterson in Intruder in the Dust from 1949.
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Elizabeth Patterson today, and this is “Intruder in the Dust.”
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Elizabeth Patterson
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Looks like Elizabeth Patterson in INTRUDERS IN THE DUST, NOT Minnie Pearl. Guess Claude Jarman Jr is back of the head boy.
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Elizabeth Patterson looks worried.
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David Brian and Claude Jarman Jr. on the left, Porter Hall as our one-armed man.
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Will Geer on the right.
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Thurs David Brian, Claude Jarmin Jr and Will Geer in Photo #1 – Photo #2 is Harry Antrim.
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Oops – Photo #2 is David Clarke not Harry Antrim.
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David Brian and Will Geer appear today plus Porter Hall.
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Porter Hall.
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The three men shown are David Brian, Claude Jarman Jr. and Will Geer.
The one-armed is Porter Hall.
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Thursday = David Brian, Claude Jarman, Jr., Will Geer and Porter Hall.
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Intruder in the Dust.
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Thursday’s young guest looks a lot like former Nashvillian Claude Jarman, Jr. Could the movie be Intruder in the Dust?
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Well, for Thursday that young man standing between the two suits looks like Claude Jarman.
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Intruder in the Dust
Guesses for Mon and Tues – Julia Marshbanks and Elzie Emanuel
Wednesday – still Elizabeth Patterson
Thursday – David Brian, Claude Jarman, Jr., and Will Geer looking at Porter Hall
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I think Thursday’s boy is Claude Jarman, Jr. Intruder in the Dust?
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Thursday’s mystery guests are David Brian, Claude Jarman Jr., and Will Geer. Thursday’s mystery gent is Porter Hall. The mystery movie is Intruder in the Dust (1949).
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Thursday’s first three mystery guys might be George Macready, Claude Jarman and Will Geer.
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Could the Thursday mystery gent in the right foreground be Ian Wolfe?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Tuesday is Elzie Emanuel, Thursday is David Brian, Will Geer and Porter Hall.
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Not Brian …Clark …Brian for Friday.
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Intruder in the Dust w/Claude Jarman, Jr, Elizabeth Patterson, Elzie Emanuel, & Juano Hernandez
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Juano Hernandez today.
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Friday is Juano Hernandez
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Juano Hernandez.
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Juano Hernandez.
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Friday’s Mystery Guest is Juano Hernandez. Seeing the pictures reminded me what a great actor he was.
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Friday = the underappreciated Juano Hernandez.
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And finally Juano Hernandez. From what I’ve read this was a performance and a role which introduced a major change in the way African Americans were portrayed in American films. I will have to look for it.
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Juano Hernandez
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Well Thursday’s triumvirate of David Brian, Claude Jarman Jr. and my old neighbor Will Geer gave it away as Intruder in the Dust (1949) and now I see Juano Hernandez, a long time favorite (where on earth are these kinds of actors now days? I know, I’m old), is icing on the cake. Pretty good movie too.
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