tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17319527716119444172024-03-24T17:03:49.432-05:00Film Noir BoardBy Eric SomerEric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-4321773546936313662024-03-09T16:44:00.002-06:002024-03-24T14:04:53.318-05:00THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET (1944)<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Paramount
Pictures, 92m 24s</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHSVzNhmkOtMkQKa7UiVbv_-BfegUTyZjfA95GhT1KM43Ir0tNJmxX0r3XIuTGKHv7USESUfnt9it0beINvWgtQPZhtAastjjpJoRaZEHVPkiLYjGaEIRflL4x1X8RYDKuDB-y2XI5-Y_gSK0fvQQ3W5xoN_vsERFVUc_sIiHQmFuZXS0dHhkxVzCclZq/s1480/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_Poster_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1480" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyHSVzNhmkOtMkQKa7UiVbv_-BfegUTyZjfA95GhT1KM43Ir0tNJmxX0r3XIuTGKHv7USESUfnt9it0beINvWgtQPZhtAastjjpJoRaZEHVPkiLYjGaEIRflL4x1X8RYDKuDB-y2XI5-Y_gSK0fvQQ3W5xoN_vsERFVUc_sIiHQmFuZXS0dHhkxVzCclZq/w270-h400/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_Poster_01.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">One of
the more obscure Hollywood productions to cover the topic of immortality, <b>THE
MAN IN HALF MOON STREET</b> made its official worldwide home video debut late
in 2023. As marketed by boutique label Imprint, this cross-genre specimen
incorporates both science fiction and <i>film noir</i> genre tropes.
Frankenstein <i>noir</i> might sound like a winning combination, though to be
honest I do not admire this title as much as I wish I did. Suspense comes in
oddly small doses based upon the sensational subject matter; the plot summary
on hand at Turner Classic Movies [<a href="https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/82634/the-man-in-half-moon-street#synopsis">SYNOPSIS</a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">]
suggests more emotional heft than the film ultimately can provide. My
disappointment notwithstanding, <b>THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET</b> offers solid
production value, takes established genre tropes seriously and features actress
Helen Walker, a name that should make <i>film noir</i> fans sit up straight.
Still available as of this writing, the Imprint Blu-ray promises long-term
collector value with its production limit of 1500 units.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Our
preservation of youth story is set in London during the mid-1920s within a
regimented society of class privilege. The featured protagonist is Dr. Julian
Karell (Nils Asther), an amoral man with an eternal life mindset. A scientist
with a penchant for painting portraits, his canvas depiction of Eve Brandon
(Helen Walker) looks suspiciously like the work of an artist who was active a
half-century ago according to a guest at the home of Sir Humphrey Brandon
(Edmund Breon), Eve's father. Stranger still, Lady Minerva Aldergate (Aminta
Dyne, uncredited) converses with Julian and recalls an affair she had with a
man who could have been—must have been—Julian's grandfather. Julian would like to
marry Eve, but first must endeavor to retain his appearance. He is 90 years
old but claims he is 35 (actor Nils Asther was in his late forties at the time
of the film's production and looks to be in exactly that age bracket). Julian's
modified presentation of himself requires the surgical transfer of suprarenal
glands from another human being every 10 years, which is to say a decennial
murder is necessary to prolong his bid for immortality. He seems to have found
his next guinea pig in the form of Alan Guthrie (Morton Lowry), a troubled
young medical student with a gambling addiction, the sort of fellow that might
go unmissed if he disappeared. Julian prevents Alan's suicide attempt and
convinces him to participate in private scientific experiments, but the
slightly belated arrival of endocrinologist and surgeon Dr. Kurt van Bruecken
(Reinhold Schünzel) amounts to a huge setback. Julian recognizes Kurt no longer
has the capacity to perform the 10-year surgeries on Julian as has become
tradition since 1865. Kurt is actually younger than Julian, yet appears
dramatically older as he hobbles about in an obvious state of decline. Despite
the unforgiving encroachments of the aging process, Kurt's mind remains sharp
as he admonishes Julian for arrogantly marching down the wrong path. Kurt is
energized by a moral compass that Julian lacks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPT6pXACRB_3T8n3pE2Uk_g8pKQv_Y288_Jav6VepBTgZf_xFtBD85kOiHrOAbs4duMzlBdp1mM58TEC1TYFBbfOLboWNCow_9aE84iCzvMYiK5Zdu9nBKLzeK_gQdsKrmtKf7EPD2_Y8M_vtpwtCs-KyiQEArSsT4sADQcqhAGOhGwsFlBRWNLXSH8XxC/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_01.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPT6pXACRB_3T8n3pE2Uk_g8pKQv_Y288_Jav6VepBTgZf_xFtBD85kOiHrOAbs4duMzlBdp1mM58TEC1TYFBbfOLboWNCow_9aE84iCzvMYiK5Zdu9nBKLzeK_gQdsKrmtKf7EPD2_Y8M_vtpwtCs-KyiQEArSsT4sADQcqhAGOhGwsFlBRWNLXSH8XxC/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_01.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After many years of practice...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2TXN7Qk-4Jwd0Ybs8Mn7kqRMXCotrs5Wlfhyphenhyphen5craFslw-1Wdz-F4x59OjFaY2Dsf8dQwE3A5FqSvXQeluAZL0W61zKBM9yExURFCCftPJ4Ll7HONkpBVsFUWrl_WMP0coAgkL9tXM4MYt_jcdykPOHjRs_2qOngo1pTbr7aZ8-DznDSvGd6D_JMQDCzR/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_02.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2TXN7Qk-4Jwd0Ybs8Mn7kqRMXCotrs5Wlfhyphenhyphen5craFslw-1Wdz-F4x59OjFaY2Dsf8dQwE3A5FqSvXQeluAZL0W61zKBM9yExURFCCftPJ4Ll7HONkpBVsFUWrl_WMP0coAgkL9tXM4MYt_jcdykPOHjRs_2qOngo1pTbr7aZ8-DznDSvGd6D_JMQDCzR/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_02.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little too familiar?</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<h4 style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">"Men like us must
always walk alone."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">—Dr. Kurt van
Bruecken</span></div></span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Though
undoubtedly a science fiction film first and a <i>film noir</i> second, <b>THE
MAN IN HALF MOON STREET</b> possesses an indisputable <i>noir</i> soul. This
Paramount title can be contextualized as dead-man-walking <i>noir</i>. As
Julian witnesses his options to maintain his youthfulness disintegrating, the
walking dead theme stands out as the most prominent of any of the film's themes
and motifs. The walking dead man is one of the most unambiguous of <i>film noir</i>
tropes, as emphasized repeatedly in <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b> (1944), the most
influential of all <i>noir</i> films in terms of prevailing themes. The walking
dead man would wander through a wide assortment of important <i>noir</i> films
that would follow <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b>, as seen in <b>SCARLET STREET</b>
(1945), <b>THE DARK CORNER</b> (1946), <b>DECOY</b> (1946), <b>THE KILLERS</b>
(1946), <b>OUT OF THE PAST</b> (1947), <b>RIDE THE PINK HORSE</b> (1947), <b>ACT
OF VIOLENCE</b> (1948), <b>ASPHALT JUNGLE</b> (1950), <b>D.O.A.</b> (1950), <b>NIGHT
AND THE CITY</b> (1950), <b>SUNSET BOULEVARD</b> (1950) and <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b>
(1958). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkvTlYFFl6jrPItv-3Dq2phhOI-nzPkXEXNRJwDk7tdx7v_wtKkDOeA3CLM_ghSBBE1sArqaw_NYOcNjpZWbw-kgJyvVLQ2So5rHs_YhASyQRjZ1BdXBSQvU8usAaWBSdJT4ZqzzuUSww20Qz6ex9Ftv8J7WApLPDKTqD3sDMfp0cnH8MBrZXHoXskOLS/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_03.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkvTlYFFl6jrPItv-3Dq2phhOI-nzPkXEXNRJwDk7tdx7v_wtKkDOeA3CLM_ghSBBE1sArqaw_NYOcNjpZWbw-kgJyvVLQ2So5rHs_YhASyQRjZ1BdXBSQvU8usAaWBSdJT4ZqzzuUSww20Qz6ex9Ftv8J7WApLPDKTqD3sDMfp0cnH8MBrZXHoXskOLS/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_03.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A <i>noir</i>ish night</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70XMaYeSoOMKH2sPgkKecTvB-yxIhcmI4lNolGzZjOJEU35q1SrCMwCTR0OZlAXpg79LXdgB2XqAEW71rO3Jckn67KKhNeLYFpR-_0_DlTKtIODOW8Y1miJyZICr5HXffBAxSUNiADIPW_EiqW_6C9uzg8k7ArepETsCnxP25B94xjKGfx3-Z0vuJ9Lgc/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_04.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70XMaYeSoOMKH2sPgkKecTvB-yxIhcmI4lNolGzZjOJEU35q1SrCMwCTR0OZlAXpg79LXdgB2XqAEW71rO3Jckn67KKhNeLYFpR-_0_DlTKtIODOW8Y1miJyZICr5HXffBAxSUNiADIPW_EiqW_6C9uzg8k7ArepETsCnxP25B94xjKGfx3-Z0vuJ9Lgc/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_04.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38zUm1WfTmmXQR1NgfbIUfPS_eCJtW9fH1F4SLNCvGnRcj7ykLSm8kUNNNgu2Fd6xw-bHDUrx6S8iXwt3C381Aqaq2jvjGlu9ww9kZYHffnQ9_aqz7WkE8IPb6ifdoZXQwAdptjwLxy-B84d5E29SYNoSQaybce0aeGd1KegS23gptnn1uR4Yt3x_8BZx/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_05.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38zUm1WfTmmXQR1NgfbIUfPS_eCJtW9fH1F4SLNCvGnRcj7ykLSm8kUNNNgu2Fd6xw-bHDUrx6S8iXwt3C381Aqaq2jvjGlu9ww9kZYHffnQ9_aqz7WkE8IPb6ifdoZXQwAdptjwLxy-B84d5E29SYNoSQaybce0aeGd1KegS23gptnn1uR4Yt3x_8BZx/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_05.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The juice of life</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IvSSIRntj_zIG5sQU-oG8JQA6Af1nN7L9_QJ8VbQ72se12uT8Zun54gw9mWQAfm4yNLa2lkCQP9fkdo7hUNEtWy-RWfY80DvUHJcX8LKdTy7l9s5z3fdif2ju6lEswm3CW2gK7CMrWGVWy0_cAfzbMnCVlANWsBJHqFdILwIs3Mt3-b0wOh0VjGP3I1Z/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_06.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IvSSIRntj_zIG5sQU-oG8JQA6Af1nN7L9_QJ8VbQ72se12uT8Zun54gw9mWQAfm4yNLa2lkCQP9fkdo7hUNEtWy-RWfY80DvUHJcX8LKdTy7l9s5z3fdif2ju6lEswm3CW2gK7CMrWGVWy0_cAfzbMnCVlANWsBJHqFdILwIs3Mt3-b0wOh0VjGP3I1Z/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_06.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnnv5pbNqKqa9e1oxVAlZ1PtKlk-wFNuJUXRpDBBlrnSx4aBMmylsk1vokGGVoQgurzvnKP5os5uXu7dEVr5h2T_rrfR3htFA7712qJu4T-vhTqY38hoESODxOlLcuc2gU-aGEq0o3WYQMQ4BUO0fwGIdE0wUo8bj1k8kSUCczGkMeuHkQ2AwWR3fD42zh/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_08.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oQ1QcHcVOpWhLad6kMavCVsWHxrUWibTqvrjq5q0fe_0yxfFCr6iRkGLKXs1alnQi7Gs5DBisCw9Mo_AdY06Mu1WWfMbB8-IqcXb0AMJuMGjoHwy-6AJPqtCslgNZZYIpbCLtZaMQldqgqQwDJ0u5FF_fuAqqKR29pwlxi5cpKxCfg8XFbJLe2w3J3nf/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_09.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-oQ1QcHcVOpWhLad6kMavCVsWHxrUWibTqvrjq5q0fe_0yxfFCr6iRkGLKXs1alnQi7Gs5DBisCw9Mo_AdY06Mu1WWfMbB8-IqcXb0AMJuMGjoHwy-6AJPqtCslgNZZYIpbCLtZaMQldqgqQwDJ0u5FF_fuAqqKR29pwlxi5cpKxCfg8XFbJLe2w3J3nf/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_09.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
vivid illustration of the alienated <i>noir</i> protagonist, Julian has
survived for decades as an outcast and criminal. His sense of displacement is
grounded in the reality that he cannot live in the real world as an ageless man
forever. Thus his sense of alienation is self-imposed, forever connected to the
selfish choices he has made. The woman he would like to marry comes with a
reminder of the impossibility of keeping his immortality quest a secret. A
ladyfriend of any significance does not correspond well with such a plan; Kurt
reminds Julian a woman could <i>never</i> be in the cards for such men of
science. How can a man maintain a relationship with a woman if she ages normally
and he remains the same age? Indeed Julian's interest in a woman sets his
downfall in motion. That places Eve among the most unwilling and unaware of <i>film
noir</i> femme fatales to bring about a man's downward spiral. She is both the
cure for his lack of belonging and the catalyst for his destruction. If
Julian's relationship with Eve amounts to an insurmountable long-term
impracticality, then a traditional family life is an absolute
non-starter. That theme comes deeply embedded in many films <i>noir</i>,
characterized by suspect family values and downright hopeless marriages to be
found in <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b>, <b>THE SUSPECT</b> (1944), <b>SCARLET STREET</b>,
<b>MILDRED PIERCE</b> (1945), <b>THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF UNCLE HARRY</b> (1945), <b>THE
STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS</b> (1946), <b>ALL MY SONS</b> (1948), <b>SORRY,
WRONG NUMBER</b> (1948), <b>WHIRLPOOL</b> (1949) and <b>GUN CRAZY</b> (1950).</span></p><h4 style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">"All we are fated
to learn we know already."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">—Dr. Kurt van
Bruecken</span></div></span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The <i>film
noir</i> often is distinguished by a fixation on past events that cannot be
undone, choices made in the past that prevent the major protagonist from moving
forward in a positive way. It is not unusual to find evidence of that theme
within <i>noir</i> title treatments, i.e. <b>CORNERED</b> (1945), <b>OUT OF THE
PAST</b> (1947), <b>THEY WON'T BELIEVE ME</b> (1947), <b>THE DARK PAST</b>
(1948), <b>ABANDONED</b> (1949), <b>THE RECKLESS MOMENT</b> (1949), <b>TOO LATE
FOR TEARS</b> (1949), <b>TRAPPED</b> (1949), <b>NO WAY OUT</b> (1950), <b>ODDS
AGAINST TOMORROW</b> (1959). A closely related <i>noir</i> theme involves
idealized images that embody an irretrievable past. How fitting that Julian
enjoys painting portraits as a hobbyist, since the portrait is meant to
preserve a moment in time. From the moment a portrait is completed, it
represents a past that cannot be restored. As such, his artistic endeavors are
at odds with the prospect of immortality. On another level, could the subject
of the painting ever live up to Julian's expectations? Recall Mark McPherson
(Dana Andrews) falling for the framed woman in <b>LAURA</b> (1944). One wonders
if Julian fell in love with Eve or her idealized, ageless likeness. Indeed his
marriage proposal comes only <i>after</i> the unveiling of her portrait. Or
maybe Julian's fondness for Eve and her inquisitive nature is best explained as
fate. An atmosphere rich in fatalism is perhaps the purest of all <i>film noir</i>
tropes, the support structure that gives rise to narratives engulfed in
bitterness and cynicism like <b>DETOUR</b> (1945), <b>SHOCK</b> (1946), <b>THE
LADY FROM SHANGHAI</b> (1947), <b>REPEAT PERFORMANCE</b> (1947), <b>CRISS CROSS</b>
(1949), <b>ANGEL FACE</b> (1952) and <b>THE KILLING</b> (1956). Another related
and crucial component of the <i>noir</i> equation is irony. One of the deep
ironies at work in <b>THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET</b> is that a discredited
surgeon like Dr. B.A. Vishanoff (Konstantin Shayne, uncredited) is necessary to
continue Julian's life, a respected man like Dr. Henry Latimer (Paul Cavanagh)
can be of no assistance. Deep in the <i>noir</i> underworld, sometimes the
unprincipled social pariah is of more value than the man of integrity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnMncmVL-Wr_Tf0UWHgtNkqo6nVYZMYfAZFKy18jFbFQYrit0yYY_EaYJ6QLobK5qf8Oa-hX1iIF2uODAm09ucQscwOmuuTibB8-jsGUCNggQNGLcID3rfaiYVAtph2S6xrHkdga8Rmu_K-CD7jsu_cfrExnbZnoraEP9-8IQzAtgOQ2oP2BYo6HRNeXT/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_10.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnMncmVL-Wr_Tf0UWHgtNkqo6nVYZMYfAZFKy18jFbFQYrit0yYY_EaYJ6QLobK5qf8Oa-hX1iIF2uODAm09ucQscwOmuuTibB8-jsGUCNggQNGLcID3rfaiYVAtph2S6xrHkdga8Rmu_K-CD7jsu_cfrExnbZnoraEP9-8IQzAtgOQ2oP2BYo6HRNeXT/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_10.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kurt and Julian as pioneering men of science —<br />an idealized past that no longer exists</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0iwu-sEwM3jPSe0qk_BRfba3LbIXRvcjzf9o68bcd9JafZg2A25PD9PC3fgakZ5hLDISBLybc4aipj2TxpCAeyc3IgMnF4dh3KsJaUJvzmaIingX9lK5iyaBSjDJeX4sKqSAmwNP1heMkX3IYcYDiff7b8pSGN9HiHopd1OzMgxw6OdMHvlCD6FO-pWO/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_11.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0iwu-sEwM3jPSe0qk_BRfba3LbIXRvcjzf9o68bcd9JafZg2A25PD9PC3fgakZ5hLDISBLybc4aipj2TxpCAeyc3IgMnF4dh3KsJaUJvzmaIingX9lK5iyaBSjDJeX4sKqSAmwNP1heMkX3IYcYDiff7b8pSGN9HiHopd1OzMgxw6OdMHvlCD6FO-pWO/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_11.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Youthful vanity versus aging frailty</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_IpCmH5RWj9LsL-mGdG6e6_tzIIxWWo323X8bSafY8ArssP-eEzm_XKMkqcL1J1becpRwtu7zKBkcznM6QqvTws22NKauB64TIdtoHe2m8mmPhJG83yTf_WypkCJB6TLzsv0YMapAgkN79xpuBFFbg62lQ5sPA4j4_vU3Q8owR15OsuRQqZciQYwMduJ/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_12.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_IpCmH5RWj9LsL-mGdG6e6_tzIIxWWo323X8bSafY8ArssP-eEzm_XKMkqcL1J1becpRwtu7zKBkcznM6QqvTws22NKauB64TIdtoHe2m8mmPhJG83yTf_WypkCJB6TLzsv0YMapAgkN79xpuBFFbg62lQ5sPA4j4_vU3Q8owR15OsuRQqZciQYwMduJ/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_12.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dead next door</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LBMVy2Vq8eTjTZYBah2f95UY_mh21nKNNFFH6IuueijlAyW8ErM2Qmahdip3rR9iE2geA1KHlHv0YXYkvV169n10gdKLvS6gyWliqUicWE9DiHFjIZsYviQ-ohwjOcrIPl-JuyX157l_Yoq6x3zWYHqNxK3Zo5NFRkqfXtnZNBnZgc9hcNb5yEsyjUe3/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_13.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LBMVy2Vq8eTjTZYBah2f95UY_mh21nKNNFFH6IuueijlAyW8ErM2Qmahdip3rR9iE2geA1KHlHv0YXYkvV169n10gdKLvS6gyWliqUicWE9DiHFjIZsYviQ-ohwjOcrIPl-JuyX157l_Yoq6x3zWYHqNxK3Zo5NFRkqfXtnZNBnZgc9hcNb5yEsyjUe3/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_13.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Thames gives up its dead</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zB3DPOD6Si1kjfeW2i3BzDhpUdyIon5AkTl65he-LpGPzU0Df1a32IYGiBM-QKI8_v0604e7-9GspekjS_sACZhKPQ8GmUtETObxTOFIcMoe2kPUm8cICAmj8BXIMJLJQXvCMeV1uKtJ-XDe4FZy0u5OdvN3nEQzD6BqSDN7V0b5wNzLGBV_r4St5Uzr/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_14.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zB3DPOD6Si1kjfeW2i3BzDhpUdyIon5AkTl65he-LpGPzU0Df1a32IYGiBM-QKI8_v0604e7-9GspekjS_sACZhKPQ8GmUtETObxTOFIcMoe2kPUm8cICAmj8BXIMJLJQXvCMeV1uKtJ-XDe4FZy0u5OdvN3nEQzD6BqSDN7V0b5wNzLGBV_r4St5Uzr/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_14.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tale of two paintings</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Admittedly
<b>THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET</b> does not adhere to all <i>film noir</i>
traditions, especially in terms of what <i>noir</i> expert Eddie Muller calls
"the break;" that moment when the lead character considers the moral
choice and then decides against it. That milestone marks a major turning point
in the life of the protagonist, who possesses at least some moral fiber to find
himself at a moment of internal debate. If Julian ever had a moment like that,
it must have occurred long ago. As he desperately schemes toward another
life-extending surgery, his motivations are completely egocentric. Julian is
concerned only about the preservation of his deceitful image, not the overall
benefit to mankind his colleague Kurt had sought. Julian has more in common
with the crazed <i>noir</i> psychos of the 1950s than the average people of
1940s <i>noir</i> who make bad decisions or trip over some rotten luck.
Julian's obsession with self-preservation anticipates the misguided villainy
that would invade <i>film noirs</i> like <b>GUN CRAZY</b>, <b>SUNSET BOULEVARD</b>
(1950), <b>ANGEL FACE</b>, <b>THE SNIPER</b> (1952), <b>THE HITCH-HIKER</b>
(1953), <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> (1955) and <b>A KISS BEFORE DYING</b>
(1956).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMl6oqso-s7mkmD1TV1OrZWmctMcf781JprbELzZuwiob8_tVbBSkAxCcZZ_TVnGBHenOILZp5Ll3EH8tq5t5bD0N4phi8yvnRkWUp9IpFM48_omvCqjlTl1mYq6QP9uV7HhZqGj88l7kzOxnA3k5dZZxMJyJa9JkcjcXqIa-TBT03ADhXB7hxa3HPETWE/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_15.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMl6oqso-s7mkmD1TV1OrZWmctMcf781JprbELzZuwiob8_tVbBSkAxCcZZ_TVnGBHenOILZp5Ll3EH8tq5t5bD0N4phi8yvnRkWUp9IpFM48_omvCqjlTl1mYq6QP9uV7HhZqGj88l7kzOxnA3k5dZZxMJyJa9JkcjcXqIa-TBT03ADhXB7hxa3HPETWE/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_15.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going downhill fast!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRonglUOIFrUXyDcHIUcxwplslqwINRe57KEez3yXq_jGxdm94Ucn6yPszNGK63wC0DG6t-jHu1poDa_Opphuro0BEa7ZaTEbNE9xJi0wR8-ISziU5pH2T3jCGNGPvWMtSJqF0Kll3BxZIfVxgs76wDNB-zVHanV3gnoAy1ImR2dtOpNRdu9numtTYLfg1/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_16.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRonglUOIFrUXyDcHIUcxwplslqwINRe57KEez3yXq_jGxdm94Ucn6yPszNGK63wC0DG6t-jHu1poDa_Opphuro0BEa7ZaTEbNE9xJi0wR8-ISziU5pH2T3jCGNGPvWMtSJqF0Kll3BxZIfVxgs76wDNB-zVHanV3gnoAy1ImR2dtOpNRdu9numtTYLfg1/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_16.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvb2E6y-_K1qDEU2qvtskvjGnEzYf7rKOYufLo41j5HMr7mhoH28y9Mm-PBvIfmFHAaq1Ghsi0bDvBvekC0OyWPeF9FA57ut4_5h7GBf9etjJuVEnee-q1MkxNjNje5ffv6IjF51UCFKct01SL98Iby3cIDnkZp-LiAzAWyjxD_HjMM3WDytJ0PdFHJ9xf/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_17.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvb2E6y-_K1qDEU2qvtskvjGnEzYf7rKOYufLo41j5HMr7mhoH28y9Mm-PBvIfmFHAaq1Ghsi0bDvBvekC0OyWPeF9FA57ut4_5h7GBf9etjJuVEnee-q1MkxNjNje5ffv6IjF51UCFKct01SL98Iby3cIDnkZp-LiAzAWyjxD_HjMM3WDytJ0PdFHJ9xf/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_17.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gBYAGJ3cfynV8_hv6zMvwaMo2KreD1hvi0fLyzcxtgl4J45aX8yxtfoq0dbXmKb5XfIvwxQWcbggwANSAnuLyHOVJgprCaK89jJOVjPm5_ov2fRae6WhLtFebbEtz70IMV7RxZdK3fca01fezSakp0UtfL0jx-y_HqQ96w4Dmnl68R4OMlH9794tR0n-/s1920/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_18.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4gBYAGJ3cfynV8_hv6zMvwaMo2KreD1hvi0fLyzcxtgl4J45aX8yxtfoq0dbXmKb5XfIvwxQWcbggwANSAnuLyHOVJgprCaK89jJOVjPm5_ov2fRae6WhLtFebbEtz70IMV7RxZdK3fca01fezSakp0UtfL0jx-y_HqQ96w4Dmnl68R4OMlH9794tR0n-/w400-h225/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_18.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">THE
MAN IN HALF MOON STREET</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> is rooted in Barré Lyndon's 1939 West End
play. Screenwriter Charles Kenyon had extensive writing credits in the 1920s
and 1930s, and Garrett Fort, credited with the adaptation, contributed to <b>DRACULA</b>
(1931, play), <b>FRANKENSTEIN</b> (1931, co-screenwriter), <b>DRACULA'S
DAUGHTER</b> (1936, screenwriter), <b>THE DEVIL-DOLL</b> (1936,
co-screenwriter) and <b>AMONG THE LIVING</b> (1941, co-screenwriter). As
directed by Ralph Murphy, this adaptation views a little stagy in terms of
coverage, with the level of intrigue kept to a frustrating minimum. The London
setting fits this cross-genre exercise well, the fog of <i>noir</i> well
captured on Hollywood soundstages by Henry Sharp, who also was responsible for
the cinematography of some of <i>film noir</i>'s more unrenowned entries such
as <b>JEALOUSY</b> (1945), <b>THE GUILTY</b> (1947), <b>HIGH TIDE</b> (1947)
and <b>VIOLENCE</b> (1947). My favorite visual conceit is the glowing elixir in
the lab, which obviously recalls the mysterious glass of milk homme fatal
Johnnie Aysgarth (Cary Grant) carried up the stairway in Alfred Hitchcock's <b>SUSPICION</b>
(1941). I also like the imprisoning shadows that accompany the arrival of
Julian's houseguest Alan, who would have been better off had he been left to
drown. The impressive score was the work of Miklós Rózsa, who also composed the
music for <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b>, <b>THE LOST WEEKEND</b> (1945) and <b>SPELLBOUND</b>
(1945).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Helen
Walker's life story would provide immense subject matter for a lengthy biopic.
The talented and uniquely attractive actress's career went off track
irrevocably on New Year's Eve of 1946 after she picked up a trio of World War
II veterans. A horrific accident killed one of her passengers and left everyone
else with injuries. The men who survived said she was driving under the
influence, recklessly at that. Though acquitted, she garnered a lot of negative
press, which hurt her reputation. Her tarnished public image left her well
suited to play femme fatales in <i>noir</i> films such as <b>NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b>
(1947) and <b>IMPACT</b> (1949). She also appeared in <b>CALL NORTHSIDE 777</b>
(1948) and <b>THE BIG COMBO</b> (1955). In 1968 she died of cancer. She was
only 47.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">This
region-free, single-layered Blu-ray edition of <b>THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET</b>
released by Imprint is the product of a fresh 2K scan. Framed at 1.37:1, the
film looks respectable enough in motion, with scratches and artifacts
infrequent and not at all distracting. A welcome supplement, and an appropriate
reason to invest in this disc, is the audio commentary track by seasoned film
historian Tim Lucas, who recognizes <b>THE MAN IN HALF MOON STREET</b> as the
last of Paramount's horror/sci-fi releases of the 1940s. He correctly notes the
quality of Paramount genre product was a notch above what was churned out over
at Universal in terms of production value, actor performances and layers of
subtext. This genre film owes an obvious debt to Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886
Gothic novella STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE and the screen versions it
had inspired up to that point:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Paramount's <b>DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE</b> (1920) and (1931), as well as
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's interpretation (1941). Lucas also covers relevant films
that broach the subject of immortality that preceded or followed <b>THE MAN IN
HALF MOON STREET</b>, including <b>SHE</b> (1935), <b>THE PICTURE OF DORIAN
GRAY</b> (1945) and <b>THE WASP WOMAN</b> (1959). He also mentions episodes of THE
TWILIGHT ZONE that revolved around immortality and everlasting youth such as “Walking
Distance” (October 30, 1959), “Long Live Walter Jameson” (March 18, 1960), “Kick
the Can” (February 9, 1962) and “Queen of the Nile” (March 6, 1964). The
character Dr. Julian Karell was inspired by French surgeon and biologist Alexis
Carrel, a pioneer in vascular suturing techniques, organ transplantation and
thoracic surgery. Lucas points out that Dr. Julian Karell was much more of a
sadist in the stage version of the story; in the play Julian preys upon youths
and disposes of them in acid after he is through with them. Lucas also calls
attention to the homoerotic subtext between Julian and his suitable glands
donor Alan (Morton Lowry appeared in <b>THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY</b> later
the same year). Homoerotic themes are prevalent in some of the most significant
of <i>noir</i> productions, including <b>THE MALTESE FALCON</b> (1941), <b>THE
GLASS KEY</b> (1942), <b>GILDA</b> (1946), <b>THE BIG CLOCK</b> (1948), <b>THE
LINEUP</b> (1958) and <b>THE BIG COMBO</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
1959 Hammer Films remake, distributed theatrically by Paramount Pictures, was
entitled <b>THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH</b>. The Hammer effort comes with its
own strengths and weaknesses, but both films share the same thematic concerns.
In each film, close attention is paid to a Frankensteinian hands motif. Human
hands have the potential to both commit horrific murders and perform remarkable
surgeries that halt the normal aging process. Interestingly, the hands also
provide the first hint of aging when another surgery is overdue. The motif is given
further emphasis with the trembling hands of an elderly surgeon who no longer
can be depended upon to perform glandular transplants every 10 years. It seems
the positive things human hands are capable of are cancelled out by the
negative qualities. Director Terence Fisher keeps essentially the same material
moving a little more briskly with his version clocking in at just under 83
minutes. But Anton Diffring gives an erratic performance in the lead role of
Dr. Georges Bonnet, and I actually find the transformation sequences more
convincing in the original filmed version of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">I
have not seen the HOUR OF MYSTERY hour-long TV episode “The Man in
Half Moon Street” that aired June 22, 1957 on British television. This
interpretation also featured Anton Diffring in the lead role and Arnold Marlé
as Dr. Ludwig Weisz. The anthology television series was produced by ABC
Weekend TV and broadcast on the ITV network.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s7DxGji2Hv8" width="320" youtube-src-id="s7DxGji2Hv8"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71xUUxL6XW9KhqG4HIRQDV9hxXtbC52gix69OZFNRMvdGCTNr8mcGthJg9ckUFwnde1MRudQMtLnXquo1Jr2AhIabPO6R56M4F5HA56KyZIc67OaYS07cDOi3YkWFWodW0HyMVR6SK2xF7nB47cX6Rtbvr-BWy-liGYYcn2XpnjnuT7GPLJH4NRkDO7yM/s3000/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_Poster_02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2369" data-original-width="3000" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71xUUxL6XW9KhqG4HIRQDV9hxXtbC52gix69OZFNRMvdGCTNr8mcGthJg9ckUFwnde1MRudQMtLnXquo1Jr2AhIabPO6R56M4F5HA56KyZIc67OaYS07cDOi3YkWFWodW0HyMVR6SK2xF7nB47cX6Rtbvr-BWy-liGYYcn2XpnjnuT7GPLJH4NRkDO7yM/w400-h316/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_Poster_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwV1L3nRfwwzAfbdHZ18dEH8NAeI_GVZp8OLVT0VZ-aPwjxJrv_P3aSC8hlUrdu-edawSIyeEq2iKo9P245RFTP98UQ0D0aDcub_ZbNHUvIhDIHJodStuylE46vK7tC48K0IiT41jz2AcZKXK7TspJ3FHFsY7IafFktL8KRgPGo-COjuTQ2gsWnrPwLjOY/s1118/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_Poster_03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="888" data-original-width="1118" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwV1L3nRfwwzAfbdHZ18dEH8NAeI_GVZp8OLVT0VZ-aPwjxJrv_P3aSC8hlUrdu-edawSIyeEq2iKo9P245RFTP98UQ0D0aDcub_ZbNHUvIhDIHJodStuylE46vK7tC48K0IiT41jz2AcZKXK7TspJ3FHFsY7IafFktL8KRgPGo-COjuTQ2gsWnrPwLjOY/w400-h318/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_Poster_03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXP-abaEctn-U2dtv7xSAIYm_40DEgctlhTt1YUrh-8UAN7uPt625g2ymo-unaoD6vjMmiOk73f28j8POh7wsgwhjp1S41RYFKR769YfmyqceoKUIx8ksY8DXn75mPxZ5qkIVSNcnEEKwa4N8mJIxOxF8otBdn8l7cwAIA0glmKl49wCk58OUeqo-gggU/s552/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_Blu-ray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="421" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirXP-abaEctn-U2dtv7xSAIYm_40DEgctlhTt1YUrh-8UAN7uPt625g2ymo-unaoD6vjMmiOk73f28j8POh7wsgwhjp1S41RYFKR769YfmyqceoKUIx8ksY8DXn75mPxZ5qkIVSNcnEEKwa4N8mJIxOxF8otBdn8l7cwAIA0glmKl49wCk58OUeqo-gggU/w305-h400/Man%20in%20Half%20Moon%20Street,%20The%20(1944)_Blu-ray.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-44888724657897045072023-12-25T12:55:00.001-06:002023-12-25T13:09:46.428-06:00SORRY, WRONG NUMBER (1948)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Paramount Pictures, 88m
44s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZxTf2lr9hqNVdimXQOk7MnbM2zfme8yI2ELPPNpkM9SvQRQYvOIoANjknWh0Ou-jSpDNDC4ur-HZUAIk5kNQ0QCVx334ZBWGtaJjhIRJDnaV3VkmBTqfe4Q_gpR2QZv_4jJoh1kdtgIfUibEbJiYngJm5lDz6awxzoSbhNZV0BxtVb9uEDjywiwgTomL/s1761/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_Poster_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="1761" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBZxTf2lr9hqNVdimXQOk7MnbM2zfme8yI2ELPPNpkM9SvQRQYvOIoANjknWh0Ou-jSpDNDC4ur-HZUAIk5kNQ0QCVx334ZBWGtaJjhIRJDnaV3VkmBTqfe4Q_gpR2QZv_4jJoh1kdtgIfUibEbJiYngJm5lDz6awxzoSbhNZV0BxtVb9uEDjywiwgTomL/w400-h315/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_Poster_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">An extension of the
1943 radio play written by Lucille Fletcher, producer/director Anatole Litvak’s
socially uncompromising <b>SORRY, WRONG NUMBER</b> encompasses many of the
themes and motifs central to the American <i>film noir</i> cycle:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>women who are something other than what they
seem, men who are tempted by the allure of money to commit crimes, a decadent
urban setting, flashbacks meant to explicate the present, and above everything
else, an irrevocable sense of doom as fate closes in on the major characters.
An exercise in sustained tension, from the opening moments time is running out
on the bedridden female protagonist. Leona Stevenson (Barbara Stanwyck earned
her fourth Oscar® nomination) is wholly dependent on her telephone to send and
receive information. Due to a crossed wire connection, she becomes aware of a
murder plot set to take place that very evening. Leona eventually comes to
suspect <i>she</i> is the intended victim. Trapped in her Manhattan residence
alone, can the invalid avoid her fate?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Leona is one of <i>film
noir</i>’s most unique femme fatales. The pampered daughter of drug mogul James
Cotterell (Ed Begley), owner of the J. Cotterell Drug Co., she is known
derisively as "the cough drop queen." That she would garner such a
label is not surprising given her lamentable character traits:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she is spoiled, self-centered, manipulative
and standoffish. An undesirable combination of petulance and fragility, Leona
is all but impossible to engage in conversation. But given her obvious social
pedigree as the Cotterell heiress, she maintains at least some appeal despite
regular intervals of truculent defiance. Interestingly, Leona is the driving
force behind her romance with Henry Stevenson (Burt Lancaster, cast against
type), a big strapping young fellow who looks good on the dancefloor at the
Matthews College for Women. Their social backgrounds are comically
antithetical; he works in a drug store, her father owns a large chain of drug
stores. Henry does not understand why Leona would have any interest in someone
like him. Her clingy father cannot help but agree. James pleads with his
daughter not to marry a financially undernourished man of limited education. Of
course she acts against her father's admonitions, and so the Cotterell family
merges with Henry Stevenson.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrJgfLE7MpnPhUa8reXXlpwu2OepNGIuYQMsyS9wdiytxU6Xce6Om6HLZz9c5SrhGxMdp916z4qZQ04t22tZkm-Y5cQqnKDw6_gcqW2arnBTs9RJ8M6qdlJjJtUiGFqbP3cbFfykQDUdNvZAH1FL_y01lF2GAtIWFLvXUnnlbQKPurY_gedpASotqIWCL/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIrJgfLE7MpnPhUa8reXXlpwu2OepNGIuYQMsyS9wdiytxU6Xce6Om6HLZz9c5SrhGxMdp916z4qZQ04t22tZkm-Y5cQqnKDw6_gcqW2arnBTs9RJ8M6qdlJjJtUiGFqbP3cbFfykQDUdNvZAH1FL_y01lF2GAtIWFLvXUnnlbQKPurY_gedpASotqIWCL/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_01.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Murder by numbers</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKl6_7THAgtTc_69YWsnkgC5glMKEx_Eg98G90OqEeDGEvj-1YSBmTpKZPEf7eCvOlG3zBy2889IkeSu9tLdlTsQaqdjrCp7Nu5kcz7SrVXMZAD20nE18I8CCkqXpTPSwja0l8YCRJ-46EvVdsLqI7Y41sboERhzaBJeQL1-R_ZDo_irI5-Zgf_0Cx-6E/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKl6_7THAgtTc_69YWsnkgC5glMKEx_Eg98G90OqEeDGEvj-1YSBmTpKZPEf7eCvOlG3zBy2889IkeSu9tLdlTsQaqdjrCp7Nu5kcz7SrVXMZAD20nE18I8CCkqXpTPSwja0l8YCRJ-46EvVdsLqI7Y41sboERhzaBJeQL1-R_ZDo_irI5-Zgf_0Cx-6E/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_02.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For better or worse</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UJoL2AGkR8wbFT_kU8_2Z8p-L1yn4IsW8Icrg5tuUAgjYGTLOY9Z1gZ2arba4__mY9qo-y9Mu8yY9KLB-hgHMWK5XmddxSHB6vskS7wI2GBcvc9W8MS5J2njRgiv4ib1DbPu-TMEt-VgtSvN5VjHcUaNZ4RG7ET8zOXT1sqaLStpTMRKTkozpOrTONl2/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_UJoL2AGkR8wbFT_kU8_2Z8p-L1yn4IsW8Icrg5tuUAgjYGTLOY9Z1gZ2arba4__mY9qo-y9Mu8yY9KLB-hgHMWK5XmddxSHB6vskS7wI2GBcvc9W8MS5J2njRgiv4ib1DbPu-TMEt-VgtSvN5VjHcUaNZ4RG7ET8zOXT1sqaLStpTMRKTkozpOrTONl2/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_03.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Safe house?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzsDXDQ47pE_9ze81vK4AodCkEvIHEMXejh39zD3urawhwZ3C-RP-vJSN7kiHixM7Z7-rzb1T2R-RHQh74YWIpRtRX4wyBHxEHUQScFRvGIISNlFU1W9CNWdDH6ASXYVeTKiYTYBUU7-e8zby4YnvV0fB1bdfn4nZbKWU4SL0SosvEijpZCt_GnRn9AsW/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzsDXDQ47pE_9ze81vK4AodCkEvIHEMXejh39zD3urawhwZ3C-RP-vJSN7kiHixM7Z7-rzb1T2R-RHQh74YWIpRtRX4wyBHxEHUQScFRvGIISNlFU1W9CNWdDH6ASXYVeTKiYTYBUU7-e8zby4YnvV0fB1bdfn4nZbKWU4SL0SosvEijpZCt_GnRn9AsW/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_04.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That <i>noir</i> moment of recognition</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A crucial theme baked
into the <i>film noir</i> genre, especially during the classic period that
stretches from roughly 1944 - 1950, is that the traditional American family is
under strain. It is easy enough to note the absence of family values and the
many unsuccessful marriages that distinguish <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b> (1944), <b>THE
SUSPECT</b> (1944), <b>SCARLET STREET</b> (1945), <b>MILDRED PIERCE</b> (1945),
<b>THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF UNCLE HARRY</b> (1945), <b>THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA
IVERS</b> (1946), <b>ALL MY SONS</b> (1948), <b>WHIRLPOOL</b> (1949) and <b>GUN
CRAZY</b> (1950). The preeminent theme that makes <b>SORRY, WRONG NUMBER</b> so
perfectly <i>noir</i> is its bleak rendering of its star-crossed couple. In the
course of a marriage unfulfilling for both parties, there is no happiness to be
found in Leona’s family, only discontent, deception, disappointment, and death.
From the outset, there seems to be no way to align the interests of everyone
concerned. This theme can be traced back to the mother who died giving birth to
Leona. Given the obvious class distinctions and contrasting personalities that
polarize Henry and Leona, the husband and wife seem destined for divergent
paths. It is not long after her wedding to Henry that Leona discovers a photo
of his old flame Sally Hunt Lord (Ann Richards) in his wallet. That discovery
instantly creates doubt in Leona’s mind about her choice for a husband. That
finding is both revealing and deceptive; Leona is slow to recognize where the
actual trouble lies.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4IklAxA7WzM7TSHydCA6iWcjsfjzWoK6KB0531iniYy966r9v3BQaO22sI8AOLVmzLsG0vU3cuP6aMol0A1E5G4UAbTSaIfMbNrtnp0z8xGHD4-GPdRKBqxP-X3O6Wk55D5cFYd-azm44RuDVs2VfBOq2CfCUn12eGO0OTImEpuWd-tmC19YFcOa-p4W/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_GUNS_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4IklAxA7WzM7TSHydCA6iWcjsfjzWoK6KB0531iniYy966r9v3BQaO22sI8AOLVmzLsG0vU3cuP6aMol0A1E5G4UAbTSaIfMbNrtnp0z8xGHD4-GPdRKBqxP-X3O6Wk55D5cFYd-azm44RuDVs2VfBOq2CfCUn12eGO0OTImEpuWd-tmC19YFcOa-p4W/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_GUNS_1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guns pointed directly at her, the mise en scène<br />suggests a grim future for Leona Stevenson</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVa0X7O7W_gscWagXXRhzCbh2xrv-IVWTyEKSvYGw8KpR6PLNz4B3TnZPVh977MnwLiDJdh1Z6Lg4TqsL9eCtpFenLemKtQ57YiH7C_jKhK48czJce4QrH-7Qp0Fy2cR7uNImVoirTVlKi-8uleRN9wLu833UxxWbkWNToy6xLdFpOZzMz9kRGdtXF5uSx/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_GUNS_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVa0X7O7W_gscWagXXRhzCbh2xrv-IVWTyEKSvYGw8KpR6PLNz4B3TnZPVh977MnwLiDJdh1Z6Lg4TqsL9eCtpFenLemKtQ57YiH7C_jKhK48czJce4QrH-7Qp0Fy2cR7uNImVoirTVlKi-8uleRN9wLu833UxxWbkWNToy6xLdFpOZzMz9kRGdtXF5uSx/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_GUNS_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YO7OdjpqsW-2oEkYjDAA7phly5hPkJkx6e8fLFbEj8Cr3SainWQLqbyQRnH0gQaTnV2R9A2aZcFt-Mmou8dxsE34mbhGAnIrDmUCTToD1KaLemykk4MciEc59RXlHtAdpAFaDzb54Jx0h8rojPQQVXpmlGzPvJW2jChhAvdO_UyH4PFrKMq_mykc8ZnI/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_GUNS_3_PROMO.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1YO7OdjpqsW-2oEkYjDAA7phly5hPkJkx6e8fLFbEj8Cr3SainWQLqbyQRnH0gQaTnV2R9A2aZcFt-Mmou8dxsE34mbhGAnIrDmUCTToD1KaLemykk4MciEc59RXlHtAdpAFaDzb54Jx0h8rojPQQVXpmlGzPvJW2jChhAvdO_UyH4PFrKMq_mykc8ZnI/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_GUNS_3_PROMO.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Henry demonstrates he
has the ideal disposition to push the already nervous Leona into endless
hysteria. Most important, he possesses a character trait typical of the <i>film
noir</i> protagonist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he thinks he
deserves more than what he has and is willing to break the law to get it. What
does separate Henry from most other <i>noir</i> protagonists is that he is not
an average person trying to make good. Thanks to his unlikely wedding to a
woman of significant means, he is fortunate enough to assume a do-nothing VP
position at the largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in the country, but finds
no satisfaction in his fixed opportunity at his father-in-law's firm. Henry
mockingly tags himself "the invoice king," seemingly unaware he
signed up for that position alongside "the cough drop queen."
Thinking himself a stooge, Henry takes a tragically wrong turn when he goes
after what he believes to be his rightful take. In an aggressive act of
rebellion, Henry exploits the limited financial success of company chemist
Waldo Evans (Harold Vermilyea) to form an underworld partnership. Henry and the
milquetoast Waldo become drug traffickers in a raw materials skimming scheme; a
plot thread that had to be diluted for Production Code considerations. It was
recommended the filmmakers should take special care to avoid any references to
an illicit drug trade, yet the drug trafficking angle is hardly an obscure plot
thread. Naturally Henry's business model proves unsustainable. When resources
are running low, the gangster Morano (William Conrad) recommends Henry goes
after his wife's life insurance money!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Henry's immersion into
a corrupt atmosphere of nefarious activity stems from frustration with his
family, both personally and professionally. Just as Henry is dissatisfied with
his work at the family business, he finds no sense of purpose flanked by his
domineering wife. He does not harbor any desire to live under the same roof as
his wife's father, either (cannot blame Henry for that conviction). Henry's
determination to find his path somewhere beyond the clutches of the Cotterells
leads to his wife's progressive panic attacks. As her unhappiness heightens, so
her body weakens. Leona is confined to her bed much of the time, gradually
working herself into a neurotic frenzy. In another familiar <i>film noir</i>
theme that adds further complexity to this problematic <i>noir</i> marriage,
Dr. Alexander (Wendell Corey) is unable to uncover anything physically wrong
with Leona's heart, which implies her issue is purely psychological. Expressed
somewhat differently, Leona and Henry are about as wrong for each other as one
could imagine. Each makes the other feel worthless. Tellingly, all narrative
paths converge in the bedroom, the supposed sanctuary of the married couple.
Leona is a prisoner in the bedroom of her own home, trapped on the third floor
awaiting her own murder, which was contracted by the husband she handpicked.
Ironically, there is nothing about her physicality that should prevent her
escape. Her state of paralysis is a product of her fractured psyche, nothing
more. Psychological issues inflict anguish on major characters in a vast number
of <i>noir</i> films, i.e. <b>CAT PEOPLE</b> (1942), <b>SCARLET STREET</b>
(1945), <b>NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> (1947), <b>POSSESSED</b> (1947), <b>SO EVIL MY
LOVE</b> (1948), <b>WHIRLPOOL</b> (1949), <b>WHITE HEAT</b> (1949), <b>THE
SNIPER</b> (1952) and <b>WITHOUT WARNING!</b> (1952). Moreover, Leona's limited
mobility reflects the <i>noir</i> genre's obsession with broken individuals.
Witness the less-than-able-bodied characters that populate <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b>
(1944), <b>STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT</b> (1944), <b>THE BIG SLEEP</b> (1946), <b>GILDA</b>
(1946), <b>THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI</b> (1947), <b>ABANDONED</b> (1949), <b>ACT
OF VIOLENCE</b> (1949), <b>KEY LARGO</b> (1948), <b>THE HITCH-HIKER</b> (1953),
<b>STORM FEAR</b> (1955) and <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> (1958). Leona is something of
a special case in that her psychological frailty gives rise to her bedridden
state of meaninglessness.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFr9a7byzWlthTjruNldUc_H3T9xzSvReveeP-b31Z4vdf0q0YYea_xgN2qEy0Ka4lfGPsRXq1FTi7faIAx3a9_jojOvMoOInALd3b3oeSjdjTKYUHHI0QBzAGzjBO5SMrYlt3UaSqw5hbrpClE8I6Z6bBrc7s6sU5fqx_PF5Or_rqYqY752FcXCCjobDU/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFr9a7byzWlthTjruNldUc_H3T9xzSvReveeP-b31Z4vdf0q0YYea_xgN2qEy0Ka4lfGPsRXq1FTi7faIAx3a9_jojOvMoOInALd3b3oeSjdjTKYUHHI0QBzAGzjBO5SMrYlt3UaSqw5hbrpClE8I6Z6bBrc7s6sU5fqx_PF5Or_rqYqY752FcXCCjobDU/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_05.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leona not at her best</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjST0oivbmjw8jIbJqD5l5mWEgrS5bonELeGSpvZZ1PzHXLJo_c-46eZbcmAslUZwC2JNrmO1BsIcvWxDexSF745D1O8N8FNpDbfWCvbnOgh9_p35aaqnbNt5ug9YAsx-EFZ0VrUvoYWrMliMiZDvG2WrNAGbYT39lPXyBY15lXJ3v_q_KeMktqVa2E2JUg/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjST0oivbmjw8jIbJqD5l5mWEgrS5bonELeGSpvZZ1PzHXLJo_c-46eZbcmAslUZwC2JNrmO1BsIcvWxDexSF745D1O8N8FNpDbfWCvbnOgh9_p35aaqnbNt5ug9YAsx-EFZ0VrUvoYWrMliMiZDvG2WrNAGbYT39lPXyBY15lXJ3v_q_KeMktqVa2E2JUg/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_06.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiaroscuro lighting typical of the classic <i>noir</i> era</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigm2XUr2XlvN763AI4ZhcPUlsOJmh5aIFOvpRdXvfi8O6fMHFADn-XRZARwGJoWrTYyWu-8WTaxYOaB_MpDMn3l6u1py8j-eOyZBH-74Xq24BQ-1U4eMZxmgL2ZWpppU8p5Z2F_x_2xKlatiDpAXLWajfR3b_DkSHYUTl6HzXTq2ODxYhKoQrhCG1bSPSr/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_07.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigm2XUr2XlvN763AI4ZhcPUlsOJmh5aIFOvpRdXvfi8O6fMHFADn-XRZARwGJoWrTYyWu-8WTaxYOaB_MpDMn3l6u1py8j-eOyZBH-74Xq24BQ-1U4eMZxmgL2ZWpppU8p5Z2F_x_2xKlatiDpAXLWajfR3b_DkSHYUTl6HzXTq2ODxYhKoQrhCG1bSPSr/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_07.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The individual minimized by his environment</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouvs3SL4s8V_proW6MApvHoLOJ-Gco0e-5rOAd_uBTKss8snDO-7yuRF2n0_deCce6Z9i4qTAMJG332c3xiSGqO61MnwOTf2xntySyGWvcsznjMErJ80Eppp_2Q4NaQEL7qi0kQDfepL8BcWsbsS0Q6WnlN5dgIzIwvGjdOR7CQ3MBtDPw3aYNRcRO3FW/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_08.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiouvs3SL4s8V_proW6MApvHoLOJ-Gco0e-5rOAd_uBTKss8snDO-7yuRF2n0_deCce6Z9i4qTAMJG332c3xiSGqO61MnwOTf2xntySyGWvcsznjMErJ80Eppp_2Q4NaQEL7qi0kQDfepL8BcWsbsS0Q6WnlN5dgIzIwvGjdOR7CQ3MBtDPw3aYNRcRO3FW/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_08.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A prescient composition</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Beyond its major themes
that emanate from a distinctly <i>noir</i> worldview, <b>SORRY, WRONG NUMBER</b>
maintains a wide aperture for the genre's many other recurring signposts. What
fills most of the 88-minute runtime is a series of flashbacks, even a flashback
within a flashback, that combine to form a nightmarish evocation of a
relationship that never stood a chance. The standard randomness of the <i>noir</i>
environment is in full effect as well. Due to a remarkably random technical
glitch (better understood as a condemned individual's fate), Leona overhears a
telephone conversation that describes a murder arranged for that night. The
operator cannot help her, nor can the police provide any assistance. Leona is
ordained to die, but not before the irony of that certainty is brought into
focus. After the archcriminal Morano is arrested, there is no reason to pay any
debt owed to him, but Henry is unaware of that development while the contract
to eliminate his wife remains in effect. She dies at the narrative's conclusion
for no reason other than fatalism. Beforehand Leona even expounds her comprehension
of the situation to her husband. The film's concern with family matters in fact
reaches beyond the relationship between Leona and Henry. For instance, the
marriage between Sally and Fred Lord (Leif Erickson) appears to have its challenges.
After Fred keeps quiet about the sting designed to imprison her ex Henry, she
resorts to spying on her husband to satisfy her natural curiosity. Then there
is Henry's childhood recollection of his mother, who he remembers only as a
hopelessly overworked domestic figure. In terms of setting, the sin-ridden <i>noir</i>
city is an impersonal place in which a normally useful object like the
telephone contributes to an alienated individual's sense of helplessness and
fear. The <i>noir</i> city even serves as a necessary accomplice to the murder
of Leona via one of the natural sounds of the urban milieu (a bypassing train).
Visual signals of <i>noir</i> include shadows cast by venetian blinds, a
serpentine staircase, and idealized photos that do not even begin to reflect
reality. An audio hallmark is the narration that helps cover historical
milestones of the connection between Leona and Henry. Despite a structure
heavily reliant upon flashbacks, the narrative unspools in inevitable real time.
Such structure works to consume the condemned lead protagonists in a painfully
slow manner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfapy-qkvdDESyp6BY3jAe2lMAIFV6HUpB0Yh1o85qC-6eOsVpmF5A6u2qGE97X2FcHGjLnxxutgZaQ_t2atSgUpeMH9QPz0FpHH32Kndd1zAEsMk6yUXM_uupj-KEoTRMBNKMfG7LkSnoskWtGmKngctoBvuk12aWSUcG1cl0LgayriIlmFdd15DnY4GC/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfapy-qkvdDESyp6BY3jAe2lMAIFV6HUpB0Yh1o85qC-6eOsVpmF5A6u2qGE97X2FcHGjLnxxutgZaQ_t2atSgUpeMH9QPz0FpHH32Kndd1zAEsMk6yUXM_uupj-KEoTRMBNKMfG7LkSnoskWtGmKngctoBvuk12aWSUcG1cl0LgayriIlmFdd15DnY4GC/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_09.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>noir</i> protagonist faced with no better alternative</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6POZrDquhwbhs5XKeyR_3yUJIvywvMoMFVAlJq46X8-PBElLlFtzFjlF7QqsUFM9t0JH8x_eRiLpg8P9u4lFKp6WrIj7eaUIAqOTVpu8_ucCVxpqkIc1CsP9YjhCJQIcVpcXCalHepDadRhGQBKYpv3b8UvxlDSJGZ4_Y5bHp0xIVYLTjBoYFQBKn6KWe/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6POZrDquhwbhs5XKeyR_3yUJIvywvMoMFVAlJq46X8-PBElLlFtzFjlF7QqsUFM9t0JH8x_eRiLpg8P9u4lFKp6WrIj7eaUIAqOTVpu8_ucCVxpqkIc1CsP9YjhCJQIcVpcXCalHepDadRhGQBKYpv3b8UvxlDSJGZ4_Y5bHp0xIVYLTjBoYFQBKn6KWe/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_10.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No way out</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxT7Sh0oNVGXuea05Mu8IBV3Rgtyl18hlauJmuPYHIvvrTUUkODNChJnGlNNnddnwP3s5lc8VwZHGw3okKrNrCfdsypYwqN1o8Ek0t6-ezY4e1nJ6AQ5a9gJaF60o4bUbZ1dXUwK6gheKfwoQ3g5snRcLg2yEqyr5RGb3gIuH9eoyh8IxUG7Pj97ocGHuZ/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxT7Sh0oNVGXuea05Mu8IBV3Rgtyl18hlauJmuPYHIvvrTUUkODNChJnGlNNnddnwP3s5lc8VwZHGw3okKrNrCfdsypYwqN1o8Ek0t6-ezY4e1nJ6AQ5a9gJaF60o4bUbZ1dXUwK6gheKfwoQ3g5snRcLg2yEqyr5RGb3gIuH9eoyh8IxUG7Pj97ocGHuZ/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_11.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The killer's timely arrival</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbcEz6bMpSAU9t7fo6KQGlBGRDwkj9QlV7i2sXz5cxt_WSSBL8r-xSuSgGk8DdNyQjCsrGy3g1Fk3iXzKNcd7yEPDLjHImGm1MgP5O2Kn_F4KCJxrbBavgUXbt2MwF-0kdtr0Zkv7Lw8QP91pnn-7ykhkzMEs7QE716kaobwo6nDiM0aSTq80x72YMANZ/s1920/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRbcEz6bMpSAU9t7fo6KQGlBGRDwkj9QlV7i2sXz5cxt_WSSBL8r-xSuSgGk8DdNyQjCsrGy3g1Fk3iXzKNcd7yEPDLjHImGm1MgP5O2Kn_F4KCJxrbBavgUXbt2MwF-0kdtr0Zkv7Lw8QP91pnn-7ykhkzMEs7QE716kaobwo6nDiM0aSTq80x72YMANZ/w400-h225/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_12.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>noir</i> marriage knocked over</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lucille Fletcher's
22-minute radio play SORRY, WRONG NUMBER originally aired on SUSPENSE (CBS) May
25th, 1943 with Agnes Moorehead as Leona. It was wildly popular, re-broadcast
every year for a ten-year period. In 1947, Hal Wallis hired Fletcher to adapt
her radio play for the big screen. Fletcher published a novelization of her
radio play in 1948 along with the screenplay adaptation, co-authored by Allan
Ullman. The Paramount production was in wide release in the US on September
24th, 1948 and became a financial success that no doubt helped ingrain Fletcher’s
original material into the public consciousness. Stanwyck and Lancaster
returned to their roles for a Lux Radio Theatre broadcast on January 9th, 1950.
Shelley Winters starred as Leona in a CBS television production of the play for
the TV show CLIMAX! on November 4th, 1954. Agnes Moorehead reprised her lead
role when she recorded her interpretation in 1952 and converted the play into a
one-woman act during the 1950s. Loni Anderson starred in the lead role in a TV
movie version that aired in 1989.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Shout! Factory
dual-layered Blu-ray edition of <b>SORRY, WRONG NUMBER</b> released earlier
this year offers heavy grain level and good contrast, all the better to
appreciate the authenticity of atmosphere achieved by cinematographer Sol
Polito. Some rather prominent scratches disturb the viewing experience from
time to time, but overall the transfer looks strong framed at 1.37:1. Unique to
this Shout! Factory project is a fresh audio commentary track by podcasters Sam
Hurley and Emily Higgins. Unfortunately, their critique of the film is notable
for long patches of silence and sometimes veers into riff territory. Not my cup
of tea, at least not for a film I admire.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The other supplements
are common to the Blu-ray edition released by Imprint in 2020. The audio
commentary by film historian Alan K. Rode is loaded with his usual well-rounded
research. Ukrainian-born filmmaker Anatole Litvak purchased the screen rights
to <b>SORRY, WRONG NUMBER</b> from Lucille Fletcher in 1946. Litvak sold the
film rights to producer Hal B. Wallis, which is how the co-production between
the two was conceived. The box office take was $2.85M on a budget just under
$1.5M. Barbara Stanwyck earned a healthy $125K for her role, which accounted
for the largest production expense. She was the highest paid actress in the
business at the time. Wallis should be remembered as one of the top producers
during the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as a skilled contract negotiator.
Rode contends Burt Lancaster went after roles that would test his talents, and
the emerging star always insisted on having the final say with producer Wallis.
Rode points out that the killer getting away with murder scot-free in the radio
play was unheard of at the time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In his introduction (2m
30s) of <b>SORRY, WRONG NUMBER</b>, <i>film noir</i> expert Eddie Muller
mentions the source material was the most famous original radio drama ever
other than the 1938 radio broadcast of THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, narrated and
directed by Orson Welles. The featurette "Hold the Phone:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Making of <b>SORRY, WRONG NUMBER</b>"
(2009, 31m 25s) covers the story's transition from radio broadcast to feature
film. Dorothy Herrmann, daughter of Lucille Fletcher and composer Bernard
Herrmann, notes that her mother's parents were unenthused about Lucille's
relationship with Bernard. Next up is the Lux Radio Theatre radio play (1950,
59m 41s) that returned Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster to their roles from
the 1948 film. Also among the supplements is a filmed performance of the radio
play (28m 37s) with Sandy York giving it her all in the featured role of Mrs.
Leona Stevenson. The difference in duration between the radio play and its
movie adaptation accounts for some distinctions in the portrayal of Leona, who
is even more unlikable and unreasonable in the radio play. In the course of an
almost 90-minute movie, Barbara Stanwyck's interpretation is at least somewhat
sympathetic, if for no other reason than the Leona character is not required to
be grating every second. Another difference is the telephone in the radio play becomes
a major character in its own right. A theatrical trailer (2m 38s) champions the
source material's transition from radio play to vinyl record to novelization to
feature film, and a photo gallery (2m 53s) completes the robust collection of
bonus material.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYqzCToQ_P71t5unsgKxtWov6vqn0XruLLN-DPRm5S9xKvpMrulLy-UU782j-zFw-8xiLKTQcc4WZ16Mhyv8kChSM5pT5K8qMJRA4TMf2-Y1OFR_MHttepSC1QgIYi9GL7xgNQenf-0C1k6AuDXgwGO6usRR3a3uEFpaifgwh4zAhopjYTVpLfTPmVpRE/s1792/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_Poster_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="1792" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYqzCToQ_P71t5unsgKxtWov6vqn0XruLLN-DPRm5S9xKvpMrulLy-UU782j-zFw-8xiLKTQcc4WZ16Mhyv8kChSM5pT5K8qMJRA4TMf2-Y1OFR_MHttepSC1QgIYi9GL7xgNQenf-0C1k6AuDXgwGO6usRR3a3uEFpaifgwh4zAhopjYTVpLfTPmVpRE/s320/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_Poster_02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcxvBKx-xY2a2ysDGH_GocRPyggD6MiRp36dA8vcU0lz4QzJTP5k9Dr3rJva9NNhVhW1d9f5763ybiwyz4Qf7qWqcmd_SS4aMkCP0UXlUCTcFFtShMcwHqn-wo1WF2Vzv5JJ_px8Uwta19i6fX1-pjxAHiKFUQ84KDbRLmf5DbJX3nVvA0AJMk_ARLH_D/s1242/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_Poster_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcxvBKx-xY2a2ysDGH_GocRPyggD6MiRp36dA8vcU0lz4QzJTP5k9Dr3rJva9NNhVhW1d9f5763ybiwyz4Qf7qWqcmd_SS4aMkCP0UXlUCTcFFtShMcwHqn-wo1WF2Vzv5JJ_px8Uwta19i6fX1-pjxAHiKFUQ84KDbRLmf5DbJX3nVvA0AJMk_ARLH_D/s320/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_Poster_03.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1FfFaJPT2MydwUxyfXjnIzZxVss285aEg-kOTtdZfdz4ZBNjDB1LrYolwxLIFlo5UvtbZDmpWpAausaf-lPol0fGdPsAAhbW2dqnzOFpxfi5yCiaRR1-QoOyv5Jfk0gCzjUXHz7AzifgKEY6rs0l4DVL1Uy3HGo7kH2pRM2KHFGhM23zTVC7GqP6VQjp/s1500/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_Blu-ray_Shout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1059" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1FfFaJPT2MydwUxyfXjnIzZxVss285aEg-kOTtdZfdz4ZBNjDB1LrYolwxLIFlo5UvtbZDmpWpAausaf-lPol0fGdPsAAhbW2dqnzOFpxfi5yCiaRR1-QoOyv5Jfk0gCzjUXHz7AzifgKEY6rs0l4DVL1Uy3HGo7kH2pRM2KHFGhM23zTVC7GqP6VQjp/s320/Sorry,%20Wrong%20Number%20(1948)_Blu-ray_Shout.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-58540831507196801722023-11-05T11:05:00.002-06:002023-12-03T10:59:57.125-06:00FLAMINGO ROAD (1949)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Warner
Bros., 94m 43s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjyCjPpMNeETO5LB1ufXS8r5iknqkvHpMPcrGD5BbtqWaXzmpgH-Qvqsn_zb7S7Yg4ZtVvY8QQkouGL4bzv-lPeOkqFakS6Ef2JlTVKYdV-0lJF7ZE5flpIWGorqohAn5jVgNQ6CLD6F0uQq6MZS5-UVOqEAPQ42mP4H55Einp2SehgjgwOwTiPOGOP7E/s2664/flamingo_road_poster_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2084" data-original-width="2664" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjyCjPpMNeETO5LB1ufXS8r5iknqkvHpMPcrGD5BbtqWaXzmpgH-Qvqsn_zb7S7Yg4ZtVvY8QQkouGL4bzv-lPeOkqFakS6Ef2JlTVKYdV-0lJF7ZE5flpIWGorqohAn5jVgNQ6CLD6F0uQq6MZS5-UVOqEAPQ42mP4H55Einp2SehgjgwOwTiPOGOP7E/w400-h313/flamingo_road_poster_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
Warner Bros. success <b>MILDRED PIERCE</b> (1945) marked a triumphant comeback
for actress Joan Crawford and deservedly is remembered as one of the finest <i>film
noirs</i> of its time. Four years later, studio boss Jack Warner looked to
recreate that production's magic. The reteaming of Crawford, Zachary Scott and Michael
Curtiz along with a familiar array of Warner talent resulted in the rags to
riches story <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b>. Once again Crawford's indefatigable
character is determined to defy all odds and elevate her social status while
retaining her moral foundation. Compared alongside <b>MILDRED PIERCE</b>, this title
might be considered minor league <i>film noir</i>, though <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b>
remains of interest as a gritty woman's picture with the great Crawford at its
center. And under the stewardship of executive producer/director Curtiz, his
southern gothic <i>noir</i> is notable for its dramatic rigor, well-staged
compositions and aggressive critique of unfettered capitalism.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Set in
the south within the (fictitious) community of Boldon City, Deputy Sheriff
Fielding Carlisle (Zachary Scott) is tapped on the shoulder to foreclose on an
insolvent carnival, only to learn the troupe of traveling performers already is
bound for the state line. The one exception is Lane Bellamy (Joan Crawford), an
undereducated but headstrong woman with three dollars to her name. She has
decided against continuing her exotic woman act in the hope of establishing
some roots. Fielding takes an immediate interest in Lane and helps secure her a
job at the Eagle Cafe, where she cannot escape the scrutiny of the slyly
observant Sheriff Titus Semple (Sydney Greenstreet), who has long-term
political plans for the meekly obedient Fielding. Titus frowns on his protégé's
sudden connection with the "stray cat" Lane and quickly becomes a
disruptive force between them. The highly influential, controlling sheriff has
a more respectable mate in mind for Fielding in the form of socialite Annabelle
Weldon (Virginia Huston).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vikBme4B_tvaxd7jtNPKeKX8tID6xcpz0CZ-07LYhwSY8NIghmtpRfHVj1_AbeEwYsGjcDRfII6iiWyobnQ9qDP-aZomLd984vnqEjfFTdWBeIE1jFnfi0smYaWi7QLMqC-ZXgPRw_gKUfxhZS4naBQE1gKEqMjlgmW__7TziM5ZAh6-1DFhEpNwDXT6/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_01.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vikBme4B_tvaxd7jtNPKeKX8tID6xcpz0CZ-07LYhwSY8NIghmtpRfHVj1_AbeEwYsGjcDRfII6iiWyobnQ9qDP-aZomLd984vnqEjfFTdWBeIE1jFnfi0smYaWi7QLMqC-ZXgPRw_gKUfxhZS4naBQE1gKEqMjlgmW__7TziM5ZAh6-1DFhEpNwDXT6/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_01.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrTMJiJurZNtE-7toXOBguQa8yw2i6lr7VDZRBs-_QAXhHlfYxxFU5KZJycDgvyJGbvvk5C15Xe2IDNugDN16wfuOb551M4aW4tq7BcidHPnj5jVG-ZVyxDhcWqd5rWcVzp6NgH5OqliZo6_hHChWg9QRak-Yah1kcHKfE43UTpFduVx1NCrVtqtlG8jz/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_02.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrTMJiJurZNtE-7toXOBguQa8yw2i6lr7VDZRBs-_QAXhHlfYxxFU5KZJycDgvyJGbvvk5C15Xe2IDNugDN16wfuOb551M4aW4tq7BcidHPnj5jVG-ZVyxDhcWqd5rWcVzp6NgH5OqliZo6_hHChWg9QRak-Yah1kcHKfE43UTpFduVx1NCrVtqtlG8jz/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_02.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQWUKYcq3i5dyxdN2LSUkCeyc8iCA1VzP0vv04orRym9yyyQLXyoBcR2Q-WAOrALXhHJO8OH7P9ueROkwwMT1wJS_7keIU4odnrkuZENU5R162_WFhFoR9-kQpO353OoeJuchLxDjnl96WhyYx116ca6jUF3VSwiFg4nq4XY_rifi8RY7eCqhDwZuGhYJ/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_03.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQWUKYcq3i5dyxdN2LSUkCeyc8iCA1VzP0vv04orRym9yyyQLXyoBcR2Q-WAOrALXhHJO8OH7P9ueROkwwMT1wJS_7keIU4odnrkuZENU5R162_WFhFoR9-kQpO353OoeJuchLxDjnl96WhyYx116ca6jUF3VSwiFg4nq4XY_rifi8RY7eCqhDwZuGhYJ/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_03.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQBZZntA1ghbZbF8E7mDcyq6eoxUK-PGDOgfN1uErXmWLBnsKQAGjFYKykHqNnZTeoH70VKipEx8aG1iSzyCWuZ7h0yNd5nUcEkdJLsAaFiZZtZIPx6A-sZwcSqRr-avqMl9nId8cfD_E2LSclyRIdR37cuz5ZJ0N7yXXkeg7mtX_dpUEtM_wtXPioS9T/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_04.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQBZZntA1ghbZbF8E7mDcyq6eoxUK-PGDOgfN1uErXmWLBnsKQAGjFYKykHqNnZTeoH70VKipEx8aG1iSzyCWuZ7h0yNd5nUcEkdJLsAaFiZZtZIPx6A-sZwcSqRr-avqMl9nId8cfD_E2LSclyRIdR37cuz5ZJ0N7yXXkeg7mtX_dpUEtM_wtXPioS9T/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_04.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Evidence
piles up throughout the narrative that political corruption is the crux of
American society, with the kingmaker Titus as poster child for the undesirable realities
of free market capitalism and its insoluble conflicts. His support of Fielding
reeks of self-interest and opportunism. Fielding seems custom made for the
part. He served in the US Army during WWII and is the son of a prominent judge.
Though Fielding failed to finish law school, based on his family name the
state's charismatic political boss Dan Reynolds (David Brian) agrees with Titus
that Fielding has a future in the public sector. Titus plans for Fielding to
serve on the state legislature before ultimately graduating to governor. Toward
that venture, Titus wields his considerable authority in the direction of Lane
in the hope of exterminating her from Fielding's life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Given
his full-scale assault on Lane's plan to remain in Boldon City, Titus proves he
will do whatever it takes to compel her to leave town at high speed. Without warning he
gets her fired from her waitressing job. Were that not sufficiently evil, he
then has her picked up for prostitution and railroaded into the Women's Prison
Farm. Interestingly, and this is where the film really says a lot about what it
takes to get ahead in America, it is while incarcerated that Lane is directed
to Lute Mae Sanders (Gladys George), proprietor of a popular roadhouse
frequented by crooked state politicians. This establishment is where Lane
attracts the attention of Dan Reynolds, who enables her rapid ascent to 32
Flamingo Road.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM681qOf-l1LdcpHN1A8Wc3Ut05JqcZD5Pj3-cQf441R0tZAB49R-pnR-CDNhI8w7A9JXdMZztzhDWBPom4anx7tGdBF7WcTF4YWi4QiYQYG19EUVxDR8lQBdQsbGQtjoARBp74F2aunaEcZWVILBKisx-DaukYGQ4ixZ2d5X91I77EeEouzU3cVZQxEL/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_05.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM681qOf-l1LdcpHN1A8Wc3Ut05JqcZD5Pj3-cQf441R0tZAB49R-pnR-CDNhI8w7A9JXdMZztzhDWBPom4anx7tGdBF7WcTF4YWi4QiYQYG19EUVxDR8lQBdQsbGQtjoARBp74F2aunaEcZWVILBKisx-DaukYGQ4ixZ2d5X91I77EeEouzU3cVZQxEL/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_05.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-HZle-RoxtAYvCBUQyOl0ctOcdBfIWqqZjiHOX2slxRbjrnJAC7-jXmRcA0azlp71vMpq_jctc-EYLUPviQNKxSts_3FvdjihF7p0UyoX8pBd5H-WqU6OXYZ41_YNqVaFXWU52eRj0q8_IvF_G7JTH-VXQ97STygla2JjToVq6NbyC9XMqKm0fy8KYeL/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_06.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-HZle-RoxtAYvCBUQyOl0ctOcdBfIWqqZjiHOX2slxRbjrnJAC7-jXmRcA0azlp71vMpq_jctc-EYLUPviQNKxSts_3FvdjihF7p0UyoX8pBd5H-WqU6OXYZ41_YNqVaFXWU52eRj0q8_IvF_G7JTH-VXQ97STygla2JjToVq6NbyC9XMqKm0fy8KYeL/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_06.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSS6G2Mva7NbNv1vhEkjegq2gHKhuD0kb3_4kqhRzfHoB3bqpwYLNS-6vZ4npWZnf01Bn7EK_3fsE0WIVLziWJ6Rmvpg7yPWYAg9QV7oIQc2D7P8ikMyWEMtLbPNkLO00lzi-dIXVELah_44argg9IMOyzy7b-2yQ5G2beMjlvKHu4pIxzB-a45LDu6WKI/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_07.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSS6G2Mva7NbNv1vhEkjegq2gHKhuD0kb3_4kqhRzfHoB3bqpwYLNS-6vZ4npWZnf01Bn7EK_3fsE0WIVLziWJ6Rmvpg7yPWYAg9QV7oIQc2D7P8ikMyWEMtLbPNkLO00lzi-dIXVELah_44argg9IMOyzy7b-2yQ5G2beMjlvKHu4pIxzB-a45LDu6WKI/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_07.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fnrlYofRaK58ADnZCb97v2ImfPuWyoeWrbuHQymnJFJIV15DtzFx6uUgjqLbUxwWLqG3qY9uQfBZlepxzcZzUd9SyeYQiqS0_5IbiXTnh0WO1I9CR2HeyjprkOrOX_ZvDICx9LFri2K3eEzng6g-2c0pAY6xsRy8_0I4xyrCjyjRtYP0uwkoIR8X1EkQ/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_08.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fnrlYofRaK58ADnZCb97v2ImfPuWyoeWrbuHQymnJFJIV15DtzFx6uUgjqLbUxwWLqG3qY9uQfBZlepxzcZzUd9SyeYQiqS0_5IbiXTnh0WO1I9CR2HeyjprkOrOX_ZvDICx9LFri2K3eEzng6g-2c0pAY6xsRy8_0I4xyrCjyjRtYP0uwkoIR8X1EkQ/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_08.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_xoZGak0gAc4zAJvkARpu-OuPs4VOkVjQS6rJL4SoANIH7boNw-jNFW07K2S5YryDwwoUwvIY9xOH3J3-jzZyKLKZWCqpP32gjHyZ3cCn13-7Z-CG4yOG2HuxEUz4IK0Ae4oaaedkwrMT_fP0Fi6DvfVVbT7b592KGEAWFUUoVs7ZQwrHA8oe-D2n48N/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_09.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_xoZGak0gAc4zAJvkARpu-OuPs4VOkVjQS6rJL4SoANIH7boNw-jNFW07K2S5YryDwwoUwvIY9xOH3J3-jzZyKLKZWCqpP32gjHyZ3cCn13-7Z-CG4yOG2HuxEUz4IK0Ae4oaaedkwrMT_fP0Fi6DvfVVbT7b592KGEAWFUUoVs7ZQwrHA8oe-D2n48N/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_09.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In his
audio commentary track for <b>ANGEL FACE</b> (1952), <i>film noir</i> expert
Eddie Muller notes the classic <i>noir</i> movement champions the working
woman. Time and again the genre's positive female characters participate in the
workforce and its worthless dames live off either inherited wealth or the
earnings of men. <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b> provides solid evidence for Muller's
observation. A strong role model for Lane and females in general, Lute Mae is
an empowered, willful personality who represents what is possible for the
ambitious working woman. She admits she is a cynic, especially when it comes to
other women. Lute Mae is steadfast in her refusal to be manipulated by Titus,
who seems to reluctantly respect her backbone. Certainly she is the antithesis
of the cowardly Eagle Cafe owner Pete Ladas (Tito Vuolo), who fires Lane rather
than stand up for the waitress he knows is doing a fine job. Along with Lute
Mae and Lane Bellamy, <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b> features a likable supporting group
of working women such as the Eagle Cafe's Millie (Gertrude Michael), Lute Mae's
Tavern's Gracie (Alice White) and the Reynolds' maid Sarah (Jan Kayne).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">FLAMINGO
ROAD</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">
fully endorses the working woman while it associates masculine endeavors with
corruption, compromise, callousness and weakness. Dan Reynolds personifies a
political landscape hopelessly awash in dishonest dealings. "I've got a
soul that needs lots of purging," he remarks. At the helm of his own
construction company, Dan is an industrialist who believes his efforts as a
land developer require predictable political alliances. Based upon trial and
error, he understands that without the necessary political connections,
everything to do with construction moves at a glacial pace. In his view,
politics and land development each require the other to function. His
involvement in getting people elected remains a troublesome listen to the
modern ear:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"The people haven't elected anyone in
this state for so long they've lost the habit. It's a lot of trouble to go to
the polls. Usually it interferes with a baseball game or a fishing trip. When
people don't care, they get about what they deserve."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
above notion regarding voter apathy is where <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b> is
especially pessimistic, with elected public officials subservient to corrupt
shadow government figures. In such a scenario, do elections really matter? How
can a representative democracy serve the greater social good when its
politicians are beholden to backers with specific self-centered interests? Over
the years Dan has built his syndicate and no doubt made his share of enemies.
The impersonal nature of a free market that enriches some and ruins others is
emphasized when Dan registers zero emotion in front of a man who says he
suffered a devastating loss. Dan has heard it all before. The film's Marxist
agenda is underscored when Dan justifies his position to Lane:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"...the honest men get eaten up.
There are too many other men waiting, watching, probing for the soft spots, the
graft. No, it's better to be one of them."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Dan at
least displays a point he won't go beyond when he remains committed to George
Parkhurst for governor and staunchly refuses to back Titus's stooge Fielding.
If nothing else Dan is a man of his word, which helps separate him from the
more detestable Titus, a man willing to sink to far lower levels of depravity.
Titus rests on the Palmer House porch like a slug when not engaged elsewhere in
what appears to be exclusively dishonorable activity. He probably was perched on
the front porch when he first dreamed of controlling the entire state with the
manipulable Fielding under his thumb. Power-hungry men like Titus prop up men
who are strong enough to get elected (sometimes merely based on a family name),
but weak enough to be controlled by their backers who stand in obscurity behind
the curtain. There is a discernible homoerotic subtext to the sheriff's
endorsement of Fielding, who weds Annabelle but in a sense already is married
to Titus. After Fielding proves he does not have the stomach for the tactics of
Titus, the portly county sheriff shows a propensity for bold violence when he
tosses a drunken Fielding out of his own office (the segment is staged like a
lover's quarrel). Ultimately Titus double-crosses his own boy's club and
confidently positions himself as the next governor. In an especially
hypocritical, dirty move, Titus forces Dan's project manager Burr Lassen
(William Haade) to put convicts to work without wages to set up Dan for peonage
charges. In a moment of honest reflection about the political prominence Titus
commands, Dan admits to local newspaper man Doc Waterson (Fred Clark),
"...it's men like me that make them possible." Perhaps to discourage
a communist interpretation of the film, Doc conveys a more optimistic mindset
when he mentions, "...I don't think our form of government's so bad that
honest men can't run it." But to emphasize <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b>'s
overarching level of cynicism, Titus recognizes his need to at some point get
the bothersome journalist under control. The brand of cronyism Titus favors
clicks along best with the newsman either passive or a partner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqB-V4QacbSp1ZdBNzbLRykEKT3uZoy3wgt4i8t6lrpgMXalRKGzvwlqaQWo2MAafcfl-CgYIv67DjgPkDRV8X1iwrVHcyBe5LpPwYldvQtR0b7F9a_yo6tEuh6AL52_Y0uPpuyT1YuxMmsCaeT2mD0CFzuYHT40UUKTBRVJeiMtAOAcHidlS7jx7BQA9/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_10.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcqB-V4QacbSp1ZdBNzbLRykEKT3uZoy3wgt4i8t6lrpgMXalRKGzvwlqaQWo2MAafcfl-CgYIv67DjgPkDRV8X1iwrVHcyBe5LpPwYldvQtR0b7F9a_yo6tEuh6AL52_Y0uPpuyT1YuxMmsCaeT2mD0CFzuYHT40UUKTBRVJeiMtAOAcHidlS7jx7BQA9/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6wDvAmtXbwQLcyth6hngxFTs2Xo-LiOVP9NLi1NexTIfF0YpVhEo8fOPs7jucpT7oxqOUQCHVUsnsg5Pj5i9XDVvtsAQkKfO0tVHtU4QSBc2ywnNywddLdXyMtik0w5TpJNDIsAb6s8zhzQb3bQa3Do8cvMS0RskMs9wMu0Ti7TvtlHm4IM6yFMxc2sl/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6wDvAmtXbwQLcyth6hngxFTs2Xo-LiOVP9NLi1NexTIfF0YpVhEo8fOPs7jucpT7oxqOUQCHVUsnsg5Pj5i9XDVvtsAQkKfO0tVHtU4QSBc2ywnNywddLdXyMtik0w5TpJNDIsAb6s8zhzQb3bQa3Do8cvMS0RskMs9wMu0Ti7TvtlHm4IM6yFMxc2sl/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_JmStL_ZmClPadEtQ60Q9lyBFBI-OEIL5Pt4c2U4Rtn2JXroKxoDEqCxtZ49_GVuT_g7MS6fRFTtK4cxzluM3ZQJgy0vbiT744_6TFLqSadUevKyaq0e4r0xZkd_17dE787rG_2uos9YJWkJ_DQG4M33GxkGj4h66LNSvRmsGLQaNqWoibgWnMuJsfaq/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_12.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD_JmStL_ZmClPadEtQ60Q9lyBFBI-OEIL5Pt4c2U4Rtn2JXroKxoDEqCxtZ49_GVuT_g7MS6fRFTtK4cxzluM3ZQJgy0vbiT744_6TFLqSadUevKyaq0e4r0xZkd_17dE787rG_2uos9YJWkJ_DQG4M33GxkGj4h66LNSvRmsGLQaNqWoibgWnMuJsfaq/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_12.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>noir</i> stairway here implies a position of both danger and power</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In <i>film
noir</i> mythology, the American family often is depicted in a less than flattering
light. That hallmark <i>noir</i> theme in <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b> starts with the
marriage between Fielding Carlisle and the aristocrat Annabelle Weldon at the
behest of Titus. Annabelle, depicted as simple-minded and high maintenance, is
delighted to marry Fielding, who in truth would prefer the long-term company of
Lane to the endless henpecking of Annabelle. As Titus demands, his flunky
Fielding becomes a state senator, thanks at least in part to Fielding's union
to a socially prominent woman. But it is this same woman who ensures Fielding's
downfall when she complains to Titus about her husband. In the course of his
marriage, Fielding leans into the sort of full-on downward spiral not uncommon
in <i>film noir</i> territory. He develops an addiction to alcohol, loses the
support of both his wife and his political backer and allows his own moral
decay to lead to his suicide.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As
assumptions about capitalism here apply, Fielding falls while Lane rises. But
the marriage between Lane and Dan brings about its own heavy baggage,
especially in terms of class relations. The society gal Annabelle dismissively
refers to Lane as "a woman of that sort." Eventually Dan turns his
back on Lane when she reveals exactly why Titus is so uncharitable in his
judgment of her. Based upon the film's resolution, we are left in a somewhat
uncertain state in terms of where Lane and Dan are headed. Presumably Dan will
continue to play the capitalist game, his wife along for the ride, or could
there be a significant change in his business mentality after he was
manipulated by Titus? Whatever Dan's ethical boundaries might be going forward
are left to conjecture. He looks set to stick by his wife, but will he allow
his state to be governed by honest men, as Doc suggests is possible?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtOOiJJAlBKPh60ig54fVj9jaUdzz9zb4o8TH1zXum9jbJdRdSEq0brb0utpJsLN_WDyCvcxfwE_y6eSWynR0LmMZsf4kThbdNx4jU1IjbBMFlmpNFoQK4H2lXtYUz0bi27tDNUAzxCY_1DqBNYLb9dT9G37zpFVJNYkJfIeVogu7SoLcFOkvzypvDMyM/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_13.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtOOiJJAlBKPh60ig54fVj9jaUdzz9zb4o8TH1zXum9jbJdRdSEq0brb0utpJsLN_WDyCvcxfwE_y6eSWynR0LmMZsf4kThbdNx4jU1IjbBMFlmpNFoQK4H2lXtYUz0bi27tDNUAzxCY_1DqBNYLb9dT9G37zpFVJNYkJfIeVogu7SoLcFOkvzypvDMyM/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_13.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marital discord</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiw_2qwIlJgjxpsLNgCN2JDjtgSgC9t2QrnsI5GzH436aueIUgY8-YviZn72t_Kz8qRjw-tc0T_FcdaeGc8ZWIEh1rpAhaDn2yVUvw1EiOdQVV9TOihXZVSZ-cNNbUZntPhUUI_fNzVrLSUvmJ6CcMTA690_xbWTQIWmGPkp5iGP8Ixtw8KGa1c90llk9m/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_14.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiw_2qwIlJgjxpsLNgCN2JDjtgSgC9t2QrnsI5GzH436aueIUgY8-YviZn72t_Kz8qRjw-tc0T_FcdaeGc8ZWIEh1rpAhaDn2yVUvw1EiOdQVV9TOihXZVSZ-cNNbUZntPhUUI_fNzVrLSUvmJ6CcMTA690_xbWTQIWmGPkp5iGP8Ixtw8KGa1c90llk9m/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_14.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bang</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6VerD7ib5mPv5EasJDvbqtvujjiSOIfFlgAmT10fVyftUPd1TsLvIJQQudCQJG1h_BsvM2ge3_9ESnTuUVWMffcan_1-vHcANFcvjuqZIu-cTQ9gcZW8fw_5cZ0b6Pa59HCPm0rOnKuPxHORlrwgaGgwFupp4MIx9piKtaN4woM1Jcx0EwKzQ0pAHUey/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_15.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6VerD7ib5mPv5EasJDvbqtvujjiSOIfFlgAmT10fVyftUPd1TsLvIJQQudCQJG1h_BsvM2ge3_9ESnTuUVWMffcan_1-vHcANFcvjuqZIu-cTQ9gcZW8fw_5cZ0b6Pa59HCPm0rOnKuPxHORlrwgaGgwFupp4MIx9piKtaN4woM1Jcx0EwKzQ0pAHUey/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_15.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The marriage of political expedience meets its conclusion</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6VFA_jtHAr5oNc9TMsHx9o-0GAyO5Sgq4EZO0Z8csuPBdvJ6bR2rWGLtDghswEUsvILIqTnIJ3Ww2YF7gYXY6DwszKfxF2DvmZ1k2b3gyrmW6nBX5dulZuS-0r2xbqu-H4ZBH5PebUVQ1kSqVcywpZXdei6PREtYUNatXYOGAXfiZr-XuDE_umnLtty8/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_16.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN6VFA_jtHAr5oNc9TMsHx9o-0GAyO5Sgq4EZO0Z8csuPBdvJ6bR2rWGLtDghswEUsvILIqTnIJ3Ww2YF7gYXY6DwszKfxF2DvmZ1k2b3gyrmW6nBX5dulZuS-0r2xbqu-H4ZBH5PebUVQ1kSqVcywpZXdei6PREtYUNatXYOGAXfiZr-XuDE_umnLtty8/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_16.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now you listen and you listen good</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">FLAMINGO
ROAD</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">
was released theatrically on May 5th, 1949 and performed well commercially.
Robert Wilder's screenplay was an adaptation of the 1946 play co-written by
Wilder and his wife Sally. The play was derived from his 1942 novel. To the
modern viewer accustomed to the structure of an 8-to-10 episode TV series, the
events in <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b> play out at an absurdly quick pace, as when Dan
declares his strong feelings for Lane after knowing her about a day. The events
that play out in this film likely would provide more than adequate material for
a 10-hour series these days. The casting of Joan Crawford is another problem
point. She was 43 at the time of filming and too mature to play the part of a
carnival dancer. Even more problematic is she was almost 20 years older than
Virginia Huston, the actress who portrays her rival. And to my ear anyway,
Sydney Greenstreet is not the easiest thespian to understand; I flipped on the
subtitles during a couple of sequences. Minor reservations aside, <b>FLAMINGO
ROAD</b> is a taut, well-written film that rewards repeat viewings with snappy
dialog and assured direction from Michael Curtiz.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Earlier
this year Warner Bros. added <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b> to the Blu-ray restorations
among their Archive Collection. According to Warner, this new transfer made use
of the best film elements available. The new HD master is accompanied by a new
2.0 DTS-HD Master audio track. Black & white contrast shows a nice
improvement versus the Warner DVD first issued in 2008. At times whites lack
definition, though mostly at times of soft focus. The level of film grain is
pleasing to the eye and the film looks really nice in motion. The
cinematography is top notch as handled by Ted D. McCord, a frequent
collaborator with Curtiz, i.e. <b>THE BREAKING POINT</b> (1950), <b>YOUNG MAN
WITH A HORN</b> (1950) and <b>THE PROUD REBEL</b> (1958). Framing is at the
theatrical scope of 1.37:1 and honors the integrity of the film elements better
than the Warner DVD’s scan, which was compressed to 1.33:1. The DVD scan
captures slightly more information at the bottom of the frame, the new HD scan
adds slightly more to the top. Fans of <b>FLAMINGO ROAD</b> should consider
this Blu-ray disc a worthwhile upgrade. The DVD screen capture below looks hazy
by comparison.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgjQqKcxHee1_MVN94U0xX5Q5aI6AxpDgpfTUzb45kOwurKDclJ9GiC1iT-y4-h8Jof3-7e59LeaUGx1A6pE6FNkTcIWNgistIlzVq7qMahSY_y-GLhceXoT2BgltUC2aMFczt7l6MnHBqJ5QXtX09wZYdDTcXDFgszsRscyepphARyTmUQfBkXhqfqWi/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_Warner_Blu-ray.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgjQqKcxHee1_MVN94U0xX5Q5aI6AxpDgpfTUzb45kOwurKDclJ9GiC1iT-y4-h8Jof3-7e59LeaUGx1A6pE6FNkTcIWNgistIlzVq7qMahSY_y-GLhceXoT2BgltUC2aMFczt7l6MnHBqJ5QXtX09wZYdDTcXDFgszsRscyepphARyTmUQfBkXhqfqWi/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_Warner_Blu-ray.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warner Blu-ray</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogtb2EI5-rIbQC_thAGeOKLC0iWus_geIoNNiAxHl0peqGGvQYcAE_YllMAMp7inXOywshfyOoEzRytiom-9FgQ14DG83Q42ulQzWNStyNXzapP5dh48IMESx9veoKf5ZAjWXpVEyWhnCw7n57Dk9uOy07VOwoldu-aS4RevGJINoXXdXyb1MxlVayb4W/s1920/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_Warner_DVD.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogtb2EI5-rIbQC_thAGeOKLC0iWus_geIoNNiAxHl0peqGGvQYcAE_YllMAMp7inXOywshfyOoEzRytiom-9FgQ14DG83Q42ulQzWNStyNXzapP5dh48IMESx9veoKf5ZAjWXpVEyWhnCw7n57Dk9uOy07VOwoldu-aS4RevGJINoXXdXyb1MxlVayb4W/w400-h225/Flamingo%20Road%20(1949)_Warner_DVD.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warner DVD</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Most
of the new Blu-ray's supplemental material was ported from the Warner DVD.
"Curtain Razor" (1949, 7m 17s) is a Warner Bros. Looney Tunes short
directed by Friz Freleng. It stars Porky Pig and was originally released on May
21, 1949. This short features gags common to other Looney Tunes shorts; most
notably "Show Biz Bugs" (1957) borrows from multiple segments.
"Crawford at Warners" (2008, 12m 9s) recalls Joan Crawford's
transition from MGM to Warner Bros., where she had about five good years.
Crawford pushed away most everything at first, then was drawn to <b>MILDRED
PIERCE</b> after her Warner stablemate Bette Davis turned it down. After that
film, for which she won the Academy Award, next up was <b>HUMORESQUE</b>
(1946), sometimes referenced as her finest role. It was another big hit. Her
follow-up was <b>POSSESSED</b> (1947), which was meant for Davis, who was
pregnant at the time. Crawford's performance in the role of Louise Howell
earned her a second Academy Award nomination. After a string of films that
performed respectably at the box office, <b>GOODBYE, MY FANCY</b> (1951) was a
box office failure. <b>THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS</b> (1952) was considered a
derivative production that marked the end of her run at Warner Bros., but she
would bounce back quickly with <b>SUDDEN FEAR</b> (1952), an independent
feature released by RKO Radio Pictures and one of my favorite <i>film noirs</i>.
For her contribution as playwright Myra Hudson she received a third Academy
Award nomination. Another selectable bonus feature is the Screen Directors
Playhouse radio drama adaptation of FLAMINGO ROAD (23m 38s) that aired May
26th, 1950. Joan Crawford and David Brian resumed their original roles. A
theatrical trailer (2m) is included, and this Blu-ray release also includes
“Breakdowns Of 1949” (10m 25s), a collection of outtakes from familiar Warner
titles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">FLAMINGO
ROAD was converted into an NBC TV Series that ran from 1980 to 1982. This
adaptation was created by Lorimar Productions, known for producing CBS's
popular shows DALLAS and KNOTS LANDING. Ultimately it failed in its timeslot
opposite ABC's silly but popular mystery series HART TO HART.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHl48onjRROXzeG1GMYKr6I96djZiikKMmDZVZ6Fr4qM9tlnXqSBhsobbaI5IccULGv55Q8oCJ_3IKUc11Kq13PZpMPHpn63fEcSg6qjVQCzAz85Ypz6aAWfi1PwH1x5Tbki_xixi5H9ehEq6PJf_eCVsBurr2eCdgSQ7d-iGAfIsYnof2wCvJHu-HR8W/s2918/flamingo_road_poster_02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2918" data-original-width="1547" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHl48onjRROXzeG1GMYKr6I96djZiikKMmDZVZ6Fr4qM9tlnXqSBhsobbaI5IccULGv55Q8oCJ_3IKUc11Kq13PZpMPHpn63fEcSg6qjVQCzAz85Ypz6aAWfi1PwH1x5Tbki_xixi5H9ehEq6PJf_eCVsBurr2eCdgSQ7d-iGAfIsYnof2wCvJHu-HR8W/w213-h400/flamingo_road_poster_02.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWu6pcIhLA6BkS89-SvoD6kG9hPOpVbotabq44opxANu8SydjiqjElLgyK-UpPv6tNsUxOVe5XOPMXz0Oa7orFnf1WmoufbpdCwVMWoV0-u4H1EpLmvE7qVl0hHNwdmP26e7oP7MFIfqmU3lUfNAN0s_wr9XFZizZy59X6baprPoJW9O1Rk_XJ_dYy2St/s1590/flamingo_road_poster_03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1590" data-original-width="1098" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWu6pcIhLA6BkS89-SvoD6kG9hPOpVbotabq44opxANu8SydjiqjElLgyK-UpPv6tNsUxOVe5XOPMXz0Oa7orFnf1WmoufbpdCwVMWoV0-u4H1EpLmvE7qVl0hHNwdmP26e7oP7MFIfqmU3lUfNAN0s_wr9XFZizZy59X6baprPoJW9O1Rk_XJ_dYy2St/w276-h400/flamingo_road_poster_03.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSt5jBffnrfm5O6j5RY62u_TZE-H_iHEFEoSWhIHW_C07PsgAW0ZX9VroQBw3SDf_9_PJeda-N9qMXFzHXzDigFhBZ-NbWTXEHh-a5SFXg5hIrcgX4zh2MzrJ0M120o2YCAeAPyJX8nAU9kNRXYnqTQMGe2IXqQ6ygb9BsrZfLtv56_ULz0Z2fyoOpy8J/s5186/flamingo_road_poster_04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5186" data-original-width="2037" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSt5jBffnrfm5O6j5RY62u_TZE-H_iHEFEoSWhIHW_C07PsgAW0ZX9VroQBw3SDf_9_PJeda-N9qMXFzHXzDigFhBZ-NbWTXEHh-a5SFXg5hIrcgX4zh2MzrJ0M120o2YCAeAPyJX8nAU9kNRXYnqTQMGe2IXqQ6ygb9BsrZfLtv56_ULz0Z2fyoOpy8J/w158-h400/flamingo_road_poster_04.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkCveCJnwAW77cT59z85ptBSyHfLE-5u8bkjtAgYP2B5iBep2ua3mOZSH2h25aTSaqs8TIb8MzPVTMXMrHJTzU5tFB0q04zZG_fx4c22IetJEdOT4iZ5zUytr7gIv75dSnLinUdPH6VcSYmkNaVV8q9NNWuc4Btho71GCPzb-S5WRpU82oeB6LmFJ63oG/s1000/flamingo_road-blu-ray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="760" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJkCveCJnwAW77cT59z85ptBSyHfLE-5u8bkjtAgYP2B5iBep2ua3mOZSH2h25aTSaqs8TIb8MzPVTMXMrHJTzU5tFB0q04zZG_fx4c22IetJEdOT4iZ5zUytr7gIv75dSnLinUdPH6VcSYmkNaVV8q9NNWuc4Btho71GCPzb-S5WRpU82oeB6LmFJ63oG/w304-h400/flamingo_road-blu-ray.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-52283037348520048942023-09-30T15:29:00.001-05:002023-10-08T10:29:41.299-05:00ANGEL FACE (1952)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">RKO
Radio Pictures, 91m 53s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BrcxDnOt1MUjqpclqDv4dZatHBuPxBMturcn5GkxZDzOwmyT4fCDnJvYOYuTuqBmOIXouAKHZtc_PcibzCZNTujH3QlTiIBt9e37LGiFoFXufabI3e-GqqTfKzPB6FGGkS252AyNOGE32VruL5lAmUpr69xuJvGeHXL_vdRj4KOEPlu62hFZbqUvKvpL/s1280/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1280" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BrcxDnOt1MUjqpclqDv4dZatHBuPxBMturcn5GkxZDzOwmyT4fCDnJvYOYuTuqBmOIXouAKHZtc_PcibzCZNTujH3QlTiIBt9e37LGiFoFXufabI3e-GqqTfKzPB6FGGkS252AyNOGE32VruL5lAmUpr69xuJvGeHXL_vdRj4KOEPlu62hFZbqUvKvpL/w400-h303/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A <i>film
noir</i> experience sure to carve out its place in your memory, <b>ANGEL FACE</b>
was directed and produced by Otto Preminger, one of the deans of <i>noir</i>
directors with <b>LAURA</b> (1944), <b>FALLEN ANGEL</b> (1945), <b>WHIRLPOOL</b>
(1950) and <b>WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS</b> (1950) to his credit prior to the
release of the title under review. Though I do not consider <b>ANGEL FACE</b>
to be on quite the same level as that fab four, his 1952 effort is a
significant title in terms of its allegiance to <i>film noir</i> genre
conventions and assumptions. As the opening theme music by Dimitri Tiomkin
makes perfectly clear, this is no feel-good picture. An unshakably downbeat
tone is maintained from start to finish with its cynical people in a joyless
world. This Preminger <i>noir</i> is as good an example as any as to why <i>film
noir</i> is not for everyone. Even among classic Hollywood film fans, a certain
percentage of viewers is sure to be turned off by this type of material. If
made today, <b>ANGEL FACE</b> likely would be manufactured and marketed as a
horror movie.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Set in
Beverly Hills, California, our story opens on a high hill at a vast estate with opulent furnishings. Paramedics Frank Jessup (Robert Mitchum) and Bill Crompton
(Kenneth Tobey) are on the scene, where Catherine Tremayne (Barbara O'Neil)
suspects she has survived attempted murder by asphyxiation, though the
circumstances of her near death leave the impression of an attempted suicide.
Frank pauses before he leaves the Tremayne home when he is intrigued by the
piano playing of Catherine's stepdaughter Diane Tremayne (23-year-old British
actress Jean Simmons). Given the setup, the viewer instantly pegs Diane as a
potentially dangerous woman, positioned like a mythological siren summoning
Frank to his doom. Their relationship begins on an alarmingly violent note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank slaps her in an effort to subdue her
hysteria, then Diane slaps him back! Later after his shift, Frank heads to a
diner where he is a regular only to learn Diane has followed him. As she
strikes suitably alluring poses, the mysterious Diane's presence causes Frank
to alter his plans that evening with Mary Wilton (Mona Freeman in an
exceptional supporting performance). Removed from his auto racing career due to
WWII, these days Frank drives an ambulance to make ends meet. But with new
business start-up money the Tremaynes obviously have the means to contribute,
Frank sees an opportunity to up his game. A veteran who drove a tank during the
war, Frank trades a job of clockwork monotony for a seemingly cinchy chauffeur
position with the Tremaynes. Little does he suspect cars located at the
Tremayne property will prove far more dangerous to him than any wartime combat
vehicles he maneuvered or any race cars he drove.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9Q51JCw5E7iaTBtJO-5ldaV3k0oCTNUs0I_enRJ04YQ2Lzn9SvTzTNLg59SF3ajzhrisNVpm8rv7S26jdVqcATFs9iqbbpzxd2QT2aZUs5wCWIML13sCtrsyXqZtrJA3nX8DZGe4B5YFYYEL2DpCGZkZH-71vb8FYsSwoVHvT8mUxiqIiIXhYbhrQUMF/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_01.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9Q51JCw5E7iaTBtJO-5ldaV3k0oCTNUs0I_enRJ04YQ2Lzn9SvTzTNLg59SF3ajzhrisNVpm8rv7S26jdVqcATFs9iqbbpzxd2QT2aZUs5wCWIML13sCtrsyXqZtrJA3nX8DZGe4B5YFYYEL2DpCGZkZH-71vb8FYsSwoVHvT8mUxiqIiIXhYbhrQUMF/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_01.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEHqtnEATHGnAOpw85poNj-4A2mu4jWIMLBtw6h1Yn3bfwGJoJjiyGku1Qkzo9UPVHojRbnrYBlZALUIfHw80fGQqViDMCR97oIRbz8lyCG3AV6-ozJy7eIPOniyfQGX7tNnztzfdh1Luh8517YF7YlMr_uAWJpGlYc1K_jHGZ3NjWeU8lzGlTItVeNTx/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_02.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEHqtnEATHGnAOpw85poNj-4A2mu4jWIMLBtw6h1Yn3bfwGJoJjiyGku1Qkzo9UPVHojRbnrYBlZALUIfHw80fGQqViDMCR97oIRbz8lyCG3AV6-ozJy7eIPOniyfQGX7tNnztzfdh1Luh8517YF7YlMr_uAWJpGlYc1K_jHGZ3NjWeU8lzGlTItVeNTx/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_02.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXTCG7JIPI2f_qf-V-eEa7abqsacACy3x0MgWYtLIk0XRzzWj4RPZW5I0TexA0mWeRPmCPUeDYgtXORQNNOHYj4MxEZ2ofX0NRI9jAOR7yS_Q8COKIJnb9zLmeHvkPVOvY8f46gR7g11dDeJ-fihJUU2h9bq6PxF8xjwdH_mboQfS9QKTU7NWmM8ZfiF3/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_03.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXTCG7JIPI2f_qf-V-eEa7abqsacACy3x0MgWYtLIk0XRzzWj4RPZW5I0TexA0mWeRPmCPUeDYgtXORQNNOHYj4MxEZ2ofX0NRI9jAOR7yS_Q8COKIJnb9zLmeHvkPVOvY8f46gR7g11dDeJ-fihJUU2h9bq6PxF8xjwdH_mboQfS9QKTU7NWmM8ZfiF3/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_03.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Archetypal females meet: the good blonde and the bad brunette</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirhufR4ZgPfZ-t5jh2qjDHox7wmMkxlBFj4473xaLTRZwhW1SCXqafp5FruCGSgLJF_t2igZTgDUL47FFVetR-o3FMYJ98rmKe1dHVYNA5tAhZ0l5JodG7QagmUtjlJ_JQ4xxWtvkECjNR2hQZVOycW3tCYdLl-XC4Za1LbKssv6ZBAUTuao27LCUDuJA/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_04.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirhufR4ZgPfZ-t5jh2qjDHox7wmMkxlBFj4473xaLTRZwhW1SCXqafp5FruCGSgLJF_t2igZTgDUL47FFVetR-o3FMYJ98rmKe1dHVYNA5tAhZ0l5JodG7QagmUtjlJ_JQ4xxWtvkECjNR2hQZVOycW3tCYdLl-XC4Za1LbKssv6ZBAUTuao27LCUDuJA/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_04.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In
essence <b>ANGEL FACE</b> is a separation of wealth story, with wealth
(especially the inherited kind) diametrically opposed to working class ideals.
The Tremayne residence makes for a forbidding <i>film noir</i> landscape, a
hilltop locale that neatly summarizes the affluent family's obvious social
status. The mansion perched near the edge of a precipitous slope also comes
equipped with obvious connotations about the Tremayne family trajectory; the
very location of the Tremayne place factors in their demise. Beneath the
elegant exteriors there is something rotting inside. During the opening
sequence a major warning shot is fired that something is wrong:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Catherine and her husband Charles Tremayne
(Herbert Marshall) have separate bedrooms. The family matriarch seems
to possess a certain emasculating power over her novelist husband, who has
slipped into a state of stalled productivity since the day he met her. A kept
man, he is a writer who no longer generates anything for publication. Herbert
Marshall was an inspired casting option to portray such a man. While serving in
WWI he lost a leg and had to be fitted with a wooden leg. His deliberate gait
perfectly fits the <i>noir</i> world, where men often have mobility issues that
reflect diminished patriarchal power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A rare
femme fatale whose actions do not revolve around money, Diane already is an
elite individual, next in line to control the family fortune. Thus material
gain does not play a role in her thought process as she acts out her impulses.
Her crimes, like those of Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) in Alfred Hitchcock's
transitional horror <i>noir</i> <b>Psycho</b> (1960), are of passion, not
profit. Especially for its era, <b>ANGEL FACE</b> is undeniably disturbing in
its creepy implications about its father/daughter connection. Diane's perverse
affection for her father adds an unsettling element to this <i>film noir</i>,
though she is not completely unsympathetic:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>her mother was killed in an air raid during WWII. Since that time Diane lives
a circumscribed existence with an ersatz mother she never wanted and admits she
was just 10 years old when she first imagined her stepmother dead. She used to daydream
about all of the things she and her father could do were Catherine not part of
the equation. Diane is not evil incarnate so much as a sexual pathology case;
she clings to her departed father's memory much like a loving widow might. We
feel her painful tension and lack of purpose as she reviews artifacts left
behind by the father she unintentionally destroyed. No evidence is provided
that her fractured frame of mind can be repaired.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETY12crPWTfjkj6Vje30xgk8B2u0cqDhTtHlbeVfoQAdq-v_r9ROHfeF3qPEE-1DROdIJv4fqrSpKODaIy0POyurmLt8AD3trooElXcSNYGWPgp_aa97rrdKev_Qck6EiNEzBwWoC2SnGgvw4IivbgCNklcVHxK7N0JsHkXE40SaS2P_EkD25MHNnTTXN/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_05.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhETY12crPWTfjkj6Vje30xgk8B2u0cqDhTtHlbeVfoQAdq-v_r9ROHfeF3qPEE-1DROdIJv4fqrSpKODaIy0POyurmLt8AD3trooElXcSNYGWPgp_aa97rrdKev_Qck6EiNEzBwWoC2SnGgvw4IivbgCNklcVHxK7N0JsHkXE40SaS2P_EkD25MHNnTTXN/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_05.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diane plays the piano when she has murder on her mind</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOE_BDKE6DkS4oPlDx5BzDPkt17Y8m7inUeWiQWHIibtlEdy4gRfWCF9m2pQ-JvVn2d9zXfKsd-QD8cXPnd5sR4AGJm_OjtAU-OF64j6oXQMdcLZ4OIIhhBzeqpIkKjRabdc2erSj21c8H7WY_TdTixUkA1XdqA5VkfEGyVnXzouZQYRXHbG1woh-PsMh/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_06.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOE_BDKE6DkS4oPlDx5BzDPkt17Y8m7inUeWiQWHIibtlEdy4gRfWCF9m2pQ-JvVn2d9zXfKsd-QD8cXPnd5sR4AGJm_OjtAU-OF64j6oXQMdcLZ4OIIhhBzeqpIkKjRabdc2erSj21c8H7WY_TdTixUkA1XdqA5VkfEGyVnXzouZQYRXHbG1woh-PsMh/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_06.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long way to love</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSM-4oK9McI8v7tyfJgOoKtwKrUoUiSf5hhzFKb6YX3su8QQKFki0V19UYR0DQ2aYX7saHzsni1_iH52CQ4OHfRKcMgIdUiBJdL9VdhfBkIYI_GIBxxvzDmVGX9HNZCeHNfQMl_wcWhjvMXXjMkOjiqLBIUTsVEyh1D2LpMxxjec5mJlBhKs_7EFvqmK2/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_07.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSM-4oK9McI8v7tyfJgOoKtwKrUoUiSf5hhzFKb6YX3su8QQKFki0V19UYR0DQ2aYX7saHzsni1_iH52CQ4OHfRKcMgIdUiBJdL9VdhfBkIYI_GIBxxvzDmVGX9HNZCeHNfQMl_wcWhjvMXXjMkOjiqLBIUTsVEyh1D2LpMxxjec5mJlBhKs_7EFvqmK2/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_07.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You can be so sweet at times."</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IlTHmFHn25SbbfW1ZwrXq1tXQTFqmJr8QUb4hYFidwU1HKnFXlbszxXf8YvtB86DeD2h-k5GSmzJYXLAFW3P_Ag82tFTcCEfvqzcdhJVRSlY-gn2RWmUsFvQJUkUeyAozliWxsEd-sze1PS_54-V_bWR2waPdS6iGmgK1XwV56qBlW7K4wYJUBSac1bM/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_08.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IlTHmFHn25SbbfW1ZwrXq1tXQTFqmJr8QUb4hYFidwU1HKnFXlbszxXf8YvtB86DeD2h-k5GSmzJYXLAFW3P_Ag82tFTcCEfvqzcdhJVRSlY-gn2RWmUsFvQJUkUeyAozliWxsEd-sze1PS_54-V_bWR2waPdS6iGmgK1XwV56qBlW7K4wYJUBSac1bM/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_08.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stunning dissolve</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">When
Diane acknowledges her culpability and attempts to atone for her crimes, she is
out of step with the moral vacancy that characterizes the classic <i>film noir</i>
femme fatale. Diane possesses enough moral fiber to admit wrongdoing, but not
without lingering psychic wounds that make her dangerous up to the very end.
She first wants to confess while in a hospital bed, but her smug attorney Fred
Barrett (Leon Ames) finds her confession to be irrational. In further testimony
to the complexity of the film's central female character, the courtroom
sequence with Barrett and District Attorney Judson (Jim Backus) is fascinating
in that neither lawman reveals any understanding of her crime as it actually
transpired. The smartest guys in the room both have it wrong. Later Diane is
even more determined to offer herself up for punishment only to learn the law
will not allow it (Barrett cites the Double Jeopardy Clause in the Fifth
Amendment). The best she could hope for is to be institutionalized. That
prospect might actually be an improvement upon her marriage to Frank. Maybe <i>she</i>
loves him, but his motivation to marry her is purely to avoid a prison
sentence. Their phony kiss-the-bride moment speaks volumes. If Diane's parents
were trapped in a meaningless marriage, the union of Frank and Diane is cause
for even less celebration. It is fitting that the young <i>noir</i> couple
should perish in the identical manner as their elders, neither marriage
sustainable on an emotional level.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Robert
Mitchum is a foundational figure of <i>film noir</i> given his contribution to
the classic period of the mid-to-late 1940s in familiar <i>noir</i> offerings
such as <b>THE LOCKET</b> (1946), <b>PURSUED</b> (1947), <b>CROSSFIRE</b>
(1947), <b>OUT OF THE PAST</b> (1947) and <b>THE BIG STEAL</b> (1949). His attendance
in <b>ANGEL FACE</b> plays no small part in the film's artistic viability.
Frank is not an easy guy to like, but Mitchum is even more difficult to
dislike, even when he portrays a reprehensible sort. As Frank goes from
opportunist to fall guy, Mitchum does not play the character any differently,
which makes perfect sense in the fatalistic world the narrative implies. The <i>noir</i>
film is noteworthy for its many unlikable, even repellent personalities who are
called into action as lead characters. "I've been slapped by dames
before," Frank casually confesses early in <b>ANGEL FACE</b>. Not long
after that, he coldly stands up his obviously devoted girlfriend, who had
prepared a nice dinner for two. He is the brand of <i>noir</i> character who
really earns the distinction "lead protagonist." The term
"hero" surely does not fit. Clearly Frank is in the game only for
himself, though he does not seem to have the drive to reach for anything much beyond
what he is. As a rule Frank keeps feverish activity to a minimum. A rare boost
to his enthusiasm level comes when Catherine agrees to invest in his auto
racing repair & maintenance business model, something he was unable to
initiate before encountering the Tremayne family, though in the midst of a chat
with Mary he openly questions his association with them ("I've been
thinking about quitting. It's a weird outfit. Not for me."). Eventually he
becomes insensitive, borderline callous toward Diane, though not without
reason. He does not buy her story that Catherine tried to kill her, though he
recognizes Diane might want to off Catherine. When Frank follows through on
quitting, Diane short-circuits. Frank is probably a better person than Diane,
but not strong enough to stay away from her in the first place. He had a
good woman in Mary but could not resist the temptress, which makes Frank the
narrative's homme fatal, the type of man Mary is best served to avoid. Even the
decent woman Mary is not without her share of <i>noir</i> cynicism; after being
stood up the prior evening, she is quick to assume Frank found his way into bed
with Diane! That revelation provides one of the film's most memorable moments
of dialog. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8US5t7YOZNDWl1gcYBGL4x6xDnuyd_rKjqJ3xRPCKsqjhoNhbe3JgWMmj8A_JvBDxJ1EDS-QELb2FoXP9XQrsPPFtF6jBRakJRc77PH3Q9WpmvAwNLzwGHLKy8fnGOdQIJ24jQKtO9pP0XidKlIL8Bg1h-czcALCN1QuSLzfpWMuz1IixGLNev9IIcCMW/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_9.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8US5t7YOZNDWl1gcYBGL4x6xDnuyd_rKjqJ3xRPCKsqjhoNhbe3JgWMmj8A_JvBDxJ1EDS-QELb2FoXP9XQrsPPFtF6jBRakJRc77PH3Q9WpmvAwNLzwGHLKy8fnGOdQIJ24jQKtO9pP0XidKlIL8Bg1h-czcALCN1QuSLzfpWMuz1IixGLNev9IIcCMW/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_9.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>noir</i> marriage: arranged by necessity, not mutual love</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-arIXEOm1v3OkTSELIMApJ66Hg6nDhqZrVB9GyuoZYjq3684sR3ATq3HUzOc6JvcwRzWuwxbYbGhSELyC9tc7SoRlt6TG90GIYqI79FfWkkr6WILZPYwfEOSQZTdG6c7QkvpeqOoqiD9sCw-LDIUJ5FfXix2zVd7b46x07PAK6lka9_VuOzP-cAazSuE/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_10.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx-arIXEOm1v3OkTSELIMApJ66Hg6nDhqZrVB9GyuoZYjq3684sR3ATq3HUzOc6JvcwRzWuwxbYbGhSELyC9tc7SoRlt6TG90GIYqI79FfWkkr6WILZPYwfEOSQZTdG6c7QkvpeqOoqiD9sCw-LDIUJ5FfXix2zVd7b46x07PAK6lka9_VuOzP-cAazSuE/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_10.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGZCv3KIhf_f6w-okgUA-nGUSDyw96WvN8YVKHmT6i93m_LvzZUokN8M8II86UeYwJU6a7kIsv929fx-Ed0gJa3ZYP9whMBdpe4F3swcNhu_iOq5Q0TBabRUqiOHo7os7d22P9BRUdLC_tKd8EHBk-zpCK3_czgQFU-dCRqXXbjQTWX2ybzHxf67rij8B/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_11.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGZCv3KIhf_f6w-okgUA-nGUSDyw96WvN8YVKHmT6i93m_LvzZUokN8M8II86UeYwJU6a7kIsv929fx-Ed0gJa3ZYP9whMBdpe4F3swcNhu_iOq5Q0TBabRUqiOHo7os7d22P9BRUdLC_tKd8EHBk-zpCK3_czgQFU-dCRqXXbjQTWX2ybzHxf67rij8B/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_11.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The idealized <i>film noir</i> portrait often stands for<br />a person of the past who maintains control over the present</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRSjWmztkPJIxBOzBCYwkWyB8VmhYSeJ0NU2-H3VNO6kdp_f64Lqn2Zdiz8Vx-nomtbvP2HuaDaBkdjhO3U-cWKwLi5BR3O0V1jrvjKltEZx5p9AS6cg_JiNUyxbUbkETJwojHrHvDv5tjU-7TmYAvMueImegRwJZw078ot7wajsHJM4kWQf-QeZU4B6b/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_12.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRSjWmztkPJIxBOzBCYwkWyB8VmhYSeJ0NU2-H3VNO6kdp_f64Lqn2Zdiz8Vx-nomtbvP2HuaDaBkdjhO3U-cWKwLi5BR3O0V1jrvjKltEZx5p9AS6cg_JiNUyxbUbkETJwojHrHvDv5tjU-7TmYAvMueImegRwJZw078ot7wajsHJM4kWQf-QeZU4B6b/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_12.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diane's alienation is emphasized in the film's closing moments</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVBUUyjV88nOiKVfgA7JKpwvNX2w_oKNJU67NRxvjUtXGNk5lOOi0gJitNBzBLxL0WY5wC7Nqupiyl0c0meTR7AKCkEDK0Jcq9ALVGM9OHKuUOU_mNgcLTGIGvwPqHv_5XrEhqm_mZiCuhXM8f3x2nZjhXKdJ8mr0MkkZDhEWQ1oBztzv9u6lKkr6RDq1/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_13.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVBUUyjV88nOiKVfgA7JKpwvNX2w_oKNJU67NRxvjUtXGNk5lOOi0gJitNBzBLxL0WY5wC7Nqupiyl0c0meTR7AKCkEDK0Jcq9ALVGM9OHKuUOU_mNgcLTGIGvwPqHv_5XrEhqm_mZiCuhXM8f3x2nZjhXKdJ8mr0MkkZDhEWQ1oBztzv9u6lKkr6RDq1/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_13.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wait for it...</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">An
adaptation of an original story by Chester Erskine, <b>ANGEL FACE</b> was
written for the screen by Frank S. Nugent and Oscar Millard, with an uncredited
contribution from Ben Hecht. This team must be credited for the creation of one
of the most passionless couples in cinematic history. Compared to the benchmark
<i>noir</i> couple in <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b> (1944), for instance, Diane and
Frank never experience the mutual fiery excitement for each other the genre
tends to deliver. Nor does Diane get off on her bad behavior like the femme
fatales of <b>GUN CRAZY</b> (1950) and <b>SCARLET STREET</b> (1945). Diane
becomes one of <i>film noir</i>'s walking dead, as dead as the parents she
murdered. Frank walks among the dead as well, he is just less aware of it than
Diane until the movie climaxes in convincing crescendo to the tune of a 150'
descent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Like
the purest examples of the <i>film noir</i>, <b>ANGEL FACE</b> is rich in irony
and fatalism. Consider that opening sequence:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>had that call for medical assistance been phoned in just five minutes
later, Frank would have been off duty! His profession in itself is interesting;
he can rescue others, but not himself. Not only that, his fondness for auto
mechanics and racing contribute to his (quite literal) downfall. The film's
title treatment harbors another irony, revealed when Catherine touches her
stepdaughter Diane's face, which instinctively displays the cold emptiness of a
heartless killer. Her classical piano playing, though tasteful and skilled, is
associated with jealousy and death. And in one of the film's greatest ironies,
Diane unintentionally kills the father she so adores.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">This
year's dual-layered Blu-ray edition of <b>ANGEL FACE</b> released by Warner
Archive presents the film in a sharp new transfer that yields excellent
contrast. The source material must have been in very good condition. Framed at
the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1, the fluent cinematography of
Harry Stradling Sr. is now well preserved for <i>film noir</i> collectors. Compared
to the 1.33:1 Warner DVD first issued January 23rd, 2007, this new Blu-ray
boasts improved clarity and a more appropriate level of film grain:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3vriGBC1V9XG1CZKU2WMdH9XaiTz1zbypZO3VWuvVNPScAV8iiruz0Jj262RmBUcA0viKmkZgkvL9lPKWY3LZMCdry2yNtPf_tv4CEtXjC6v-h11noEzn6YrO01cs5pCZXf-yaVMfzArk8TzuXSHlx37eW-rezA71B0GlgI2VailfWNGaAiehf3zGX2S/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_DVD_Warner.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3vriGBC1V9XG1CZKU2WMdH9XaiTz1zbypZO3VWuvVNPScAV8iiruz0Jj262RmBUcA0viKmkZgkvL9lPKWY3LZMCdry2yNtPf_tv4CEtXjC6v-h11noEzn6YrO01cs5pCZXf-yaVMfzArk8TzuXSHlx37eW-rezA71B0GlgI2VailfWNGaAiehf3zGX2S/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_DVD_Warner.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warner DVD (2007)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvHjiSv_Qfwt1DCmQvNs8F9kuGmam54B0oVeJBJD7DzCsZIvBHEfuwfcKW2yRJ_pSnZg1RoZz11YNAEWSDsLtWst4rleCorajPZlScqhixphKxrTZdixcg5PkYOVo-GjNtNKlOTlPEgm-OMwToPVLCzD67BCy7HRvhDhnthAZm6hKdpGF7acvX2_Xl0Ck/s1920/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Blu-ray_Warner_Archive.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvHjiSv_Qfwt1DCmQvNs8F9kuGmam54B0oVeJBJD7DzCsZIvBHEfuwfcKW2yRJ_pSnZg1RoZz11YNAEWSDsLtWst4rleCorajPZlScqhixphKxrTZdixcg5PkYOVo-GjNtNKlOTlPEgm-OMwToPVLCzD67BCy7HRvhDhnthAZm6hKdpGF7acvX2_Xl0Ck/w400-h225/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Blu-ray_Warner_Archive.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warner Blu-ray (2023)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
audio commentary track by Eddie Muller was ported from the Warner DVD. In this
unusual case, the commentary is matched to the standard version of the film,
which runs 91m 43s. As film critic Gary Tooze reported, the original camera
negative contained additional frames absent from the source materials utilized
for the DVD transfer. Therefore the old transfer is included here to ensure
Muller's comments best match the onscreen dramatics.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">This
is one of Muller's most perceptive commentary tracks, and he has an assortment
of fine work to his credit. From start to finish it is a treat to be a
listener. Muller is loaded with insights but never sounds like he is lecturing.
He makes it easy to appreciate the film as much as he does. From a
cultural/historical perspective, Muller reviews how <b>ANGEL FACE</b> somehow
survived all kinds of things working against it. The production was a troubled
one, as was often the case with projects engineered by Howard Hughes. A
well-documented womanizer, Hughes put Jean Simmons under contract but was
interested in more than just a professional relationship. Simmons sued him and
agreed to a three-picture deal to get released from her contract. A stipulation
Simmons demanded was a tight window for those final three films to ensure
Hughes could not prolong the working relationship. The end result was that <b>ANGEL
FACE</b>, her final film for Hughes, would have to be completed within an
18-day shooting schedule. Hughes convinced director Otto Preminger to take on
the project, for which the filmmaker would be granted complete creative control
on a budget of just under $1 million, though Hughes continued to meddle. Hughes
showed so much concern for Simmons's hairstyle she chopped off her hair in
retaliation, an act which necessitated a number of wigs to make her look more presentable
for filming. Preminger called for repeated takes for the scene in which Robert
Mitchum slaps Jean Simmons. The director pushed the issue to the point Simmons
was in tears, which prompted Mitchum to slap Preminger and ask him if that was
the sort of effect he was after. That tumultuous event set the tone for the
production's duration. Nonetheless, Muller credits Preminger for elevating what
very well could have been a routine potboiler into a well-paced cult classic.
Preminger was a master at blocking, with a keen sense for depth in his
coordination of foreground, middle-ground and background action. As Muller builds
a case for Mitchum as an actor of subtle talent, Muller notes Mitchum's unusual
ability to combine confidence with passivity. The actor might have been playing
himself much of the time; Muller contends Mitchum as a person managed his
personal and business affairs with the identical approach.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In
terms of <i>film noir</i> themes, Muller notes the women of the film command
most of the power. This theme even extends to the Japanese servants Ito (Frank
Kumagai) and Chiyo (Max Takasugi) employed at the Tremayne estate. And in the
film's final act, the supporting character Mary takes authority over the two
men in her life. With the heiress Diane on the way out, the working girl Mary
proves her worth. Muller is in top form as he calls into question feminist <i>film
noir</i> studies, in particular film theory that explains the femme fatale's
emergence in <i>noir</i> as a reaction to women who took over for men in the
workplace as required during World War II. As Muller correctly points out, the <i>film
noir</i> suggests good girls work for a living and bad girls do not. That
certainly is what is going on in <b>ANGEL FACE</b>, where inherited money defines
the femme fatale and workforce participation enforces the constitution of the
female worth preserving.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Reviews
were less than flattering at the time of <b>ANGEL FACE</b>'s original
theatrical run, but the time since has been kinder to the film's reputation.
None other than Jean-Luc Godard ranked <b>ANGEL FACE</b> at #8 in his "Ten
Best American Sound Films" for the French film magazine <i>Cahiers du
Cinéma</i> (December 1963 - January 1964 issue).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
theatrical trailer (2m 17s) is the only other supplement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwPLjrfbnvP5bx1hVNbcmxHtUyOiG3n8s0CP2NlsxuWqexGzgL3xQP0iJUgAK9Gqw68rVI1B9IQTgUnpEVgUZ836K28h_-KwyLa629h4iiHi5pZMfFws-GfR5oOlMI9rLIggr4cwxk6L6XVUbbWJMLVhw8jRibzyFxjqKMfUL_fYWTD-9kY1uNNST184p/s2908/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2279" data-original-width="2908" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwPLjrfbnvP5bx1hVNbcmxHtUyOiG3n8s0CP2NlsxuWqexGzgL3xQP0iJUgAK9Gqw68rVI1B9IQTgUnpEVgUZ836K28h_-KwyLa629h4iiHi5pZMfFws-GfR5oOlMI9rLIggr4cwxk6L6XVUbbWJMLVhw8jRibzyFxjqKMfUL_fYWTD-9kY1uNNST184p/w400-h314/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9krSIJPKqVmqkGqwwze4XOmbkOBMVdB4Ghw1ppyyKYsotlNSzfX4yqJe5cTAMU4oSUJvGxR5mk8sVkDqhM1Oj03ur9oAQxBiSmnUmMZIs0D3JkkLdNSAfTWPUvBZSik6uCczN5jqntml07x2vOt1co2V5kxe_K3cklF5y9AGIDYKuSjPRPCW_b1e7VMUm/s1440/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9krSIJPKqVmqkGqwwze4XOmbkOBMVdB4Ghw1ppyyKYsotlNSzfX4yqJe5cTAMU4oSUJvGxR5mk8sVkDqhM1Oj03ur9oAQxBiSmnUmMZIs0D3JkkLdNSAfTWPUvBZSik6uCczN5jqntml07x2vOt1co2V5kxe_K3cklF5y9AGIDYKuSjPRPCW_b1e7VMUm/w266-h400/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_03.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLUC2v0wwKSYYJ01l7Af9MmS6BC41d18Kl9DyJayXgNYFdCcnrB7cadhGPx_NKjV8SzsUi0emIQLIpr59vcMJKFLX73NSCLRwrfuFRxQo4hVhRe9hyphenhypheneCBXdfOzhZQcoq-_9jNpqL-0FUbjoc8FB3eKf4EyMK9TyWORiWxcx5ncjTIvdiSmSXEI3D2dbhn/s450/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="439" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJLUC2v0wwKSYYJ01l7Af9MmS6BC41d18Kl9DyJayXgNYFdCcnrB7cadhGPx_NKjV8SzsUi0emIQLIpr59vcMJKFLX73NSCLRwrfuFRxQo4hVhRe9hyphenhypheneCBXdfOzhZQcoq-_9jNpqL-0FUbjoc8FB3eKf4EyMK9TyWORiWxcx5ncjTIvdiSmSXEI3D2dbhn/w390-h400/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_04.jpg" width="390" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bPw8KTJkPsGuGhTOZGfw0WA5o8macceyFYZM4BTbwE6rexY0EEkn-9gTJ3wCSptGMzH__7iHh6QdSlJTyBGhzUbu6aLMOAjYFq_djRIC1IQbWyDZ9fFdhjUSow2T9saeQntGmyqWp_VGcJFaW2ggTFoQrAoIxKfh1uGXKV9eisPvTH-B5_OoUjzScnyH/s450/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_05.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="197" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bPw8KTJkPsGuGhTOZGfw0WA5o8macceyFYZM4BTbwE6rexY0EEkn-9gTJ3wCSptGMzH__7iHh6QdSlJTyBGhzUbu6aLMOAjYFq_djRIC1IQbWyDZ9fFdhjUSow2T9saeQntGmyqWp_VGcJFaW2ggTFoQrAoIxKfh1uGXKV9eisPvTH-B5_OoUjzScnyH/w175-h400/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Poster_05.jpg" width="175" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKET4w0UgTH-QlAOnu2XjRGbWphIm1sJL8Mrz55Lquqk2VuaJfFykkbiOiRXEOFj0VzkpSpjH4xay69m6tZaS7Sme6sV2CHx7WmbJQ_rx_2siVLYsa3xls0JfcoSbQt2RnFUQ2fYdJ6w7-XzDLn9dUpB-2ea5WD0ungX50nTJdbQyf14XyTE2bTJsKy0MS/s1000/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Blu-ray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKET4w0UgTH-QlAOnu2XjRGbWphIm1sJL8Mrz55Lquqk2VuaJfFykkbiOiRXEOFj0VzkpSpjH4xay69m6tZaS7Sme6sV2CHx7WmbJQ_rx_2siVLYsa3xls0JfcoSbQt2RnFUQ2fYdJ6w7-XzDLn9dUpB-2ea5WD0ungX50nTJdbQyf14XyTE2bTJsKy0MS/w308-h400/Angel%20Face%20(1952)_Blu-ray.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-68610092864940000802023-08-27T12:11:00.001-05:002023-09-02T10:59:19.795-05:00THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">United
Artists, 92m 25s</span></p>
<h3 style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"My
soul is humble when I see the way little ones accept their lot. Lord save
little children. The wind blows, and the rain's a-cold. Yet they abide. They
abide and they endure."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">—Rachel Cooper</span></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJCay9eE2vxdPE_RGKy4oL-PHqTRlBi2AzmYm_U2L7MEh1UEE9DtV1PxA_nTP4iwlFHPHUEQRF8RXua-DyfnfVsaMq4iAtHx1mhJoY85Aj5S5aMz6e3MuX3byMpf3UXZ7F60iEU6__oCwH7ldLYYbYhATNHg1TPLiTLVMD-XLnSGFxfUjsFoTXrCrrzzF/s1231/Night_of_the_Hunter_1955_poster01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1231" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJCay9eE2vxdPE_RGKy4oL-PHqTRlBi2AzmYm_U2L7MEh1UEE9DtV1PxA_nTP4iwlFHPHUEQRF8RXua-DyfnfVsaMq4iAtHx1mhJoY85Aj5S5aMz6e3MuX3byMpf3UXZ7F60iEU6__oCwH7ldLYYbYhATNHg1TPLiTLVMD-XLnSGFxfUjsFoTXrCrrzzF/w260-h400/Night_of_the_Hunter_1955_poster01.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">To be
a fan of the cinema sometimes causes one, like it or not, to ponder what might
have been. Often such thinking revolves around careers cut tragically short;
for me that list includes screen legends such as James Dean, Sharon Tate, Bruce
Lee and Heath Ledger. Then there are those filmmakers who likely had
significant contributions to make had they survived longer, i.e. F.W. Murnau,
Michael Reeves and Bob Fosse. Perhaps even more painful are the films thought
forever lost, like the Lon Chaney vehicle <b>LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT</b> (1927), the
unfinished Jerry Lewis project <b>THE DAY THE CLOWN CRIED</b> and the version
of <b>THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS</b> (1942) director Orson Welles intended
before studio interference chained his film's second half to the bottom of the
ocean. But the loss that bothers me most is the one-and-done directorial career
of Charles Laughton, whose astonishing <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> stands as
one of the most revelatory filmmaking debuts in Hollywood history. Though his
film's reputation only has grown in stature over the years, at the time of its
release it was a commercial and critical disappointment that prevented Laughton
from taking the director's chair again. One only can presume Laughton had far
more to offer than a solitary filmmaking effort. What if <b>THE NIGHT OF THE
HUNTER</b> was the floor of his artistic sensibility, not the ceiling? What if
he had started directing as a much younger man? What might he have brought to other
genres? That last question is the most challenging to consider given the one
Laughton-helmed production we have to evaluate. He definitely did not play it
safe. His film stubbornly resists categorization as it is many things at
once:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>German Expressionism throwback,
American melodrama, horror film, fantasy film, fairy tale, Biblical story and
of course <i>film noir</i>. Laughton bravely condenses elements from seemingly
disparate narrative forms into far-reaching, dark-witted dimensions, timelessly
unique and tonally coherent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">That <b>THE
NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> is concerned with children is apparent in the early
going. As the opening credits roll, ominous theme music (by Walter Schumann)
transitions into the traditional song "Dream, Little One, Dream,"
sung by children. Next the film's crucial matriarch communicates a message of
warning from Matthew 7:15:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Beware
of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing..." Her words of
caution segue into a God-like overhead view of a group of kids playing hide and
seek. In the course of play, the young ones are stunned to discover the
lifeless body of an adult woman, glimpsed only from the knees down. The woman's
killer is introduced next as he travels by automobile along the Ohio River in
West Virginia. Predatory preacher Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) specializes in
victimizing women who have lost their spouses. As he holds a conversation with
a supposedly approving God, the self-proclaimed preacher confesses he has lost
count of how many widows he has destroyed as he awaits direction in regard to
his next mission. In response, at least in terms of Powell's unusual belief
system, the Lord Almighty has the preacher picked up for auto theft at a
burlesque club. Meanwhile, Ben Harper (Peter Graves) is arrested and condemned to
death after killing two people during a bank robbery. Before Harper is
arrested, he leaves $10,000 in stolen bank money with his two small
children:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John Harper (Billy Chapin) and
Pearl Harper (Sally Jane Bruce). Significantly, Harper trusts his children with
the stolen money more than his wife Willa Harper (Shelley Winters). As <i>film
noir</i> fate dictates, Powell and Harper become cellmates. Before Harper is
executed, Powell hears Harper talking in his sleep, which puts the preacher on
the trail of that bank heist money, now guarded by young John Harper.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jFpNvoI67mktmWvE-mZ1eXVcm8Qus8mKxG9zmy6K2Ypk8DpO-nXQ_uu54dBOf52R7aAw04cZtilSlnitDSkowUHy5Ayn0Hv_BHd_kXULzMOi7-1ZOa80-5UzEQ-ZezPmimF03sVlHHfiKnC69AZzAbgDz9glcY8o-iHH4riVWDGtGYYmLLg9ga9BTMUZ/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_01.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jFpNvoI67mktmWvE-mZ1eXVcm8Qus8mKxG9zmy6K2Ypk8DpO-nXQ_uu54dBOf52R7aAw04cZtilSlnitDSkowUHy5Ayn0Hv_BHd_kXULzMOi7-1ZOa80-5UzEQ-ZezPmimF03sVlHHfiKnC69AZzAbgDz9glcY8o-iHH4riVWDGtGYYmLLg9ga9BTMUZ/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_01.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuchXRsWRz1x4zf-xsBcGmkdJS9mw5u4N0ByoUXw6rd6nk4SuCA7_ZNGpp3UXQ9hBFZnVQNsihzNJC6jlldFWBiO0AcrjWhhu1wa2OcgIlpJ4Ift8aL7ry9OggvzTTKoOd6JLctZbI1x550u-Nophb7cZBSFWZrmxvRulgh5k2fxb7HSm68z6GEUQRgcG/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_02.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuchXRsWRz1x4zf-xsBcGmkdJS9mw5u4N0ByoUXw6rd6nk4SuCA7_ZNGpp3UXQ9hBFZnVQNsihzNJC6jlldFWBiO0AcrjWhhu1wa2OcgIlpJ4Ift8aL7ry9OggvzTTKoOd6JLctZbI1x550u-Nophb7cZBSFWZrmxvRulgh5k2fxb7HSm68z6GEUQRgcG/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_02.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboKJzkcjAUwiGHpw_uS6fjGnGJzGtAyvnsMKAygP-dCMxmUHbdnL8v0xmonWfUTxbEAK7bAb4h5pHCrtvZkjI1ndh4mL7P2ePF6aJES5H5Z9rBlgHq13t3MhbYcf1KmQUbjGej7VShLorleusJ5kKIUJ2mj17ffztExkhABIkl012aqUQFaoc5Dlue3qb/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_03.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhboKJzkcjAUwiGHpw_uS6fjGnGJzGtAyvnsMKAygP-dCMxmUHbdnL8v0xmonWfUTxbEAK7bAb4h5pHCrtvZkjI1ndh4mL7P2ePF6aJES5H5Z9rBlgHq13t3MhbYcf1KmQUbjGej7VShLorleusJ5kKIUJ2mj17ffztExkhABIkl012aqUQFaoc5Dlue3qb/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_03.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFy66b2usAvM5LtvCxMD8x1QBM7PGkiw8GNxEz9QfUl0MCKaea4smyXjYwL9o5BI9Gmufl31Fb7-XzjlaPWFp-ByVMX_CjhQyxG5wBSMzc0jVNyq4sp4FN0odtt5FMkKSwB5PyhNgANwwIz2C1FZ4NwwdrOH59X3wlkoB9I6NjeDVF2yu4DeU3HvmtEed3/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_04.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFy66b2usAvM5LtvCxMD8x1QBM7PGkiw8GNxEz9QfUl0MCKaea4smyXjYwL9o5BI9Gmufl31Fb7-XzjlaPWFp-ByVMX_CjhQyxG5wBSMzc0jVNyq4sp4FN0odtt5FMkKSwB5PyhNgANwwIz2C1FZ4NwwdrOH59X3wlkoB9I6NjeDVF2yu4DeU3HvmtEed3/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_04.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Prior
to his execution, Ben Harper mumbles in his slumber from the book of Isaiah,
"and a little child shall lead them." With Harper's boy thrust into
the role of cynical lead protagonist through no fault of his own, <b>THE NIGHT
OF THE HUNTER</b> applies the harshest of <i>film noir</i> aspects to a young
person. John finds his resolve tested by the sort of crushing pressures that
often defeat adults in the <i>noir</i> film. In the grandest of <i>film noir</i>
traditions, our unlikely lead protagonist is haunted by a past that would
traumatize anyone. After he and his sister (even younger) witness the arrest of
their father, who is roughed up by police before his sentence to death by
hanging, the Harper children must absorb the cruelty of their schoolmates
("hing hang hung, see what the hangman done"). This sequence reveals
the difference in maturity between John and Pearl:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he is old enough to understand what is going
on and his sister is not. Thus by the time the preacher descends upon the town
in search of the recently widowed Willa Harper, her son John has been taught to
be skeptical of people and their motivations. As the preacher Powell charms the
local townsfolk without much resistance, John immediately distrusts the man in
black. John's suspicions about Powell are proven accurate when John catches
Powell in a huge lie about the whereabouts of the $10K. John maintains his
silence in honor of his late father's wishes as his mother weds the preacher to
create perhaps the most hopeless <i>film noir</i> union in a genre congested
with families under all sorts of emotional and economic stress. In fact
economic conditions greatly contribute to the sham of a union between Powell
and Mrs. Harper. <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> is a Depression-era story, with
Ben Harper turning to crime for the financial betterment of his family. So the
Harper family's destruction is initiated by its patriarch, who by American tradition
provides support to the family structure's backbone. Instead his efforts to
improve his family's fortune cause its displacement into the tattooed hands of
the malevolent Powell. As if to mock the Harper sorrow, the prison hangman
(Paul Bryar) is shown to be part of an idealized family, complete with a boy
and girl asleep safe in their bed. Despite John's impressive display of
masculine strength throughout the narrative, <i>noir</i> forces eventually
break down our small protagonist in the film's final act, as he forfeits his
father's heist money in a moment of catharsis. As Powell is arrested in a
sequence that parallels the apprehension of John's condemned father, John
recognizes the difference that distinguishes his father from Powell is merely
one of degree.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XUKjNirPrMaJemSwoePXLLL5OyIpvQt9GLI1FjZLL3a6pGy-Izadfan-78RwLi30wPyBQhGorSdXci5UNfgCLMnx0PyJfiE85QsegG7-3El5BhTnxyiV7H57mrapkWytT3SAayLNVyTJ8cZ85eVxjuRQdNC6KIDTe86tCgOibHs0fQqDFlL4cWXqJZCx/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_05.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XUKjNirPrMaJemSwoePXLLL5OyIpvQt9GLI1FjZLL3a6pGy-Izadfan-78RwLi30wPyBQhGorSdXci5UNfgCLMnx0PyJfiE85QsegG7-3El5BhTnxyiV7H57mrapkWytT3SAayLNVyTJ8cZ85eVxjuRQdNC6KIDTe86tCgOibHs0fQqDFlL4cWXqJZCx/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_05.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> is loaded to the gills with the visual signature of <i>film noir</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr37vIvgtwdyVdC3lO-dL4ixG0Gq1Z3jhZY7yNloQrOl4AWHP28diI8BphsOeeQNqLxllAQklmKNzfZGZIMT7middRzLbRkIAwtheeiKU4Z9xN_QHTCSXE7RpBeilfFj3RkPq68Nx45vjS7izg6clpzW874ihAob830qRu8QDCdUMEwRfU_06vwha7m6D/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_06.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr37vIvgtwdyVdC3lO-dL4ixG0Gq1Z3jhZY7yNloQrOl4AWHP28diI8BphsOeeQNqLxllAQklmKNzfZGZIMT7middRzLbRkIAwtheeiKU4Z9xN_QHTCSXE7RpBeilfFj3RkPq68Nx45vjS7izg6clpzW874ihAob830qRu8QDCdUMEwRfU_06vwha7m6D/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_06.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danger after dark</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2qAmeaYUWIfCLPaC1bYQP9lpuCqtDFsRK97Yrw_xHrki-KPL7YtFsU9Y38OomrVhds_Rdgm-Jj-qzbc7zjgT-zOBXMo3-kSOhpGP7E0LIxaop37gzcggWOIe-Veb0ttKz6daJRuvYYCuvRs1ifK6W87Z2sDjP4Nszm7UuRdxVkn6YIlHcYd1RswpOmSQ/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_07.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2qAmeaYUWIfCLPaC1bYQP9lpuCqtDFsRK97Yrw_xHrki-KPL7YtFsU9Y38OomrVhds_Rdgm-Jj-qzbc7zjgT-zOBXMo3-kSOhpGP7E0LIxaop37gzcggWOIe-Veb0ttKz6daJRuvYYCuvRs1ifK6W87Z2sDjP4Nszm7UuRdxVkn6YIlHcYd1RswpOmSQ/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_07.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The idealized female portrait</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Though
its story focuses on the development of children, <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b>
offers no mature males capable of offering the sort of positive reinforcement
young people require. Failed husband and father Ben Harper is shown with his
children only long enough to give instruction on how to care for the money for
which he killed. Uncle Birdie Steptoe (James Gleason), the riverside town
drunkard, proves unwilling to notify the proper authorities after happening
upon a submerged body. Later he is too intoxicated to help the Powell children
at their most desperate time of need. Town merchant Walt Spoon (Don Beddoe)
suspects there is something wrong with Powell, but is unable to act on his
intuition given the influence of his wife Icey Spoon (Evelyn Varden), who
completely misreads the preacher in terms of character and intentions. Then we have
the false prophet, a dyed-in-the-wool misogynist of untethered greed, driven by
his narrow-minded construct of feminine evil. A serial killer of simmering
hate, those famously tattooed fingers suggest someone who harbors multiple
identities, a recurring theme of the <i>film noir</i>. His killing weapon of
choice has obvious Freudian implications, especially when that switchblade is
first triggered at a burlesque show. Like so many of the cinema's
knife-wielding killers, Powell is impotent. Perhaps the scariest things about
Powell is his earnest belief that his mission is noble. Unmotivated to deviate
from his long-held paradigm, obviously the Powell character brings to mind a
vast number of real-life conmen and charlatans that emerged before and since
the film's conception.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
intense hatred of frivolous female sexuality harbored by Powell reflects
polarized female archetypes <i>film noir</i> followers should be quick to
recognize. But when he watches a striptease in a state of palpable bitterness,
seemingly ready to carve up a dancer for flaunting her sexuality, is the viewer
meant to side with the preacher? The sudden appearance of a police officer
strongly implies no. And surely the average viewer would struggle to side with
Powell's absurdly cruel treatment of Willa Harper, shamed sanctimoniously by
her new husband on their wedding night. Powell forces Willa to consider her
body only in terms of its ability to bear children. He even scolds her for
having amorous feelings:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"That body
was meant for begettin' children. It was not meant for the lust of men."
Later on during a spooky tent-preacher sequence, Willa boldly announces <i>she</i>
is to blame for the Harper family’s dislocation. As if in a trance controlled
by Powell, she testifies before the affixed congregation that her material
demands alone set her husband on a crime rampage. In one of <i>film noir</i>'s
greatest of ironies, she foretells her watery grave when she says, "My
whole body's just a-quivering with cleanness." Willa is far from an
unsympathetic character; she loses her first husband and ultimately her own
life, but her combination of spinelessness and gullibility is unappealing. Her
husband Ben has so little faith in her he calls upon their little
gradeschoolers to manage his ill-gotten gains. Perhaps the most positive female
of the townspeople who gets a closeup is Bess, the departed wife of Uncle
Birdie, now gone some 25 years and present only via idealized portrait (a
consistent <i>film noir</i> hallmark). Birdie believes she still keeps watch
over him, and he still talks to her as if she can listen.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D37BQZlP9RseuppXp7pUONgBiN6yJJYR5ffwhKF5u8CJkCvrRSVCOsdgs2w7BUVkuhRB_dAqO2mwumYKkRpMfXjoqPZJNcD4Rnc078IvvQZIQGxdzO2LluIUEGIp5We_Iv_JLg5aupmHeJJrocgS76Of7GjJEnpL5iiJhARbVdN2cjNVpr0P_dayCWmu/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_08.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D37BQZlP9RseuppXp7pUONgBiN6yJJYR5ffwhKF5u8CJkCvrRSVCOsdgs2w7BUVkuhRB_dAqO2mwumYKkRpMfXjoqPZJNcD4Rnc078IvvQZIQGxdzO2LluIUEGIp5We_Iv_JLg5aupmHeJJrocgS76Of7GjJEnpL5iiJhARbVdN2cjNVpr0P_dayCWmu/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_08.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcmTnrc_ZehpDlja-zeVcllSs0sbmRNdAbcLPEUJR5X7Bi5603qY1F-ZZ71jPkiHoxQwdw-1pyvSmu9o60qgl0KNyoIew431lfz4K2e_MAoo9X43eBfucy7QqeRWUJjzE3bO4v4vJZULgUfJNRgMrvu_im4jlQvvCA9Pt2pAr7t0gkuyau9PgbOrwY4UT/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_09.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcmTnrc_ZehpDlja-zeVcllSs0sbmRNdAbcLPEUJR5X7Bi5603qY1F-ZZ71jPkiHoxQwdw-1pyvSmu9o60qgl0KNyoIew431lfz4K2e_MAoo9X43eBfucy7QqeRWUJjzE3bO4v4vJZULgUfJNRgMrvu_im4jlQvvCA9Pt2pAr7t0gkuyau9PgbOrwY4UT/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_09.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hopelessly unconsummated <i>film noir</i> marriage</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknZPlRkouPicqERbMx8ePvHJ2GdacwlHq-oH1MAAfBvRNr0IqSpUQkqeI25a6SjkMMs1TTaLP3sC9eDR3JdD_dAqlBvHkhZqLqwmppgpua5KZCRzqQsfsRg02nAwpjlQLMf4hNUI56LOLH-7czKMDN9y62SwWWas-LmiTDBgKw-FO2XhfJVt03Er_4aO0/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_10.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhknZPlRkouPicqERbMx8ePvHJ2GdacwlHq-oH1MAAfBvRNr0IqSpUQkqeI25a6SjkMMs1TTaLP3sC9eDR3JdD_dAqlBvHkhZqLqwmppgpua5KZCRzqQsfsRg02nAwpjlQLMf4hNUI56LOLH-7czKMDN9y62SwWWas-LmiTDBgKw-FO2XhfJVt03Er_4aO0/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJuo3erqlnzAylXzPfm4EuubKEnnWsY07aZ7ZKI4aa2Yn2PIEgNOtK9mY9LLTD98chAPR-hxwTqMBjC4f_2sbTFAV_Cv-WH69eE96gpMrB6Zj-ZGjwsfkA4fsbjew-fCi7Tg9H0uBYy1SWc1eIYdAQ5mB7CzChdw2IW8ssb45HLEHCSlYDRoNpkf7opHf/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJuo3erqlnzAylXzPfm4EuubKEnnWsY07aZ7ZKI4aa2Yn2PIEgNOtK9mY9LLTD98chAPR-hxwTqMBjC4f_2sbTFAV_Cv-WH69eE96gpMrB6Zj-ZGjwsfkA4fsbjew-fCi7Tg9H0uBYy1SWc1eIYdAQ5mB7CzChdw2IW8ssb45HLEHCSlYDRoNpkf7opHf/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyw2h6D_PzCJq4qyypv6OSK9sdxxpmGBDNKlRyErRXcYRMqY4M83gtQXXhMbSY4chGj8qZcJ-6pCkT3_Uvm0oso4im1NM0HQlumeC_0G5Bu2_SRznT7RyTjLuzpUvc9Kg7AXpv5BGoychTX0uuPinjmZx0uIcEKdrrEqHtqfGiS9UTzZ5SXyA5jSLJ0lZc/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_12.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyw2h6D_PzCJq4qyypv6OSK9sdxxpmGBDNKlRyErRXcYRMqY4M83gtQXXhMbSY4chGj8qZcJ-6pCkT3_Uvm0oso4im1NM0HQlumeC_0G5Bu2_SRznT7RyTjLuzpUvc9Kg7AXpv5BGoychTX0uuPinjmZx0uIcEKdrrEqHtqfGiS9UTzZ5SXyA5jSLJ0lZc/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_12.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBh5LuNa7wumrmrW3LaKHpr8dq7qnXzJKHaR4pZ-CF0tgsDxFW3_Jh8RR9jOHUkhGw5XzG98U-Za6syLxoqwsT-8SXiux59_WtS7m7km6BxQ9Q06O1tAkXV1ReaW4vGbLPnTzcIhJM4gxaJZFd-29nP_BpYpGGY7t7_i936u3Gb40iFRIa2gz7lf6dyYf2/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_13.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBh5LuNa7wumrmrW3LaKHpr8dq7qnXzJKHaR4pZ-CF0tgsDxFW3_Jh8RR9jOHUkhGw5XzG98U-Za6syLxoqwsT-8SXiux59_WtS7m7km6BxQ9Q06O1tAkXV1ReaW4vGbLPnTzcIhJM4gxaJZFd-29nP_BpYpGGY7t7_i936u3Gb40iFRIa2gz7lf6dyYf2/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_13.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQAAXAvl1Ok12D24aMpEMruUehKRFmGuERvOOL6kQmCzyPq8Lu_7pa9VPJHK5JI4ndDVADrtJpRdB0kglAFo2GpuXX5XGBI61a7pq6Y7uvtoa601LsJ2SPyjvjUn9DTeX7cPMyHVlyO_TrPQqtF-MwF3MI7vLlcUb1G-y2TBaRuCAJwF40pd6J4qxDvXl/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_14.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQAAXAvl1Ok12D24aMpEMruUehKRFmGuERvOOL6kQmCzyPq8Lu_7pa9VPJHK5JI4ndDVADrtJpRdB0kglAFo2GpuXX5XGBI61a7pq6Y7uvtoa601LsJ2SPyjvjUn9DTeX7cPMyHVlyO_TrPQqtF-MwF3MI7vLlcUb1G-y2TBaRuCAJwF40pd6J4qxDvXl/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_14.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Given
the deficiency of responsible male role models and the presence of females
prone to the phony charms of the preacher, a strong-willed matriarchal figure
is required to guide vulnerable children into adulthood. That throwback
personality is Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish), a God-fearing woman suitably
equipped to deal with the likes of Powell. A mature guiding light like Cooper
is especially important for the foolish naivete of teenage girls like Ruby
(Gloria Castillo), who is drawn instantly to the hypnotic evil embodied by
Powell. In fact Ruby maintains feelings for him even <i>after</i> he is
arrested for the murder of Willa Harper. Is Ruby set up for the identical fate
that entraps Willa? <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> is cynical in its message
that positive females are either aging (Cooper) or long gone (Bess).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h4 style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHt05wv9QUHMX4_7pkkh3tgg6utr1vUIU3oWHcLy_06n5QOHzkh2OMduNlAHZ68ZPhFEwU_saTOUvRu7FSw_ZjdK6sP3-os45v2N-TEWgosVsd_1b2q8sIU9gc3Ot9fZVGRiujcSstiqDP5cwIj5-e1YnyLAeUmf8iqkY3LOvVxxpv_RAC0UsYSa69eT3p/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_15.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHt05wv9QUHMX4_7pkkh3tgg6utr1vUIU3oWHcLy_06n5QOHzkh2OMduNlAHZ68ZPhFEwU_saTOUvRu7FSw_ZjdK6sP3-os45v2N-TEWgosVsd_1b2q8sIU9gc3Ot9fZVGRiujcSstiqDP5cwIj5-e1YnyLAeUmf8iqkY3LOvVxxpv_RAC0UsYSa69eT3p/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_15.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtc8_pIvtT0r2oiVAPP_NFA1i0fUTjP8H0TUgM3xXFT9HiJRbVMxqra-smD9WOYWHQ2yM1ZA08x8ONZ7pnrbG7_yrF9ylauPeLU4z5C3u0FMNAXleScdXZox67Zq4wXe7DHCC-kkKIDLFJ9so-WQcsHLiUYqqkMVA9D_3FHMjYPu1O6u0aCzhxhwGx41H/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_16.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYtc8_pIvtT0r2oiVAPP_NFA1i0fUTjP8H0TUgM3xXFT9HiJRbVMxqra-smD9WOYWHQ2yM1ZA08x8ONZ7pnrbG7_yrF9ylauPeLU4z5C3u0FMNAXleScdXZox67Zq4wXe7DHCC-kkKIDLFJ9so-WQcsHLiUYqqkMVA9D_3FHMjYPu1O6u0aCzhxhwGx41H/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_16.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOxzHamvea9b5e51Xh4j7GA-aNLQITdjZJTAd_ARE3CmWNiotjwbcMW3g_FIQe-SN6kxiLb3BfybTFqGtlGAyiQ2wq_1X1Pts60zkYT79dULKY_45tdQgVT2K0kuyzLKtFR_1HQqusMwuzry32aNW_Gar7t3MMwR9jlLM_l80k_UkNx31xFfECbhVS4Q8/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_17.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWOxzHamvea9b5e51Xh4j7GA-aNLQITdjZJTAd_ARE3CmWNiotjwbcMW3g_FIQe-SN6kxiLb3BfybTFqGtlGAyiQ2wq_1X1Pts60zkYT79dULKY_45tdQgVT2K0kuyzLKtFR_1HQqusMwuzry32aNW_Gar7t3MMwR9jlLM_l80k_UkNx31xFfECbhVS4Q8/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_17.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simultaneously beautiful and repulsive: <br />the death of Willa Harper evinces <br />the coldly uncompromising <i>noir</i> aesthetic</td></tr></tbody></table><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></h4><h4 style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"It's
a hard world for little things."<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">—Rachel
Cooper</span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">According
to the onscreen information that accumulates in <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b>,
indeed it is an unfairly difficult world for small creatures to navigate.
Children discover a Powell victim while playing. The Harper kids witness the
arrest of their father and must move on after his execution. Area children
cruelly mock the young Harpers after their father is hung by the neck. An
immature rabbit is killed by a barn owl. But nothing underscores the "hard
world for little things" theme quite like the preacher's interminable
pursuit of those small Harper children. As John and Pearl float down a river in
an attempt to outrun their chaser, the ecosystem possesses a lyrical quality,
in essence a departure into the terms outlined in Genesis 1:24-25:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"And God said, 'Let the earth bring
forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things
and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.' And it was so. And God made
the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to
their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Their
small boat passes a spider's web, a frog, a tortoise, rabbits, sheep, cattle, a
whip-poor-will, dogs, a fox. Interestingly, Powell is on horseback as he
pursues the children. Like him or not, the preacher is connected in a Biblical
context. Ultimately the river delivers the endangered Harpers to the Rachel
Cooper farm, a safety zone for lost little ones. "I'm a strong tree with
branches for many birds," she explains. Cooper also has a knack for
warding off dangerous creatures like Powell; via confident shotgun fire she
reduces him to a defensive animal. As he takes cover in her barn, for the first
time Powell's own vulnerability is exposed. Fittingly, the film's concluding
scene plays out on Christmas Day, every child's favorite holiday. The instincts
of children triumph with the right encouragement from Cooper. John absolutely
proves his resourcefulness and durability and looks destined to assert himself one
day as an adult, to emerge as the sort of dependable, idealistic man the
narrative posits to be in short supply.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdZ-trdbeL9-4uErkE4p-9AYv96M36Q7RJzf6T7X99bxfqmS1tQOTun0dvwFAlJDRGJQZ3di78fvnByMo1mhZIuQuxOukv4G8wHerIDnN7zckFPcv79tMHD-y6kop7gubp2hywEvanKF1bEkdkOFsuYL_hqhcvaSrUDpNn2vqg2Nk0rutZwbOrNVTaZf_/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_18.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdZ-trdbeL9-4uErkE4p-9AYv96M36Q7RJzf6T7X99bxfqmS1tQOTun0dvwFAlJDRGJQZ3di78fvnByMo1mhZIuQuxOukv4G8wHerIDnN7zckFPcv79tMHD-y6kop7gubp2hywEvanKF1bEkdkOFsuYL_hqhcvaSrUDpNn2vqg2Nk0rutZwbOrNVTaZf_/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_18.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMCXlLlKsMRoDr6DRyoaMiRmtgiw1A23_Mr_GBUhn5rIbB6_H7hBWvopSPihqevttEc0FQ-I_V6gT0eiTXP365DWH73N0WAnPWzoKJpVvznUewB3Dgp6SyCQkFfZ7uBRJL9a3aXBLQP6qFLf3itaE2jLbgpkHAPEMe_zqb6CnZLVVG-fAwkhLb5FZXWpp/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_19.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMCXlLlKsMRoDr6DRyoaMiRmtgiw1A23_Mr_GBUhn5rIbB6_H7hBWvopSPihqevttEc0FQ-I_V6gT0eiTXP365DWH73N0WAnPWzoKJpVvznUewB3Dgp6SyCQkFfZ7uBRJL9a3aXBLQP6qFLf3itaE2jLbgpkHAPEMe_zqb6CnZLVVG-fAwkhLb5FZXWpp/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_19.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXb7EZZrBnorbY0CzfvKV-OZRLcM7cuhbipRsDtzp9PTJnr6vZS5SInzL3CKr9Ja7peRlVRUGIW7X7JW1tLrIML3wQzUmrzzu8MJ3CaPOjC8ixIt8LCxG31yCnf5RB-wwE2zyD8I0uvXg4XPtH5lhMQ_WpOWgB0Blb51z5gUPygNylYRYCbOM7aXzzuAg6/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_20.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXb7EZZrBnorbY0CzfvKV-OZRLcM7cuhbipRsDtzp9PTJnr6vZS5SInzL3CKr9Ja7peRlVRUGIW7X7JW1tLrIML3wQzUmrzzu8MJ3CaPOjC8ixIt8LCxG31yCnf5RB-wwE2zyD8I0uvXg4XPtH5lhMQ_WpOWgB0Blb51z5gUPygNylYRYCbOM7aXzzuAg6/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_20.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6QI_Dp4NKVP5ClQP4KqnA-7xS-Idc_kKNXbLbINYVad9_DUfufKvCFK-TXVDg1VvEw21CZEYgR2vaZUgBcCai6dNDqEzZBk7hwPYLhi-tJS0nE1OzwqGDunvLPqgziVJ2yThFvhr7MgQeVmGjSik8pjVR29y9BjIVt1nKMO7ciJivrf24k-0RSgetk16l/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_21.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6QI_Dp4NKVP5ClQP4KqnA-7xS-Idc_kKNXbLbINYVad9_DUfufKvCFK-TXVDg1VvEw21CZEYgR2vaZUgBcCai6dNDqEzZBk7hwPYLhi-tJS0nE1OzwqGDunvLPqgziVJ2yThFvhr7MgQeVmGjSik8pjVR29y9BjIVt1nKMO7ciJivrf24k-0RSgetk16l/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_21.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtD2_ThgYRY4ThiqNB-ua3yR2HKneeX0nS7nTIwtl3k5cHjzrIwxJbNNmXmn7v0wqpit-amAC64lX0Q_88nDhnrDLxXMVjy0cjsrNcFbiJXu0FzPCaJEkSOAFMf0DaUFdFnxt35l2qOxnDWnN4ErMVcXUOjVRVeDS5WhK1RwmaURjWE3fkz7_OG3gChCK/s1920/night_of_the_hunter_22.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtD2_ThgYRY4ThiqNB-ua3yR2HKneeX0nS7nTIwtl3k5cHjzrIwxJbNNmXmn7v0wqpit-amAC64lX0Q_88nDhnrDLxXMVjy0cjsrNcFbiJXu0FzPCaJEkSOAFMf0DaUFdFnxt35l2qOxnDWnN4ErMVcXUOjVRVeDS5WhK1RwmaURjWE3fkz7_OG3gChCK/w400-h225/night_of_the_hunter_22.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">THE
NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> is an extremely well-written film peppered
with all kinds of memorable dialog, much of it delivered by Robert Mitchum,
i.e., "I can feel myself gettin' awful mad," Powell warns the Harper
children in the basement. "She turned me out of the bed," he lies through
his teeth about the wife he murdered. Mitchum is an unbelievable force of evil
as the preacher. Certainly his performance here anticipates the similarly
single-minded menace he would portray in <b>CAPE FEAR</b> (1962), as when, arms
outstretched, he chases the fleeing children up the basement steps. When the
river-bound children board an available skiff and narrowly escape the singular
purpose of the preacher, his scream of anguish defines a madman even more unbalanced
than suggested up to that point. “Don’t he never sleep?” John laments in
reflection of their tireless hunter. An exceptional moment of the film involves
an unlikely duet between Cooper and Powell (the traditional hymn "Leaning
on the Everlasting Arms"). Powell is unaware as the two combine voices that he
is losing the battle of good versus evil he so likes to depict with his
tattooed hands. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
1953 novel THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER was written by Davis Grubb, whose writing
was inspired by the true crime story of serial killer Harry F. Powers (born
Harm Drenth; November 17th, 1893 – March 18th, 1932). Executed by hanging,
Powers was convicted of murder in the deaths of two widows and three children
in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Powers used "lonely hearts" ads to find
available women he could exploit for whatever wealth they possessed. Reportedly
Laughton heavily edited screenwriter James Agee's adaptation, which was far too
lengthy for a feature film. Nonetheless, Laughton elected not to share
screenwriting credit with Agee. In light of the subject matter, securing
Production Code approval was a challenge. The film's budget was just under
$600K. Principal photography commenced on August 15th, 1954 and was completed
on October 7th that same year. As one might expect, various religious groups
stood opposed to Laughton's filmmaking debut, including the Catholic Legion of
Decency and the Protestant Motion Picture Council.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Since
the days of its theatrical run, <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> has jumped from
commercial misfire to long-treasured cult favorite. In 1992 it was selected for
preservation by the United States National Film Registry. In 2008 the French
film publication <i>Cahiers du Cinéma</i> chose <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b>
as the second-best film in cinema history, behind only the monumental <b>CITIZEN
KANE</b>. And the reputation of Laughton's film got a recent boost from the
critics queried for SIGHT AND SOUND magazine's decennial "Greatest Films
of All Time" poll. In 2012 the film landed at 63, but by 2022 its position
improved to 25. <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b>'s influence on cinema and
television programming that would follow it really cannot be estimated. The
love/hate tattoo scheme that assured Harry Powell a starter conversation with
anyone he met has been referenced in films as diverse as <b>JARDIM DE GUERRA</b>
(1969), <b>THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW</b> (1975), <b>THE ONION FIELD</b>
(1979), <b>DO THE RIGHT THING</b> (1989), <b>THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS</b>
(1991), <b>FATAL INSTINCT</b> (1993), <b>MALLRATS</b> (1995), <b>THE DEVIL'S
REJECTS</b> (2005) and <b>RUST AND BONE</b> (2012). Interestingly, the early
exit of the Willa Harper character anticipates Marion Crane's (Janet Leigh) premature
departure in <b>PSYCHO</b> (1960) by five years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">I
confess until recently I was unaware of the made-for-TV remake that aired in
1991. Thanks to YouTube, I was able to give it a watch. From the opening
credits, as directed by David Greene, <b>NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> offers no
pretense of being a work of art. One of the movie's many problems is its
Depression-era source material injected into a contemporary setting. Other
issues include pedestrian writing and an obviously modest budget that sometimes
brings to mind a daily soap environment. But most off-putting of all is the
focus on the opportunistic Harry Powell (Richard Chamberlain) as the lead
protagonist rather than John Harper (Reid Binion). This alteration either
dilutes or eliminates many of the Laughton original's major themes and motifs,
especially with the Rachel Cooper character excluded. Probably the best
illustration of the difference between the 1955 version and the repurposing for
1991 is the wedding night sequence. The remake does nothing to establish the
sexual inadequacies of Powell, so his reaction to his new wife's entrance into
the bedroom makes sense only if one is familiar with the source material.
Another version of the Grubb novel might be on the horizon as well:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on April 7th, 2020 it was reported Universal
Pictures had started development on another remake, this time adapted by Matt
Orton. I could not uncover any more recent news on the subject of this
purported modernizing of the original story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">With a
cavalcade of prestigious titles getting the 4K Ultra HD treatment, Kino Lorber
has been busy lately making me feel like my Blu-ray collection is completely
obsolete. Thankfully they have done an admirable job with <b>THE NIGHT OF THE
HUNTER</b>. The triple-layered UHD100 disc boasts a new 4K scan of the 35mm
original camera negative and looks spectacular framed at 1.85:1, though a significant
departure from the original theatrical scope of 1.37:1 (according to Turner
Classic Movies). Compared with home video releases framed at 1.66:1, the result
is a loss of some content, as Gary Tooze reported:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
<a href="http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film11/4K_UHD_review_04/night_of_the_hunter_4K_UHD.htm">www.dvdbeaver.com</a></span>.
Absence of some information aside, the Kino release must be considered the
preferred option to appreciate the dazzling B&W cinematography by Stanley
Cortez (<b>THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS</b>, <b>THE UNDERWORLD STORY</b> [1950], <b>THE
THREE FACES OF EVE</b> [1957]), who ensures the production is rich in the
atmosphere of the <i>noir</i> form. No doubt this is the best <b>THE NIGHT OF
THE HUNTER</b> ever has looked, with vastly improved contrast and definition
versus the Criterion Collection edition issued in 2014. But in terms of
disc-based bonus material, collectors are advised to hang on to their Criterion
discs for the considerable array of unique supplemental features.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
most significant Kino extra is a new audio commentary track by novelist and
former VIDEO WATCHDOG editor Tim Lucas, whose understanding of the language of
cinema is put to good use during the film's runtime. Lucas examines the
differences from novel to film (some in terms of Production Code limitations),
references to D.W. Griffith and Walt Disney, as well as the film's various
connections to scripture. He discusses the film's notions about unconditional
love in terms of the Cooper character, who loves and cares for her adopted
children though she recognizes they might forget about her as they grow up and
leave (there is evidence that has happened to her repeatedly already). One of
his best observations is that the riverside picnic sequence features Robert
Mitchum and Shelley Winters striking poses from a bygone era. But I also
appreciated his commentary track for bits of information less important to
movie love, as when Lucas offers some particulars on the gar, a large, toothy freshwater
fish that inhabits the Ohio River. Also according to Lucas, <b>THE NIGHT OF THE
HUNTER</b> was the first movie to make use of the word "whores."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
separate Blu-ray disc contains a small amount of newly-recorded material for
this Kino Lorber release. In "LOVE AND HATE:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Filmmaker Ernest Dickerson on <b>THE NIGHT OF
THE HUNTER</b>" (8m 31s) Dickerson points out it is Mitchum's character
who nudges the film into <i>noir</i> territory; the film's early sequences are
shot in a much more naturalistic sense. As the narrative progresses the film
takes on an increasingly stylized, nightmarish quality. A faster film stock
allowed for a lower level of light as certain sequences required. "LITTLE
LAMBS: Actress Kathy Garver on <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b>" (9m 53s)
allows Garver to recall <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> as her introduction to
the film business. As the 8-year-old double for the 6-year-old Sally Jane
Bruce, Garver was called into action primarily for sequences that required
Pearl Harper to run. As history has it, Bruce would not act again and Garver
has amassed 100 acting credits on IMDb.com at the time of this writing. With
"HING, HANG, HUNG: Artist Joe Coleman on <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b>"
(15m 42s), the artist/performer Coleman reviews the history of convicted killer
Harry F. Powers, "The Bluebeard of Quiet Dell," along with the
differences from novel to feature film.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Also
on the Blu-ray disc is a collection of trailers for comparable titles available
from Kino, along with two trailers for <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> (1m 38s
and 1m 36s).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid75AaF2XtQceCzZNa4VfyM0fMJYeDBmYsMqm2XxPFftobYCyNJTamLZxlbkOmIyvOaQci61qAOl3xCAtHMUJyYrr99Mr48v2ME168PFVcnBf0tRQddcgZkxxhAMHB4cw9_urmy9Jt_-MBt6cfLol0DXPDUQWm-JKxFIb7c0c8RN1Dk1Ssc5JyCjVagbw0/s2927/Night_of_the_Hunter_1955_poster02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2927" data-original-width="1952" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid75AaF2XtQceCzZNa4VfyM0fMJYeDBmYsMqm2XxPFftobYCyNJTamLZxlbkOmIyvOaQci61qAOl3xCAtHMUJyYrr99Mr48v2ME168PFVcnBf0tRQddcgZkxxhAMHB4cw9_urmy9Jt_-MBt6cfLol0DXPDUQWm-JKxFIb7c0c8RN1Dk1Ssc5JyCjVagbw0/w266-h400/Night_of_the_Hunter_1955_poster02.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTOE3rz-R6XahIxg4Iqp_j-VlSjOUB2Oo51Q7jpI_XqRzaAFZRs-5fsAD0cRpnRNRwufTuejsNfpnEIN-Idi-UI5QHrPGhcqai-R213qSaJL7eWPv1jOaj0pXcvoafcEc_DzNSeeOTa037N3rUASPmtNiFguiUx1kQtY8RQnMWEtnjbVyegaGLEzx1k40/s2930/Night_of_the_Hunter_1955_poster03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2930" data-original-width="1152" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTOE3rz-R6XahIxg4Iqp_j-VlSjOUB2Oo51Q7jpI_XqRzaAFZRs-5fsAD0cRpnRNRwufTuejsNfpnEIN-Idi-UI5QHrPGhcqai-R213qSaJL7eWPv1jOaj0pXcvoafcEc_DzNSeeOTa037N3rUASPmtNiFguiUx1kQtY8RQnMWEtnjbVyegaGLEzx1k40/w252-h640/Night_of_the_Hunter_1955_poster03.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65ttfP8sJEHLAgq7E4vzXl0jfnEnUqJmSIkbj3Cx1XhXM_DdIc93kG35ZrpndHMwF7tT8ofInzqBjWlCjF8b4V5-5QpRgWKwlRLL3qo3pSNds9D2Bv5Xp3yWbCshBjRSr-HmU7teDITuFJSdQVMXHPsNcfLBxJOqkK_eR3lYEvO_XNQUC2y0ADbGuiaHC/s1600/Night_of_the_Hunter_1955_poster04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1257" data-original-width="1600" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj65ttfP8sJEHLAgq7E4vzXl0jfnEnUqJmSIkbj3Cx1XhXM_DdIc93kG35ZrpndHMwF7tT8ofInzqBjWlCjF8b4V5-5QpRgWKwlRLL3qo3pSNds9D2Bv5Xp3yWbCshBjRSr-HmU7teDITuFJSdQVMXHPsNcfLBxJOqkK_eR3lYEvO_XNQUC2y0ADbGuiaHC/w400-h314/Night_of_the_Hunter_1955_poster04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwIzWGoy4qGeIZ2wwijQuIzWdTnOeOoDyUCN9uraXXfGbncWdM12eRKKR6zsRv52zR2VMbRddqAr8DtCfnTLcxrcsxNj7rT2WxCQRXrBOwtn51ADp4ARJE2WGSS28fJoYgXZsttLHVlR-uDFsQt2yN_4UVpu9U_TLuebDcprJvESqtIErgtFwFbh32ayO/s1500/night_of_the_hunter_Kino_Lorber_BR_4K_AMZ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="962" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwIzWGoy4qGeIZ2wwijQuIzWdTnOeOoDyUCN9uraXXfGbncWdM12eRKKR6zsRv52zR2VMbRddqAr8DtCfnTLcxrcsxNj7rT2WxCQRXrBOwtn51ADp4ARJE2WGSS28fJoYgXZsttLHVlR-uDFsQt2yN_4UVpu9U_TLuebDcprJvESqtIErgtFwFbh32ayO/w256-h400/night_of_the_hunter_Kino_Lorber_BR_4K_AMZ.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-54915636963477398872023-01-29T13:35:00.000-06:002023-01-29T13:35:45.847-06:00DETECTIVE STORY (1951)<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Paramount
Pictures, 103m 33s</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz43kUBMPLElU_gQBgfjhROIHS0Dtn6PyRVBxgjv0abMLOFBhHpEmfRaSJqEQ3-gd5IytR9eJ5uavAyayQtl4tGAO7k2fXPSH2yJb6BMjlrZFnCLq3BA9RTR7pbQhBUeBRK7SarhAystl8G8rWDk_94UVvrD1eF5z1Vg0O9H48hROctE-R_JPPRmucmA/s2582/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_Poster_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2582" data-original-width="1744" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz43kUBMPLElU_gQBgfjhROIHS0Dtn6PyRVBxgjv0abMLOFBhHpEmfRaSJqEQ3-gd5IytR9eJ5uavAyayQtl4tGAO7k2fXPSH2yJb6BMjlrZFnCLq3BA9RTR7pbQhBUeBRK7SarhAystl8G8rWDk_94UVvrD1eF5z1Vg0O9H48hROctE-R_JPPRmucmA/w270-h400/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_Poster_1.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Police
station procedure merges with <i>noir</i> city grit over an eventful single day
in <b>DETECTIVE STORY</b>, Paramount's big screen version of the popular 1949
play written by Sidney Kingsley. Director William Wyler's adaptation is set in
New York City, where the 21st Precinct is a non-stop revolving door for
assorted criminals, lost souls, lowlifes and local loonies. It is a colorful
(albeit B & W) atmosphere where law enforcement officials have become well
practiced in communicating with every imaginable representation of the public.
The hot summer heat surely makes for a long workday, especially for Detective
James McLeod (Kirk Douglas), who has been working long hours but has a dinner
date commitment with his wife Mary McLeod (Eleanor Parker). Based on the
goings-on at the precinct, however, the viewer has good reason to suspect that
dinner date will not take place. A complex case is introduced when attorney
Endicott Sims (Warner Anderson) enters the precinct and asks for Lieutenant
Monaghan (Horace McMahon). Sims's client Karl Schneider (George Macready), a
reputed baby broker, has agreed to turn himself in but is fearful of McLeod,
who has been known to beat suspects. In fact Sims has gone so far as to
photograph the physique of Schneider to verify an absence of bruises and
lacerations!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Given
his reputation for roughhouse tactics with suspects, McLeod is the obvious
antecedent of so many popular cop characters that populated movies released in
the 1970s and 1980s, the sort of crime stories in which the end always
justifies the means. McLeod is bothered particularly when bad guys are released
on the grounds of insufficient evidence. Unfortunately he abhors criminals too
much for his own good, as when he brutalizes Schneider during a police wagon
ride, with a hard punch to the midsection serving as the exclamation point. One
of McLeod's fatal flaws is his inability to believe any criminal could reform.
The following McLeod quote neatly summarizes his philosophy that even
remorseful criminals like Arthur Kindred (Craig Hill) never change:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">"Miss Carmichael (Cathy O'Donnell),
you seem like a very nice young lady. I'm gonna give you some advice. I've seen
a thousand like him. You take your money and run."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">In a
familiar <i>film noir</i> hardship that afflicts the lead protagonist, McLeod
is haunted by his past. His criminal-minded father drove his wife, McLeod's
mother, insane. In fact she died in a mental asylum. A contributory factor from
McLeod's past that emphatically shaped his belief system was an occasion when
he let some criminals go out of pity. McLeod came to regret that move after one
of the men he released killed someone just two days later. In a train of
thought congruent with his personal and professional history, McLeod theorizes
civilians are part of the problem since often they are unwilling to press
charges.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaQFfdnP3g1dZdr7mUSYLpEHimHjpIh8CXgLPS4oWnMax5xXESLQvICtVaBUSnBXsEy-cyarKnvATMrN-4cCjYYExYQ4jTNKEYRWuExEpuoS6uuo-dwe4Lg0VItCpoK63MRQaaoiCDqTq3DmTmnlzBgoPem6z-6iAm9GOUyieRblodc_5Dw7ZoCt4SQ/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcaQFfdnP3g1dZdr7mUSYLpEHimHjpIh8CXgLPS4oWnMax5xXESLQvICtVaBUSnBXsEy-cyarKnvATMrN-4cCjYYExYQ4jTNKEYRWuExEpuoS6uuo-dwe4Lg0VItCpoK63MRQaaoiCDqTq3DmTmnlzBgoPem6z-6iAm9GOUyieRblodc_5Dw7ZoCt4SQ/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhppVxRTPgGWes8zZC8NxC-KNdp_bVsiehgByC04LiaSIN7fGF0MpdHqEoA4lhVsh4UmVma8hcks6uyo6v13HMgzSW_Ye8yaH__WPF4iAoFhuChjxO44lcdY6E_K_woil6gJUA0zM0oKmEz5eMZQgkSq4MsmedDvWAiZ8LuE0V1PsJ3HYeZsgYde5jQ/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhppVxRTPgGWes8zZC8NxC-KNdp_bVsiehgByC04LiaSIN7fGF0MpdHqEoA4lhVsh4UmVma8hcks6uyo6v13HMgzSW_Ye8yaH__WPF4iAoFhuChjxO44lcdY6E_K_woil6gJUA0zM0oKmEz5eMZQgkSq4MsmedDvWAiZ8LuE0V1PsJ3HYeZsgYde5jQ/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6wu5vIJG0619UePgESMBfRsguPGhuPTD9YG-EfIS21YR56JyxRIoC4XGzpkV-WymAIfI2VZlLpmA0J5vVCumHLiwQFgqOhDD2HS1hXxcVm1hUm85vBsH80Ww1KkSNdWPyxEcr-IOimdiaQwDyetoPLjwD5hVHi1m883WW355LR3faRtm0DPQRoILMg/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6wu5vIJG0619UePgESMBfRsguPGhuPTD9YG-EfIS21YR56JyxRIoC4XGzpkV-WymAIfI2VZlLpmA0J5vVCumHLiwQFgqOhDD2HS1hXxcVm1hUm85vBsH80Ww1KkSNdWPyxEcr-IOimdiaQwDyetoPLjwD5hVHi1m883WW355LR3faRtm0DPQRoILMg/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_03.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blocking is everything for a film heavily concentrated in one setting.<br />Note the background presence of the villain played by<br />George Macready in the three screen captures above.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
classic <i>film noir</i> is noted for ironies, often several in the same film,
and <b>DETECTIVE STORY</b> embodies <i>noir</i> irony at its most cynical. All
the historical tensions that merged to form Detective James McLeod reach a
crescendo when he learns his dear wife Mary once required Schneider's
professional services. The knowledge that her baby was "born dead"
(aborted by inference) calls into question McLeod's sentimentalized view of
Mary. As a former patient of Schneider's, probably the worst brand of criminal
as measured by McLeod's uncompromising values, both Mary and her husband are
linked forever with the corrupt evil McLeod associates with Schneider. The
instant McLeod learns of Mary's complicated past, rather than offering support
he transfers his eternal hatred for Schneider to his wife. In the dark wit of
the <i>noir</i> film, everything McLeod despises most is connected inseparably
to his own marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">"I thought I knew you. I thought you
were everything good and pure."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
notion of the devoted wife converted to whore in front of her righteous husband
leans into another persistent <i>noir</i> trope, that of disillusionment with
the traditional American family. McLeod did not know his wife to the degree he
though he did and had made unrealistic assumptions about her purity, the sort
of idealized notions that essentially guaranteed her male counterpart's
disappointment over one thing or another. Once McLeod learns about his wife's
past, he cruelly downgrades her to "tramp" status. "My
immaculate wife" he sneers dismissively. To make matters worse for a
marriage disintegrating before our eyes, it is revealed Mary has been unable to
bear children since her fateful visit to the Schneider "farm." McLeod
becomes obsessed with thoughts of how many other men may have known Mary
intimately before he did. The possibility of an unknown number of men in Mary's
background amounts to the unthinkable for McLeod. His obsessive thoughts about
her past lovers prove to be the last straw for Mary, who realizes she has no
future with a man unable to understand she had a personal life before she met
him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">In
another of the film's bleak ironies, McLeod vowed to be a different man than
the father he detested, yet matured into an eerily similar figure characterized
by both physical and mental abuse of others. Mary leaves McLeod when she recognizes
he is no different than his horrible father. The greatest irony of all is that
McLeod, the supposedly principled character with the strongest moral compass,
in truth is the film's villain. And like all of the purest examples of the <i>noir</i>
narrative, McLeod faces an unwelcome moment of existential recognition when he
realizes he has morphed into the father he always hated. Perhaps that
development was genetically predetermined, or as the <i>noir</i> film time and
again insists, his fate. In the final irony, McLeod is done in by exactly the
type of criminal that, as he always stressed, never should have been walking
around free in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj779RRlpElMBxbUWZBxgTElshbomkpgT5gaoLbh9rRNLcZ5OSK3S6Q4NwhtSZWKxbx9psam2ca5butqGazFRg4vv9wyzZ7E6phBRYDGNN5fLw6Z-yovNXoEiWyeeIn0NSHG61PHxZysVLThh-YHh4uQvQpBS4nQXi0ozKnjqcSWmVCPDlxwndW5gW9RA/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj779RRlpElMBxbUWZBxgTElshbomkpgT5gaoLbh9rRNLcZ5OSK3S6Q4NwhtSZWKxbx9psam2ca5butqGazFRg4vv9wyzZ7E6phBRYDGNN5fLw6Z-yovNXoEiWyeeIn0NSHG61PHxZysVLThh-YHh4uQvQpBS4nQXi0ozKnjqcSWmVCPDlxwndW5gW9RA/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_04.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cluttered appearance of the 21st Precinct is<br />reflective of the varied personalities who come and go.</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">In
spite of Production Code concerns, this stage-to-screen <i>noir</i> variant is
enriched by appropriate character types that suggest a corrupt, noxious
environment. Karl Schneider is depicted as a doctor who takes care of unwanted
pregnancies via an illegal adoption racket in New Jersey, but the implication
is he is an abortionist (as he was in the stage version of the story). What
goes unspoken in the narrative is that Schneider serves a public need with his
work. The illegal activities that take place at the Schneider property should
hold special interest to the modern viewer since the Supreme Court overruled
Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. One wonders if operations like the fictitious one founded
by Schneider will become more plentiful in the US moving forward.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">DETECTIVE
STORY</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">'s major criminal might be Schneider, at least in the eyes
of McLeod, but a potpourri of urban characters suggests a city overrun with
people who are far from model citizens. Long-term louse Charley Gennini (Joseph
Wiseman, his debut) is matched with mild-mannered Lewis Abbott (Michael
Strong), the dim light of two burglars. Arthur Kindred is an embezzler who
stole from his employer Albert R. Pritchett (James Maloney) in an attempt to
impress a woman named Joy Carmichael (now isn't that a <i>noir</i> thing to
do?). Kindred has come to regret his actions and seems deserving of a second
chance. Racketeer Tami Giacoppetti (Gerald Mohr) is the man who impregnated
Mary and helped forge her path to Schneider. The witness Miss Hatch (Gladys
George), the recipient of a nice new fur, abruptly does not recall what
Schneider looks like. Detective Lou Brody (William Bendix), a heavy drinker,
stands in contrast to McLeod as the more compassionate man. Brody believes in
second chances, and the story is resolved accordingly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRabH5I8nXTDhOAh_SdYst2hHNbcme42lPOkeEtbTepACpL_eE54H9B3hNiLiKODUu-PqydTMS0Zarhb2tA9p8JqrMLzp0niw9b2a9cE9LzZ4LnIepFF1grdt11GhI7QMtKRaOkmgOncdxeGFUevEKw9NA0DQS37jEqHNbT1VachfiRkGh2wyAW9lgYg/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRabH5I8nXTDhOAh_SdYst2hHNbcme42lPOkeEtbTepACpL_eE54H9B3hNiLiKODUu-PqydTMS0Zarhb2tA9p8JqrMLzp0niw9b2a9cE9LzZ4LnIepFF1grdt11GhI7QMtKRaOkmgOncdxeGFUevEKw9NA0DQS37jEqHNbT1VachfiRkGh2wyAW9lgYg/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_05.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0-0aMxKyfzC_dDd2RylEn3GWgvlK4w9ocRyK7WI7AI0iwmWFjox8xDm7bat-5HDGxdDQTGjaPAcqVFxo7TmKl9kpIgGpA0hGCwY5bhEvDGmwIutVeUryN36p6xHrHjJN-e4sMvBk_dpJpuV3LnAhtzsWhpHSy8yLOvPslCV3ig8OCEtwUSZ263RoIw/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0-0aMxKyfzC_dDd2RylEn3GWgvlK4w9ocRyK7WI7AI0iwmWFjox8xDm7bat-5HDGxdDQTGjaPAcqVFxo7TmKl9kpIgGpA0hGCwY5bhEvDGmwIutVeUryN36p6xHrHjJN-e4sMvBk_dpJpuV3LnAhtzsWhpHSy8yLOvPslCV3ig8OCEtwUSZ263RoIw/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_06.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXAwXoPmf5BkyDrabAvP_6NlaFjziAEoiM8INbZRetu2KLkGpR0ZGsJXUmItp78p5arkVEGmpAeIEe-W7xxtpupWZmzXhj4dhDYmpsvqLHvUU7BrwiKnLM2XP4-Mj4-vNL6NyaLnVF8Hl5tYBm_GvcuRn0KtrKdmk8RJZrRZuqujdJ5-YuWZW3_mFZA/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXAwXoPmf5BkyDrabAvP_6NlaFjziAEoiM8INbZRetu2KLkGpR0ZGsJXUmItp78p5arkVEGmpAeIEe-W7xxtpupWZmzXhj4dhDYmpsvqLHvUU7BrwiKnLM2XP4-Mj4-vNL6NyaLnVF8Hl5tYBm_GvcuRn0KtrKdmk8RJZrRZuqujdJ5-YuWZW3_mFZA/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_07.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsANVrUYCE3ChgoTD4VHmZNaOKAXVOd6c7YPOadFvWVnST9M33H5pmuad0iOggImPmCKvMbPoQgH8ZpCedEv5tefR0y8cpnYPzZ0dzUA6GKObt_T2HFUtG-LA0IDG2fT1pZd1mKL9go0xMyAScjKSIQs5YWCe_ld172t_6JhTAeXBu5jZaPAVd3jIdA/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsANVrUYCE3ChgoTD4VHmZNaOKAXVOd6c7YPOadFvWVnST9M33H5pmuad0iOggImPmCKvMbPoQgH8ZpCedEv5tefR0y8cpnYPzZ0dzUA6GKObt_T2HFUtG-LA0IDG2fT1pZd1mKL9go0xMyAScjKSIQs5YWCe_ld172t_6JhTAeXBu5jZaPAVd3jIdA/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_08.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM30xPmrqV8YeXVa6BntkWLa2WFvlT6g1BYK-EEJRRJZzxs_zGHn5m5MMFPdwgnj6Hz-Av1O_bc5Y2AomN2HBFgwHOBvGSfQ9dBDi8i63o3HP5wgyIOuU67LAExsjSxf9_-CnyxLnPbbuAsaVAE-DivfUN8nQfhzsTrUsV0dtJlsJ3UpVRYKsvKfC2g/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdM30xPmrqV8YeXVa6BntkWLa2WFvlT6g1BYK-EEJRRJZzxs_zGHn5m5MMFPdwgnj6Hz-Av1O_bc5Y2AomN2HBFgwHOBvGSfQ9dBDi8i63o3HP5wgyIOuU67LAExsjSxf9_-CnyxLnPbbuAsaVAE-DivfUN8nQfhzsTrUsV0dtJlsJ3UpVRYKsvKfC2g/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_09.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
screenplay was co-written by Philip Yordan and Robert Wyler (William’s older
brother), who did an admirable job transporting the Kingsley play from stage to
screen. Director of photography Lee Garmes does well with a limited backdrop.
The only negative really is the performance of Joseph Wiseman, who portrayed
the same 4-time loser in the play. Wiseman certainly could have toned down his
performance for the film. Director William Wyler should have realized Wiseman's
overacting was a distraction to an otherwise well-oiled machine. <b>DETECTIVE
STORY</b> earned four Academy Award nominations: William Wyler (Best Director), Eleanor Parker
(Best Actress in a Leading Role), writers Robert Wyler and Philip Yordan (Best
Writing, Screenplay) and Lee Grant in her debut as the timid shoplifter (Best
Actress in a Supporting Role).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
dual-layered Blu-ray version of <b>DETECTIVE STORY</b> now available from Kino
Lorber Studio Classics was one of my favorite physical media releases of 2022.
Framed at the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1, the presentation was
remastered in HD by Paramount Pictures from a 4K scan of the original camera
negative. Some scratches are visible but this transfer passes the eye test in
the two areas that matter most: contrast
level and film grain.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66sfNXCdMbjMMGAME0MH4UUwEuVwAjZMFT4DVgaNoqkxbIKJT3xmEOC9AjiislG5mFBVXQPE-aHXbyWpdNcyhd-SzQzAd3uOEKbldw5nDke3OYMB_olw3qe5IvzJ8GP3xjG-5OLjHjCOOOAakkj_Z30LTww6FYzL3PHJ6WvSkcg23DNRGT7DnRm6XMw/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66sfNXCdMbjMMGAME0MH4UUwEuVwAjZMFT4DVgaNoqkxbIKJT3xmEOC9AjiislG5mFBVXQPE-aHXbyWpdNcyhd-SzQzAd3uOEKbldw5nDke3OYMB_olw3qe5IvzJ8GP3xjG-5OLjHjCOOOAakkj_Z30LTww6FYzL3PHJ6WvSkcg23DNRGT7DnRm6XMw/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night and the city.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSZRJoydEyuWCUC6AY14ta6eGE37Jn9QCuuGCSHnE0IQamXZNuGX7NSmJ6Vmfyo9B3QQFqpXODhRfPkVyDVJWFv-TG9t9CnfOycM8eezywf3PqEEUOvDtgWghuQzuGP4P9ucanfwYxgfj_GaitzvNhuBWNPxcQHzxOOqnW6afGyQBUKg8DpmbNLH8wg/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSZRJoydEyuWCUC6AY14ta6eGE37Jn9QCuuGCSHnE0IQamXZNuGX7NSmJ6Vmfyo9B3QQFqpXODhRfPkVyDVJWFv-TG9t9CnfOycM8eezywf3PqEEUOvDtgWghuQzuGP4P9ucanfwYxgfj_GaitzvNhuBWNPxcQHzxOOqnW6afGyQBUKg8DpmbNLH8wg/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbUnkpvt2gJiGBgX4lGD1Cc-DTR2tg6vQdm4G7qGLct0bgqi2j7QhTTcJVjbTb3s8Pv5RW-rpsQiML7IOMuCZRmJbqdB6ovqsDy-SBX4q49WNtHTLWdsBjebvsCgQZpNfAtQeWTXRHH6HkTeMz6uj-dLgh-2A2jH8lmOZ15EMowMSSiektbQuwS5OcA/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbUnkpvt2gJiGBgX4lGD1Cc-DTR2tg6vQdm4G7qGLct0bgqi2j7QhTTcJVjbTb3s8Pv5RW-rpsQiML7IOMuCZRmJbqdB6ovqsDy-SBX4q49WNtHTLWdsBjebvsCgQZpNfAtQeWTXRHH6HkTeMz6uj-dLgh-2A2jH8lmOZ15EMowMSSiektbQuwS5OcA/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweD0NiAMxd4z-GPyN703X5tkJra9JZTKPkUO6DEi4nYMqyLIBDW22M8jcLvc6owgsrfWOOhcw48NonTPhZZMfq9TVmE5_hbk0fXoUKrrCZnfNpAm_hTpy9MtdkxRhdahmcR19va3c0p2BKaxWOYSUOCIBDQzvK9PQA0pH1o07wcb0LanWLIOJA9KouQ/s1918/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweD0NiAMxd4z-GPyN703X5tkJra9JZTKPkUO6DEi4nYMqyLIBDW22M8jcLvc6owgsrfWOOhcw48NonTPhZZMfq9TVmE5_hbk0fXoUKrrCZnfNpAm_hTpy9MtdkxRhdahmcR19va3c0p2BKaxWOYSUOCIBDQzvK9PQA0pH1o07wcb0LanWLIOJA9KouQ/w400-h244/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McLeod's potential for domestic violence is implied in this shot.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
audio commentary track by film historian Alan K. Rode emphasizes the
differences between the stage version and this filmed adaptation. Paramount
acquired the rights to the play for $285K plus a percentage of the profits.
Shot in sequence primarily on a soundstage, it would be the speediest
production of director William Wyler's career. Paramount brass had no interest
in Wyler's penchant for perfection via many, many takes. The subject matter of
the film tested the limits of the aging 1930 Production Code. Top code official
Joseph Breen objected to the play's abortion content, also to the killing of
McLeod by a seedy criminal. Thus the abortionist was converted into a doctor
who delivers babies born out of wedlock and furthers his profits through an
illegal adoption racket.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A collection of
theatrical trailers for similar titles available from Kino is the only other
supplement.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShlm1bSb3fM_oTrjtjktnysHP6VTWULV9AseHoivaYoVF4iSJOEzMyhoGkE30d7pAjJerqQtuKrlOuB7TqFUfdtVcCaG_OU4KoKZkunreo-act8PSa_djYiyFwRGdczKo8-KjGhxoMDOAvfGFFVhxE6XPWYqfT1o9ktMM6e9I726QmPG0gEW376ojPw/s2907/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_Poster_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2302" data-original-width="2907" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiShlm1bSb3fM_oTrjtjktnysHP6VTWULV9AseHoivaYoVF4iSJOEzMyhoGkE30d7pAjJerqQtuKrlOuB7TqFUfdtVcCaG_OU4KoKZkunreo-act8PSa_djYiyFwRGdczKo8-KjGhxoMDOAvfGFFVhxE6XPWYqfT1o9ktMM6e9I726QmPG0gEW376ojPw/w400-h316/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_Poster_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn35ky9T-gtwPuyYNZIGbP_34seHEXuI3Z5rCawQAVrKVi061rKIUpetGSyb_yLDv9tnUq_PPXoMG0wPqtDpfMkyGstCsXKf0hFLT60HAz-qI2pwv1O7K5kbxenoEfm6hYEy_beyXom3wDwH8GCUUb4Oib28toWxYYFhNlkQcFJ5e2-uTHqLmEcvIJlQ/s1500/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_Blu-ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1176" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn35ky9T-gtwPuyYNZIGbP_34seHEXuI3Z5rCawQAVrKVi061rKIUpetGSyb_yLDv9tnUq_PPXoMG0wPqtDpfMkyGstCsXKf0hFLT60HAz-qI2pwv1O7K5kbxenoEfm6hYEy_beyXom3wDwH8GCUUb4Oib28toWxYYFhNlkQcFJ5e2-uTHqLmEcvIJlQ/w314-h400/Detective%20Story%20(1951)_Blu-ray.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-19702721061656146922022-11-30T23:18:00.001-06:002022-11-30T23:18:36.869-06:00THE TURNING POINT (1952)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Paramount
Pictures, 85m 37s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBWJq0Ay24u0MyJ0avcWVpAPVGvfPXfB4DapFbU1Jz4nuYTUr9oHIhHsqQzH8SdfSXhkj3D5qQRfACl-6as57F-DDBWP3L4XbEK85QlYxGi10ERL7ei3DyVPZpeR-YtV2hDXrAe2IsaLOPw_bW_5nl8b0xz64PDgN8-1ZBb4wC_2xInJkv_w2qr78IA/s1239/The%20Turning%20Point%20(1952)_Poster_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBWJq0Ay24u0MyJ0avcWVpAPVGvfPXfB4DapFbU1Jz4nuYTUr9oHIhHsqQzH8SdfSXhkj3D5qQRfACl-6as57F-DDBWP3L4XbEK85QlYxGi10ERL7ei3DyVPZpeR-YtV2hDXrAe2IsaLOPw_bW_5nl8b0xz64PDgN8-1ZBb4wC_2xInJkv_w2qr78IA/w323-h400/The%20Turning%20Point%20(1952)_Poster_1.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">In
1949 the federal government was petitioned to crack down on the long-term
social infection of interstate crime. The reaction to that pressure was the
formation of the five-member Kefauver Committee, chaired by first-term senator
Estes Kefauver of Tennessee. The special committee's hearings captured the
interest of American television audiences. In fact some 30 million Americans
tuned in to watch the live proceedings in March of 1951. Schools even dismissed
students so they could view the hearings. Naturally the movie studios did not
let the opportunity to profit from the 15-month investigation escape them.
Numerous exposé films inspired by the hearings include <b>THE CAPTIVE CITY</b>
(1952, personally endorsed by Senator Kefauver), <b>HOODLUM EMPIRE</b> (1952), <b>KANSAS
CITY CONFIDENTIAL</b> (1952), <b>THE MIAMI STORY</b> (1954), <b>THE MOB</b>
(1951), <b>NEW ORLEANS UNCENSORED</b> (1955), <b>NEW YORK CONFIDENTIAL</b>
(1955), <b>THE PHENIX CITY STORY</b> (1955), <b>THE RACKET</b> (1951), <b>THE
SELLOUT</b> (1952), <b>THE SYSTEM</b> (1953) and <b>TIGHT SPOT</b> (1955).
Perhaps the social problem <i>noir</i> most influenced by the Kefauver
Committee is <b>THE TURNING POINT</b>, produced by Irving Asher and directed by
William Dieterle.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">In a nameless
city plagued by a parasitic crime network, crusading Special Prosecutor John
Conroy (Edmond O'Brien) arrives on the scene to restore order with
administrative assistance in the form of Amanda Waycross (Alexis Smith).
Streetwise reporter Jerry McKibbon (William Holden), who grew up with John,
suggests the newly-appointed crime czar might be out of his element.
Undeterred, John requests the help of his police detective father Matt Conroy
(Tom Tully), whose reluctance to get involved immediately implies his covert
connection with local racketeer Neil Eichelberger (Ed Begley). It long has been
suspected Eichelberger's supposedly legit operation Sphere Trucking hardly
accounts for all of his considerable income.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5Fyl9qnatWsvwYv0FmtRPUtNzGInrZX8_C8y3GpnbFSUxmqnzqnEU0AUrL-Lwr3PgGfutRB-zBfr26GrtnYoYEiG3T5uPz8xH02kS4m50njHlOEDPNNCZjlF3jiHQZkLwH3LdHYmwwFSaIQIXpdajrbMa4M641rM1qN5Ux9IzJXi_HLjH5ovsKt_gA/s1918/screenshot.000.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5Fyl9qnatWsvwYv0FmtRPUtNzGInrZX8_C8y3GpnbFSUxmqnzqnEU0AUrL-Lwr3PgGfutRB-zBfr26GrtnYoYEiG3T5uPz8xH02kS4m50njHlOEDPNNCZjlF3jiHQZkLwH3LdHYmwwFSaIQIXpdajrbMa4M641rM1qN5Ux9IzJXi_HLjH5ovsKt_gA/w400-h244/screenshot.000.1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'd rather nail one crooked cop than a hundred hooligans."</td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXVVv_Iz3nmbtyPTHl3rnGvEKNwmiGjDZAXpp0QJbo21IHLGUYx-TX1xZmo97mGXSQczFuozyshM4PIot4ut7N_myfInb95o6pyPx4UC9uBXt7SlMUvO6Q1IerWJBRli1iNe_gCpQXw2vqPnMnpNfa1zh5QifpZviFW4gVPOAQHtVUsSWl6Tp1JYtIQ/s1918/screenshot000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkXVVv_Iz3nmbtyPTHl3rnGvEKNwmiGjDZAXpp0QJbo21IHLGUYx-TX1xZmo97mGXSQczFuozyshM4PIot4ut7N_myfInb95o6pyPx4UC9uBXt7SlMUvO6Q1IerWJBRli1iNe_gCpQXw2vqPnMnpNfa1zh5QifpZviFW4gVPOAQHtVUsSWl6Tp1JYtIQ/w400-h244/screenshot000.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauc0tV6lXDTODSuk8lsdPdQiPtKodKze3w436rbii_XyK1pez6F3wUHzH4mFzBgGPzuxCVij5lWk0J_G_lsICXT0RYgLHelVIf8s6it69h_mrmqOZnN0k_tNC3DnNcMugivtbFCDmmWkFtgfoPxAfy9W3LzQmBiW0S2AVt3liXOrf30Vv5uc7sK1iRg/s1918/screenshot001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauc0tV6lXDTODSuk8lsdPdQiPtKodKze3w436rbii_XyK1pez6F3wUHzH4mFzBgGPzuxCVij5lWk0J_G_lsICXT0RYgLHelVIf8s6it69h_mrmqOZnN0k_tNC3DnNcMugivtbFCDmmWkFtgfoPxAfy9W3LzQmBiW0S2AVt3liXOrf30Vv5uc7sK1iRg/w400-h244/screenshot001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Family
issues as set forth in the <i>noir</i> film often revolve around the absence of
marriage or the futility of the institution. That sort of theme is not advanced
in <b>THE TURNING POINT</b>. Instead the corrosive <i>noir</i> atmosphere
sullies the father/son family dynamic along with law enforcement credibility by
way of Matt Conroy, a compromised cop who fathered the man intent on bringing
down the Eichelberger operation. Fittingly, the cynical newsman Jerry is the
first to recognize Matt has strayed from his professional responsibilities.
Jerry issues a clear warning to John that entrenched <i>noir</i> forces have
captured control of someone close to him:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">"...I'd screen
everybody...I'd screen 'em again. I'd get to know them intimately back from the
time they were born. I'd question my own mother."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Matt
attempts to justify his behavior in terms of pent-up desire for material
possessions people with more discretionary income enjoy. He grew to resent the
assumption policemen are expected to serve the public largely out of moral
obligation rather than for compensation of any substance. Somewhere along the
way he fell for the "easy money" available to him through
Eichelberger. This sequence slyly casts Matt in a somewhat sympathetic light.
Principles guide us less when we find ourselves saddled with debt. That is not
to say Matt should not be held accountable for his own impulses, but the scene
does imply the system is more broken than he is. One of the <i>film noir</i>'s
most consistently Marxist assertions is that an economic system in which some
have less than others makes criminals out of ordinary people.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzp3zktgWBEwEmYXuOaJsZEhKYGXYn4fedUeOX8wb06CyNWF31K35yGsWE7c0ewQblYnhFodulEjtde6BN8WZGYTHYwInnZFwPTbBba6RUj42I64bXY5m2R6c0Bjf72fBLB4dOdQTQB-kwhxcLM8NJteARf62FApo1TtOcJNnc9WmCr8FVnTq08E408Q/s1918/screenshot002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzp3zktgWBEwEmYXuOaJsZEhKYGXYn4fedUeOX8wb06CyNWF31K35yGsWE7c0ewQblYnhFodulEjtde6BN8WZGYTHYwInnZFwPTbBba6RUj42I64bXY5m2R6c0Bjf72fBLB4dOdQTQB-kwhxcLM8NJteARf62FApo1TtOcJNnc9WmCr8FVnTq08E408Q/w400-h244/screenshot002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1V5HNWMxZGidI1jADk7wUs-3NZGAjlF5fmqom9kndqxpjg0iq_qKuW5f1oKVbudKx-6bfpBmIkmsvInE5_vJErixIht54Meb0WVCUqw4iaw0TR9TvfmLd4YEyZmllHj0ZkQkhaSvGOZBZ_xgJ4Oy2wVW8A4peI9lqH_8uVvvWAOu6rgHrqIoIlk45lg/s1918/screenshot003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1V5HNWMxZGidI1jADk7wUs-3NZGAjlF5fmqom9kndqxpjg0iq_qKuW5f1oKVbudKx-6bfpBmIkmsvInE5_vJErixIht54Meb0WVCUqw4iaw0TR9TvfmLd4YEyZmllHj0ZkQkhaSvGOZBZ_xgJ4Oy2wVW8A4peI9lqH_8uVvvWAOu6rgHrqIoIlk45lg/w400-h244/screenshot003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">As for
the individual seemingly benefiting the most from a society that has allowed
criminal behavior to get out of hand, the utter ruthlessness of Eichelberger is
confirmed on multiple occasions. First he engineers the murder of Matt in such
a way as to make it look like a robbery gone wrong. In Eichelberger's effort to
close the door firmly on the matter, Matt's killer Monty LaRue (Tony Barr) is
sacrificed after he completes his task! Later Eichelberger sets fire to his
Arco Securities Co. clearinghouse with full knowledge the blaze is sure to
bring about the deaths of those who reside in apartments above the warehouse
facility. Eichelberger obviously will do <i>anything</i> to cover his tracks
and must be eliminated from decent society, though the moral man John blames
himself for the tragic deaths of those unfortunate residents who called the
Arco building home. Similarly, Jerry is a man of integrity who blames himself
for the downfall of Matt; Jerry gets Matt eliminated after he suggests Matt
should double-cross Eichelberger. That incident, along with the Arco fire,
emphasizes another theme: sometimes people
must be sacrificed for the greater good (a post-WWII era message if ever there
were one). As Eichelberger is brought into custody, Jerry catches a bullet.
That equation has a dark implication, commensurate with Jerry's line that John
repeats to summarize his old friend's passing:
"Sometimes someone has to pay an exorbitant price to uphold the
majesty of the law." An alternate way to critique the scene is that Jerry
(the someone) must fall in order for John to rise.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Another
of the film's crucial themes involves the varied paths people take as they
mature. Though we all start out roughly the same, ultimately we define
ourselves through different choices. Childhood connections might survive into
adulthood, sometimes not. At times personal or professional obligations get in
the way of long-term alliances. Jerry and John were childhood mates, but due to
the investigation that reunites them, Jerry causes tension when he gains the
romantic interest of John's trusted gal Amanda. Then there is Matt, who grew up
with one of the hoods, which no doubt had an impact on his decision to turn his
back on the law he pledged to uphold.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglubTM_oNwxIMVyLDdLFn_OZighvur0SOrZlEc-zYSRX2wPDb1Iyc2MtJse3uLXqt1oJLpIbug4B6h7gX9WZggGevf3Is5LzlwIxEMXUl2-AIHJ2cYQoBBDCU_NDuLQrfcFdhtF6bj5mWr_YeUDOfHGC5QdO_-pBiu91AU5DzQbhX0lh5I7dur6Q6VCA/s1918/screenshot004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglubTM_oNwxIMVyLDdLFn_OZighvur0SOrZlEc-zYSRX2wPDb1Iyc2MtJse3uLXqt1oJLpIbug4B6h7gX9WZggGevf3Is5LzlwIxEMXUl2-AIHJ2cYQoBBDCU_NDuLQrfcFdhtF6bj5mWr_YeUDOfHGC5QdO_-pBiu91AU5DzQbhX0lh5I7dur6Q6VCA/w400-h244/screenshot004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpYTnHCfpDKUXNQBI-22Q3AOb_JgqGjQ65mDo3wXYRQ634CXS4T5PPTLup8gaPQbok6yrPmKvy2EhQaVprqiPQ74g1FtkawXvCHvVjIZ4OmOjqrmVAf-84aOVcqLmmXywwNiEImdY9rMFfveow6uz6uZvPJPbuhO0yY7W85RJrtKpJ5sSrz1qvO6rNg/s1918/screenshot005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpYTnHCfpDKUXNQBI-22Q3AOb_JgqGjQ65mDo3wXYRQ634CXS4T5PPTLup8gaPQbok6yrPmKvy2EhQaVprqiPQ74g1FtkawXvCHvVjIZ4OmOjqrmVAf-84aOVcqLmmXywwNiEImdY9rMFfveow6uz6uZvPJPbuhO0yY7W85RJrtKpJ5sSrz1qvO6rNg/w400-h244/screenshot005.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5oFQ7Sf-v8twdDLQnRa-6CTfCHbommy4vKWCXd1i-bgbkHm246adL-XjGPD5AIGfb_cPOSjuOJWmSpyFeaxIGNlUpRSVIb21Pc-79T49wX3BtycSV6DPbPV9MneedRR6GhopRpOTQUx7uLnLhpzxTzS9BseX_peSv6i6PPlW7jfj4Di93yxI-_dUxQ/s1918/screenshot006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5oFQ7Sf-v8twdDLQnRa-6CTfCHbommy4vKWCXd1i-bgbkHm246adL-XjGPD5AIGfb_cPOSjuOJWmSpyFeaxIGNlUpRSVIb21Pc-79T49wX3BtycSV6DPbPV9MneedRR6GhopRpOTQUx7uLnLhpzxTzS9BseX_peSv6i6PPlW7jfj4Di93yxI-_dUxQ/w400-h244/screenshot006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCX3XcOffINIAXWwDWCRaOYyIZWAs4keXRORXiXESQ5Nn-k1gwmIrH81eAGaCubeD9Kji-8oDudWaEvnKnUyFzgaeiPg3ewMciWbyvpHsJa7-X41iIVFOhODAw12XkS9kqTI0LZY4jnkb-LTPwjfKerE9g18hdmsXINU1eZsH4zINRcEDBaQlGXQgBuQ/s1918/screenshot007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCX3XcOffINIAXWwDWCRaOYyIZWAs4keXRORXiXESQ5Nn-k1gwmIrH81eAGaCubeD9Kji-8oDudWaEvnKnUyFzgaeiPg3ewMciWbyvpHsJa7-X41iIVFOhODAw12XkS9kqTI0LZY4jnkb-LTPwjfKerE9g18hdmsXINU1eZsH4zINRcEDBaQlGXQgBuQ/w400-h244/screenshot007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An old friendship under strain</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
William Dieterle is not one of the big names of the <i>film noir</i> movement,
but he deserves credit for helming quality titles like <b>PORTRAIT OF JENNIE</b>
(1948), <b>THE ACCUSED</b> (1949), <b>ROPE OF SAND</b> (1949) and <b>DARK CITY</b>
(1950). His work on <b>THE TURNING POINT</b> is exceptional; this film is
loaded with well-balanced compositions and thoughtful performances. It <i>never</i>
drags. Screenwriting duties were handled by Warren Duff, who adapted the
original story by Horace McCoy. Cinematographer Lionel Lindon managed the
camerawork for the <i>film noir</i> classics <b>THE BLUE DAHLIA</b> (1946) and <b>ALIAS
NICK BEAL</b> (1949), as well as the spunky little B <i>noir</i> <b>QUICKSAND</b>
(1950). Lindon also served as director of photography for <b>THE MANCHURIAN
CANDIDATE</b> (1962), one of the finest films of its era and certainly an
instance of the <i>film noir</i> formula at work in the 1960s. And boy does <b>THE
TURNING POINT</b> boast terrific starpower with Edmond O'Brien, William Holden
and especially Ed Begley, who as far as I know never appeared in an unwatchable
movie or gave a substandard performance. I particularly admire his work in <b>PATTERNS</b>
(1956), <b>12 ANGRY MEN</b> (1957) and <b>ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW</b> (1959), one
of the best examples of the <i>noir</i> genre that closed the decade. The
supporting players bring assured stability to the narrative's structure as
well, with Jay Adler, Neville Brand, Ted de Corsia and Danny Dayton on board.
The plot mechanics honor genre tradition with a suspenseful chase sequence
built around the Eichelberger gang's pursuit of the widowed Carmelina LaRue
(Adele Longmire). The final act plays out in a boxing arena, always an ideal
backdrop for corruption, confusion and murder.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWklBqyorsvhK2Jyj-tGg4PqhyOYHhcVDXbIswn7FW49TZ5m7NtGXX1euii0ctEa9o61vMSLluYu2j3a0VA4rpvTudULUhskC28_9Yma-cXU_C5okTcVWtcjjULP2KpN_E2V6-dgP7UCVwIxFpjFKsrbasd0BSYoY0Hk2qS1u8YThTX2hUBhodsoarg/s1918/screenshot008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWklBqyorsvhK2Jyj-tGg4PqhyOYHhcVDXbIswn7FW49TZ5m7NtGXX1euii0ctEa9o61vMSLluYu2j3a0VA4rpvTudULUhskC28_9Yma-cXU_C5okTcVWtcjjULP2KpN_E2V6-dgP7UCVwIxFpjFKsrbasd0BSYoY0Hk2qS1u8YThTX2hUBhodsoarg/w400-h244/screenshot008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigalZuNcoptfV2gHLhWD1HF54vhTE5DueBPRncpTtzPLHFEh7I1OuI5dzXc9vmzdNeDjt-IaJR5mwcEZfhdLCfq83jyZFiRgi6mh1adLlpZ8Uj7VPw4kG-HMjQysAU2Bq92ZhhyHF1jSOuP0k7TD5NHFoU4XRtji2461cBDKxFyzRsLkSZQIMC8bcjrQ/s1918/screenshot009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigalZuNcoptfV2gHLhWD1HF54vhTE5DueBPRncpTtzPLHFEh7I1OuI5dzXc9vmzdNeDjt-IaJR5mwcEZfhdLCfq83jyZFiRgi6mh1adLlpZ8Uj7VPw4kG-HMjQysAU2Bq92ZhhyHF1jSOuP0k7TD5NHFoU4XRtji2461cBDKxFyzRsLkSZQIMC8bcjrQ/w400-h244/screenshot009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traditional <i>noir</i> blocking as both actors face the camera</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXqvPhsy-eO2KCHm7D7o2oeD4ECu0SCw3Jks0Xq8TWnmn4v_OOHMqksxpsWos2MFApORhrCsOWD4BzG1hl7ZmTj4PF2ho6ZcB1-ZmRonBo6trN_qnJlXQVZP_NozLn6jhiD0XQYgSzkUGQBfG1twfFAg1rrIJkcwpF-QTTX8IXWOhFTil-bG0H7QJZw/s1918/screenshot010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXqvPhsy-eO2KCHm7D7o2oeD4ECu0SCw3Jks0Xq8TWnmn4v_OOHMqksxpsWos2MFApORhrCsOWD4BzG1hl7ZmTj4PF2ho6ZcB1-ZmRonBo6trN_qnJlXQVZP_NozLn6jhiD0XQYgSzkUGQBfG1twfFAg1rrIJkcwpF-QTTX8IXWOhFTil-bG0H7QJZw/w400-h244/screenshot010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJqEfuiXN1KgiCKMUseYODaPSK2dN6RpKUjzPOIVe4ZBDHDSEvyD3Ryuz1KVn7QrKrCnAkVMQJLLWl93TAd3mx9SqmDQ2OtQY3r8GeswfeT9M9wJwLB7TboWDHa6utOcEvqIieB3PQS2msqev8-W81j4sUQBFgZTwdW8SeHi6YUENSimbPqE15XfyPA/s1918/screenshot011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJqEfuiXN1KgiCKMUseYODaPSK2dN6RpKUjzPOIVe4ZBDHDSEvyD3Ryuz1KVn7QrKrCnAkVMQJLLWl93TAd3mx9SqmDQ2OtQY3r8GeswfeT9M9wJwLB7TboWDHa6utOcEvqIieB3PQS2msqev8-W81j4sUQBFgZTwdW8SeHi6YUENSimbPqE15XfyPA/w400-h244/screenshot011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Once
again Kino Lorber has given a respectable release to an important <i>film noir</i>
title as part of their increasingly reliable Kino Lorber Studio Classics
product line. This single-layered Blu-ray edition presents a 4K scan of the
35mm film elements, remastered in HD by Paramount Pictures. Framed at 1.37:1,
it looks quite phenomenal in motion and constitutes one of the year's
must-haves for knowledgeable <i>film noir</i> collectors. Contrast is just fine
and the eye-pleasing level of film grain makes for a reasonable approximation
of what the original theatrical presentation must have looked like. What I
wouldn't give for a time machine to know for certain.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUneqJZu8XTEN1v6wZcUeBK5cvKY16WfI3avsdjatCC0udrwVTAMhoVSljX9-ZI98aX2tDUYIj4adQCDyO8-B1N6cezfznE9lTiqx8P1JmjYHKRRxh-lU5b5u2pDTSsh99hrcOn3zOsH2_BMuZVs6YJATkKpknX8oLOv9szmwN49_S6g4w2pVz6cF-Q/s1918/screenshot012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikUneqJZu8XTEN1v6wZcUeBK5cvKY16WfI3avsdjatCC0udrwVTAMhoVSljX9-ZI98aX2tDUYIj4adQCDyO8-B1N6cezfznE9lTiqx8P1JmjYHKRRxh-lU5b5u2pDTSsh99hrcOn3zOsH2_BMuZVs6YJATkKpknX8oLOv9szmwN49_S6g4w2pVz6cF-Q/w400-h244/screenshot012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2v4HK0XIK873Sn1pjciSuwV6y57vp-cJqHxfrw0DiqHlgh_XLxbaELJpy7ZWBYTTsyiTTuc8vs_0j1bAqk5pXvqQMkMFdljW8d-PdnezQ57WbE0-yCT6AHAwsgsWdsep1uzJSUEFV-WmivilY4HYHxPTfSfKRfoXKqt3TRBf_Ze7sJ9pWAmI5Rksm2Q/s1918/screenshot013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2v4HK0XIK873Sn1pjciSuwV6y57vp-cJqHxfrw0DiqHlgh_XLxbaELJpy7ZWBYTTsyiTTuc8vs_0j1bAqk5pXvqQMkMFdljW8d-PdnezQ57WbE0-yCT6AHAwsgsWdsep1uzJSUEFV-WmivilY4HYHxPTfSfKRfoXKqt3TRBf_Ze7sJ9pWAmI5Rksm2Q/w400-h244/screenshot013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The labyrinthine <i>noir</i> environment</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9spqSi5bvGpF3_D-TLBTUZhwh-1-SJ_DhL3ZRkxSsXdHfft04UOvQhVO7RWbTul5SlJawAuzjA_OpH-Vbg9aIv5YTQTPcR2QmWxKdHFqqLzs8yNDnE2FjnTBuN1XT-tO5FBkjGVEfAs3HGX5sJrrg5gLLybV8ws6syYadxCnlrDoPsBWS1CF8AoZzA/s1918/screenshot014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf9spqSi5bvGpF3_D-TLBTUZhwh-1-SJ_DhL3ZRkxSsXdHfft04UOvQhVO7RWbTul5SlJawAuzjA_OpH-Vbg9aIv5YTQTPcR2QmWxKdHFqqLzs8yNDnE2FjnTBuN1XT-tO5FBkjGVEfAs3HGX5sJrrg5gLLybV8ws6syYadxCnlrDoPsBWS1CF8AoZzA/w400-h244/screenshot014.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ever-dangerous <i>noir</i> staircase</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bPejvEbzvs9awyONbpc0pWKJ-qyt62Hr7F9fTbMEMTYbaEM92Dtf_qnT_AtanDFh6FxcFslaAjn18_aUdueNd62MLKgAXFPpPulXubs1bsAZwYfLsVzGElQ8kwY8tnMJmwjqUqHCiDnDOvU1oNg6mtB-5mBiEe7zoY6WFUKioe5434ZpgHENMMXJ4g/s1918/screenshot015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bPejvEbzvs9awyONbpc0pWKJ-qyt62Hr7F9fTbMEMTYbaEM92Dtf_qnT_AtanDFh6FxcFslaAjn18_aUdueNd62MLKgAXFPpPulXubs1bsAZwYfLsVzGElQ8kwY8tnMJmwjqUqHCiDnDOvU1oNg6mtB-5mBiEe7zoY6WFUKioe5434ZpgHENMMXJ4g/w400-h244/screenshot015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79TqwEeFTSul1SjNIS61luQGEi2c0-u_PN-ERyP7WRFwTAW8CwLJSqFmdEgLvc-CVFNZTn3tXyNwpGqUh7Tspz-8StZOSJ9abT4I1rwLA6XKCyKSon7zJek-eHG1FeN0LBy2k8-G3-9wd5AheIKK9_t5JQItzp7R-z-US_ybSWfb4vKR45QYeKkDVKA/s1918/screenshot016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1166" data-original-width="1918" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79TqwEeFTSul1SjNIS61luQGEi2c0-u_PN-ERyP7WRFwTAW8CwLJSqFmdEgLvc-CVFNZTn3tXyNwpGqUh7Tspz-8StZOSJ9abT4I1rwLA6XKCyKSon7zJek-eHG1FeN0LBy2k8-G3-9wd5AheIKK9_t5JQItzp7R-z-US_ybSWfb4vKR45QYeKkDVKA/w400-h244/screenshot016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
audio commentary track by the always credible film historian Alan K. Rode meets
his usual high standard of research and insight, including an incredibly detailed
account of the film's production, budgeted slightly over $1 million with a
30-day schedule that was improved upon by four days. Only Rode would reveal
that Whit Bissell earned $250 for his uncredited bit part! Rode also notes W.R.
Burnett (also uncredited) worked on the screenplay. Burnett contributed to several
<i>noir</i> essentials, among them <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> (1941), <b>THIS GUN FOR
HIRE</b> (1942), <b>THE ASPHALT JUNGLE</b> (1950) and <b>THE RACKET</b> (1951).
In a cost-savings measure, all of the actors wore their own suits. Only actress
Alexis Smith was dressed by costume specialist Edith Head. John Conroy's
character was modeled after Thomas Edmund Dewey, New York City prosecutor and
District Attorney in the 1930s and early 1940s and sworn enemy of organized
crime. He successfully prosecuted Charles "Lucky" Luciano in 1936.
The Neil Eichelberger character is a thinly veiled interpretation of Frank
Costello, the Italian-American crime boss of the Luciano criminal cabal. Ed
Begley's nervous hands at the hearing are meant to remind us of Costello. In
another example of gangster world influence, Vito Genovese once directed a
gunman to bump off another hitman, very similar to the way Matt Conroy's demise
is depicted. The Arco building fire initially met with strict Production Code
resistance; arson crimes were not supposed to be chronicled in terms of
criminal procedure. But after voicing his objection, lead code administrator
Joseph Breen decided to let it go. Probably with a fair amount of reluctance,
Breen must have recognized elements of the code had become outdated in
post-WWII society. As always when it comes to <i>film noirs</i> that relied
upon Los Angeles settings for location work, Rode comments on the significance
and history of familiar locales such as Bunker Hill, the Angels Flight Railway
funicular (a hillside cable railroad that counterbalances ascending and
descending cars), Los Angeles City Hall and the Olympic Auditorium, where the
climactic boxing match takes place. <b>THE TURNING POINT</b> returned several
hundred thousand dollars of profit for Paramount Pictures, deservedly so.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Other than Rode's
commentary, the only other supplemental material is the collection of
theatrical trailers for comparable titles available from Kino Lorber.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQVx42Nk9ktDZ0Wlap1JtMl5IReae6rHKG3VtMogK4R-9lRm_H83j-mKEnFlCySBxoaIqLP3kkQJ6MRsJ8TSzrftwiJS6xgtsAyYOqLKJtNnV_Sl_yYNzYNUea9p5NOGL_PZqengzfvtYv43WoxOPrz_ZjpLQeqd6ZzYK1MMXBsdENlmCDb9bV5fGbA/s2877/The%20Turning%20Point%20(1952)_Poster_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2256" data-original-width="2877" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQVx42Nk9ktDZ0Wlap1JtMl5IReae6rHKG3VtMogK4R-9lRm_H83j-mKEnFlCySBxoaIqLP3kkQJ6MRsJ8TSzrftwiJS6xgtsAyYOqLKJtNnV_Sl_yYNzYNUea9p5NOGL_PZqengzfvtYv43WoxOPrz_ZjpLQeqd6ZzYK1MMXBsdENlmCDb9bV5fGbA/w400-h314/The%20Turning%20Point%20(1952)_Poster_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMz73UZZnZ4ESj1c2VEm5yHwcfBB265AOCOWADES8o0IM4URnqWhTXyfnUeZfrptgYbVhv4eQEed6q4oCldx9fV7cDs0T8CzztvpCuSLwC5-npVNUjr1b3XckTOWHZbmgoMbQ1TMm6RDIqXIhVSR3JmZuCxpthuYF8fDPOZWC6Ob1J9iKbZyH9O1ntmg/s841/The%20Turning%20Point%20(1952)_Blu-ray.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="660" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMz73UZZnZ4ESj1c2VEm5yHwcfBB265AOCOWADES8o0IM4URnqWhTXyfnUeZfrptgYbVhv4eQEed6q4oCldx9fV7cDs0T8CzztvpCuSLwC5-npVNUjr1b3XckTOWHZbmgoMbQ1TMm6RDIqXIhVSR3JmZuCxpthuYF8fDPOZWC6Ob1J9iKbZyH9O1ntmg/w314-h400/The%20Turning%20Point%20(1952)_Blu-ray.png" width="314" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-57813355126558887652022-10-30T16:26:00.002-05:002022-10-31T00:58:51.400-05:00ALL MY SONS (1948)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Universal
Pictures, 94m 13s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHeIkXCxQ6heDah3YrDwN8b3fq2adL8HIwYGYNVd_yguB0Z8waPvHWOUBfvboQsfI3iQZBkLpwhTNNCiBpRxa3NK8L8U1X-llbtU0ubYX0G9UJXGajJNNhiZGZjJE0XX_pNOvA-u25Ie5sc8a6ocz-0vnvvxx8FVp4l3ezAKKA5LwxV22gO1ot1oDRA/s2934/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_Poster_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="1942" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHeIkXCxQ6heDah3YrDwN8b3fq2adL8HIwYGYNVd_yguB0Z8waPvHWOUBfvboQsfI3iQZBkLpwhTNNCiBpRxa3NK8L8U1X-llbtU0ubYX0G9UJXGajJNNhiZGZjJE0XX_pNOvA-u25Ie5sc8a6ocz-0vnvvxx8FVp4l3ezAKKA5LwxV22gO1ot1oDRA/w265-h400/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_Poster_1.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The <i>film
noir</i> takes on tragic proportions with <b>ALL MY SONS</b>, a powerful
anti-war statement from writer/producer Chester Erskine, who adapted the 1947
play of the same title by Arthur Miller (DEATH OF A SALESMAN [1949], THE
CRUCIBLE [1953]). This Universal International Pictures production stands as a
prime example of a <i>noir</i> film in which events of the past completely rule
the present. Also a post-WWII film, it operates under the sound assumption
there was no going back to however it was before world conflict. Among the many
casualties of world war was an ocean of corruption that seeped into all areas
of American existence, including small towns and middle-class suburbs. Though
the <i>noir</i> film often is framed as an urban nightmare that primarily plays
out within the dark, rainy streets of the largest US cities, genre instances
such as <b>ALL MY SONS</b> suggest <i>noir</i> concerns are not limited to an
urban ecosystem. The invasive <i>noir</i> atmosphere can be particularly potent
in the country's unassuming smaller towns.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
uncompromising realities of post-WWII life are contextualized in terms of an
Illinois family. For the past three years, the Kellers have been forced to deal
with the MIA status of their son Larry. His brother Chris (Burt Lancaster)
plans to marry Annie Deever (Louisa Horton), who once was Larry's girl. In the
interest of personal growth rather than financial gain, Chris is prepared to set
aside his claim to the family business in favor of domestic bliss with Annie,
much to the disappointment of his industrialist father Joe (Edward G. Robinson,
top-billed), who hoped Chris would take the reins of the company after him.
Soon it is revealed there is more amiss with the Kellers than the son presumed
dead and the future of their business. During a family night out, a local woman
accuses Joe of being a murderer! Joe is quick to note he was exonerated, but
that was not the case with Annie's father Herbert Deever (Frank Conroy), Joe's
former business colleague, who is serving a prison term. Annie's brother George
(Howard Duff) believes Joe knew all about a batch of defective plane engine
cylinders that resulted in Herbert's sentence.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIUEie47A3WtaS2_xG4ddnPsGb0NOCK8o6MqrPPrNGd2n-ji_6YfF9S_vgkNolfuppqWgp6I-oDYsSroLWpWb-XpG-PnDM7HXj6o0Y7VHLNh1ZjvkAPh7hIdRET9z7EI0Zn_6j4Fp8d2Hrp0jUynCqjkGu83AlS9PTwdCpwD9HPn-_WBSaReiGsGiaQ/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIUEie47A3WtaS2_xG4ddnPsGb0NOCK8o6MqrPPrNGd2n-ji_6YfF9S_vgkNolfuppqWgp6I-oDYsSroLWpWb-XpG-PnDM7HXj6o0Y7VHLNh1ZjvkAPh7hIdRET9z7EI0Zn_6j4Fp8d2Hrp0jUynCqjkGu83AlS9PTwdCpwD9HPn-_WBSaReiGsGiaQ/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0qDiQc0NRwgazAKtQNUUnpu9n5OfrrqgjFEXuWqRccz9omifgnkfedQQqiU4QefhLgZJMxf45ap5mqS5dANN3k00yZRJ2e5OWAD3Q36DmuoH-t-wJQPazvtU-IB3EQXgTKwor9h1OPx6hGIZJl1S3LwiaeOYh2DwJzm7pePnUZ6mN497eLsucIPdQQ/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0qDiQc0NRwgazAKtQNUUnpu9n5OfrrqgjFEXuWqRccz9omifgnkfedQQqiU4QefhLgZJMxf45ap5mqS5dANN3k00yZRJ2e5OWAD3Q36DmuoH-t-wJQPazvtU-IB3EQXgTKwor9h1OPx6hGIZJl1S3LwiaeOYh2DwJzm7pePnUZ6mN497eLsucIPdQQ/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A recurring theme in the <i>film noir</i> is the unusual prominence an object<br />can have in a shot; sometimes that object displaces or minimizes the<br />importance of people. In this case the family piano stands in the<br />place of an absent son.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-IHwSJbXEHu74qQvplGZ3O0x31U9dPlmmxhkmqwKKTJIy2_ojg2bRqPAlJFqOQCQ4V-aeET6sgC1I9SVbaIkYxVme2a_bfvxaDBSMdslNHHpWKAha1tj2a7gDsCqmaNjtDRfoV6_lu6W5wPad0vprcCepN-ROW7PHZRuxrR22i9vKLwE0_XjIgPQVQ/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-IHwSJbXEHu74qQvplGZ3O0x31U9dPlmmxhkmqwKKTJIy2_ojg2bRqPAlJFqOQCQ4V-aeET6sgC1I9SVbaIkYxVme2a_bfvxaDBSMdslNHHpWKAha1tj2a7gDsCqmaNjtDRfoV6_lu6W5wPad0vprcCepN-ROW7PHZRuxrR22i9vKLwE0_XjIgPQVQ/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">ALL MY
SONS</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">
is jam-packed with themes and motifs that imbue the film with an unmistakable <i>noir</i>
edge, especially with its drama so entrenched in the past. The circumstances
that brought about the deaths of 21 fighter pilots cast an ominous shadow over
the proceedings. Past events are accentuated by flashbacks, a technique not
uncommon to the <i>noir</i> form. Then there are the characters whose lives
have stalled after experiencing horrific loss. Could the world possibly be the
same again after the devastation of WWII? The totality of Hollywood's <i>film
noir</i> output of the 1940s insists the answer is no. At one interval in <b>ALL
MY SONS</b> the cries of an infant are audible through an open window as the
next generation voices its objections to a world in transition, one that no
doubt will be unfairly burdensome for those who had no say in the state of
things. In the film's concluding moments, a step is taken away from the
diegesis to reflect upon the great cost of war, to reserve a moment for
families torn apart by unacceptable human loss and the long-term suffering that
accompanies it. Woven into the film's fabric is an obsession theme, a familiar <i>film
noir</i> trope that impacts many of the genre's major characters. In this case
the Keller family matriarch Kate (Mady Christians) has been the most obviously
scarred of her family. She refuses to accept her son Larry's death and clings
to better times, i.e. the value of a bag of potatoes, the preservation of
Larry's old bedroom and his place at the family piano. She even takes pills to better
cope with the present day. Kate certainly recalls the similarly obsessed family
matriarch Hilda Blake (Helene Thimig) from <b>STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT</b>
(1944), though Kate is the far more sympathetic character of the two.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5z7q5sPqy9nLDKOgRyB4_SVWLn-uNbtnpR8sEN3DFiNj4mASqLqZTx97IK_S7nQoWys-iur36opMHkUu3n8qiPOMKBX1c4UE8RsPcYjyZ5lC8uZ2Evpq8KrZZsTc5BEJu_NzNYt9OeJirQbiwnMW9cIfK6nt_p9RwSyU9rRXs_yYqyRjIS9ClVHBuYg/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_5.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5z7q5sPqy9nLDKOgRyB4_SVWLn-uNbtnpR8sEN3DFiNj4mASqLqZTx97IK_S7nQoWys-iur36opMHkUu3n8qiPOMKBX1c4UE8RsPcYjyZ5lC8uZ2Evpq8KrZZsTc5BEJu_NzNYt9OeJirQbiwnMW9cIfK6nt_p9RwSyU9rRXs_yYqyRjIS9ClVHBuYg/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_5.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>noir</i> staircase obscures a listener.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTprbiFa48VPMUNiYxn9eee4NvGD8VYrrmD6IP_jrkpEv2L8d-Iqjy9iNGprVbnc2xQNbQqMx1FxsetRyvn-uUr-8sHsAMZjHUGJV6Fv7cljpynVPpu7oxps8_ZLM7-A89C653SbpQ1ByV6dvAkcobarFQcrUjnwd3-hNPo2oIyRmWBCoyIHoZaYmxkw/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_6.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTprbiFa48VPMUNiYxn9eee4NvGD8VYrrmD6IP_jrkpEv2L8d-Iqjy9iNGprVbnc2xQNbQqMx1FxsetRyvn-uUr-8sHsAMZjHUGJV6Fv7cljpynVPpu7oxps8_ZLM7-A89C653SbpQ1ByV6dvAkcobarFQcrUjnwd3-hNPo2oIyRmWBCoyIHoZaYmxkw/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_6.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edward G. Robinson's disingenuous character is<br />framed as less important than the emerging couple.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCJolJT7lVGFkLlrBBS08CyZi3IE-Bh3-_dSiU0cyGmfmn5hS1RZ1oQwmkwTp8N6dfhbq1ZtykYd9Um0w1pvovWcTLCVk1DVhesffdSPwdiGlz13NuefXPG-LOZcJ7-zVj8FV9hYmg8R_UpAwr3ZX0TkH-YNvQ3TnZJdIzYH_oeflY1WpZwWQbXUG6Q/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_7.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCJolJT7lVGFkLlrBBS08CyZi3IE-Bh3-_dSiU0cyGmfmn5hS1RZ1oQwmkwTp8N6dfhbq1ZtykYd9Um0w1pvovWcTLCVk1DVhesffdSPwdiGlz13NuefXPG-LOZcJ7-zVj8FV9hYmg8R_UpAwr3ZX0TkH-YNvQ3TnZJdIzYH_oeflY1WpZwWQbXUG6Q/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_7.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each character faces the camera in this traditional <i>film noir</i> approach to framing.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibL5rhuV_c1DietrZHQecNr0CIUpzQRSaeV9ORq4oa7ZkOR8ex5fxjSGI-GemXGhyf_d3fkP8gwcltZQ63iK2iDeupYxA-trzgBzvyl-SD5Sby70JVv190qlXQeu2fIgI7fl58t-PuSMbIQE6P5W1WbyUixy0O4Vg4XfSC_dsffbywY7ekSUWitPjfmA/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_8.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibL5rhuV_c1DietrZHQecNr0CIUpzQRSaeV9ORq4oa7ZkOR8ex5fxjSGI-GemXGhyf_d3fkP8gwcltZQ63iK2iDeupYxA-trzgBzvyl-SD5Sby70JVv190qlXQeu2fIgI7fl58t-PuSMbIQE6P5W1WbyUixy0O4Vg4XfSC_dsffbywY7ekSUWitPjfmA/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_8.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shot's blocking communicates the increasing<br />distance between Joe Keller and his son Chris.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Part
and parcel of the <i>film noir</i> is the traditional family home as breeding
ground of problems not resolved easily. A lingering tension since wartime
events is palpable, particularly for households in which family needs and
business demands are forced to intersect. A major conflict at the Keller
residence involves a son who does not wish to follow in his father's footsteps.
That amounts to a huge blow against the values embodied by the family patriarch
Joe, the working-class man who clawed his way to a higher level. On a level
that calls into question the American military industrial complex, Joe profited
from the war and became an important man in a business sense, but at what cost
to humanity?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RqINzHFkAdEJQmvsqp-huGch9GFa8OwwIrRwSZS_t2muPt80eiYUwvMx_Y08C93ScrIluJ2MmNvYeMa7k9npk5t-wFYDJq7jk8kAyo_Zo8JtsLcGx45IEqaomXJbRUA-PyoG1CIRSDWwHx9_Y_S0Q19KFM5qOkSIhth9UNfr9o4N0QNdN1N4udLThg/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_9.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RqINzHFkAdEJQmvsqp-huGch9GFa8OwwIrRwSZS_t2muPt80eiYUwvMx_Y08C93ScrIluJ2MmNvYeMa7k9npk5t-wFYDJq7jk8kAyo_Zo8JtsLcGx45IEqaomXJbRUA-PyoG1CIRSDWwHx9_Y_S0Q19KFM5qOkSIhth9UNfr9o4N0QNdN1N4udLThg/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_9.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkLT6mlf2tn8vye07QLSF5SgurhASzf1Ep9p9TU29b7h9XZ9bLpDsmJq78rKXsWCv5ieicT4WaZFZOAHeYLl2O-V99XDzkrE0P2jYWll4ZbyG0xU_PS4GUn6GuDhJAJpptaaYOGJ7xC_yQ2aK_aueXvXUbs3dwj3jvaMUAzuhZUF2O_v4ilxc7bD5Hw/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_10.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkLT6mlf2tn8vye07QLSF5SgurhASzf1Ep9p9TU29b7h9XZ9bLpDsmJq78rKXsWCv5ieicT4WaZFZOAHeYLl2O-V99XDzkrE0P2jYWll4ZbyG0xU_PS4GUn6GuDhJAJpptaaYOGJ7xC_yQ2aK_aueXvXUbs3dwj3jvaMUAzuhZUF2O_v4ilxc7bD5Hw/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0b4wEC_-NvmNfyil-_lu1bIW8LF7aJK159djSEK3vLntCwPXBEAVI60vk4MfzQtJRA1N0uPH9Cg-Y0GG_e6jwwZQKvHMYYXneARcDPCqMfAzUvwy99o_rU7bsw8iRf9sspliIYeLMtpLis4prOekkJqHz7dYmnt6-jM8uxynHAbErwTSxRTFGxnA2A/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0b4wEC_-NvmNfyil-_lu1bIW8LF7aJK159djSEK3vLntCwPXBEAVI60vk4MfzQtJRA1N0uPH9Cg-Y0GG_e6jwwZQKvHMYYXneARcDPCqMfAzUvwy99o_rU7bsw8iRf9sspliIYeLMtpLis4prOekkJqHz7dYmnt6-jM8uxynHAbErwTSxRTFGxnA2A/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">With
its downbeat narratives and pessimistic inclinations, the <i>film noir</i>
gives notable emphasis to the notion that the WWII era prefigured a period of
social and moral decline. A Marxist view of capitalism often claims a
significant portion of the <i>noir</i> portrait. An economic system that
provides opportunity for everyone encourages immoral behavior with the
potential of limitless rewards for the most daring, that risk/reward equation
even encourages criminal behavior. Joe claims he only acted in his family's
best interests but the truth is his inexcusable business decision was rooted in
self-preservation. Through nothing but his own ambition, he accepted a
government contract he could not handle in the event something went sideways.
Of course that is precisely what happened, and he was ill-equipped to climb out
of the impossible situation in which he deposited himself:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>either ship the defective cylinders and hope
for the best or accept a punishing business setback. Via flashback we learn Joe
pledged to take full responsibility for his manufacturing, so Herbert
authorized the shipment of cylinders that rightly should have been piled onto
the scrapheap. The unfortunate result was 21 deaths and Joe's desperate need
for a fall guy. He rationalized a wrongheaded connection between dirty business
tactics and family responsibilities (he thought only of <i>his</i> family, not
"all my sons"). Joe had every opportunity to do the admirable thing, essentially
to choose life over death. He instead optioned to enrich his business and
knowingly secure payment for faulty manufacturing. When a <i>film noir</i>
character deliberately makes a wrong turn, <i>noir</i> historian Eddie Muller
calls that moment "the break." The usual result is a downward spiral
designed to hold the character accountable for his (or, less often, her) actions.
In one of the genres most telling ironies, it is revealed the irresponsible
business call made by Joe factored in his own son's demise. In a related theme,
Joe must fall to clear the path for his surviving son. The concluding scenes
closely echo the finale of <b>THE OX-BOW INCIDENT</b> (1942), a proto-<i>noir</i>-Western
that also features a domineering patriarch intent on compelling his son to fall
under his spell.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmh6-UP3Qbd7qDd6YUcVg35-QqgnCskjcvJgF1fQNf3BSW4DRZyyI3RnQ6mp_r6eSSEiVlM2xdQmj4OG6jQCQaN3L-iv1-BgWsxqjkjk-CvzyjlQGZL4eaWBYVrdQL8dOCATIGx1fC7zpRVJVLPn-x5D7pzWVb2Yrkm5SX0ewg9YaR7Vn039bjZ1O6Q/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_12.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmh6-UP3Qbd7qDd6YUcVg35-QqgnCskjcvJgF1fQNf3BSW4DRZyyI3RnQ6mp_r6eSSEiVlM2xdQmj4OG6jQCQaN3L-iv1-BgWsxqjkjk-CvzyjlQGZL4eaWBYVrdQL8dOCATIGx1fC7zpRVJVLPn-x5D7pzWVb2Yrkm5SX0ewg9YaR7Vn039bjZ1O6Q/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_12.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDf6UAh4o4HC1Zb6aoKeF02V0lnnwv1-DvgW1LTFtcXB_JPRPwLbrTNmjpg3Jy3Sjm6g0WLixrEgG4xlqs-LqBAr_ezIV6chjGwQIw95it7vjQNgmxbDansurKAcIh0Ob-2tcmN9sGLzJbikvp7jWc9SCHKAeFg0Rrdr3yaD6ZPfa9Bk9QBpmV-ot2yw/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_13.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDf6UAh4o4HC1Zb6aoKeF02V0lnnwv1-DvgW1LTFtcXB_JPRPwLbrTNmjpg3Jy3Sjm6g0WLixrEgG4xlqs-LqBAr_ezIV6chjGwQIw95it7vjQNgmxbDansurKAcIh0Ob-2tcmN9sGLzJbikvp7jWc9SCHKAeFg0Rrdr3yaD6ZPfa9Bk9QBpmV-ot2yw/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_13.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKpOsAdb2OU33_q7zXLBpIWG6yZeIecRaZvYBJOIjsfFdkYrDOiFANjJyBFHD73dv0FlygXki4uQ_dpApq24YyDTO8Msj20PM2MNEJhpw7HqTFBN7NuASTrJ492Yq7OuwHnma668eO83tH7r_Jj0ERmf5DRs5T8Z4AO84MA_Tw8Yo3i-cfmJDGJOSUA/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_14.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivKpOsAdb2OU33_q7zXLBpIWG6yZeIecRaZvYBJOIjsfFdkYrDOiFANjJyBFHD73dv0FlygXki4uQ_dpApq24YyDTO8Msj20PM2MNEJhpw7HqTFBN7NuASTrJ492Yq7OuwHnma668eO83tH7r_Jj0ERmf5DRs5T8Z4AO84MA_Tw8Yo3i-cfmJDGJOSUA/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_14.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
Irving Reis would add to the <i>film noir</i> category with his writing in the
early 1950s for <b>ANGEL FACE</b> (1952, story credit), <b>SPLIT SECOND</b>
(1953, co-story credit) and <b>WITNESS TO MURDER</b> (1954, original
screenplay). Sadly his career was cut short by cancer on July 3, 1953. He was
only 47 at the time of his death. Few cinematographers had their fingers on the
<i>noir</i> pulse like Russell Metty, who ensured the look of <b>ALL MY SONS</b>
was congruent with the <i>noir</i> canon of the mid-to-late 1940s that was
engulfed in low-key lighting. His work is excellent here, as it is in his other
<i>noir</i> efforts such as <b>THE STRANGER</b> (1946), <b>RIDE THE PINK HORSE</b>
(1947), <b>KISS THE BLOOD OFF MY HANDS</b> (1948), <b>THE LADY GAMBLES</b>
(1949), <b>NAKED ALIBI</b> (1954) and the end-of-genre-cycle masterpiece <b>TOUCH
OF EVIL</b> (1958). Burt Lancaster was drawn to material that resonated with a
social consciousness. He delivers one of the great moments of the film when he
reads the letter that explains what became of his brother Larry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
Blu-ray edition of <b>ALL MY SONS</b> released early in 2022 as part of the
Kino Lorber Studio Classics product line boasts a new transfer from a new 2K
master. Framed at 1.37:1, as the opening credits roll it becomes evident the
source material must have been in very good condition. Some sections of the
film are more bespeckled than others with artifacts and minor print damage, but
overall the transfer looks crisp with a satisfying level of film grain. The
main supplement is a new audio commentary track submitted by film critics Kat
Ellinger and Lee Gambin. They discuss the feature film in terms of the
definition of masculinity, especially in an American sense. There is something
both sad and tragic about the Joe Keller character, he is far too nuanced to be
considered only in terms of villainy. This is a "quietly subversive"
movie according to Ellinger. She makes a great point about the Marxist nature
of such narratives in which the only way to advance is to veer away from
capitalism.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
usual Kino assortment of trailers is on hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46AAqn7h-57sNmXi18xqqtErbbjvAzE38ZkCnSg7RJkkAl-utjWPdFSuNVS_lXu5GzUgsSkmNxoC9OvTnX77joJYSAwJw64Qwv9Fm_ZO_-i2y90OZIQY_8iSLN9GlHAB5mJJ4IZJpkD-f2ILnLJRLVpiIECsg1UVqX19OzDTTZMHFlBz6GqScfiFNKw/s1920/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46AAqn7h-57sNmXi18xqqtErbbjvAzE38ZkCnSg7RJkkAl-utjWPdFSuNVS_lXu5GzUgsSkmNxoC9OvTnX77joJYSAwJw64Qwv9Fm_ZO_-i2y90OZIQY_8iSLN9GlHAB5mJJ4IZJpkD-f2ILnLJRLVpiIECsg1UVqX19OzDTTZMHFlBz6GqScfiFNKw/w400-h250/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As a fan of Tyler Joseph's band <b>twenty øne piløts</b> I was unaware<br />he borrowed his band's name from the work of Arthur Miller<br />until reviewing this film adaptation of the Miller play.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zTSMPvnoFRNyexVzQ4zLaum2tAEHeghKXegHFa26nruksd_1qfBpXLmPnRXuj9jxBX27tns5M_MyWzQTnyXmKuUgwMx3EKp1pVETd3oQ0vk5i8ii_aQ3JayP0gjmdDD6M2B7KrN4Rb66ovj-Q7OmREmAOBEUIw2Yl45g_AMV8kOA9vzTnBix79imQw/s2941/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_Poster_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2941" data-original-width="1135" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zTSMPvnoFRNyexVzQ4zLaum2tAEHeghKXegHFa26nruksd_1qfBpXLmPnRXuj9jxBX27tns5M_MyWzQTnyXmKuUgwMx3EKp1pVETd3oQ0vk5i8ii_aQ3JayP0gjmdDD6M2B7KrN4Rb66ovj-Q7OmREmAOBEUIw2Yl45g_AMV8kOA9vzTnBix79imQw/w246-h640/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_Poster_2.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKbpYt4KdOLF1YBjMdY3VfoHjNNGDCuGvWabEep_5__7CWKxE7uAjn55vu3BPsk6ntRe6GkFCwx7SCM9PQ4zMRm7OdIxAAakJr8tVXHuvYJElDiY2a87cBbDP6trGkkXUrMAm8YINUOCGbCZ150k0Jpn1G21MyvDFvT0F607bD6PRjK2edx042jM7QJA/s1838/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_Poster_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEocSk6oKW26m0FKfais4SJnvSB3d8WHPnynS-II-BulqUvQoDZPZ3XSC0P0SVivmXe93JoVjYJ_KD0WVMeNCDWy7cOG9hokmKuzsgQYjaja03wwgKmE4_PwWVIEW2Ec7VjQpSt_t5NPyjsjd4lAd7KmO9vD3G0CTQVV6Yifm1Nz1SACcalDpMbYwToA/s1657/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_Blu-ray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="1299" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEocSk6oKW26m0FKfais4SJnvSB3d8WHPnynS-II-BulqUvQoDZPZ3XSC0P0SVivmXe93JoVjYJ_KD0WVMeNCDWy7cOG9hokmKuzsgQYjaja03wwgKmE4_PwWVIEW2Ec7VjQpSt_t5NPyjsjd4lAd7KmO9vD3G0CTQVV6Yifm1Nz1SACcalDpMbYwToA/w314-h400/All%20My%20Sons%20(1948)_Blu-ray.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-45169255113397168492022-09-25T18:00:00.003-05:002022-10-01T14:09:31.423-05:00THE KILLING (1956)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">United
Artists, 83m 54s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-CvIR10aapip1Ap_TVLO-yKTKgCUa1or69QGmDrh0ie6thchind-RSsWosdEij0L1q_tjQD7ELuifTfB6kePVEuhXy6Qq8baRxZIVJyAWRbyqQCmaKvqkjpKQ2ZpexXDqqmAuqZa8cnXocOmloL-qkcVJ43pyBlzwf2w7KOuLMi90vJq3m9hwyzqsQ/s755/The%20Killing%20(1956)_Poster_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="487" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-CvIR10aapip1Ap_TVLO-yKTKgCUa1or69QGmDrh0ie6thchind-RSsWosdEij0L1q_tjQD7ELuifTfB6kePVEuhXy6Qq8baRxZIVJyAWRbyqQCmaKvqkjpKQ2ZpexXDqqmAuqZa8cnXocOmloL-qkcVJ43pyBlzwf2w7KOuLMi90vJq3m9hwyzqsQ/w258-h400/The%20Killing%20(1956)_Poster_1.jpg" width="258" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Estimable
writer/director Stanley Kubrick went on to accomplish so much after <b>THE
KILLING</b> that his quintessential <i>noir</i> heist film tends to get short
shrift when critics discuss his oeuvre, especially from an auteur perspective.
With <b>THE KILLING</b>, Kubrick proved at the age of 27 he understood
Hollywood genre conventions as well as anyone, which is to say he could pull
off a standard genre film just as well or better than any of his
contemporaries. His later films demonstrated he could make films like nobody
else. So many have tried to emulate his trademark themes (filmmaking at an
emotional distance, human characters as borderline mechanical entities, and
above all else, a pessimistic view of human progress, which happens exclusively
in violent terms) that the Kubrick style has become an obvious cliché of the
indie film, especially when filmmakers emphasize the space between spoken
words. Perhaps Kubrick's most accessible film, <b>THE KILLING</b> also stands
as one of the most intense <i>film noir</i> thrillers on record, with ambitious
detail compressed into a runtime just shy of 84 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Like
any effective heist film, and this one certainly qualifies, Kubrick gives
emphasis to distinct character types through a cast more than up to the task. His
crime story is constructed around Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden), who just
served five years in prison and is anxious to test his ability to orchestrate a
crime with a different end result. Of course that notion is the fatal flaw of
the career criminal; the thought that next time will be different than the last
time. Interestingly the crew assembled by Johnny is not exactly composed of
hardened criminals, but rather an assortment of average people, some with
bigger problems than others, but all with some sort of motivation for taking
the risk of the robbery. The hard-luck lead protagonist Johnny and the people
he surrounds himself with all are in one sense or another infected by a
stubborn post-WWII social paralysis in which no one is quite happy where they
are or with what they have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Johnny's
girl Fay (Coleen Gray), a demure young lady of limited self-esteem, has known
her man since childhood. The metric of morality but also a byproduct of
entrenched patriarchal authority, Fay embodies the wholesome female
counterbalance to the threat posed to society by the scheming femme fatale
(more on that person later). Fay is submissive, lacks confidence and appears
100% dependent on Johnny. Marvin Unger (Jay C. Flippen), a bookkeeper who owns
the apartment where Johnny and Fay stay, fronts the money necessary to execute
the elaborate racetrack heist. He seems to have personal reasons for his
involvement in the job; the hints are numerous and not all that subtle that he
is in love with Johnny. Notice the way Marvin interrupts the embrace between
Johnny and Fay when he walks into their apartment early in the film. Far more
suggestive is a later sequence, which features Marvin lying in bed while
talking with Johnny, who sits in bed with him. Marvin suggests he and Johnny
get away together after the caper in the most romantic of terms:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Wouldn't it be great if we could just
go away, the two of us, and let the old world take a couple of turns..."
That fantasy of Marvin's has no possibility of happening and he realizes it.
That is the only reasonable explanation for why he gets drunk at the track the
day of the heist after Johnny had cautioned him to stay away.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
narrative's other relationship given significant screen time involves track
cashier George Peatty (has anyone been slapped around in the movies more than
Elisha Cook Jr.?) and his statuesque wife Sherry Peatty (Marie Windsor), one of
the greediest bitches in cinematic history. A most unlikely couple in terms of
appearances, George and Sherry have been married five years. Not coincidentally,
that happens to be the identical amount of time Johnny spent behind bars; the <i>noir</i>
film seldom paints a flattering portrait of the institution of marriage. As
Sherry repeatedly registers objections to the life she has reduced herself to
through her wedding vow to George ("This crummy apartment and a hamburger
for dinner."), one gets the feeling she has voiced similar complaints
since the first day of their relationship. In terms of more recent
developments, she recurringly makes her bullied husband feel small for allowing
himself to be roughed up by his associates (which naturally was mostly her
fault). When not looking in the mirror, Sherry's favorite hobby apparently, she
is two-timing George with Val Cannon (Vince Edwards), who treats her like the
tramp she is and is very up front about his need for an open relationship. The
dangerous female Sherry causes the gears of the heist to seize not long after
she learns her husband has a big score in the making. Her unwelcome presence
outside Johnny's apartment instantly creates doubt about the viability of the
crime while in its planning stages.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-j0uy2afsSlBx4g3BEDmFtpyPOtQWqFoI6mMFS1iwCLCmeYqn6_uO6bkA5Zqqy7dxDUjx3WJnNJHmatcmpSHkrol9AuOyL5iMT3LGKLcap8qrHCtq9yWVTlCYLxZoTYLImIV7j4UqQuEhonpKAP1xa04C5qYyzQiU4Spj3o_gTCweTWfzupmy5-gIw/s1920/The%20Killing%20(1956)_1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-j0uy2afsSlBx4g3BEDmFtpyPOtQWqFoI6mMFS1iwCLCmeYqn6_uO6bkA5Zqqy7dxDUjx3WJnNJHmatcmpSHkrol9AuOyL5iMT3LGKLcap8qrHCtq9yWVTlCYLxZoTYLImIV7j4UqQuEhonpKAP1xa04C5qYyzQiU4Spj3o_gTCweTWfzupmy5-gIw/w400-h250/The%20Killing%20(1956)_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaV6LZOYQoc7gItiivxN9H9uB1RgXaw5X1qFJMarA6fW8kMXpkk73YgXF4cjEs9sfgdrMo82G6xmTdQPWZV4efqqVOHjYvxWR8neao3yhksHe0hDlD8LA1_aIyG-CGUZrtzTbMWxlRRPT-2TzJV2Tve4YgnbM5h3RHjkUpdvWfVDTtme3J1tYo_E7-2A/s1920/The%20Killing%20(1956)_2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaV6LZOYQoc7gItiivxN9H9uB1RgXaw5X1qFJMarA6fW8kMXpkk73YgXF4cjEs9sfgdrMo82G6xmTdQPWZV4efqqVOHjYvxWR8neao3yhksHe0hDlD8LA1_aIyG-CGUZrtzTbMWxlRRPT-2TzJV2Tve4YgnbM5h3RHjkUpdvWfVDTtme3J1tYo_E7-2A/w400-h250/The%20Killing%20(1956)_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Less
time is devoted to the other characters, yet all of them make an impact and
nobody seems extraneous. Probably the most sympathetic among them is Mike O'Reilly
(Joe Sawyer), a racetrack bartender devoted to his invalid wife Ruthie O'Reilly
(Dorothy Adams), a woman even more reliant on a man to take care of her than
Fay. Patrolman Randy Kennan (Ted de Corsia) is a dirty cop and Leo (Jay Adler)
is Randy's no-nonsense creditor. Nikki Arcane (Timothy Carey never moves his jaw when he talks) is the heist crew's weapons man who shares a WWII injury
connection with a track parking attendant (James Edwards). Kubrick regular Joe
Turkel (<b>THE SHINING</b> [1980]) makes an appearance as Tiny. Most memorable
of the heist team's specialty guys is Maurice Oboukhoff (Kola Kwariani), both
an intellectual (a chess player) and a brute (a hairy pro wrestler). In fact
the same could be said about Kwariani.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As
Kubrick shifts his film back and forth in time in the interest of illustrating
each heist member's contribution to the crime, the narrative can be followed
easily and every plot thread is simple to understand. The time element is a
recurring motif that begins with the narration supplied by Art Gilmore (a
real-life radio announcer), who makes the viewer aware of dates and times.
Reminders of the film's time-sensitive nature include time ticking away at the
Peattys' breakfast the day of the heist. After the heist takes place, a delay
due to heavy traffic causes Johnny to be 15 minutes late for the post-heist
rendezvous, enough time for a devastating gun battle to finish off everyone
present. And talk about a tense moment with an inflexible deadline:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Johnny and Fay at the American Airlines service
desk discussing the rules that govern carry-on luggage!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As the
film progresses, <i>noir</i> ironies accumulate while the not-quite-perfect
plan reveals its limitations. Consider the film's early moments, when Randy
informs his impatient creditor Leo that he soon will make good on his
obligations. "I'll be able to pay off like a slot machine," boasts
Randy. He ends up being right about that, but definitely not the way he
thought. As any slot player will tell you, the most probable result is the machine
gets the better of you, especially when you could benefit most from some winnings.
Randy also stresses, "I'll take care of myself...that's my
specialty." In the long run that philosophy does not pan out for him,
though he proves his commitment to that logic when he ignores a citizen's plea
for help. Rather than follow up on a distraught woman's story as any dutiful
law enforcement official should, Randy remains committed to a doomed script
designed to enrich himself. Another sequence steeped in irony involves a car tire
punctured by a gifted horseshoe, a rejected symbol of racial harmony that
symbolizes Nikki's demise. And of course the concluding sequence is imbued with
ironic meaning, with Johnny enveloped by the absurd forces for which the <i>noir</i>
universe is characterized. Despite the "methodically executed" heist,
Johnny fails to recognize the second-hand suitcase he purchases that is bulky
enough to handle $2 million in cash makes for inappropriate carry-on luggage.
That error in judgment gives rise to the film's major theme:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the futility of an elaborate plan in a random
world. The numerous ironies that populate <b>THE KILLING</b> find close
association with an irrepressible element of fatalism, a concept that provides
the foundational ideological premise of <i>film noir</i>. A seemingly innocuous
lady (Cecil Elliott) who fusses over her little dog at the airport hardly seems
likely to become a significant factor on heist day, yet her presence leads to
the exposure of the heist's architect (is there a woman in the film who is
helpful to masculine endeavors?). Johnny stands helplessly at the airport,
positioned perfectly to watch his score escape his grasp. "What's the
difference?" he summarizes as he sees no point in even attempting to
escape the hand of fate. The concluding shot recalls the final moments of <b>NOTORIOUS</b>
(1946), with the condemned villain completely out of options. The most pure
instances of the <i>noir</i> formula tend to wrap up accordingly, with at least
one major character fully aware of his (or sometimes her) irreversible
situation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRkxQ87VJCPgcl6Lwi5HKIFgU7PGY_i_tsp1zGLf9HWVO3LOGYXbnxv1kfJRmkVOv6a3ZG3peCB_x73NIg2CJEnRpZrXT2_YKPzgu0O_MdF2AY-2PrwXlMgR1G8V0t48yKhkvwucheVPqixh0i_Va7Vl8znPz6-Hh9M_UO_mn-VHthX_gl9ogwQn3hA/s1920/The%20Killing%20(1956)_3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRkxQ87VJCPgcl6Lwi5HKIFgU7PGY_i_tsp1zGLf9HWVO3LOGYXbnxv1kfJRmkVOv6a3ZG3peCB_x73NIg2CJEnRpZrXT2_YKPzgu0O_MdF2AY-2PrwXlMgR1G8V0t48yKhkvwucheVPqixh0i_Va7Vl8znPz6-Hh9M_UO_mn-VHthX_gl9ogwQn3hA/w400-h250/The%20Killing%20(1956)_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IyhnKT5Rrmr-NahtHjvVTvtPYEVd1-5zamCQicSNDpY_F9Ew-Ij-a1zNkrvd1Zg9Zg3XwLPxNn4nln5RcQtJeUfzjJqwTxj_Fjv-ovlZesj0jiTu2RmtsriQmMCwoToLFEQF-R2W-UPdNCKYSqQB6iplMQ23fs10K5lSceQ8CdgeMlijDXCBKa9pXg/s1920/The%20Killing%20(1956)_4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IyhnKT5Rrmr-NahtHjvVTvtPYEVd1-5zamCQicSNDpY_F9Ew-Ij-a1zNkrvd1Zg9Zg3XwLPxNn4nln5RcQtJeUfzjJqwTxj_Fjv-ovlZesj0jiTu2RmtsriQmMCwoToLFEQF-R2W-UPdNCKYSqQB6iplMQ23fs10K5lSceQ8CdgeMlijDXCBKa9pXg/w400-h250/The%20Killing%20(1956)_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">THE
KILLING</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> was based on the novel CLEAN BREAK by Lionel White. The
adaptation's various working titles included “Bed of Fear,” “Clean Break” and “Day
of Violence.” Kubrick's screenplay was seasoned with dialogue by Jim Thompson
(witness the terrific hard-boiled language when Johnny breaks down Sherry, also
when Johnny explains to Nikki why killing a horse is no big deal). The $330K
budget was attached to a 28-day shooting schedule. Director of photography
Lucien Ballard's studio-shot material meshes well with the stock footage
assembled from the Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo, California. Location
footage was filmed in Bunker Hill, Culver City and Los Angeles International
Airport. Leading man Sterling Hayden delivered a fascinating performance in
director John Huston's <b>THE ASPHALT JUNGLE</b> (1950), the original <i>noir</i>
heist classic. Hayden would return to work in a major role for Kubrick in <b>DR.
STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB</b> (1964).
With those bedroom eyes and her tall, erotic body, actress Marie Windsor was
born to portray femme fatales, and Sherry is about as caustic an example of one
as the <i>noir</i> aficionado is likely to encounter. It is impossible not to
sympathize with her bullied husband. Similarly, Elisha Cook Jr. was predestined
to play the milquetoast (my favorite instance that leaps to mind is <b>SHANE</b>
[1953]). Fittingly, the two would be reunited for the television mini-series <b>SALEM'S
LOT</b> (1979). After <b>THE KILLING</b> was sold to United Artists, Kubrick
and producer James B. Harris formed their own production company. Harris
co-produced Kubrick's antiwar vehicle <b>PATHS OF GLORY</b> (1957) along with
that film's star Kirk Douglas. Later Harris-Kubrick Productions released <b>LOLITA</b>
(1962)</span>, <span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">based
on Vladimir Nabokov's controversial 1955 novel. It also should be mentioned <b>THE
KILLING</b> surely influenced Quentin Tarantino's terrific throwback crime film
<b>RESERVOIR DOGS</b> (1992). And the element of a mature woman with a love for
dogs would be inserted into <b>A FISH CALLED WANDA</b> (1988), my favorite of
all heist films, for terrific comedic effect.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">THE
KILLING</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> joins the 4K UHD club by way of the Kino Lorber Studio
Classics product line. The new Dolby Vision HDR Master derived from a 4K scan
of the original camera negative looks razor sharp and stands with confidence
alongside the very best transfers of <i>noir</i> films currently available on
physical media. Framing is at the intended aspect ratio of 1.66:1. Grain level
is superb and should please anyone who purchases this release as a collection
upgrade, no question. Below is a screen snapshot of the new Kino Lorber 4K
edition:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsEV2vdMknbxwHHlhStdWSp_-NqeSDRT3ozklxBhLOAglGPDn92Y69_HiHgS4xWaCebr5XSm5hiLyA9tLgtImWU_1C5nx5FqqxseaDoWE1P8fQMDT69mQ5kOdVdO4ZDdZovlcpplpvem9i3NiDBGP2_3yyU20PlnsE8LyjuP-oDEOT7cS4jua7fB1Ug/s3840/The%20Killing%20(1956)_4K_Gary_Tooze.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsEV2vdMknbxwHHlhStdWSp_-NqeSDRT3ozklxBhLOAglGPDn92Y69_HiHgS4xWaCebr5XSm5hiLyA9tLgtImWU_1C5nx5FqqxseaDoWE1P8fQMDT69mQ5kOdVdO4ZDdZovlcpplpvem9i3NiDBGP2_3yyU20PlnsE8LyjuP-oDEOT7cS4jua7fB1Ug/w400-h225/The%20Killing%20(1956)_4K_Gary_Tooze.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.dvdbeaver.com/21/the_killing_4K_UHD_/large/large_07_the_killing_4K_UHD__4K_UHD__blu-ray.jpg</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
freshly recorded audio commentary track was contributed by incisive film
historian and author Alan K. Rode, who is among the most accomplished voices
when it comes to commentaries. He is always at the ready with everything one
possibly could hope to learn about each sequence in terms of filming locations
then and now, as well as contributions of everyone in front of and behind the
camera. His best attribute is his ability to tell entertaining stories about
contributors he either knew directly or understood from conversations with people
who knew them well. Rode's coverage includes the peaks and valleys of Vince
Edwards, who struggled with addictions to gambling and alcohol. Timothy Carey
was fired off the set of <b>ACE IN THE HOLE</b> (1951) for the sort of
scene-stealing antics he had on full display in <b>CRIME WAVE</b> (1953). Carey
was fired from <b>PATHS OF GLORY</b> as well and had to be doubled. James
Edwards was noted for being the first black actor to break away from
long-entrenched stereotypes, most notably with his portrayal of Private Peter Moss
in <b>HOME OF THE BRAVE</b> (1949). He set the stage for Sidney Poitier's
emergence in the social problem <i>film noir</i> <b>NO WAY OUT</b> (1950).
Real-life pro wrestler Kola Kwariani was a chess partner of Kubrick's. Together
with Sterling Hayden they appeared on the cover of CHESS REVIEW (March 1956). A
tough guy all his life, Kwariani died at the age of 77 after a brawl with five
youths. Sterling Hayden, a member of the Communist Party for a short period of
time, named names before the House Un-American Activities Committee to ensure
he could continue working, though his testimony bothered him the remainder of
his life. Rode also discusses the amputation of Jay C. Flippen's leg due to an
infection and the career of Tito Vuolo, an ethnic character specialist and <i>film
noir</i> fixture. Rode also identifies Rodney Dangerfield in an uncredited role
as an extra at the racetrack (in those days Dangerfield was known as Jack Roy).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzBg_0Odl822yYOdcuNnbCIH6a7kio9_-ii6BIHkTiJkijq1qGySajxzBXNILaFWkUPRH6lj70wpp1mR3L2B36x5Lhy2zeN24qB8508sdv01C_kThAbDS4NegjIC3ogOo6i7jo3hrSYx_91CnfffdfUqVTCMRxUhUoVjP2Z_huow7aqJ_v-vV3we82g/s1163/CHESS%20REVIEW%20(March%201956).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzBg_0Odl822yYOdcuNnbCIH6a7kio9_-ii6BIHkTiJkijq1qGySajxzBXNILaFWkUPRH6lj70wpp1mR3L2B36x5Lhy2zeN24qB8508sdv01C_kThAbDS4NegjIC3ogOo6i7jo3hrSYx_91CnfffdfUqVTCMRxUhUoVjP2Z_huow7aqJ_v-vV3we82g/w303-h400/CHESS%20REVIEW%20(March%201956).jpg" width="303" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Kubrick's
main obsessions as a young man were watching movies, photography (he was a LOOK
photographer for 4 years) and playing chess (he would become a tournament-level
player). He maintained creative involvement in every detail of his films, which
in this case created tension with cinematographer Lucien Ballard. Rode notes
Kubrick's camera moves only when necessary, a trait he probably picked up from
watching the work of German-French filmmaker Max Ophüls (<b>LETTER FROM AN
UNKNOWN WOMAN</b> [1948], <b>LA RONDE</b> [1950]). Despite the fact Kubrick did
not take a salary, <b>THE KILLING</b> was not a profitable title for United
Artists, though the gritty <i>noir</i> absolutely cemented Kubrick's reputation
as a young filmmaker to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
theatrical trailer (1m 46s) is the only other supplement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><u>Note</u>: Unless otherwise indicated, the screen captures above were snapped from the Criterion DVD released in 2011. For 4K screen captures of the Kino Lorber Studio Classics version of <b>THE KILLING</b>, visit Gary Tooze's DVDBeaver website: <a href="http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film10/blu-ray_review_148/the_killing_4K_UHD.htm" target="_blank">THE KILLING</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKO2666755JdLwTF0a7uV9jP0-Dv4aDfIErcpC4bkoMK7TpcwVL8HTvzp30oVKdKXVq-CWIzhsFEKNhrAArgiwc57meOmJfr9kxuymGT9IddUJh4zYAP11F6QYJmKavrB4PNOBnYdLfo_g7XdnEEpPe2K0umUabDFv2CAG72gO250Xln_2-xFM8a8Ig/s2000/The%20Killing%20(1956)_Poster_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1506" data-original-width="2000" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKO2666755JdLwTF0a7uV9jP0-Dv4aDfIErcpC4bkoMK7TpcwVL8HTvzp30oVKdKXVq-CWIzhsFEKNhrAArgiwc57meOmJfr9kxuymGT9IddUJh4zYAP11F6QYJmKavrB4PNOBnYdLfo_g7XdnEEpPe2K0umUabDFv2CAG72gO250Xln_2-xFM8a8Ig/w400-h301/The%20Killing%20(1956)_Poster_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxYsJSNs47J30Q7cp2iP0jD2bYXJTLMpdzmm3-Le9q29X3ZUbx5l3DraGNRe7fD2rMbLjoqYQBAFx23a7amKbb0bN6C4hHRsvDFwUlKo0eCFf9jToPb3RXkRa7fbZQGmQoUobTaNgdVCoteBftl-NFMfTFGnr7A8_ys-6YQSmN6pTqDXE6K-clUmPzQ/s986/The%20Killing%20(1956)_Poster_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="382" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxYsJSNs47J30Q7cp2iP0jD2bYXJTLMpdzmm3-Le9q29X3ZUbx5l3DraGNRe7fD2rMbLjoqYQBAFx23a7amKbb0bN6C4hHRsvDFwUlKo0eCFf9jToPb3RXkRa7fbZQGmQoUobTaNgdVCoteBftl-NFMfTFGnr7A8_ys-6YQSmN6pTqDXE6K-clUmPzQ/w248-h640/The%20Killing%20(1956)_Poster_3.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPuDVjwqYlBNYhGcIl4dvRl-jOrOtPXu7DSShRAWJFaN6vonmBmlqw8l0OmC0iWdlXMofVqp7RB-WDVeReoFACYdGA1bLhgGGFFZqU-V7-i4-5DW0BH9NbPsDv0jV29pKnVTPyb0FudflIf9QsuOuYanTzYv6symmmHf9QJKrptxA7ooUCh1KxusD_Q/s2476/The%20Killing%20(1956)_4K_UHD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2476" data-original-width="1588" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfPuDVjwqYlBNYhGcIl4dvRl-jOrOtPXu7DSShRAWJFaN6vonmBmlqw8l0OmC0iWdlXMofVqp7RB-WDVeReoFACYdGA1bLhgGGFFZqU-V7-i4-5DW0BH9NbPsDv0jV29pKnVTPyb0FudflIf9QsuOuYanTzYv6symmmHf9QJKrptxA7ooUCh1KxusD_Q/w256-h400/The%20Killing%20(1956)_4K_UHD.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-24213738942326187222022-09-01T23:49:00.002-05:002022-10-01T14:01:01.498-05:00711 OCEAN DRIVE (1950)<p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Columbia Pictures, 102m<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Format: 35mm<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">9:15 PM, Wednesday,
August 31st, 2022<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">NOIR CITY: CHICAGO 2022<br /></span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Music Box Theatre,
Chicago, IL<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Friday, August 26th,
2022 to Thursday, September 1st, 2022<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://musicboxtheatre.com/events/noir-city-chicago-2022">NOIR CITY: CHICAGO 2022 SCHEDULE</a></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jCQZuwp40BxQQ3mtiifN6AK-tOwYZ1fTBRbTWKdryD6l87tnUY_-MtuyQCm6B9hDUmB0eDZoGbP18RBQ_7k4N2e6cbeuFR4c58OyO5qb7sADaHQmx64qw92c0K74agxJ1_wnijLCklOsvQLougLB2lMKgtamYPGf4HrZqI4Xp32xWWpLd_pYx0lbow/s2048/Music%20Box%20Theatre.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jCQZuwp40BxQQ3mtiifN6AK-tOwYZ1fTBRbTWKdryD6l87tnUY_-MtuyQCm6B9hDUmB0eDZoGbP18RBQ_7k4N2e6cbeuFR4c58OyO5qb7sADaHQmx64qw92c0K74agxJ1_wnijLCklOsvQLougLB2lMKgtamYPGf4HrZqI4Xp32xWWpLd_pYx0lbow/w480-h640/Music%20Box%20Theatre.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Film
historian Alan K. Rode returned to Chicago for another NOIR CITY lineup of
likable <i>film noir</i> classics, B titles and rarities. Last night he
presented <b>711 OCEAN DRIVE</b>, released in July of 1950, back when the
Kefauver Committee had been formed to deliver a kick in the pants to organized
crime. Around that time <i>noir</i> stories adopted a torn-from-the-headlines approach,
and this one probably is as good as any of the "social problem" <i>noirs</i>
of its time. It stars everyman specialist Edmond O'Brien as an individual with
"too much ambition" for his own good, the proverbial gangster done in
by his own excesses.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE242ZiSPiFl1lnacMnSinyzViu_MlSfvjExa54HB-GDnKwS-_TwszG4VvZqGF6RedLlbFfCxrs4bNwpd2SYpdlsT0b4VK-g6hsyZcFa9W7YtdZoaN8WL25KqepSaPoofeZoPlWq6q63c2VOtU3HwTZl18S1TAxmar-Jjh4clFHlo3fWUIj6i1hZglJw/s1502/711%20Ocean%20Drive%20(1950)_Poster_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE242ZiSPiFl1lnacMnSinyzViu_MlSfvjExa54HB-GDnKwS-_TwszG4VvZqGF6RedLlbFfCxrs4bNwpd2SYpdlsT0b4VK-g6hsyZcFa9W7YtdZoaN8WL25KqepSaPoofeZoPlWq6q63c2VOtU3HwTZl18S1TAxmar-Jjh4clFHlo3fWUIj6i1hZglJw/w266-h400/711%20Ocean%20Drive%20(1950)_Poster_1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Mal
Granger (O'Brien) is introduced as a working-class stiff who bets on horses in
the hope of improving his modest social status. The vet turned telecom
technician clearly feels like he isn't making it like he ought to be. He even
mentions when it comes to gambling, he wants to win big or not at all, a train
of thought common to numerous <i>noir</i> protagonists that surfaced after
Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) in <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b> (1944). Granger's
appetite for wealth leads him to Vince Walters (Barry Kelley), whose bookmaking
operation quickly benefits from the tech-savvy Granger. Revenue increases so
significantly for Walters that Granger is able to leverage the situation. After
habitually short (as in a light envelope) bookie Mendel Weiss (Sidney Dubin)
guns down Walters, Granger steps in and takes over the wire operation with
confidence, a department in which he never seems to be lacking. Soon after
Granger ascends to the rank of top wire service man out West, the ruthless wire
service syndicate from the East takes an interest in Granger’s activities.
Larry Mason (Don Porter) is sent to recruit Granger while syndicate boss Carl
Stephans (Otto Kruger in a stellar turn) maintains a watchful eye on all
aspects of the business.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"Money
is the answer to everything," notes Granger while the narrative adopts a
consistently Marxist view of capitalism. The wire service racket embodies the
seedy underbelly of a free-market economy where whoever is willing to cheat
others the most enjoys the most success, at least until those who feel
marginalized begin to factor in the demise of their old boss. Ultimately greed
is shown to be the force that destroys everything: relationships, careers,
lives. Even when Granger earns more than he ever had, it still is not enough
and probably never could be. He is furious to learn his East coast employers
have decided to pay him less than originally promised, though Granger is blind
to the irony that he treated his workhorse bookies the same. Women are
positioned in largely ornamental roles, with Trudy Maxwell (Dorothy Patrick)
drifting in as an obvious distraction to ambitious men and Gail Mason (Joanne
Dru) as the beautiful barfly without much of a marriage to preserve. Certainly
for a modern audience, this <i>noir</i> film anticipates the emergence of the
technical criminal as a greater threat to society than the hoodlum with a
sawed-off shotgun.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruZxajz2R0bzlnxGzp9khtn3_UxHpOxuRYXg7mxwWJxGIM3z5J5GcjbTzahaxhJqaith_KS7zHdeHhAONccdjDHKqQJfN_EPrMPVVTV6EiZLwhU8yZ_X7rN6GKD_EOZIg--4Luy-En_w2kXdKrvamVXgBUNKQ9QxumCba1nu4UB0p2_O9hLmAWptC_g/s1005/711%20Ocean%20Drive%20(1950)_Screen_Still.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1005" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgruZxajz2R0bzlnxGzp9khtn3_UxHpOxuRYXg7mxwWJxGIM3z5J5GcjbTzahaxhJqaith_KS7zHdeHhAONccdjDHKqQJfN_EPrMPVVTV6EiZLwhU8yZ_X7rN6GKD_EOZIg--4Luy-En_w2kXdKrvamVXgBUNKQ9QxumCba1nu4UB0p2_O9hLmAWptC_g/w400-h266/711%20Ocean%20Drive%20(1950)_Screen_Still.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">711
OCEAN DRIVE</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> was written by Richard English and Francis
Swann and is immensely entertaining. It is briskly paced as directed by Joseph
M. Newman, the solid filmmaker behind <b>ABANDONED</b> (1949) and <b>DANGEROUS
CROSSING</b> (1953) and a colorful Hollywood raconteur per festival host Rode.
The story of Granger recalls the career pattern of Stanton Carlisle (Tyrone
Power) in <b>NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> (1947), as well as the basic dynamic of the
proto-<i>noir</i> <b>M</b> (1931), with the lead protagonist wanted by both
lawmen and underworld entities. The past-post con is particularly satisfying as
staged by Newman, and there is plenty to like about the location footage
collected in Los Angeles, Palm Springs and Hoover Dam, though I thought an
opportunity was missed at that last locale. Instead of being shot to death,
Granger should have fallen down that incredibly steep staircase inside Hoover
Dam (talk about one of <i>noir</i>'s dangerous staircases!). Director of
photography Franz Planer also worked on <b>THE CHASE</b> (1946), <b>CRISS CROSS</b>
(1949) and <b>99 RIVER STREET</b> (1953), all exceptional <i>film noirs</i>.
The only problem that stands out in <b>711 OCEAN DRIVE</b> is that it concludes
on a needlessly sanctimonious note about the corruptive power of gambling, even
for just a $2 bet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw59Ll8u6F26PTch_htli_yE-Laee4_dohw_iGOOR1zMlsQD6QbXMECH1zWRZ0crlZaMklfsJaFimAXfhSStaR1MuOoC_jpNEAKdKyAjG1bYFAuPe6uJA09_zBgKMpI4Ul2fAAA9Yzu3gjCvPaFhD_xDNAKqIfULAeWzlNCktYxzW2roWzrhXj5L6VkQ/s1100/711%20Ocean%20Drive%20(1950)_Poster_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1100" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw59Ll8u6F26PTch_htli_yE-Laee4_dohw_iGOOR1zMlsQD6QbXMECH1zWRZ0crlZaMklfsJaFimAXfhSStaR1MuOoC_jpNEAKdKyAjG1bYFAuPe6uJA09_zBgKMpI4Ul2fAAA9Yzu3gjCvPaFhD_xDNAKqIfULAeWzlNCktYxzW2roWzrhXj5L6VkQ/w400-h321/711%20Ocean%20Drive%20(1950)_Poster_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-42879260898688762912022-08-28T17:50:00.002-05:002022-10-01T14:05:20.688-05:00SMOOTH AS SILK (1946) and SO DARK THE NIGHT (1946)<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3nXKgGJnYocGu57imZRUcqqNo1RxCRAVkPn6u-t8ykPv-SwtrNY5hEYuUF7szKT-QNhq_rPrXtbFFhMWTLOc_q_34u_u83bGbkF6eC_TkmhQBsnnOKYdHqcTgOI3Om3DUXOlT2iPidoHtggI4bizJb0T_5HdwRm59Ktu_gUmOjvOUJeqrtmalK-AHA/s1000/NOIR%20CITY%20BACKGROUND%20IMAGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3nXKgGJnYocGu57imZRUcqqNo1RxCRAVkPn6u-t8ykPv-SwtrNY5hEYuUF7szKT-QNhq_rPrXtbFFhMWTLOc_q_34u_u83bGbkF6eC_TkmhQBsnnOKYdHqcTgOI3Om3DUXOlT2iPidoHtggI4bizJb0T_5HdwRm59Ktu_gUmOjvOUJeqrtmalK-AHA/w400-h240/NOIR%20CITY%20BACKGROUND%20IMAGE.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></b></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">SMOOTH AS SILK</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> (1946)<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Universal Pictures, 64m<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Format: 35mm<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">6:45 PM, Saturday,
August 27th, 2022<br /></span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">SO DARK THE NIGHT</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> (1946)<br /><o:p></o:p></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Columbia Pictures, 71m<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Format: 35mm<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">8:30 PM, Saturday,
August 27th, 2022<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> <br /></o:p></span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">NOIR CITY: CHICAGO 2022<br /></span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Music Box Theatre,
Chicago, IL<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Friday, August 26th,
2022 to Thursday, September 1st, 2022<br /></span><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://musicboxtheatre.com/events/noir-city-chicago-2022" target="_blank">NOIR CITY: CHICAGO 2022 </a></span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b><a href="https://musicboxtheatre.com/events/noir-city-chicago-2022" target="_blank">SCHEDULE</a></b><br /></span></div><p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><p style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBD-p5EzToi_6vIBqL9QuJUQ7K1MHYgCx_ApJnDE4lfrIhgO3orvlnnjY1G-SUiOIQmJ3yfPnScfhp6qqCVrIYMnV0UQncO7g8bXSfL1G0oo29hglJ3Q_Muj_nhCMezl3A9_kFziA1Tu5TLx9VZzXb3EPqrCM0sP9utcq-QriIiF41oYKtti5tR_e_w/s2604/Smooth%20as%20Silk%20(1946)_Poster_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2029" data-original-width="2604" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBD-p5EzToi_6vIBqL9QuJUQ7K1MHYgCx_ApJnDE4lfrIhgO3orvlnnjY1G-SUiOIQmJ3yfPnScfhp6qqCVrIYMnV0UQncO7g8bXSfL1G0oo29hglJ3Q_Muj_nhCMezl3A9_kFziA1Tu5TLx9VZzXb3EPqrCM0sP9utcq-QriIiF41oYKtti5tR_e_w/w400-h311/Smooth%20as%20Silk%20(1946)_Poster_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Yesterday's
NOIR CITY lineup was presented by Turner Classic Movies' Noir Alley host Eddie
Muller, who was onsite with a selection of B titles for the day. I attended two
of them, each connected to the other by willful women whose actions lead to
dire consequences for the significant men in their lives. <b>SMOOTH AS SILK</b>
stars Virginia Grey, one of the film industry's great "almost"
stories according to Muller. Born in Hollywood, she grew up in the business and
never broke through, though she did enjoy a long career as an actress (into the
1970s). She makes quite an impression in this starring role as an energetically
egocentric femme fatale.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
taut B <i>noir</i> opens with the conclusion of a court case. Thanks to
attorney Mark Fenton (Kent Taylor), well-known drinker and player Don Elliott
(Danny Morton) has eluded a manslaughter charge. Don's uncle and trustee
Stephen Elliott (John Litel) happens to be a stage producer, and Mark hopes to
leverage the situation since his actress fiancée Paula Marlowe (Grey) would
like to play the lead in Stephen's next production. Stephen expresses no
interest in casting Paula, who winds up with a bracelet from Mark instead of
what she really wants. The type of woman Paula is gets definition via a closeup
when she learns the drunkard Don stands to inherit $3 million. Paula gets to
know Don only to shift her charms to Stephen and his new play "Miracle at
Midnight." As Paula goes from man to man in her efforts to further her
career as an actress, Mark is left to brood. At that time <b>SMOOTH AS SILK</b>
firmly puts a large footprint down in <i>noir</i> terrain, with Mark and his private
investigator enveloped by the shadows of venetian blinds, that telltale <i>noir</i>
signature for criminal minds at work.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnd-r2Io3V_1VWxa2_okzeUqr0d8sIL1prigL0dpvumSi2KK0X3geclclqf6Exu4ypFXBbe2RRG4eFIoWBRr_3680OU6NGFmw0k-1y2a7ujLyKoD2bO0--pwNdha7lwwJFsWNN2JD_yZeu4FyDkHzBFSFjdzZ4AnBMHbr1k534vwf2DXA_rgsmBJyjg/s1000/Smooth%20as%20Silk%20(1946)_Screen_Still_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnd-r2Io3V_1VWxa2_okzeUqr0d8sIL1prigL0dpvumSi2KK0X3geclclqf6Exu4ypFXBbe2RRG4eFIoWBRr_3680OU6NGFmw0k-1y2a7ujLyKoD2bO0--pwNdha7lwwJFsWNN2JD_yZeu4FyDkHzBFSFjdzZ4AnBMHbr1k534vwf2DXA_rgsmBJyjg/w400-h240/Smooth%20as%20Silk%20(1946)_Screen_Still_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">An
obvious instance of one of the genre's scheming spider women, all of Paula's
thoughts revolve around herself. After one of the men in her life is found shot
dead, her immediate concern is she could be accused of the crime. And thanks in
good part to the mind work of this beautiful but conniving dame, a once
respectable lawman is converted into a murderer, one who arranges evidence as
to point the finger at another suspect. Not only that, the same guy labors to
convince Don he is the real killer (a fair plan since Don could not recall what
happened when a vehicle he was driving terminated the life of a pedestrian).
Don is a figure persistently impacted by the <i>noir</i> atmosphere of
randomness and instability. Though not the most upstanding member of the
community, Don is <i>not</i> the man he is encouraged to believe he is. He is
also horribly confused about the nature of Paula, who is <i>exactly</i> like
the lead character in his uncle's play, not the polar opposite he imagines her
to be. Therefor it might be assumed she is not necessarily much of an actress
either; once awarded the role she is merely playing herself. Ironically the
Elliott's butler Wolcott (Harry Cheshire) understands Paula best.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj_cS1fNFltMM--DRcZ2gHekPuafj3S9Cma0vRwGzOV_v1n_-dRbg1I6NwkWA0CbDNij6PiC4kukLIDofyTh7wq_weogwZS8u0cPP5_Obv0mzmNY9K78ig-bSw3XA2NJuVBPB6cH3I4F0n4YbiLUJhLW4ULibvz8UuSzWXOQEoIS1r48-gvgERsWGHQ/s1511/Smooth%20as%20Silk%20(1946)_Poster_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj_cS1fNFltMM--DRcZ2gHekPuafj3S9Cma0vRwGzOV_v1n_-dRbg1I6NwkWA0CbDNij6PiC4kukLIDofyTh7wq_weogwZS8u0cPP5_Obv0mzmNY9K78ig-bSw3XA2NJuVBPB6cH3I4F0n4YbiLUJhLW4ULibvz8UuSzWXOQEoIS1r48-gvgERsWGHQ/w265-h400/Smooth%20as%20Silk%20(1946)_Poster_2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
remake of <b>A NOTORIOUS GENTLEMAN</b> (1935), <b>SMOOTH AS SILK</b> was
directed by Charles Barton, a filmmaker who eventually edged into television,
as so many directors did. Cinematography was handled by Elwood Bredell. The
screenplay was completed by the combination of Dane Lussier and Kerry Shaw, who
adapted the original story credited to Florence Ryerson and Colin Clements.
Though an enjoyable little diversion from beginning to end, at a runtime of
just over an hour there is a sense that <b>SMOOTH AS SILK</b> comes together a
little too quickly in its concluding segments. Another area of weakness is the character Susan Marlowe (Jane Adams), Paula's good-and-decent
little sister, is introduced to fall for John Kimble (Milburn Stone), though that plot
thread goes unresolved.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvd8f24HEoLMp1yAn4kSTdOFhSIhZnRZ0JcH_X9vad2YVoRNBL0woVMkJXHugG0mrr7yGYlN2odsSsgZk-Nldudlz7r8cxGtAAvNQUIGsHkF7zxbdxPmPOSdiG_CbKan4Xcs0QOIpG24aMCCNrIlNTgD4GP8_PjQV1jSFXDNkDjs3i432jgFRLXIJRA/s1516/So%20Dark%20the%20Night%20(1946)_Poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1516" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvd8f24HEoLMp1yAn4kSTdOFhSIhZnRZ0JcH_X9vad2YVoRNBL0woVMkJXHugG0mrr7yGYlN2odsSsgZk-Nldudlz7r8cxGtAAvNQUIGsHkF7zxbdxPmPOSdiG_CbKan4Xcs0QOIpG24aMCCNrIlNTgD4GP8_PjQV1jSFXDNkDjs3i432jgFRLXIJRA/w264-h400/So%20Dark%20the%20Night%20(1946)_Poster.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Next
on the docket was <b>SO DARK THE NIGHT</b>, helmed by director Joseph H. Lewis,
a completely self-taught filmmaker who nudged his way into Hollywood based on
the career of his older brother Ben Lewis, an established film editor. Joseph proved
himself an instinctive storyteller and artist with his B films of the 1940s.
His ability to do distinctive work on a limited budget distinguished him from
his contemporaries. <b>SO DARK THE NIGHT</b> is an example of filmmaking on a
shoestring budget, with locations within five miles of the Columbia lot
standing in for the French countryside. Festival host Eddie Muller cited this
film as one of the genre's unreliable narratives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Parisian
detective Henri Cassin (frequent bit player Steven Geray in a rare leading
role) attempts to take some time off only to find himself engulfed in a murder
case. Cassin rents a room at a remote inn, where he attracts the attention of
Nanette Michaud (Micheline Cheirel), the daughter of Pierre Michaud (Eugene
Borden) and Mama Michaud (Ann Codee). Though Cassin is quite a bit older than
Nanette (in that grand Hollywood tradition), she is drawn to his worldliness
and sees him as a way out of the country and into the exciting big city lights
of Paris. But to the approval of Pierre and the disappointment of Mama, Nanette
already has been promised to Leon Achard (Paul Marion), a simple local man of
limited financial resources.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGRRJpau0yX6fgmeKNyLMGYQMrDC3zkvlZXLucEcguYDWxfAKcpU34G2oLzjHftx30ZzEYByI5WQlkTrlYedxJuQI9VQqixX5FtaxOWVwHXiRzht3ls9yyF9v1RmtgjH1IZzVoWeZzxaudAJgPDUKmyU2-tbJVD9r8_MOVqFTdcNndvk3YZ-Kt8j9iw/s1000/So%20Dark%20the%20Night%20(1946)_Screen_Still.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGRRJpau0yX6fgmeKNyLMGYQMrDC3zkvlZXLucEcguYDWxfAKcpU34G2oLzjHftx30ZzEYByI5WQlkTrlYedxJuQI9VQqixX5FtaxOWVwHXiRzht3ls9yyF9v1RmtgjH1IZzVoWeZzxaudAJgPDUKmyU2-tbJVD9r8_MOVqFTdcNndvk3YZ-Kt8j9iw/w400-h240/So%20Dark%20the%20Night%20(1946)_Screen_Still.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The <i>noir</i>
universe extends to rural French environs when a triple murder case emerges,
with Cassin conveniently on hand to assist hopelessly perplexed local
authorities. Both Mama and Nanette embody <i>noir</i> female archetypes
fascinated with material things they "deserve," as well as women
intent on breaking away from the patriarchal system that dictates who women
should marry. Interestingly, Pierre loses both of them after he reinforces the
notion that Nanette would be better off with Leon than the much older detective
from Paris. A notably <i>noir</i> sense of fatalism takes root when the
lifelong bachelor Cassin concludes, "That much happiness just wasn't meant
for me." As the multiple murder investigation progresses, the film veers
off into a psychological direction in its examination of an accomplished crime
investigator on holiday. Suffice is to say his suspicions about his destiny
prove prescient.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
Lewis later would score with the undisputed <i>film noir</i> classics <b>GUN
CRAZY</b> (1950) and <b>THE BIG COMBO</b> (1955), though I also think a lot of <b>MY
NAME IS JULIA ROSS</b> (1945), an intense B <i>noir</i> released the year prior
to <b>SO DARK THE NIGHT</b>. The film under review here constitutes a lesser
achievement than those titles, though is interesting in its implication that to
be married to one's profession is inherently unhealthy and is sure to catch up
with you. But at the end of the day, there are too many implausibilities and
Steven Geray just is not an appealing lead. Martin Berkeley and Dwight V.
Babcock wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Aubrey Wisberg. Director of
photography Burnett Guffey probably contributed to the <i>film noir</i>
movement as much as anyone, including B movies such as <b>MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS</b>,
<b>NIGHT EDITOR</b> (1946) and <b>NIGHTFALL</b> (1956) as well as crucial genre
classics like <b>ALL THE KING'S MEN</b> (1949), <b>IN A LONELY PLACE</b> (1950)
and <b>THE SNIPER</b> (1952).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZZ1-2k9YjYi-lsWYdl4fhT7LalX4ZF-HIxCYoUiq5qS0Sdmz_RtBJm5ZJXjyYTtUZ9i3fYeXAu3F7if4WdmNHqOfbvfQUoh6qmTu8JAsye42_EMuKEclnpjvamTNGYdjVUwysOmZnDxJ99bo9b2w2JlRP8NX-8unm7bcNAuym3fS7Ub706vK-3XE1g/s1280/So%20Dark%20the%20Night%20(1946)_Screen_Still_IMDB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="821" data-original-width="1280" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZZ1-2k9YjYi-lsWYdl4fhT7LalX4ZF-HIxCYoUiq5qS0Sdmz_RtBJm5ZJXjyYTtUZ9i3fYeXAu3F7if4WdmNHqOfbvfQUoh6qmTu8JAsye42_EMuKEclnpjvamTNGYdjVUwysOmZnDxJ99bo9b2w2JlRP8NX-8unm7bcNAuym3fS7Ub706vK-3XE1g/w400-h256/So%20Dark%20the%20Night%20(1946)_Screen_Still_IMDB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-55546393091074854222022-07-31T12:22:00.000-05:002022-07-31T12:22:48.919-05:00DEPORTED (1950)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Universal
Pictures, 88m 52s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVk58ytdyudQ5WXPH9u8MUzEM_clYVUq_2eyWNSC51fl66adPaapPolJt_v0AAz8JxGlmJ9P3rcHyWeAc9TMnzX-6rCcnn6252lUBVt5QlYvWPzFxy8D57e3NNn1r-RuimFcXm4-_7efH4xo-_zEdwZ2X9vixdqdcSO3w_T59Tofx5HRpK6XL_LqycA/s1502/Deported%20(1950)_Poster_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVk58ytdyudQ5WXPH9u8MUzEM_clYVUq_2eyWNSC51fl66adPaapPolJt_v0AAz8JxGlmJ9P3rcHyWeAc9TMnzX-6rCcnn6252lUBVt5QlYvWPzFxy8D57e3NNn1r-RuimFcXm4-_7efH4xo-_zEdwZ2X9vixdqdcSO3w_T59Tofx5HRpK6XL_LqycA/w266-h400/Deported%20(1950)_Poster_1.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Another
of <i>film noir</i>'s evocative one-word title treatments, <b>DEPORTED</b>
unveils the inverse of the American dream, one immigrant's remarkable
full-circle journey. The standard narrative that features the determined
immigrant is given a <i>noir</i> flash forward in this international production
with distinctly American concerns. Though many of its implications are cynical,
<b>DEPORTED</b> is not without a glimmer of hope.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
material was inspired by the deportation of real-life crime boss Charles
"Lucky" Luciano (born Salvatore Lucania). Our story opens in Naples,
Italy where Vic Smith (Jeff Chandler) is being returned from American soil
after an extended stay in New York City. Vic first immigrated to the US in the
early 1920s but has been booted from the country after serving a five-year
stretch in Sing Sing for racketeering. At the pier to welcome Vic is Vito
Bucelli (Claude Dauphin) of the Italian Ministry of the Interior, who strongly
believes Vic will be intent on recovering the $100K in ill-gotten gains he has
hidden somewhere. Bucelli is an intuitive man (think Barton Keyes [Edward G.
Robinson] from <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b> [1944]). Determined to catch a criminal <i>before</i>
he commits a crime, Bucelli has a nose for such matters, a nose that has been
reliable for many, many years. Per a mandate from Bucelli, Vic must stay with
his remaining family for 30 days minimum in Marbella.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kYerqsOV-iUo5IQ03PpwD9WtR3H0zNnAeignFkSohiWbtu-t4tJEVQuFR-ZsejfixiFGAH9KwB_oKkkdLL1IPgtESFQ2Ie85sRdeDL3g8hTDbj969yw24SJd-GDL6TZ12-vi9rd-z0iTguoRjjXfAUl7RmRCuO52dBU8hOTiWZhrxG8nVkzFYT0W_A/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kYerqsOV-iUo5IQ03PpwD9WtR3H0zNnAeignFkSohiWbtu-t4tJEVQuFR-ZsejfixiFGAH9KwB_oKkkdLL1IPgtESFQ2Ie85sRdeDL3g8hTDbj969yw24SJd-GDL6TZ12-vi9rd-z0iTguoRjjXfAUl7RmRCuO52dBU8hOTiWZhrxG8nVkzFYT0W_A/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqagZIC-O5zO2lFPvSrxpnLPzzOV0kNc2j7hUSrHCdhRn_rTt0pkVFt_y6X8N_VPoHN8TtmpMBFFKC5xp5tNQqJ0OIX-uQywxgWtcY-JLJRYvEG2D2xpNHqhCPgrqYKEA0R9dW8a-tm8_4_5ZyBeFRVXwb6H2zHzH-i1hHQ28XZwdvxTTzrND9Gw-Xw/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqagZIC-O5zO2lFPvSrxpnLPzzOV0kNc2j7hUSrHCdhRn_rTt0pkVFt_y6X8N_VPoHN8TtmpMBFFKC5xp5tNQqJ0OIX-uQywxgWtcY-JLJRYvEG2D2xpNHqhCPgrqYKEA0R9dW8a-tm8_4_5ZyBeFRVXwb6H2zHzH-i1hHQ28XZwdvxTTzrND9Gw-Xw/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">A
self-assertive, confident man, Vic shows how quickly he can get the upper hand
in a tough situation during an unexpected meeting with his former partner in
crime Bernardo "Bernie" Gervaso (Richard Rober, burdened with some of
the film's exposition dialog). Bernie has followed Vic to Italy in the hope of
getting his share of the money Vic has stashed, though Vic feels entitled to
the entire $100K since he did five years and kept his mouth shut about their
partnership. Prepared for a requisite low-key existence in Marbella, Vic's outlook
improves when he eyes Countess Christine di Lorenzi (Märta Torén), an elegant,
philanthropic brunette and widow of five years (interestingly, the same amount
of time Vic spent in a correctional facility). During that time frame Christine
has lived in sexual retirement, perhaps another parallel to Vic. It is not
difficult to understand why Vic falls for Christine; that a woman of her social
experience would desire him tends to strain credulity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">DEPORTED</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;"> is
set in a post-WWII land of food shortages, with bread lines a frustrating part
of daily life. That circumstance underscores a major difference in character
types when Christine is upset to notice Vic encourage children to fight over an
item of value (an old habit of his introduced in the film's early moments).
Here we have "roughneck" American capitalist notions defiantly at
odds with the European socialist, along with the existing contrast between the
uneducated, boorish male criminal and the sensitive, cultured woman with a
charitable heart. Christine, who would like nothing more than to know everyone
has enough to eat, wrongly equates Vic with selfless American goodness and
generosity when in truth he embodies corrosive American greed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8Ca9FZtUN7wWpOf2fPe1fcIJABoYQf6hbIp9s4kZCjGe6uEwGw2FeMQWgv1HcaeOH3mSm0BX9YYT3HCGMNPl2JiO-2P-YRAjvZbTQuTh5DO9TMC1pQumHwWK29uVE6xL4MMdiHSm6Sb1MjcDhwyZixC1rGBYMeKmF4WGYOY7NgYkqJRxBnHUHkkkZw/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8Ca9FZtUN7wWpOf2fPe1fcIJABoYQf6hbIp9s4kZCjGe6uEwGw2FeMQWgv1HcaeOH3mSm0BX9YYT3HCGMNPl2JiO-2P-YRAjvZbTQuTh5DO9TMC1pQumHwWK29uVE6xL4MMdiHSm6Sb1MjcDhwyZixC1rGBYMeKmF4WGYOY7NgYkqJRxBnHUHkkkZw/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LkmNhpiZDxTjIANeY8J9S7fBgl9xa6zJdzh3qEYcP-bcYMa1xJmsjx_wb-6eIv8L9fP1tz5OJRfXE1dXSAeLhqZOdKtcmUp4UmYKJGn1N8wkCCOJbjlKuhfJWgOi06wp1d8bbnJXCLKBADxYxtiLsMBZjIuClD43qU8Fwl49HGsUrmmpEKb1Erlcdg/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LkmNhpiZDxTjIANeY8J9S7fBgl9xa6zJdzh3qEYcP-bcYMa1xJmsjx_wb-6eIv8L9fP1tz5OJRfXE1dXSAeLhqZOdKtcmUp4UmYKJGn1N8wkCCOJbjlKuhfJWgOi06wp1d8bbnJXCLKBADxYxtiLsMBZjIuClD43qU8Fwl49HGsUrmmpEKb1Erlcdg/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MEI4Xw6DX_MXYBcOAl_GjsRF7AHaKxraIG8vkcB3apbgvWzVzxWYAcbPfdtCUCb52IB4kWTnf3EmMsnOasNN5dTxk9oI3_0Z25AN9QkSR2qaDGxM-8RCknyusJzH6y0q9aqcyCWNlLF_Jpq-owIs9qZ9H-sGJODLA_uhiAC56bguU_DTPqvszL5tWQ/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MEI4Xw6DX_MXYBcOAl_GjsRF7AHaKxraIG8vkcB3apbgvWzVzxWYAcbPfdtCUCb52IB4kWTnf3EmMsnOasNN5dTxk9oI3_0Z25AN9QkSR2qaDGxM-8RCknyusJzH6y0q9aqcyCWNlLF_Jpq-owIs9qZ9H-sGJODLA_uhiAC56bguU_DTPqvszL5tWQ/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Gina
Carapia (Marina Berti) serves as femme fatale and counterpoint to Christine.
Though Gina leads Vic into a tough setting when they first meet, when he later
encounters her, he cannot resist following her again. That is the dangerous <i>film
noir</i> woman for certain; even when a man knows of her essence, he cannot
deny his attraction to her. In her own way Gina is more worldly than the
aristocrat Christine. From the very beginning Gina understands Vic far better
than her polar opposite does. "Oh, I could fool you a hundred times,"
Gina assures Vic. In fact, it is only due to Gina's command of her magnetic
sexuality that Bernie is able to link Vic to Guido Caruso (Carlo Rizzo), a
local small-timer noted for moving food for badly inflated prices through the black
market.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Probably
the most <i>noir</i> element of <b>DEPORTED</b> is the association it draws
between Vic's dark past and America's relationship with other countries. The US
likes to think of itself as the world hero who props up other countries unable
to do as much on their own. Perhaps the truth is there is no such thing as a
completely benevolent benefactor, that behind every ostensibly humane act is a
person like Vic, driven primarily by his own interests. "Mr. America"
he derisively calls himself at one point. Vic's antithesis is his
salt-of-the-earth uncle Armando Sparducci (Silvio Minciotti), an altruistic
bread baker content to live a simple life devoid of material possessions. Uncle
Armando mistakenly believes his nephew worked for the US government based upon
a federal notice he received! It is inferred large amounts of such gullibility
is necessary for deception to function on a grand scale.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbfFJbkMlBNGJ0JONPe-BQyTp0NTzwnB40k6KEcGANKtjubw_Iapt1VvBBGNBCrnhv0dwj-zGzKRtJPOezDmtzcNbT--me2Wtx9-c6jcJj-bd454kY73KklsfsaBkd86QrSyHGkTEVYFTilmLyJ3skPOAhShOHlJYM0NfBYrEJknHCxRo--hnbNT5Uw/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbfFJbkMlBNGJ0JONPe-BQyTp0NTzwnB40k6KEcGANKtjubw_Iapt1VvBBGNBCrnhv0dwj-zGzKRtJPOezDmtzcNbT--me2Wtx9-c6jcJj-bd454kY73KklsfsaBkd86QrSyHGkTEVYFTilmLyJ3skPOAhShOHlJYM0NfBYrEJknHCxRo--hnbNT5Uw/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0krbOrpjcCjflBX_FhgLETHCSaGIBb0y4-TnS4-egXg7yXVRCo8L0ozDkWuT0L1j_T0eI_HTjCBa-64y9uOm_m65A2WpHvIgcq_HuEwu0EBGSnV4ndwkQc3KJvvhJanLNFvQmVHEbUOqELe35VTxpNDvO2sSFnTV1hNrdpWQFWh6Yp0OjVBELktkwSA/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0krbOrpjcCjflBX_FhgLETHCSaGIBb0y4-TnS4-egXg7yXVRCo8L0ozDkWuT0L1j_T0eI_HTjCBa-64y9uOm_m65A2WpHvIgcq_HuEwu0EBGSnV4ndwkQc3KJvvhJanLNFvQmVHEbUOqELe35VTxpNDvO2sSFnTV1hNrdpWQFWh6Yp0OjVBELktkwSA/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Y2-IbnzLjHiD9XNkE0f_XnQrDB2athAJBEA7qOImWLUmejz0WX9LIYE7N45uhaWVSbYGG4Exdr24cOOqivpv3a8gaKgD5FTIdBGQ-jrnvCFoLmwteovWxrKsZmmBfZd8czX4gzpieUHXVHrUBkHTevxRlGnYQYLwzvDQXf1HrePX-5FuG-liB_Uq6A/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Y2-IbnzLjHiD9XNkE0f_XnQrDB2athAJBEA7qOImWLUmejz0WX9LIYE7N45uhaWVSbYGG4Exdr24cOOqivpv3a8gaKgD5FTIdBGQ-jrnvCFoLmwteovWxrKsZmmBfZd8czX4gzpieUHXVHrUBkHTevxRlGnYQYLwzvDQXf1HrePX-5FuG-liB_Uq6A/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_8.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">To
connect additional <i>noir</i> themes and motifs with Vic is simple, such as
the familiar <i>noir</i> trope of multiple identities within one body (Vic
Smith / Vittorio Mario Sparducci), a pattern set in place to convey complexity
of personality. Then there is the unmistakable <i>noir</i> theme of alienation
experienced by the lead protagonist. Vic no longer can be part of the criminal
underground, nor should he expect to find acceptance in the legitimate business
world. Though obviously a flawed individual with a shady history, like so many <i>film
noir</i> protagonists he does reveal a moral compass. Ultimately, he comes
clean with both Christine and his uncle about who he really is and what he has
done. The ironic atmosphere often crucial to the <i>film noir</i> manifests
itself in terms of Vic's $100K that eludes his grasp. When the money is as
close to him in Marbella as it is going to get, he finds himself in a painfully
awkward position:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to acknowledge any
sense of his humanity would destroy him. Even more ironic, it turns out only
the poor benefit from the $100K that Vic hoped would enrich his life
exclusively.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
Robert Siodmak was one of <i>film noir</i>'s most frequent and consistent
contributors. His optimal work in the genre includes <b>PHANTOM LADY</b>
(1944), <b>THE KILLERS</b> (1946) and <b>CRISS CROSS</b> (1949). I would not
put <b>DEPORTED</b> in Siodmak's upper tier, but I found it to be a sturdy motion
picture that withstands repeat viewings without issue. The screenplay was by
writer/producer Robert Buckner, who adapted the story PARADISE LOST '49 by
Canadian novelist Lionel Shapiro. Incredibly prolific cinematographer William
H. Daniels also handled the camera for a respectable <i>film noir</i> lineup
that includes <b>BRUTE FORCE</b> (1947), <b>THE NAKED CITY</b> (1948), <b>ABANDONED</b>
(1949) and <b>WOMAN IN HIDING</b> (1950). <b>DEPORTED</b> was shot on location
in Italy, and the influence of Italian neorealism is apparent. From a
cinematography standpoint, the first <i>noir</i>ish sequence occurs roughly a
half hour into the film, when Vic and Christine have coffee on her terrace. The
concluding sequence plays out in undeniable <i>noir</i> fashion:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a tense confrontation in a claustrophobic
warehouse, well handled by Daniels. Jeff Chandler is credible enough in the
lead role, though I could not watch without thinking about how ideal this role
would have been for Humphrey Bogart. Actually, the other actors considered for
the lead were Dana Andrews, Victor Mature and John Garfield. Sadly, both Jeff
Chandler and Märta Torén would die young:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Chandler at 42 and Torén at 30.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1mWDerLUYArNWgj0lOKDR1E1FVB_Mq0lnuPgHTx9Os6R0G8OVDP59gFrYZabj_enGLZikN82pbiMojHM7evLs5LEihxHIKC8uU-p2xjS8262VKxyDotJC91utQrbPGBtHBGkxe1zLl5J23aiW_IS-hFhIQRZR0SFxvi7q2Ywebc6--G-MAAwWMBMOg/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1mWDerLUYArNWgj0lOKDR1E1FVB_Mq0lnuPgHTx9Os6R0G8OVDP59gFrYZabj_enGLZikN82pbiMojHM7evLs5LEihxHIKC8uU-p2xjS8262VKxyDotJC91utQrbPGBtHBGkxe1zLl5J23aiW_IS-hFhIQRZR0SFxvi7q2Ywebc6--G-MAAwWMBMOg/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_9.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr46lQeHs7zgVPnqilXb5ArW2BLwfTJb6hdwLV-njUbmjfOFvbQRI_bAOr3DTkADs0gshINZaKIfY3pmoJxqNESd0dMsi2-U1OGalJTkkZQ-GOHhTTX0fDIFpWiDPlon9yNK4hy5Y2bA66xX_QrQpqXzpnzivwhM8N0w6wfSfJRoGSW42iyLgbWo6Ng/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr46lQeHs7zgVPnqilXb5ArW2BLwfTJb6hdwLV-njUbmjfOFvbQRI_bAOr3DTkADs0gshINZaKIfY3pmoJxqNESd0dMsi2-U1OGalJTkkZQ-GOHhTTX0fDIFpWiDPlon9yNK4hy5Y2bA66xX_QrQpqXzpnzivwhM8N0w6wfSfJRoGSW42iyLgbWo6Ng/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F3uD_5Pn8lVrJNaM7noJiV5Hm4ZH961llDDQYRkupMWLk_8kxhU5DLtuUS0gbGTZ1pOASB_a43CT0ViWfaYpUG1tVrs4GB2c6rELvM1_4WAmxtzslp9lTTlRGLTD7TfStJ4TT4rmE5UFT5XvHFUDXCJhMzMaR2tJVCJxRH0ilFBSqrKW5fS_GYWL3A/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7F3uD_5Pn8lVrJNaM7noJiV5Hm4ZH961llDDQYRkupMWLk_8kxhU5DLtuUS0gbGTZ1pOASB_a43CT0ViWfaYpUG1tVrs4GB2c6rELvM1_4WAmxtzslp9lTTlRGLTD7TfStJ4TT4rmE5UFT5XvHFUDXCJhMzMaR2tJVCJxRH0ilFBSqrKW5fS_GYWL3A/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmO1vpoTj8KilqBYpnCGWXefu4L9INtieDk27htX3geV9QsOr4OhOcyQfaMcxwm0pGnpSRJIc6t1lUMiBsZkENic5U7bctMVLqF0Ls3Bfy9_oV4uf7_jebI3OOJYXyzb3F7kmBaALf0m3IEwGUmBveLLNvTkEyLsEKvU1GAKlqZoffPvV3y_0ZzQyEQ/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmO1vpoTj8KilqBYpnCGWXefu4L9INtieDk27htX3geV9QsOr4OhOcyQfaMcxwm0pGnpSRJIc6t1lUMiBsZkENic5U7bctMVLqF0Ls3Bfy9_oV4uf7_jebI3OOJYXyzb3F7kmBaALf0m3IEwGUmBveLLNvTkEyLsEKvU1GAKlqZoffPvV3y_0ZzQyEQ/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_12.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrY_fMI_I4gsskgaT6otYvMZshWg0ef2tvTzxabQgUURLnEPqEy2hHgWM0_mJtFlNrckGsVSobiVsJcROtS3s6xPUnj5dhm2fidJqhvjMRomh8Z9aylZ5OmAogJIyq1wA8mx2Ie-fcUuXbUQyqiMZFvaqLIfWgkDP92Wl1TPTYEoIxtVR3cI5jOQvHg/s1920/Deported%20(1950)_13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrY_fMI_I4gsskgaT6otYvMZshWg0ef2tvTzxabQgUURLnEPqEy2hHgWM0_mJtFlNrckGsVSobiVsJcROtS3s6xPUnj5dhm2fidJqhvjMRomh8Z9aylZ5OmAogJIyq1wA8mx2Ie-fcUuXbUQyqiMZFvaqLIfWgkDP92Wl1TPTYEoIxtVR3cI5jOQvHg/w400-h225/Deported%20(1950)_13.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">This
single-layered Blu-ray edition from Kino Lorber, released late last year, as
far as I know marks the domestic debut of this title on home video. Framed at
the original theatrical scope of 1.37:1, the transfer impresses for the most
part while the occasional speckles, scratches and other artifacts that plague
the opening credits calm down considerably as the film unspools. Film historian
Eddy Von Mueller recorded a fresh audio commentary for this "runaway
production" (a film shot primarily outside of the Hollywood area). Shooting
required three weeks in Italy, two weeks on the studio lot and a $170K budget.
Von Mueller makes a lot of good observations about Vic, a two-time alien:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>first as an Italian immigrant in the US, then
as a deportee. <b>DEPORTED</b> is not a <i>film noir</i> in Von Mueller's
estimation, which is easy enough to debate. At minimum I consider it what film
scholar Alan K. Rode might label "<i>noir</i> stained." Where Von
Mueller and I find a lot of common ground is within the safe assumption that
Vic represents all the best and worst impulses of American leadership. Through
our lead protagonist Vic, the production endorses the Marshall Plan, the
American effort to prop up Western Europe after WWII, while it delivers
something of an apology for American deficiencies. Christine mirrors the
international reaction to idealistic American compulsions. She even declares
her love for Vic <i>after</i> she comes to terms with his worst qualities. The
filmmakers ask the audience to do the same when it comes to American foreign
policy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
disc includes a collection of trailers for comparable titles available from
Kino Lorber.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrSpa-iUKlbXv__DsyWqZ8GnGXbNPND2Lt3F7G_UoIkceTZ2OYSSW9zniGPHT_jB_XoJom0saSoMssTItzBB-BO7eIqPIeJti7Ftjw76KXJ3QaBgR6is9-4adVWpBVLWcJneI1UlGjfYCeVFRUKETR1sl3zW-uI7F9bK2C61vyP9quraVAiR-VyRZrg/s1657/Deported%20(1950)_Blu-ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="1299" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrSpa-iUKlbXv__DsyWqZ8GnGXbNPND2Lt3F7G_UoIkceTZ2OYSSW9zniGPHT_jB_XoJom0saSoMssTItzBB-BO7eIqPIeJti7Ftjw76KXJ3QaBgR6is9-4adVWpBVLWcJneI1UlGjfYCeVFRUKETR1sl3zW-uI7F9bK2C61vyP9quraVAiR-VyRZrg/w314-h400/Deported%20(1950)_Blu-ray.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-43361665960336623852022-06-26T13:43:00.002-05:002022-06-26T13:43:42.760-05:00REPEAT PERFORMANCE (1947)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Eagle-Lion Films, 93m
18s</span></p>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">"They say that
fate is in the stars, that each of our years is planned ahead, and nothing can
change destiny. Is that true?"</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">—voiceover by John
Ireland</span></div></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnA2tjZ7Re6K4ovbgvnJxOCPe-WxiNYNYuYeshhL_IiEbip637ImEbjDCW0x-T98-nvSnpxFlZN1Gpk3rMgMJW0btnU8REd6gdt__sIFSyZXB8g5gNUAmaALfFEYWFETgoGqbwDf0RF-hhBnjtXn234zD-9Me8Zkhoay8cItE2od2dQY_6VN7J4hVYg/s1500/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1212" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnA2tjZ7Re6K4ovbgvnJxOCPe-WxiNYNYuYeshhL_IiEbip637ImEbjDCW0x-T98-nvSnpxFlZN1Gpk3rMgMJW0btnU8REd6gdt__sIFSyZXB8g5gNUAmaALfFEYWFETgoGqbwDf0RF-hhBnjtXn234zD-9Me8Zkhoay8cItE2od2dQY_6VN7J4hVYg/w324-h400/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_Poster.jpg" width="324" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Most
every proper <i>film noir</i> is enmeshed deeply in fate, or as it is stated
repeatedly in this Eagle-Lion Films release, "destiny." One of many
effective <i>noir</i> exercises from Bryan Foy Productions, <b>REPEAT
PERFORMANCE</b> conflates the crime movie and the fantasy film for a woman's
melodrama in the vein of <b>MILDRED PIERCE</b> (1945), with a career-oriented
woman confronted by a stringent <i>noir</i> universe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Set in
New York City on New Year's Eve, 1946, Broadway actress Sheila Page
(21-year-old Joan Leslie) guns down her husband playwright Barney Page (Louis
Hayward, top-billed) in their high-rise apartment. In a daze over what just
transpired, Sheila seeks the comfort of her trusted friends writer William
Williams (Richard Basehart, his debut) and stage producer John Friday (Tom
Conway). She laments the past year's events and wishes for a do-over. While the
narration anticipates the type of conditions made famous in the television
series THE TWILIGHT ZONE (1959–1964), Sheila realizes to her bewilderment her
wish has been granted! A dead-end 1946 is about to play out once again, for the
better she hopes. Though not everything works out exactly the same as before,
Sheila recognizes fairly early occurrences she wanted to avoid crop up anyway.
The mysterious force of fate is at work when somewhat supercilious playwright
Paula Costello (Virginia Field) rings the wrong doorbell and attends a New
Year's Eve party hosted by Sheila and Barney. Although under entirely different
circumstances, Barney meets Paula, as he had the first time 1946 unspooled.
What has not changed is the same dagger is aimed at Sheila. Can she keep them
apart this time?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lWH0ur_2ojfkPz2xvl1TX23KAP-NrMRizmhxc6GY2Hj9psDajELd2fHAwpoy9MX-qbOuxViq5dMoQcD1JsMkT3tibcgXCMsGw4jUmUiB_BS2ztus09nURKdJNgCgYtj1f95sxx_GYpWsUI96wZux5OJhisk9xoaAn_nEHr7AQCcQXCiJixIVXAyhCA/s1920/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lWH0ur_2ojfkPz2xvl1TX23KAP-NrMRizmhxc6GY2Hj9psDajELd2fHAwpoy9MX-qbOuxViq5dMoQcD1JsMkT3tibcgXCMsGw4jUmUiB_BS2ztus09nURKdJNgCgYtj1f95sxx_GYpWsUI96wZux5OJhisk9xoaAn_nEHr7AQCcQXCiJixIVXAyhCA/w400-h225/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16Ge-XQyi-EAlO08hRGokGGT5xnjQ3RtmGoWtQ3iO5BWjuVb4CK5r_JZ9DR8ual4j943aLUIe4Qo3cJ_CGNqoDKgeitdj3YuinoUTCBCPgIsj_r2zdrxFqJwveJhPEBQDKk7FB7XStpJ-Ksr3huveqnZXHpQ3RqbPCiuesIjDfTrQebtiYiclpNpZsw/s1920/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16Ge-XQyi-EAlO08hRGokGGT5xnjQ3RtmGoWtQ3iO5BWjuVb4CK5r_JZ9DR8ual4j943aLUIe4Qo3cJ_CGNqoDKgeitdj3YuinoUTCBCPgIsj_r2zdrxFqJwveJhPEBQDKk7FB7XStpJ-Ksr3huveqnZXHpQ3RqbPCiuesIjDfTrQebtiYiclpNpZsw/w400-h225/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9TvQtN0hGKLWOrvfjjN4vFwNJ3gWwkOJGn2a3Ed3idnRJe9WpGEfwgxckEl8er5g79rr4c42pdO76EW0-i2rdexj0GgaExcWsI8eqV_tJsyDluP6YypU21HjAjRTtV-cPR7fEvOIbvMRBDyMOp4_IJzu3Mx6hI0tqgxuSqGaapR1bbNwMaiKQtuSZA/s1920/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9TvQtN0hGKLWOrvfjjN4vFwNJ3gWwkOJGn2a3Ed3idnRJe9WpGEfwgxckEl8er5g79rr4c42pdO76EW0-i2rdexj0GgaExcWsI8eqV_tJsyDluP6YypU21HjAjRTtV-cPR7fEvOIbvMRBDyMOp4_IJzu3Mx6hI0tqgxuSqGaapR1bbNwMaiKQtuSZA/w400-h225/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Though
a cross-genre film, <b>REPEAT PERFORMANCE</b> honors standard <i>film noir</i>
assumptions of the mid-to-late 1940s. Unhappiness within the boundaries of
marriage is a frequent <i>film noir</i> concern, the structural material that
supports <i>noir</i> narratives such as <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b> (1944), <b>THE
SUSPECT</b> (1944), <b>SCARLET STREET</b> (1945), <b>MILDRED PIERCE</b> (1945),
<b>THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS</b> (1946) and <b>POSSESSED</b> (1947).
Barney's hit play "Out of the Blue" made a Broadway star of his wife Sheila
five years ago, but that one triumph did not make him an ascendant creative
force. An undisciplined writer who has waddled into alcoholism, Barney has
failed to follow-up with anything as impactful as the play that catapulted his
wife to stardom. Hardly a sympathetic figure, the resentful, frequently
embarrassing drunkard Barney is the story's homme fatale and ultimately the
sort of <i>noir</i> psychopath memorialized by Richard Widmark in <b>KISS OF
DEATH</b> (1947). Particularly when drinking Barney is an impossible
personality to confront. And just get a load of the level of misogyny directed
from Barney to his wife:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"...you're
only a woman. You're not expected to have either judgement or
intelligence." He also lies to Sheila about his feelings for Paula and her
attraction to him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">A
filmmaking cliche I always seem to respond to is that for one person to rise
another inevitably must fall (that setup is an especially intriguing dynamic in
a modern society based upon crony capitalism). The narrative's sense of urgency
really accelerates when Barney's professional fall becomes literal. After
Barney totters off a theater balcony, the accident converts Barney into an
invalid, thrust into the great tradition of hobbled <i>noir</i> males that
depend upon crutches (<b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b> [1944]), canes (<b>GILDA</b>
[1946]) or even dual walking canes (<b>THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI</b> [1947]) for
mobility. The case of Barney especially recalls Richard Mason (Humphrey Bogart)
from <b>CONFLICT</b> (1945), a man who actually could walk but sat in a
wheelchair in front of his wife for selfish reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzugbIZGvgjhcmdVJZNbTLjLRw4wXJmfCRSvjFlxjSEmwvGSCsRGYju-7-XFrAKcWNNk429yzBw3GfugA2duC8IKYeRqPy-DQp3BwmwvEroaiEXELOLlRv79NJS-OScYvnHy3mbgYfN3ywoD258oVsCBFshhvKApwr1nDtXfHoCHAnBtHFlVOQMI8qw/s1920/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzugbIZGvgjhcmdVJZNbTLjLRw4wXJmfCRSvjFlxjSEmwvGSCsRGYju-7-XFrAKcWNNk429yzBw3GfugA2duC8IKYeRqPy-DQp3BwmwvEroaiEXELOLlRv79NJS-OScYvnHy3mbgYfN3ywoD258oVsCBFshhvKApwr1nDtXfHoCHAnBtHFlVOQMI8qw/w400-h225/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIA-w_4qmo5LrV87f8fA5xcAjkbER4LVmKP3hsty_YXgCFYfuXxuPOdtqzTeuoXeFLNIwnY56E5j52NMsgc1jUc-dTztcspLpRSqolA3_aj6P5ajTKYq3MqY20k1h8yVeGpRhRtSXQIdQsLWHvZyCqjpDdj2UOPAAiqhhk9wMtyOrEOawrpF5l9HD3A/s1920/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIA-w_4qmo5LrV87f8fA5xcAjkbER4LVmKP3hsty_YXgCFYfuXxuPOdtqzTeuoXeFLNIwnY56E5j52NMsgc1jUc-dTztcspLpRSqolA3_aj6P5ajTKYq3MqY20k1h8yVeGpRhRtSXQIdQsLWHvZyCqjpDdj2UOPAAiqhhk9wMtyOrEOawrpF5l9HD3A/w400-h225/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmSLxvkNY_i0laXI50UXTcglcatFOn66R623_CNZZD83wqSICTuOKriAjBmktXu2Q1lVJcsCJzmluQ0vM0P39VPy53mUncdNZkyIOrmvG_76dCUN7TUJcyKZm1nyJiFDjIJIEf7pokxCJO9NavaB0L5AkUOGFW-QuJ0MlTmkJQTiBzg_WtNpws1YFmw/s1920/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijmSLxvkNY_i0laXI50UXTcglcatFOn66R623_CNZZD83wqSICTuOKriAjBmktXu2Q1lVJcsCJzmluQ0vM0P39VPy53mUncdNZkyIOrmvG_76dCUN7TUJcyKZm1nyJiFDjIJIEf7pokxCJO9NavaB0L5AkUOGFW-QuJ0MlTmkJQTiBzg_WtNpws1YFmw/w400-h225/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Female
archetypes are consistently of interest in the <i>film noir</i>, and <b>REPEAT
PERFORMANCE</b> offers an assortment of females worthy of our attention. The
story revolves around Sheila, who at one juncture looks into the camera as she
defends her worthless husband, as if pleading with viewers directly for
understanding of her failing relationship. The filmmakers are on her side from
beginning to end as she clings to whatever good is left in Barney. Other female
characters are decidedly less endearing. Actress Bess Michaels (Benay Venuta)
is a boozing busybody, and Eloise Shaw (Natalie Schafer), who backs the careers
of young male artists who excite her, literally turns the spotlight on Barney
and Paula locked together for a stunned Sheila to witness in front of her
peers. Eloise also commits William to an insane asylum, presumably because she
found out he was gay and thus uninterested in fulfilling her sexual desires.
But the featured femme fatale is the playwright Paula, who barely reacts to being
slapped by Sheila (who subsequently takes an open hand to her face from her
frustrated husband, now turned physically abusive). Interestingly we are
granted a hint of Barney's inability to contain Paula when he is unable to
light her cigarette. Sure enough, later we learn Paula's attraction to Barney
has faded after she has learned he might never fully recover from his fall. His
pathetic attempt to follow the spider woman to London results in his descent
into madness; at this point he is the certifiable psycho, not William. As
Barney leaves the ship for a confrontation with his wife, the scene both rhymes
and contrasts with Sheila's gaze into the camera in that earlier sequence. Now
it is Barney who seems to be looking right at us, though obviously without any
of the hopefulness conveyed by Sheila. The bandages that remain on his forehead
speak to his disturbed mental state and dangerous frame of mind, a casualty of
an unforgiving <i>noir</i> world he believes pushed him aside.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The <i>film
noir</i>'s attachment to rainfall is a trope probably even the occasional <i>noir</i>
watcher recognizes. For those who like to take note of symbolism, it rains the
evening Barney and Paula first share an embrace. Rainfall is emphasized again
when Sheila visits Barney at the hospital three weeks post-fall. And later at
the sanitarium rain links William, the poet being evaluated by psychiatrists,
to Barney, the man with the bandaged head determined to kill his wife. The
elements seem to provide the connective tissue in both versions of 1946,
beginning with the clouds and stormy weather that accompany the opening credits
and introductory sequence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">In the
final analysis, the hand of fate discussed in the film's opening narration
offers no second chance for a doomed marriage. Though certain events of
Sheila's repeat of 1946 unfold differently, neither year spares her husband
Barney, a man undeserving of additional opportunities. Some people cannot be helped,
no matter how hard their loved ones try. Sometimes love and devotion results
only in recurring disappointments. Rather surprisingly, neither Paula nor
Sheila is punished for transgressions almost always dealt with definitively
during the Production Code era.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59RB0FQegC-fDGducFthtFekiG26VH2UiTU3-qb0nt6nefR9mSATNb1zm8AUtM_9ng4TIz9L_P-V2UyE3Y3szcoAs9wiQkIeJ5p7zYpM5K5mP8Yu_-Ad7ps1T1uEHzQfee-Sj5jS7F9NT3OrENhYP3qihVM1t8VUakMJy9vykXvG4FLtB_3YVtw4A5g/s1920/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj59RB0FQegC-fDGducFthtFekiG26VH2UiTU3-qb0nt6nefR9mSATNb1zm8AUtM_9ng4TIz9L_P-V2UyE3Y3szcoAs9wiQkIeJ5p7zYpM5K5mP8Yu_-Ad7ps1T1uEHzQfee-Sj5jS7F9NT3OrENhYP3qihVM1t8VUakMJy9vykXvG4FLtB_3YVtw4A5g/w400-h225/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYBSxwSp5AgAazVnDhRO59ghiLjhu3XCJ6FKb7eKdAFX7ELBkXTHpe-3yStl66-FZJMAZmP0FBklOc5GxfKHyR8copj4rQQZuiXMRqzKmLGw79t6dcJbqUJ09qR_e3bBpttheqIkDteRHppNiv9Af2nlFyhwDOcGq5Uv2W8OW267DvBkDRN-C5Ao1-A/s1920/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMYBSxwSp5AgAazVnDhRO59ghiLjhu3XCJ6FKb7eKdAFX7ELBkXTHpe-3yStl66-FZJMAZmP0FBklOc5GxfKHyR8copj4rQQZuiXMRqzKmLGw79t6dcJbqUJ09qR_e3bBpttheqIkDteRHppNiv9Af2nlFyhwDOcGq5Uv2W8OW267DvBkDRN-C5Ao1-A/w400-h225/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
Alfred L. Werker also helmed <b>SHOCK</b> (1946), a fine <i>film noir</i> of
its time with Vincent Price in the lead. He also co-directed the Richard
Basehart vehicle <b>HE WALKED BY NIGHT</b> (1948) with Anthony Mann.
Cinematographer L. William O'Connell shot the gangster film classic <b>SCARFACE</b>
(1932) and also <b>DECOY</b> (1946), one of the wildest of B-<i>noirs</i>.
Though the intermingling of the <i>noir</i> film and the fantasy film was not
common, there are some other instances of merit, including <b>FLESH AND FANTASY</b>
(1943), <b>PORTRAIT OF JENNIE</b> (1948), <b>NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES</b>
(1948) and <b>ALIAS NICK BEAL</b> (1949). The holiday favorite <b>IT'S A
WONDERFUL LIFE</b> (1946) also must be mentioned as an influence; recall the <i>noir</i>ish
Pottersville that bared so little resemblance to Bedford Falls.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
new Flicker Alley dual-format edition Blu-ray / DVD set (ALL REGION) presents
the feature film framed at 1.37:1 and save for a random scratch looks about as
good in motion as one could imagine. In fact, this is an incredible restoration
of a <i>film noir</i> I likely never would have seen had it not been for the
efforts of The Film Noir Foundation to preserve it, and other important works
like it, for future generations of movie fans. Supplemental material includes
an audio commentary track anchored by film historian Nora Fiore, AKA “The
Nitrate Diva,” who credits <b>REPEAT PERFORMANCE</b> as the first big
production from Eagle-Lion Films. Though estimates vary depending on the
source, producer Aubrey Schenck recalled a roughly $600K budget. Fiore mentions
the original source material was focused on Barney, not Sheila, who was a
villainess. That arrangement would not have been an ideal match for Joan
Leslie, thus the adaptation reversed things. Critical consensus at the time was
uncharitable. Fiore's most astute observation is that Sheila is at her most
confident when focused on her career; in her private life she wields far less
leverage. She also points out William is sacrificed in the interest of his
straight friend Sheila's preservation, although the film does conclude with a
personal proverb from the defeated man William.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">A
brief introduction (5m 27s) to <b>REPEAT PERFORMANCE</b> comes by way of <i>film
noir</i> historian and frequent NOIR CITY film festival host Eddie Muller, who
credits Flicker Alley, UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Packard
Humanities Institute for their work with The Film Noir Foundation to make this
restoration a reality. This much-appreciated Blu-ray release arrives roughly 15
years after Muller first presented the film for public viewing. That print,
from a private collection, was in desperate need of restoration. The finished
product looks fantastic and should be snapped up by <i>noir</i> devotees while
it is readily available.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Next
up is a profile (9m 22s) of actress Joan Leslie by author and film historian Farran
Smith Nehme. While under contract at Warner Bros., Leslie was noted for her
portrayal of ingénues in well-known Warner titles such as <b>HIGH SIERRA</b>
(1941), <b>SERGEANT YORK</b> (1941) and <b>YANKEE DOODLE DANDY</b> (1942).
Eventually she reached the conclusion her luck had run out at Warner, where she
found herself appearing in titles she deemed beneath her, i.e. <b>TOO YOUNG TO
KNOW</b> (1945), <b>CINDERELLA JONES</b> (1946) and <b>JANIE GETS MARRIED</b>
(1946). After she sued Warner to get out of her contact that was signed by her
parents when she was still a minor, she was blackballed by the other major
studios. Leslie made her debut at Eagle-Lion Films with <b>REPEAT PERFORMANCE</b>,
in which she replaced Constance Dowling in the lead role.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">"Eagle-Lion:
A Noir-Stained Legacy" (34m 25s) is a documentary by Steven C. Smith,
narrated by author and film historian Alan K. Rode, who possesses an
encyclopedic knowledge of <i>noir</i>. The British-American film production
company was owned by J. Arthur Rank, with attorney Arthur B. Krim and skilled
businessman Robert Benjamin in charge of the American division. With the
acquisition of Robert R. Young's PRC Pictures in 1947, the idea was to create
some "cross-Atlantic synergy" as Rode puts it. Their ambitions were
daring since it was very difficult for anyone but the "Big Five"
(Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th Century Fox, MGM and RKO) to secure significant
theatrical screens. Their timing was unfortunate; box office revenues had
cratered in 1946. Another challenge was so much of the major talent was
contractually bound to the major studios. <b>REPEAT PERFORMANCE</b> would
become Eagle-Lion's first prestige picture. Krim converted Eagle-Lion into a filmmaking
playground for independent producers like Edward Small and Walter Wanger, with
the small studio attached for a piece of the action. Without beloved movie
stars, major distribution channels or the capital necessary to create a large
number of prints, that approach was to be the template for profitability, along
with a focus on gritty crime films now recognized as <i>noir</i> powerhouses,
i.e. <b>T-MEN</b> (1947), <b>RAW DEAL</b> (1948), <b>HOLLOW TRIUMPH</b> (1948),
<b>HE WALKED BY NIGHT</b> (1948), <b>TRAPPED</b> (1949) and <b>PORT OF NEW YORK</b>
(1949). Despite many quality titles and the emergence of ace cinematographer
John Alton and contributions from director Anthony Mann, profits were limited
and Eagle-Lion was unable to grow. Though Eagle-Lion Films only existed for
five years, Benjamin and Krim found greater success after they assumed control
of United Artists in 1951 and took the company public in 1957.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Another
welcome feature of this two-disc set is a digital edition of the film’s
original 1947 promotional pressbook. Also bundled in the packaging is a glossy souvenir
booklet that includes Brian Light’s book-to-film comparison of the 1942 William
O’Farrell novel with screenwriter Walter Bullock’s adaptation, as well as
original photos, lobby cards and posters. The cover art is reversible.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">REPEAT
PERFORMANCE</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;"> was remade in 1989 as the TV movie <b>TURN
BACK THE CLOCK</b> with Joan Leslie on board in a cameo role.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BOoEc91MtI8" width="320" youtube-src-id="BOoEc91MtI8"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YUGEQ66-GyRJvwstFdRPYxKVNzMRsT2AIk3Q_c2lTvLu147x40Tf0SZFu-aMWTfGH1R0sTqIOCj1p0YE9tb01Kr0IuQLw05JaGHY_2czf-N-JfvqRtYqQZ1eSC-_QTGn438hCx0WBa0K1bimjXH-OKD2mTWCM-fOxDByYsbYL2ueaIkZhxHNoXpZXA/s1500/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_Blu_Ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1212" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YUGEQ66-GyRJvwstFdRPYxKVNzMRsT2AIk3Q_c2lTvLu147x40Tf0SZFu-aMWTfGH1R0sTqIOCj1p0YE9tb01Kr0IuQLw05JaGHY_2czf-N-JfvqRtYqQZ1eSC-_QTGn438hCx0WBa0K1bimjXH-OKD2mTWCM-fOxDByYsbYL2ueaIkZhxHNoXpZXA/w324-h400/Repeat%20Performance%20(1947)_Blu_Ray.jpg" width="324" /></a></div><p></p>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-3097967186937984642022-05-31T00:07:00.001-05:002022-10-01T13:57:21.430-05:00TOUCH OF EVIL (1958)<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Universal Pictures<br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Preview Version: 108m
54s<br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Theatrical
Version:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">95m 19s<br /></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Reconstructed
Version:</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">110m 35s</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPGG7oEINBgxxElunK2K-7XUmMxY_bqFNpDDjBlR7sBb8WgE8vUUJdWkwADR_t_wCgtCOxR6dTR-IiWDv7pLXUjs9rOS48whN8xKlHWTw1wTyFfy0tjKhRBPz3Tdw9sLGnlHCLmvYUgcGUfusCYZm7P7H3FLKqbRM5bEjWdba8otrQHVN25Sow8dWqA/s1232/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)%20Poster_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1232" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPGG7oEINBgxxElunK2K-7XUmMxY_bqFNpDDjBlR7sBb8WgE8vUUJdWkwADR_t_wCgtCOxR6dTR-IiWDv7pLXUjs9rOS48whN8xKlHWTw1wTyFfy0tjKhRBPz3Tdw9sLGnlHCLmvYUgcGUfusCYZm7P7H3FLKqbRM5bEjWdba8otrQHVN25Sow8dWqA/w260-h400/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)%20Poster_1.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A film
that has been lavished with praise, <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> is an unquestioned
classic and "<i>film noir</i>'s epitaph" according to Paul Schrader
in his seminal essay "notes on <i>film noir</i>" (FILM COMMENT, Vol.
8, No. 1 [SPRING 1972], pp. 8-13). Directed and written for the screen by the
great Orson Welles, <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> was based loosely on the 1956 novel BADGE
OF EVIL by Whit Masterson (a pseudonym used by the authors Robert Allison “Bob”
Wade and H. Bill Miller). The source material is quite a page-turner and arguably
superior to the famous <i>film noir</i> it inspired, more richly detailed and
comprehensive than the adaptation possibly could be, and more clear and direct in purpose. But just as easily it could be argued the unclear
elements, particularly those instances open to interpretation, provide the
strongest suit of the Welles interpretation. A filmmaker with a sense of style
like nobody before or since, Welles exaggerates most of the boilerplate <i>noir</i>
themes such as moral decay, corruption, the labyrinthine city, cold-blooded
murder and inescapable fatalism. Familiar <i>noir</i> stylistic motifs like low
camera angles and dark shadows cast by venetian blinds are played up to a
claustrophobic degree. The result is an unforgettable <i>noir</i> experience, a
true visual feast, regardless of which of the three versions of the film are
under review.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">TOUCH
OF EVIL</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> was Mr. Welles's first Hollywood effort as director in 10
years. Already attached to the film in an acting capacity, Welles was suggested
to direct by the film's star Charlton Heston. In a plan to get back in the good
graces of Hollywood decision-makers, Welles re-wrote the existing Paul Monash
script in just a week and agreed to direct for no salary. As usual, Welles was
at odds with studio officials during production, especially after principal
photography had been completed and he had moved on to his next ambition. He
already had a reputation for going over budget, defying studio demands and
abandoning films before they had been edited to the studio's satisfaction. <b>TOUCH
OF EVIL</b> would be the final Hollywood effort from Welles as director; he
wanted a level of artistic freedom available only outside of the major American
studios. Like <b>KISS ME DEADLY</b> (1955), <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> is a <i>film
noir</i> that views much more like a modern movie than the genre films that
preceded it, with a minimum of antiquated language that instantly dates so many
<i>noir</i> films.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">THE
NOVEL</span></u></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Assistant
District Attorney Mitchell Holt finds himself under political pressure to give
high priority to the murder of Rudy Linneker, a prominent local industrialist
killed in his home by a dynamite explosion. The death of Linneker has commanded
the notice of Captain Loren McCoy and Sergeant Hank Quinlan, long-term partners
with legendary status for their ability to collect evidence that leads to
convictions. In the early going, McCoy and Quinlan feel confident that Linneker
was murdered by his daughter Tara Linneker and her fiancé Delmont Shayon.
Initially Holt accepts the solution to the crime suggested by McCoy and
Quinlan, too easily for Holt's wife Consuela ("Connie"). Indeed
Shayon, a shoe salesman by trade, was the perfect potential husband for Tara to
disappoint her father, who doubtless would not approve. But in the course of
his investigation, the savvy Holt fairly quickly comes to believe Tara and her
fiancé are innocent. Holt's trusted colleague Van Dusen discovers the young
couple has a perfect alibi which could not have been planned. A shoebox that
contains five sticks of dynamite is found at Shayon's place, but based upon
what Holt knows, he seriously questions the legitimacy of this evidence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In a
surprise turn of events, disgruntled former Linneker employee Ernest Farnum
confesses to the killing of Linneker. Shayon is released, though a question
remains about the contents of that shoebox. In yet another shocker that stuns
Holt, Farnum changes his story and says he planted the dynamite at Shayon's
residence. This radically contradicts Farnum's original feeling that he could
not stomach the idea of an innocent person imprisoned for his deed. To Holt
anyway, everything comes together when he learns McCoy is on record as a
purchaser of dynamite! Even more damning for the police department, Holt
explains to his superior James Adair that McCoy and Quinlan have a long history
of discovering convenient evidence vehemently denied by the defendant. At this
point Holt is convinced the famous police team planted the dynamite to frame
Shayon, but Adair is not inclined to believe Holt's theory. Not only is Holt at
odds with his boss, a shotgun blast takes out Holt's picture window in what
appears to be a scare tactic designed to get him to back off on McCoy and
Quinlan. Chief of Police Russell Gould suggests the shotgun work was staged,
but additional gunfire is aimed in the direction of Holt, this time with bad
intentions. Eventually Holt reaches the conclusion McCoy acted alone all these
years in terms of the framings.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Holt's
investigative efforts suffer another blow when Farnum hangs himself. After the
death of Farnum, Holt realizes he needs a recording of McCoy admitting his
guilt. If that were not sufficient pressure, Holt's wife Connie is booked for
possession and use of narcotics. Consequently the press turns on Holt, his
supposed political ambitions crushed for the moment. Holt suspects his handgun
now rests in McCoy's hands—could another frame-up be in the works? In a
desperate move, Holt convinces Quinlan to wear a wire and attempt to get the
truth out of McCoy, who indeed justifies framing people based upon intuition.
McCoy then shoots Quinlan with Holt's gun. Ultimately McCoy is defeated, though
it requires the deaths of Rudy Linneker, Ernest Farnum and his longtime partner
Hank Quinlan to make it happen. Rather than face justice, McCoy shoots himself
dead. He had a plan to set up Holt for Quinlan's murder, but must have decided
it was hopeless.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
Whit Masterson novel forges an opposition between the intuition of McCoy and
Quinlan versus the evidence sought by Holt. Without question Holt is the
story's <i>noir</i> protagonist, however devoid of human flaws that so often
define such characters in traditional <i>film noirs</i>. Never is there a
moment when he considers doing the right thing and then elects to do the wrong
thing ("the break" as coined by <i>film noir</i> expert Eddie
Muller). Holt is an honorable man who only wants to perform his job properly
and be a good father and husband. The chaotic world around him refuses to
cooperate. At the outset he sees himself as emotionally detached from the
verdict—not a crusader—happy just to know he did his best. That trait changes
as the story unspools.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Holt
claims neutrality while doing detective work ("I'm in nobody's
corner.") and possesses a strong conscience; he would never ask a jury to
return a verdict contrary to his own beliefs. He is accused of using the
Linneker case for political utility when he holds no such aspirations. When
underworld personality Dan Buccio offers to aid Holt in his investigation work,
Holt flatly refuses the offer. Holt has too much character to accept assistance
of any kind from the likes of Buccio. Holt also rejects help from his
brother-in-law Oscar, who seems too eager for a gunfight. In a theme that would
find expansion in the movie adaptation, Holt defends his Mexican wife while
acknowledging America's ingrained racism.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">One of
the novel's predominant themes involves the underlying presumption that men
wish to be perceived as better than they really are. Roughly halfway through
the novel that point is made clear when Holt learns his wife's father has not
killed all of the trophies he proudly displays; some of them were purchased to
convey the impression of a superior hunter. "He's a good hunter but he'd
like everybody to believe he's even better than he is," notes his daughter
Connie. Holt wonders if such behavior is driven by external pressures, as in
the case of McCoy and Quinlan, who perhaps "...found themselves in a
position where they had to produce—or else."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Another
key theme to the novel concerns the preservation of entrenched systems. District
Attorney James Adair worries the story of McCoy and Quinlan framing people over
a long period of time, a truthful account or not, would be devastating to law
enforcement credibility. For his efforts in pursuit of justice, Holt is nearly
killed, his wife is jailed on trumped-up drug charges, his daughter Nancy is
sent across the US border for her own protection. The more the ethical man Holt
endeavors to do the right thing, the more those who represent the establishment
push back at him. The police, the press and even his own boss make Holt's
pursuit of justice far more difficult than it should be. To lobby against deeply-rooted
institutions in which everyone looks out for each other amounts to an
incredible challenge that surely would discourage the average person.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">To the
present-day reader, the novel surveys numerous social issues that remain stubbornly
relevant, for instance gun control. Similarly, BADGE OF EVIL reveals bias in
the mainstream media is not an issue unique to modern society, though many people
probably assume that. When Holt realizes his best option for assistance with
his investigation of McCoy and Quinlan is to go to the press, only one of three
newspapers is a realistic option. And though the novel does nothing to
encourage the idea, the fact that Ernest Farnum hangs himself in his jail cell
seems suspicious. Did McCoy get Farnum out of the picture? That possibility is
in no way at odds with the narrative material that surrounds it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">THE
FILM</span></u></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
Welles adaptation simplifies the plot mechanics of the novel's detective work
and minimizes the characters involved while adding a stable of new supporting
players (many had collaborated with Welles previously). The setting is
transported from California to the Texas–Mexico border, while an interrupted
honeymoon substitutes for a perpetually delayed vacation. The novel's Consuela
("Connie") Mayatorena Holt is a "full-blooded Mexican"
woman, her husband is Assistant DA Mitchell Holt, a Californian. The film's
equivalent couple is represented by Mexican man Ramon Miguel "Mike"
Vargas (Charlton Heston), Chairman of the Pan-American Narcotics Commission,
and his amicable wife Susan (the lily-white Janet Leigh), an American citizen.
Welles builds the book's narcotics component into a major plot thread, with
Susan framed to look like a junkie to discredit her ambitious husband. What's
more, in the film a man's wife is not just positioned to look like a drug
addict, the crooked cop sets her up for a murder rap. An implication from the
novel that did not make it to the film is Rudy Linneker, a widower, was in some
sort of unhealthy relationship with his daughter. Taken from the first chapter:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"The snack bar was set with a light
dinner for two because he had dared his daughter to join him in a mid-winter
swim that night and she generally did as he suggested. So he loafed and thought
what a comfort a girl was to a man in his prime. Occasionally he cocked his
head like an elderly lovebird and listened for the sound of his daughter's step
descending the wooden stairs on the bluff behind his private floodlighted
beach."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Perhaps
the above was a bit much to translate into what was supposed to be a commercial,
mainstream movie.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
film opens in Los Robles, a fictional Mexican border town. A deadly explosion
occurs immediately after the honeymooners Vargas and Susan cross the border and
kiss! The thematically-timed car bomb claims the lives of construction magnate
Rudy Linnekar (Jeffrey Green) and his stripper girlfriend Zita (Joi Lansing).
The fact that the explosive device was planted on the Mexican side of the
border complicates matters for law enforcement agents on both sides. "All
border towns bring out the worst in a country," Vargas explains to his
wife. That kiss, a celebration of love between a "mixed" couple, sets
the tone for a film concerned with racial tensions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As
with Welles's <b>CITIZEN KANE</b>, often noted as the greatest cinematic
achievement ever, <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> depicts the fall of a respected man due
to his own ego. Police Captain Hank Quinlan (Welles), an amalgamation of the
novel's McCoy and Quinlan, is guided by his intuition when it comes to making
arrests. Quinlan does not respect Vargas; that much is obvious shortly after
they meet. Quinlan walks with a cane for assistance, like the Quinlan of the
novel and any number of hobbled individuals who populate <i>film noirs</i> such
as <b>ABANDONED</b> (1949), <b>GILDA</b> (1946), <b>THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI</b>
(1947) and <b>STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT</b> (1944). Broken bodies in <i>film noir</i>
tend to reflect fragile or fractured minds. Welles's Quinlan might be the
ultimate seedy American villain, the racist, sweaty southern cop epitomized. He
is an obese, unshaven cigar-smoker with a predisposition for coffee, donuts and
sweet rolls. The picture of perfect health. Unflattering low camera angles
emphasize Quinlan's considerable bulk. He shows disdain for miscegenation when
he wonders out loud why Susan, married to Vargas, is obviously not a Mexican woman.
A vanity project this surely was not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">During
a tense interrogation sequence, we are able to get to know Quinlan even better.
Murder suspect Manelo Sanchez (Victor Millan), a shoe salesman, lives in an
apartment provided by his lover, Marcia Linnekar (Joanna Moore), whose father
was blown to smithereens. Sanchez is concerned Quinlan will rough him up as
part of the veteran cop's reputed interrogation tactics. Sure enough, Quinlan
contemptuously slaps Sanchez for his repeated attempts to speak in his native
language. After Vargas comes to Sanchez's defense, Quinlan condescendingly
questions whether Vargas might require assistance with an American telephone.
The openly racist Quinlan believes Sanchez murdered Rudy Linnekar because
Linnekar wasn't too keen on the prospect of a Mexican son-in-law (Quinlan
assumes the elder Linnekar must have shared his values). Congruent with the
novel, a corrupt cop attempts to railroad the man he believes is guilty of
murder while a younger, far more scrupulous man encounters heavy resistance
when he suggests evidence was planted (in the film, Vargas knows from his own
eyesight evidence somehow materialized that had not existed previously). When
Vargas merely recounts his clear observation, Quinlan accuses him of siding
with his countryman. In another theme lifted from the novel, somebody's
reputation has to be destroyed, either that of Vargas or Quinlan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Quinlan's
sorrow over his wife's death at first would seem to be a screenwriting attempt
to prevent him from being totally unsympathetic, but in fact the opposite
meaning is achieved when Quinlan describes his wife's strangulation in a
disturbing manner. He tells listening ear Police Sergeant Pete Menzies (Joseph
Calleia), "Strangling is the smart way to kill—clean, silent...you don't
leave fingerprints on a piece of string...That half-breed done it, of
course...That was the last killer that ever got out of my hands." Should
Quinlan be considered a reliable narrator? Based on the dynamite that suddenly
appears in a shoebox, what motivation does the viewer have to believe what
Quinlan says about anything? And why would he go into such sordid detail about
the murder of his wife? Most likely his wife was having an affair with a
"half-breed" and that discovery pushed Quinlan over the edge. The
sequence thus serves several functions:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>we learn Quinlan has been framing suspects for years, his potential to
kill is made evident and his dislike for the relationship between Vargas and
Susan is given some background. Through research of public records, Vargas
discovers the Linnekar case is just the latest occasion Quinlan has gone the
extra mile to make sure someone who he sees as guilty does not escape
conviction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
best element of Quinlan's life is his friendship with Tana (Marlene Dietrich),
a fortune teller. At some point after (or before, who knows?) the death of his
wife, Quinlan would shack up with Tana for days at a time with a case of
whiskey. His professional reputation about to blow up in his face, Quinlan
returns to Tana, as well as the bottle after a dozen years on the wagon. Or has
he been drinking all along? Perhaps Quinlan's stubborn world view reflects his
disappointment with his lifetime achievements. After 30 years on the force,
what does he have to show for it? Not nearly enough if you ask him. Despite his
curmudgeonly, non-progressive attitudes, Quinlan nonetheless emanates a strong
sense of entitlement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Like
many <i>film noir</i> detectives Quinlan has his own moral code, but his is
attached to an ignoble history of framing those he deemed guilty based on sheer
gut-level instinct. "I'm just going on my intuition," Quinlan
remarks. Admittedly his impressions are often correct. He prophetically tells
his best friend Pete, "Pretty soon you'll be flapping your wings like an
angel." And ultimately Quinlan's feeling about Sanchez provides some vindication
for the fallen cop. He says he framed "nobody that wasn't guilty."
For all we know, he might be right about that. Certainly Quinlan's final hunch
is right on the money:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vargas is tailing
him and Pete is wired. Ever the opportunist, Quinlan hopes to frame Vargas after
his gun is used to stop Pete, but Pete survives to eliminate Quinlan, the man
he always had admired. So, is Quinlan beyond redemption? Not according to
Welles, who allows Tana to comment pensively on Quinlan's death:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"He was some kind of a man. What does it
matter what you say about people?" But even before that succinct summation,
Welles makes a point of repeatedly capturing a "JESUS SAVES" neon
sign that shines on the same road as the Ritz Hotel, where Quinlan kills
"Uncle" Joe Grandi (Akim Tamiroff) and sets the table for his own
demise with a forgotten item.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
harassment of Susan loomed large in Universal's marketing campaign for <b>TOUCH
OF EVIL</b>. Provocation begins early when she is led to the Ritz Hotel, where
strobing lights in the area suggest uncertainty. Initially not all that
intimidated, Susan derisively names one of the young Grandi crime family
members "Pancho" (Valentin de Vargas) and shows little concern for
him or his uncle. Later she chucks a light bulb at a pesky flashlight-wielding
stalker. In spite of her recent marriage to a Mexican man, Susan's prejudices
emerge again when she tells her husband she would feel safer at an <i>American</i>
motel. Obviously that assumption does not play out; Susan finds herself in no
position to take on the role of feisty heroine during the siege sequence at the
Mirador Motel. Instead she plays the part of damsel in distress during a
slow-burn assault that assembles all of white America's fears about foreigners
(Donald Trump's “bad hombres”) and the LGBTQ community, which are presented as
one and the same. It is implied Susan was gang-raped ("Hold her
legs."). Did Vargas provoke the attack after targeting Grandi's brother in
Mexico City, or did Susan encourage the attack with her dismissive attitude about
Mexicans? Whatever the reason, Welles forces us to consider an ugly
implication, despite a character's statement made after the fact that Susan was
not touched in that way. I don't buy it; I think that line of dialog was
inserted to cover up the horrible sexual crime that obviously transpired. In so
many ways this is a film about people believing what they want to believe, and
that extends to the viewer as well. Welles arranges for several plot threads
that are open to interpretation. The Mirador sequence is the most disconcerting
of the bunch, the "touch of evil" alluded to by the film's title
treatment. Welles proves he was not above exploiting xenophobic fears, but to
halt the analysis there would be to miss the more disturbing point:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Grandi gang that menaces Susan does so in
coordination with a celebrated American lawman. It is precisely the sort of
partnership citizens should fear most. Welles stages the partnership cleverly;
as Quinlan forms an alliance at a bar with Grandi, who has criminal ties on both
sides of the border, Quinlan sits with his back to the bar's jukebox in
indifference to the music linked to the Grandi youths that will terrorize
Susan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"Your
future is all used up."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">—Tana<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">When
Quinlan stands before a strung-out Susan at the Ritz, a flashing light accents
his present state of mind as he follows through on his latest frame job. As
Quinlan strangles the Mexican clan's ringleader Grandi, the scene is filmed to
suggest a rape-like assault, probably in harmony with what occurred behind a closed
door at the Mirador and most assuredly a bitter man's re-enactment of what
happened to his departed wife. For someone with such a notable history for
framing people, it is ironic Quinlan subconsciously frames himself by leaving
his cane in the hotel room where he strangled a man to death (Welles gives us a
close up of the "Forget Anything?" sign on the hotel room's door to
tip us off as to Quinlan's destiny). How fitting, and fatalistic, the same
methods that earned Quinlan his lauded reputation as a detective precipitate
his downfall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Quinlan
believes Mike Vargas and "idealists" like him are what is wrong with
the world. Vargas is positioned as the incorruptible, opposite pole of the
eminently corrupt Quinlan. With a Mexican character serving as the film's moral
compass, the differences between Vargas and Quinlan ignite racial tensions. It
is commented, "This Mexican is bringing criminal charges against one of
the most respected police officers in the country," as if Vargas's nationality
cancels any credence to his story. In a theme echoed throughout motion picture
history, Vargas is compelled to become tougher and tougher as formidable forces
oppose his ideals. After his wife is assaulted and framed for murder,
Vargas aggressively goes after the Grandi hoodlums. After Grandi's nephew
Pancho blows smoke in Vargas's face (a move that has its parallel when Quinlan
plays the upper hand in his interrogation of Sanchez), an enraged Vargas rams
the head of Pancho through the bar room jukebox ("I'm a husband now, not a
cop."). From there he continues to employ the same sort of tactics favored
by Quinlan in an effort to incriminate the master of set-ups. The
transformation of Vargas, who must modify his approach in order to entrap
Quinlan, speaks to masculine provinces posited as universal under certain
circumstances. Vargas must wade through a literal cesspool to bring about
Quinlan's downfall. As Vargas tells Quinlan:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>"A policeman's job is only easy in a police state."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
Mexican border provides appropriate terrain for rugged <i>noir</i> stories, as
explored in <b>OUT OF THE PAST</b> (1947), <b>RIDE THE PINK HORSE</b> (1947), <b>THE
BIG STEAL</b> (1949), <b>BORDER INCIDENT</b> (1949) and <b>THE HITCH-HIKER</b>
(1953), to name just several. In <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b>, the windy Los Robles
area is put forward as a corrupt, tawdry community where neon lights, sleazy
hotels and strip clubs merge to form a suitable backdrop for corruption and
decadence. Streets are mostly deserted, save for the occasional shadow of
someone following somebody. The location footage accumulated by Welles and his
director of photography Russell Metty in Venice, Los Angeles is almost
otherworldly in atmosphere, the high-contrast B & W cinematography always
complimented by meaningful blocking that comments on the characters. The
virtuoso camerawork, lighting and editing come together with slick precision,
save for the occasional conventional sequence inserted by the studio. The
scenes for which Welles was not present really jump out at you; his camera
never stands still for long, so static shots are always suspect. Welles even
demonstrates there is a time and place for shakycam, an overused trope of
modern filmmaking I have grown to despise. That famously uninterrupted opening
segment, sustained for 3m 28s before we see a cut, is well summarized by Dale
Thomajan in his book FROM CYD CHARISSE TO PSYCHO:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BOOK OF MOVIE BESTS (1992, p.142):<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0.5in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"Words are incapable of adequately
describing the sophistication of this historic exercise in spatial architecture
or fully capturing its excitement; it's the kind of thing that makes youngsters
want to become filmmakers and makes established filmmakers want to retire in
envy and frustration."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">One of
Welles's cinematic compulsions this time out is trash blowing around
everywhere, symbolic of the dirty tactics embodied by his Quinlan. At times the
area’s waste seems to envelop him (think Pig-Pen from Charles M. Schulz's PEANUTS
comic strip). Los Robles is a dirty, rowdy environment that matches Quinlan so
well, one gets the feeling the town developed into what it is as Quinlan aged
into what he is. It is no place for the squeamish; the impact of the opening
sequence's explosion prompts one of the film's more morbid quotes, "I <i>guess</i>
that's my father." The brutal damage done to Linnekar's stripper escort
Zita is referenced later when a gang member tosses acid in the direction of
Vargas, who is able to avoid the substance as it disfigures a poster of Zita (a
"sizzling stripper" as she and her coworkers are marketed). Also
Quinlan comments on a shoe that was discovered with a foot in it following the
explosion, the probable inspiration for planting incriminating dynamite sticks
in a shoebox. The two ideas parallel perfectly when Quinlan conveys a strange
fascination with the post-explosion body part among the litter that clutters
Los Robles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">TOUCH
OF EVIL</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> concludes as the racist cop's time expires (a nice idea,
but almost 65 years later the stuff of fantasy, not reality). Nonetheless the
film remains a cynical viewing experience, probably more grounded in the real
world than the Whit Masterson source novel. With no equivalent to the book's
Ernest Farnum confession (Farnum is converted into a peripheral character), the
film wraps up on a decidedly more pessimistic note, regardless of the viewer's
interpretation:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>either Quinlan's
intuition was 100% accurate, or Sanchez confessed after being tortured by cops
(at one point Quinlan gives instruction over the phone to "break"
Sanchez). Neither explanation could be considered a positive takeaway. If
Quinlan was correct about Sanchez, he might have been right about everyone he
helped convict in the past. To consider <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> in <i>film noir</i>
terms, I prefer that reading and the rich <i>noir</i> irony associated with the
disgraced, dying cop floating in filth, forever unaware his suspicion about
Sanchez was on the money. Let's face it:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sanchez probably <i>was</i> mostly after Marcia's money and was willing
to kill her father to get his hands on it, and Linnekar probably <i>wasn't</i>
ecstatic about his daughter's choice for a significant other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The production
boasts a tremendous supporting cast, mostly thanks to the presence of Welles as
writer/director. A notable character unique to the film is Marlene Dietrich's
Tana, the <i>noir</i> antithesis to the Susan character. Other peripheral
players that create an impression include Zsa Zsa Gabor, Joseph Cotten, Ray
Collins, Mercedes McCambridge (as a butch gang member) and especially Dennis
Weaver as the quirky Mirador Motel night manager, no doubt an influence on the
Norman Bates character played by Anthony Perkins in director Alfred Hitchcock’s
<i>noir</i> horror classic <b>PSYCHO</b> (1960). Of course Janet Leigh's Susan
is impossible to watch without thinking about Marion Crane's fate in the Hitchcock
film. Leigh is best remembered for portraying two of the American cinema's most
memorable women in peril. Similarities between <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> and <b>PSYCHO</b>
are interesting enough:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"></p><ul><li><span style="line-height: 135%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Like the isolated Bates Motel, "the Mirador is hard to
find, with the new highway branching off the way it does."</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Pancho tells Susan, "You're the only guest
we've got here."</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Susan's name is not found in the register book.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: arial;">Low camera angles imprison Susan in her motel room.</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Kino
Lorber’s recent 4K Ultra HD release of <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> is a must-own
addition to their impressive Studio Classics product line. The collection
includes three separate triple-layer UHD100 discs, each dedicated to one of
three versions of the feature film, all granted crisp new 4K transfers. To my
eye, the new Dolby Vision HDR Master of the theatrical cut looks the best of
the three versions. The rendition of <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> perhaps most familiar
to the public gets a fresh audio commentary treatment from film historian Tim
Lucas, my erstwhile editor when I was a contributor for his VIDEO WATCHDOG
magazine. A veteran of over 150 commentaries, Lucas seems well aware of every
possible connection between <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b> and other film productions. He
offers extensive information on all of the relevant players in front of and
behind the camera, and also references the similarities and differences between
film and novel. For Welles, the adaptation was an opportunity to demonstrate he
could complete a commercially-viable film on time and within budget. Unfortunately,
the film went over budget and was not a profit center for Universal Pictures.
Lucas notes the bravura opening scene, uninterrupted by cuts, is briefer than
the one-shot crime investigation sessions at Sanchez's apartment, which run 6m
21s and 5m 27s respectively. That first (longer) shot involving the grilling of
Sanchez was born out of a filmmaker's wish for control more than a desire to
make an artistic statement; the no-editing approach put the film one day ahead
of schedule and kept studio meddling at bay, for a while anyway. An excellent
observation from Lucas involves the multiple canes present when Vargas uses a
blind shopkeeper's telephone, something I never had noticed. But what best
separates Lucas from other film historian voices is his consideration of the
film that might have been. As he often does, here he offers specific examples
where the theatrical release could have benefitted in terms of continuity and narrative
clarity. But despite the studio interference that "mangled" the
finished product, Welles maintained this version came the closest to matching
his original vision. The disc also includes a murky theatrical trailer (2m 11s)
as well as the 2008 audio commentary from writer/filmmaker F.X. Feeney.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">For
the next disc, film historian Imogen Sara Smith was tapped on the shoulder to
record a new audio commentary track for the reconstructed version of <b>TOUCH
OF EVIL</b> that first surfaced in 1998. 48 changes were implemented into this
rendition of the film with the intent of restoring the original Welles vision.
The most apparent revision comes early, with the removal of the credits and
Henry Mancini's theme music from the opening shot. The movie's wild border-town
tone is better established with strictly diegetic music, transitioning from
Latin jazz to rock and roll. That update integrates well with the film's other
diegetic music and what it signifies. Rock and roll is associated with the
leather-clad Mexican hoodlums on the American side of the border; a
conservative's nightmare I suppose, the two ideas combined. Similarly, up-tempo
rock music blasted within the Mirador is connected with narcotics. Nobody
working in film analysis today breaks down a scene more carefully and
convincingly than Smith, who I always can count on to identify things I am
ashamed I never noticed about a film I've seen repeatedly. For instance, when
Susan unexpectedly is photographed with Pancho, the concept of her being <i>framed</i>
is introduced. This motif recurs throughout the narrative. Another valuable
insight from Smith is the desert as crucial <i>film noir</i> setting, the
inverse of the crowded urban milieu. Though ostensibly polar opposites, each
setting offers its own unique blend of alienation and precarious situations. In
the case of <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b>, the Mexican side of the border is embodied by
the city, the American side is represented by the desert. In the context of
film language, an essential skill Welles commanded was his ability to create
juxtapositions ("rhyming shots") that emphasize something unknown to
one of the characters. "Evil Lost and Found" (17m 5s) chronicles the
piecing together of the reconstructed cut based upon the long memo Welles
authored in reaction to the preview cut. Another audio option is the 2008
commentary track with Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh and Reconstruction Producer
Rick Schmidlin.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
third disc contains the preview cut that runs about 14 minutes longer than the
theatrical cut. The legacy audio commentary track (first issued in 2008)
features Orson Welles historians Jonathan Rosenbaum and James Naremore, who
note the preview cut was discovered in the mid-1970s. It includes additional
footage shot by Welles along with studio-imposed footage intended to make the
film easier to follow. Rosenbaum and Naremore indicate <b>TOUCH OF EVIL</b>
might be the least tampered with of any of Welles's American productions; a
stunning assertion when one reflects upon it. Technically speaking the preview
cut plays darker and with heavier grain than the theatrical cut, particularly
during the film's many nocturnal sequences. Tagged by the commentators are the
Harry Keller-directed reshoots, all of which were completed in one day in the
studio's attempt to clarify the supposedly serpentine plot. All of the new
scenes were injected after Welles went MIA before the final cut was delivered.
The featurette "Bringing Evil to Life" (2008, 20m 59s) reviews the
feature film's production history.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">For
those classic film fans who have not committed to a 4K Blu-ray player, this 3-disc
set is as good an excuse as any to take that step.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cLxBlkTLFqxJ_VouLb1CNaPvCQZuV3GiguwKZwpGD9Z1BfmetrGxOKLtbw5wyNYjty3ifYC9XW7svAgv1RR4-hC1CngaifLzCOGQZzK6k0RPX5sP0nanlPE24hGvOwh0ZLOrPNPOyFpIVbqgU-B0MDY8dQ48QTMx90ng9VdRFrMFqCvx_nAilaT4xQ/s1246/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)_Lobby_Card_1851-26.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1246" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cLxBlkTLFqxJ_VouLb1CNaPvCQZuV3GiguwKZwpGD9Z1BfmetrGxOKLtbw5wyNYjty3ifYC9XW7svAgv1RR4-hC1CngaifLzCOGQZzK6k0RPX5sP0nanlPE24hGvOwh0ZLOrPNPOyFpIVbqgU-B0MDY8dQ48QTMx90ng9VdRFrMFqCvx_nAilaT4xQ/w400-h318/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)_Lobby_Card_1851-26.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-Kf6SJNBRDv8SR4iF0I5yhgqbKlwJ2uh2cLM1R_tyNJXuLPnjJaL92jzTPCuafQdBGztN-Ah7iHuh20gWfcS_HORk50ja-2FBMRVjkxjyvrx3rgx-zDwcm30Pi4ggPTI1JOiSiLSuBxZxe5iv6sLDEuYVLaYkc3na9FcPbYBb4HOdJt32B3-7iofzg/s1472/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)%20Poster_2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1472" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-Kf6SJNBRDv8SR4iF0I5yhgqbKlwJ2uh2cLM1R_tyNJXuLPnjJaL92jzTPCuafQdBGztN-Ah7iHuh20gWfcS_HORk50ja-2FBMRVjkxjyvrx3rgx-zDwcm30Pi4ggPTI1JOiSiLSuBxZxe5iv6sLDEuYVLaYkc3na9FcPbYBb4HOdJt32B3-7iofzg/w400-h308/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)%20Poster_2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sQcd2v9KKpBHSfyTkT1X_tjB6reB-LqrQqy35V-vGgautE-qfd4Cy7boN3-z8OMHjJXTqIpuAVVRogW4q6YbQEXPJLYdiqFbwLq0HPqQBt0wnahvbreOBjt-CEEwDWgaQgTKuAyoXWiBQUP9UxWQoUYoPGhMwq0nHnIEOxdUtDkuSVW0_MyZtKs-2Q/s1600/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)%20%5BTouch%20of%20Venice%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6sQcd2v9KKpBHSfyTkT1X_tjB6reB-LqrQqy35V-vGgautE-qfd4Cy7boN3-z8OMHjJXTqIpuAVVRogW4q6YbQEXPJLYdiqFbwLq0HPqQBt0wnahvbreOBjt-CEEwDWgaQgTKuAyoXWiBQUP9UxWQoUYoPGhMwq0nHnIEOxdUtDkuSVW0_MyZtKs-2Q/w400-h266/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)%20%5BTouch%20of%20Venice%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Commemorative mural by artist Jonas Never [23 Windward Ave, Venice, CA, 90291]</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXzl-VmqeuioFbByU8LQ_lqpjZRhwYR9nBUJy6w0m5PJc1EoEQ_FZhqpfgl2u7JW6lDFvtCnLTep-YOKvvNeNNnZwgP_VzyM-DVSAiGF-Vmih-QIoez5CcSFU-sQlzW9V3WfHHr4kpmiKVoXfjVXft_eoASMejLQXJrTzuzNXIchihMTxLntnGKl8ww/s1500/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)%20Blu-ray_4K.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1176" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPXzl-VmqeuioFbByU8LQ_lqpjZRhwYR9nBUJy6w0m5PJc1EoEQ_FZhqpfgl2u7JW6lDFvtCnLTep-YOKvvNeNNnZwgP_VzyM-DVSAiGF-Vmih-QIoez5CcSFU-sQlzW9V3WfHHr4kpmiKVoXfjVXft_eoASMejLQXJrTzuzNXIchihMTxLntnGKl8ww/w314-h400/Touch%20of%20Evil%20(1958)%20Blu-ray_4K.jpg" width="314" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-53242992236449045112022-04-30T13:58:00.001-05:002022-04-30T14:01:12.117-05:00THE ACCUSED (1949)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Paramount
Pictures, 100m 58s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrejWhMiTEy7RRcCOgVNOHWU1WQufyFBoIhWTIQwo4zojy9I7yFlFRJLoGFJ0ixbr6RL486TeXTEzfprBKmcRwP5S63l86ABdmomVWEkdwLHblvcC5hLnLfV8NSLfKWSjsPvS7GIY7J7J_4PulhFdgSnjUwTZS5hwf6RkBsmPBD4aDGzgQvkBNLOlig/s758/The%20Accused%20(1949)%20Poster_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="758" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrejWhMiTEy7RRcCOgVNOHWU1WQufyFBoIhWTIQwo4zojy9I7yFlFRJLoGFJ0ixbr6RL486TeXTEzfprBKmcRwP5S63l86ABdmomVWEkdwLHblvcC5hLnLfV8NSLfKWSjsPvS7GIY7J7J_4PulhFdgSnjUwTZS5hwf6RkBsmPBD4aDGzgQvkBNLOlig/w400-h316/The%20Accused%20(1949)%20Poster_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">An
independent feature produced by Hal B. Wallis, <b>THE ACCUSED</b> was the
eleventh film released from Hal Wallis Productions, as well as his fifth <i>film
noir</i> in a row. This title is all-out Freudian <i>noir</i> with its lead
character in the wrong place at the wrong time. <b>THE ACCUSED</b> also stands
as one of the genre's preeminent "woman in peril" permutations, among
them <b>DANGER SIGNAL</b> (1945), <b>NOTORIOUS</b> (1946), <b>SORRY WRONG
NUMBER</b> (1948), <b>WHIRLPOOL</b> (1949), <b>WOMAN IN HIDING</b> (1950), <b>CAUSE
FOR ALARM!</b> (1951) and <b>SUDDEN FEAR</b> (1952). Furthermore, it is one of
many <i>film noirs</i> patterned after co-writer/director Billy Wilder's <b>DOUBLE
INDEMNITY</b> (1944), in which Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) finds himself in
uncomfortably close proximity to those investigating the murder he committed.
Similarly, Dr. Wilma Tuttle (Loretta Young) of <b>THE ACCUSED</b> must endure
firsthand reminders of an investigation closing in on her. The narrative not
only revolves around the staple <i>noir</i> theme of mental trauma, but
intertwines its psychological angle with physical abuse and physical
manifestations from a fragile state of mind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Set
amid the California Coastline, the hallmarks of the <i>noir</i> story are
plentiful: low camera angles, an obsession with mirrors, horizontal shadows
cast by Venetian blinds, compositions that suggest entrapment, a flashback that
reveals our lead protagonist's dire situation, and so on. Above all else, <b>THE
ACCUSED</b> calls into question the role of psychology in American society. Is
the person who represents the tenets of psychology someone to be respected? Any
survey of the genre likely would suggest the answer commonly is "no."
In example, consider the heel psychologists that populate <b>CAT PEOPLE</b>
(1942), <b>SHOCK</b> (1946) <b>NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> (1947) and <b>WHIRLPOOL</b>
(1950).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Originally
from Kansas, Dr. Wilma Tuttle is an uptight Associate Professor, Department of
Psychology, at a local university. A complex, textured personality worthy of
the viewer's attention, she serves as analyst and is the subject of analysis,
posited as both victim of fate and unwitting femme fatale. She is anything but
one thing, the byproduct of a post-WWII America still coping with where the
woman belongs within a patriarchal system that might not be down for the count,
but could be on the ropes. In the opening sequence along California's Pacific
coast highway, truck driver Jack Hunter (Mickey Knox) tells Tuttle the last
woman he encountered on the road robbed him at gunpoint. Hunter then quickly recognizes
why he has happened upon Tuttle:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>her
choice for a date could have been contemplated better. Especially considering
what we eventually learn about exactly why Tuttle was in need of a lift, an
uncertain climate for both men and women can be grasped from this segment. It
is implied America of the late 1940s has become a dangerous place where nobody
may be what they appear to be, where neither gender has a right to feel safe.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqRPaQLwNJaF3NNJ1YcTvWBwtKpuCVktWVgCPJbNQdJlscyCfReEUIOXJsyp8jly6J1ZkNGd-VGluBRpTCE2DW0aXoZAPVQgj4KvQsVFU-zwVnh4HcGeJ7O62x1qIJfCRv6k0vFzb6Hoz9Ld5vayFO94Sf-O8fkr9_QS2eQuCVxTfRZhPzYpFN1zV9Q/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqRPaQLwNJaF3NNJ1YcTvWBwtKpuCVktWVgCPJbNQdJlscyCfReEUIOXJsyp8jly6J1ZkNGd-VGluBRpTCE2DW0aXoZAPVQgj4KvQsVFU-zwVnh4HcGeJ7O62x1qIJfCRv6k0vFzb6Hoz9Ld5vayFO94Sf-O8fkr9_QS2eQuCVxTfRZhPzYpFN1zV9Q/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfM7x_hDse2qepCK-NMveElv-LXZ-FNXbkQWqYRmKvEKP-cmpwQG-16L2AC09d90-K64VEuN_FHfsyD14ooxhRaajde7OLiypXNNoX06_Hf-x0YARkHHd0uhWRwpaZXYpc9YJ59k-7BuLk8ki0KCBj_YRv9iwB-ImOuP6dvnNVXY0_7MrNNFD_vCdZQ/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfM7x_hDse2qepCK-NMveElv-LXZ-FNXbkQWqYRmKvEKP-cmpwQG-16L2AC09d90-K64VEuN_FHfsyD14ooxhRaajde7OLiypXNNoX06_Hf-x0YARkHHd0uhWRwpaZXYpc9YJ59k-7BuLk8ki0KCBj_YRv9iwB-ImOuP6dvnNVXY0_7MrNNFD_vCdZQ/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A star
vehicle for Loretta Young, <b>THE ACCUSED</b> cries out for a gender study
reading. Though the film is progressive in certain respects and is mostly in
sympathy with Young's character Tuttle, upon inspection Tuttle is defined
primarily by the men that surround her. Throughout the proceedings, there is a
conflict between Tuttle as elegant, sexual woman and woman of substance, as if
the two cannot coexist without social disruption. In the classroom this theme
is energized early, when the professor Tuttle's pencil takes on a phallic
representation in direct view of Bill Perry (Douglas Dick), her bewitched
student who eagerly returns the visual favor. Without a current man in her life
or any suggestion of past lovers, Tuttle shows obvious signs of sexual
frustration and clearly desires Perry. At the same time she judges Perry to be
a brash, self-indulgent young man, though she absolutely admires his intellect.
His relentless pursuit of Tuttle batters down her every defense mechanism. When
he describes his interest in marine mollusks, he unknowingly compares these
seemingly harmless invertebrate animals to Tuttle ("They can really get
you."). America may be a place fraught with danger, but both Perry and
Tuttle demonstrate they are attracted to danger, even if that fascination in
either case is of the unconscious variety.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmevZ6vQfFbL23RtFqyNr2aiGzesTM6Vh2O7vr1zdvpztvcASOobK5BfdBuGPph5fVgjCEcbwqD2IGf3pSeRGeWQRgQMY253IyR7_4QxFemWRWNYfzFmeXirJphxh_gvka6WKTreUk6OFzK5ZA4Kwg9oh9ND1q1PPMUJF2_sYGGkUPKuFrjVyEzC5JA/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmevZ6vQfFbL23RtFqyNr2aiGzesTM6Vh2O7vr1zdvpztvcASOobK5BfdBuGPph5fVgjCEcbwqD2IGf3pSeRGeWQRgQMY253IyR7_4QxFemWRWNYfzFmeXirJphxh_gvka6WKTreUk6OFzK5ZA4Kwg9oh9ND1q1PPMUJF2_sYGGkUPKuFrjVyEzC5JA/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCZIdtMRZQLlnhaOvixWBT2EilTz4Q0siN154jfM5QxpoX5adB6uzznmr1th6a6kKXfC8HJCa2NmGdb7ctDGcfMEap88wegUmWTSUlI0KHTmDZxLstSxUTsEH4HeHuvAPUi5zU9iOJ5qyxPqwNM39EArnSGnlLVYoY-Yi_nu2nmD5gK6Z-3gh4a1IXQ/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_4.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCZIdtMRZQLlnhaOvixWBT2EilTz4Q0siN154jfM5QxpoX5adB6uzznmr1th6a6kKXfC8HJCa2NmGdb7ctDGcfMEap88wegUmWTSUlI0KHTmDZxLstSxUTsEH4HeHuvAPUi5zU9iOJ5qyxPqwNM39EArnSGnlLVYoY-Yi_nu2nmD5gK6Z-3gh4a1IXQ/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The male gaze</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM21JX26ATxHuCjgeirMjsFDc_OBXHBbhKfYFNUSZ50_M2seg6RHibGEtLJz27TZXH3omXcSMBigCPt0OaTT1a4QeBVvVZlkHkGkmlP-xLRjjDxnDiD0wjIREzGHV1UUJzjO04evJhnEMnjjvgTDZZjd0i1WsyUGnKtpJAVMFatZMNvtx7T0zw36Wp6A/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM21JX26ATxHuCjgeirMjsFDc_OBXHBbhKfYFNUSZ50_M2seg6RHibGEtLJz27TZXH3omXcSMBigCPt0OaTT1a4QeBVvVZlkHkGkmlP-xLRjjDxnDiD0wjIREzGHV1UUJzjO04evJhnEMnjjvgTDZZjd0i1WsyUGnKtpJAVMFatZMNvtx7T0zw36Wp6A/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Perry
drives Tuttle to an isolated Malibu cliff some 75' above the shore, where he
forces himself on her to the point she repeatedly asks him to stop hurting her
arm. Undeterred, Perry is convinced Tuttle in truth is turned on by his brutish
behavior. In response to his rape attempt, Tuttle beats Perry into a
permanently non-aggressive state. Though Tuttle acts in self-defense, she fears
the events of the evening easily could be misinterpreted and bring about
career-wrecking scandal. Tuttle is indeed the "cyclothymiac cutie" of
Perry's essay, the unassuming woman talked into an impromptu date with him on
what will be the last evening of his life. He correctly describes her as a
sexually-repressed woman struggling with unfulfilled desires. So accurate is
his assessment of Tuttle that his essay, ironically ordered by Tuttle, acts as
the catalyst for her potential downfall. There is compelling evidence Perry understood
his subject well when Tuttle's psychic trauma attacks her body; at one point
she lands in the hospital with pneumonia, at another she collapses into a piece
of office furniture. And while enveloped by the bloodlust of ringside fans at a
boxing event, her faculties break down completely when she envisions the
unwelcome visage of Perry in the ring. It is unsurprising that the truth just
has to come tumbling out; all along we sense Tuttle has too much character to live
with her concealed crime forever.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Though
Tuttle is a respected professor who projects upward mobility, at the same time
she is objectified and lives at risk of the men who would like to contain her,
as when Warren Ford (Robert Cummings) announces their imminent marriage without
bothering to consult her on the subject. Whether she is to be blamed for that
fateful night at a precipitous cliff is a difficult question, though in light
of the last close-up of Loretta Young, it seems axiomatic the filmmakers stand
firmly on her side. That the jury would be sympathetic to Tuttle based upon her
crime's circumstances is laudable, particularly with the first-hand knowledge
of that terrible seaside night the viewer is granted. Unfortunately, we are
left with the impression Tuttle will be set free thanks to her enchanting good
looks, which hardly implies the equality of all citizens in the courtroom or
any sense of fairness. The other major takeaway is equally troublesome:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the intelligent woman is more capable of
deception and thus should be considered the most threatening type of woman.
Interestingly, Tuttle's capacity to kill does nothing to discourage the
attention of homicide officer Lieutenant Ted Dorgan (Wendell Corey), who finds
Tuttle irresistible, even in the courtroom! Her beauty has a borderline
hypnotic command over him; again it isn't just Tuttle who is drawn to danger.
The implication is disconcerting; the more dangerous Tuttle might be, the more
attractive she becomes. Tuttle the professor has no suitable male callers
begging for her hand, Tuttle the murderess has options! Is dangerous living
really that entrenched in American life? Dorgan seems to understand that
possibility best when he sets Ford straight about homicide investigation work:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"You want the illusion that youth
means innocence? Today kids kill their parents, their grandparents, children
killing children. Sweet sixteen. They murder their lovers."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Susan
Duval (Suzanne Dalbert), an immigrant student, is one of the peripheral
characters that reflects Dorgan's cynical life philosophy. She very much likes
Perry, but he treats her poorly, to the extent she says she could kill him (it
is not directly stated, but strongly implied Perry impregnated Duval).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwCufx_YHXl6CM6UFUtJu05KmoI2tCafrRYjvrFaAXNZehBUc891w1oZy0GPnsPNRmzrgxEwORQ2yio6Bb37_f7xiqZ3ppN3_z0UojhKntd0SvT9yQUclVc-zeXP_jgjSGj-SBFbZLfhL7VYzGFCnJA1Ko-ucE_oRsJ081lBd7XsNsSgOnRstQjeLeA/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwCufx_YHXl6CM6UFUtJu05KmoI2tCafrRYjvrFaAXNZehBUc891w1oZy0GPnsPNRmzrgxEwORQ2yio6Bb37_f7xiqZ3ppN3_z0UojhKntd0SvT9yQUclVc-zeXP_jgjSGj-SBFbZLfhL7VYzGFCnJA1Ko-ucE_oRsJ081lBd7XsNsSgOnRstQjeLeA/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64LLzLk_DyXx2jF_IdUJ8pE4vqHIWzMBVZfYyYIZxEdFk0Bf2G13kYxm49vWIbcks15YEPtaLF7xTJsZMoHLkZWdvEwumvgC4Dxfuz6Ca4aJXH5vj_VaROnOq3Pbg2jinh82pBpJ-mPxxOgvhDUxSKDvo4mHDlWntZbojaGUGuTARrKldcCsY3eceYQ/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64LLzLk_DyXx2jF_IdUJ8pE4vqHIWzMBVZfYyYIZxEdFk0Bf2G13kYxm49vWIbcks15YEPtaLF7xTJsZMoHLkZWdvEwumvgC4Dxfuz6Ca4aJXH5vj_VaROnOq3Pbg2jinh82pBpJ-mPxxOgvhDUxSKDvo4mHDlWntZbojaGUGuTARrKldcCsY3eceYQ/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJYY4jP-9fjUUHPbWjMlIpkOjp5CRk7cGnhSNdxaxR2ppL56GAeUIK0woRTUcJdvX2omNmXj_7sph9L2Ja_eEzD5IKM9onZ2GPrz3MjaTCDrU1qNcczgfQqQxuFwnNeKj52HW11K7lmpFSoQjNAbm52Gqe4Ui-8irMq5I73WYbSC-5-SCC1qTYlzHGQ/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJYY4jP-9fjUUHPbWjMlIpkOjp5CRk7cGnhSNdxaxR2ppL56GAeUIK0woRTUcJdvX2omNmXj_7sph9L2Ja_eEzD5IKM9onZ2GPrz3MjaTCDrU1qNcczgfQqQxuFwnNeKj52HW11K7lmpFSoQjNAbm52Gqe4Ui-8irMq5I73WYbSC-5-SCC1qTYlzHGQ/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_8.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">If
Tuttle is contextualized in terms of the male gaze, the male characters are
united by a fairly consistent train of thought about a woman’s place. Although
the narrative is constructed around an ambitious, career-oriented woman, that
character is observed through an unmistakable prism of antiquated patriarchal
power. There is evidence that men are both empowered and weakened by the
female, especially when the woman happens to be alluring. Dorgan confesses a
"blind spot" that sometimes gets the best of him. Naturally that flaw
is a fondness for beautiful women, whose distracting charms and tendency to be
"gabby" interfere with his professional duties as a homicide
investigator. Similarly, Ford admits he fell for an accused female in the past
without any clue he is wandering down that identical path with Tuttle. He also
suggests beauty and brains should not (or perhaps cannot) exist within the same
feminine body. Even the truck driver Hunter flirts with Tuttle; no man can seem
to help it. And then we have Perry, another of <i>noir</i>’s decidedly negative
psychiatrists given his rather self-serving analysis of his “cutie” instructor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">THE
ACCUSED</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> is based on the 1947 novel BE STILL, MY LOVE by June
Truesdell. The adaptation for the screen was written by Ketti Frings, an
eventual Pulitzer Prize winner. For whatever reason there were uncredited
contributions from six(!) contract writers (Jonathan Latimer, Barré Lyndon,
Allen Rivkin, Robert Rossen, Charles Schnee, Leonard Spigelgass). This is an
unusual <i>film noir</i> in that both the source material and its script were
credited to women. It was directed by William Dieterle, who would helm additional
<i>noir</i> productions for Paramount Pictures such as <b>ROPE OF SAND</b>
(1949) and <b>DARK CITY</b> (1950), again for producer Hal B. Wallis, and <b>THE
TURNING POINT</b> (1952) for producer Irving Asher. Cinematographer Milton R.
Krasner's <i>noir</i> credits include many of my favorites:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW</b> (1944), <b>SCARLET
STREET</b> (1945), <b>THE DARK MIRROR</b> (1946), <b>THE SET-UP</b> (1949), <b>HOUSE
OF STRANGERS</b> (1949), <b>NO WAY OUT</b> (1950), <b>DEADLINE - U.S.A.</b>
(1952) and <b>VICKI</b> (1953). There is a lot to like about the supporting
cast installed around Loretta Young, especially Wendell Corey, who excels as
Lieutenant Ted Dorgan. Robert Cummings also was an inspired choice as Warren
Ford, Perry's legal guardian and attorney. Douglas Dick is suitably slimy as
the well-documented womanizer Bill Perry, another of <i>film noir</i>'s
unstable veterans. Sam Jaffe (<b>THE ASPHALT JUNGLE</b> [1950]) is in his
element here as Dr. Romley, and even in a small role, it is always reassuring
to see Henry Travers (<b>HIGH SIERRA</b> [1941], <b>SHADOW OF A DOUBT</b>
[1943], <b>IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE</b> [1946]). The billboard for the Macdonald
Carey / Gail Russell movie "Murder" is injected cleverly, though the
title referenced is fictitious.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">This
single-layered Blu-ray release from Kino Lorber was derived from a somewhat
bespeckled print, congested with scratches and various artifacts. Contrast is
average at best, but despite the less than perfect source material, the movie
looks solid in motion with an appropriate level of film grain. Bottom line this
is an important <i>film noir</i> and yet another notable addition to the Kino
Lorber Studio Classics product line. Framing looks correct at 1.37:1.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
audio commentary track by film historian Eddy Von Mueller is new to this
Blu-ray edition of <b>THE ACCUSED</b>. Von Mueller notes the film was released
at a time when long-term attitudes about social norms were being challenged. <b>THE
ACCUSED</b> is rooted firmly in the time of its creation, a time of
"horrific moral decay," with a telling reference to the Black Dahlia
(the gruesome, still unsolved murder of Elizabeth Short in 1947). Von Mueller
recognizes brainy women historically are presented as a problem in cinema,
particularly when they occupy a position of power over men. The Tuttle
character challenges every man she encounters one way or another. Despite the
fact her violent actions were only out of self-preservation and understandable
under the circumstances, her narration reveals a split in her consciousness, a
variation on the doppelgänger theme that distinguishes numerous <i>film noirs</i>,
quite overtly in <b>SHADOW OF A DOUBT</b> (1943), <b>PHANTOM LADY</b> (1944), <b>THE
DARK MIRROR</b> (1946), <b>STRANGE IMPERSONATION</b> (1946), <b>STRANGERS ON A
TRAIN</b> (1951) and <b>BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT</b> (1956). Both Tuttle and
Dorgan make direct reference to the theme of doubles, and the recurring mirror
motif hammers down the same point.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u9_AUGFH-K4WjQubOFU7s70HZZhgUqyzFSBjD0mydDwILHvKzHDwJ_PM60KS8q5STbUJxXxzGJu5pDvHoVUpP_sWCkVHg6dgmoq_WBulke8Sz9G57VLUQMJ2evVvCQMj8ayz0ROlJq7cwpVftEpyBVUtLf6spICSkgkCO8mOfgaGzYoz5Ro9J0RrjQ/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_9.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u9_AUGFH-K4WjQubOFU7s70HZZhgUqyzFSBjD0mydDwILHvKzHDwJ_PM60KS8q5STbUJxXxzGJu5pDvHoVUpP_sWCkVHg6dgmoq_WBulke8Sz9G57VLUQMJ2evVvCQMj8ayz0ROlJq7cwpVftEpyBVUtLf6spICSkgkCO8mOfgaGzYoz5Ro9J0RrjQ/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_9.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBkzcR894SRK7ShEyt0H-6HASqAH1eliBk1aoOewuv1TgtLKlmur-QKk4pwHy5GLhTgA1T-QDpAn2K1bBUw4qdQK2B5zb_o_aX-G262gX_ACVvtNQ3OEU4CMGjsxmo_zM8QsHg9jaPMwI0QT9eax8iL0KOqike9kTjHsTsDZUnP81xicrjim9TDxzYQ/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_10.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBkzcR894SRK7ShEyt0H-6HASqAH1eliBk1aoOewuv1TgtLKlmur-QKk4pwHy5GLhTgA1T-QDpAn2K1bBUw4qdQK2B5zb_o_aX-G262gX_ACVvtNQ3OEU4CMGjsxmo_zM8QsHg9jaPMwI0QT9eax8iL0KOqike9kTjHsTsDZUnP81xicrjim9TDxzYQ/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gWwwhf1Rt0gPO_w72FgbQScICpu06JoeCxYEAas4RkfwhjBq5G2GYy6wqVfZ_zBgtpRHvtn_TBKG19aNg8Z_SKK7Sxj9DvlesSi7Atf34ZHQcVk_88UGjEkmztJ4CfD_9IOvpUDqCwuaveH_FoBm1uyDcAlHWw6B9Xqh2F9W2Fmsq-5SIwtYQmZfHw/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gWwwhf1Rt0gPO_w72FgbQScICpu06JoeCxYEAas4RkfwhjBq5G2GYy6wqVfZ_zBgtpRHvtn_TBKG19aNg8Z_SKK7Sxj9DvlesSi7Atf34ZHQcVk_88UGjEkmztJ4CfD_9IOvpUDqCwuaveH_FoBm1uyDcAlHWw6B9Xqh2F9W2Fmsq-5SIwtYQmZfHw/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecuOoygjoXMzlW2ztged-DwJx4EEKpDWmCIq7Mbx_8NBxt0JzfXZGOsQ0tvyBrKHX9mY0l0yo__t3eAHEdKxQZORblqs4CdoFe9yaxx5rNKnftbKK_rPt2KPgvrRubPMXbest3ZEnAmiaCf23ETZ_vK5FZLkn48VB2y4KLza410IwtQSnCcUoXoJo_g/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_12.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecuOoygjoXMzlW2ztged-DwJx4EEKpDWmCIq7Mbx_8NBxt0JzfXZGOsQ0tvyBrKHX9mY0l0yo__t3eAHEdKxQZORblqs4CdoFe9yaxx5rNKnftbKK_rPt2KPgvrRubPMXbest3ZEnAmiaCf23ETZ_vK5FZLkn48VB2y4KLza410IwtQSnCcUoXoJo_g/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_12.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklFKc7-RUNfb4E3zmOb-bAFVzQZn-Wj96TUuz2jfdBXx_4RDqliiOhIxWF5jEretwmjBtSdGc0mEqjJvBECCuQ95uTFL2-yCZJb5qvTmi4VVXLjGRidVB9SUZ4dQ2k1VpBATOfUepvNqIP2lKrmAFgdz6FMuMuC7m0kC9Zv66q-cs0RnjkYoVO9liHw/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_13.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiklFKc7-RUNfb4E3zmOb-bAFVzQZn-Wj96TUuz2jfdBXx_4RDqliiOhIxWF5jEretwmjBtSdGc0mEqjJvBECCuQ95uTFL2-yCZJb5qvTmi4VVXLjGRidVB9SUZ4dQ2k1VpBATOfUepvNqIP2lKrmAFgdz6FMuMuC7m0kC9Zv66q-cs0RnjkYoVO9liHw/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_13.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGCeVUGNgmZ-LLxTnm23gLm0wb0ixw2G80mysv7owGU6L07wWSMN_jGsfsuJoo5R4GH6W6yVWUzPjTLtpA5f0Q6YiHOgtglNnqzGqEDMxiVO5c-bVnMJQzsDRc0oXDhT48Oo0Xky23Z4akoJOayU8wAmJGUoZo26VECdCJ96pqFVp-csHhS1F_7A8HA/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_14.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGCeVUGNgmZ-LLxTnm23gLm0wb0ixw2G80mysv7owGU6L07wWSMN_jGsfsuJoo5R4GH6W6yVWUzPjTLtpA5f0Q6YiHOgtglNnqzGqEDMxiVO5c-bVnMJQzsDRc0oXDhT48Oo0Xky23Z4akoJOayU8wAmJGUoZo26VECdCJ96pqFVp-csHhS1F_7A8HA/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_14.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6-fV4cuYo2OtQHBpx5OjpoCBRRxqkUapt_ev2-UDa6r1j8UlEhiKZ8t2vVBiR-s5I7vW49u4P1IOxUD6f4t0MXOhf5rvciVHdIFJ6UY0ZCoQiQlKCtaibsC91uskuhcIvLYuPFnJn1wHF1iyFUx3r0cgWhg_7Eb0LaOoBctrYDYTO84sF584c_bjuQ/s1920/The%20Accused%20(1949)_15.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6-fV4cuYo2OtQHBpx5OjpoCBRRxqkUapt_ev2-UDa6r1j8UlEhiKZ8t2vVBiR-s5I7vW49u4P1IOxUD6f4t0MXOhf5rvciVHdIFJ6UY0ZCoQiQlKCtaibsC91uskuhcIvLYuPFnJn1wHF1iyFUx3r0cgWhg_7Eb0LaOoBctrYDYTO84sF584c_bjuQ/w400-h250/The%20Accused%20(1949)_15.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Von
Mueller's commentary is not without its memorable sound bites, as when he
critiques outrageously sexist dialog, "'Your brains don't show a bit.'
Jesus. This is the good guy, folks!" Another winner comes as he recalls
that Mickey Knox's wife's sister Adele Morales was married to Knox's good
friend Norman Mailer, who almost stabbed Morales to death. "Norman Mailer
was a dick," summarizes Von Mueller. He concludes his excellent, highly
professional track with an extraction from the courtroom sequence, dialog that
encapsulates the very essence of <i>film noir</i>, "It's always a fine
line between what we cause to happen and what happens to us."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
theatrical trailer collection includes a trailer for <b>THE ACCUSED</b> along
with trailers for a host of other comparable titles available from Kino Lorber.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVcd1gMy6DttXacG8flirtZsjqRFnk3icqVgpaitYLbOe0AUBeZFATTrAfo3mZE9deguvU1nT3MJIYR2FZTLdkkXto_z8g6AXDrmV7gar0T89icngicrhtkSY2nvPmQXtgJqWZasANfSQc_DlYzXOONLS1cUxwclP0CYHPYlA3ATnfQ0Bu0gyAnzUGA/s580/The%20Accused%20(1949)%20Poster_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVcd1gMy6DttXacG8flirtZsjqRFnk3icqVgpaitYLbOe0AUBeZFATTrAfo3mZE9deguvU1nT3MJIYR2FZTLdkkXto_z8g6AXDrmV7gar0T89icngicrhtkSY2nvPmQXtgJqWZasANfSQc_DlYzXOONLS1cUxwclP0CYHPYlA3ATnfQ0Bu0gyAnzUGA/w398-h400/The%20Accused%20(1949)%20Poster_2.jpg" width="398" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVD0wfG-TJ0eDAoT2Gtn5UWimSEsfdhR8Sd8cEo_wE1ZS2j-uS4MvoCy_VoFUvIXpOy5yHBWgGTFASYXd6L7Q8C1iLlAlYBUSdPRjl9aslih88YDxoNmfZ2omeo2wgZtO8indm-hJMupCgRoklpCJmvjJKaZKKCwq46hxyBHJyMNQOuUAXhv1F0c8vHw/s1594/The%20Accused%20(1949)%20Blu-ray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVD0wfG-TJ0eDAoT2Gtn5UWimSEsfdhR8Sd8cEo_wE1ZS2j-uS4MvoCy_VoFUvIXpOy5yHBWgGTFASYXd6L7Q8C1iLlAlYBUSdPRjl9aslih88YDxoNmfZ2omeo2wgZtO8indm-hJMupCgRoklpCJmvjJKaZKKCwq46hxyBHJyMNQOuUAXhv1F0c8vHw/w315-h400/The%20Accused%20(1949)%20Blu-ray.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async="" src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-48542308283940038722022-03-27T22:36:00.001-05:002022-03-27T22:36:28.472-05:00STEP BY STEP (1946)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">RKO
Radio Pictures, 61m 51s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxiOTgRrawmBsZgvTq11B_5vgYMq6kjjYC844DnvQM2-w_9OuYsMBBCtFIrYCLaKPVMCzDCtKfuZWbiKvNHZrdd44PTMC7adFXwNDYS5LSq6EebWWI_b_QUMNxoCowYboMx12u4_BDp4fhvBLfB-YULg72Hm7W9twTR9CYowJJ_ulAXLDEPAxPWD3uKw/s1503/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1503" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxiOTgRrawmBsZgvTq11B_5vgYMq6kjjYC844DnvQM2-w_9OuYsMBBCtFIrYCLaKPVMCzDCtKfuZWbiKvNHZrdd44PTMC7adFXwNDYS5LSq6EebWWI_b_QUMNxoCowYboMx12u4_BDp4fhvBLfB-YULg72Hm7W9twTR9CYowJJ_ulAXLDEPAxPWD3uKw/w266-h400/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_Poster.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">A
lively <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> programmer from good
ol' RKO, director Phil Rosen's <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">STEP BY
STEP</b> makes for an entertaining Saturday afternoon diversion. Set along
California's coastline, this taut <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
plunges the viewer into post-WWII malaise, with rogue Germans still very much a
nuisance to American ideals. Stuart Palmer's screenplay, based on an original
story by George Callahan, exploits the concern that Nazism has metabolized into
the country's social and political structures. In its implication that evil
never can be entirely defeated (it just regroups and starts over), the
atmosphere advanced in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">STEP BY STEP</b>
is no place for the weak-kneed or the uninformed. Though the war may be over,
the isotropic tension of aggressive Nazism might manifest itself in person, via
listening devices or through one's own compromised employee.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">At
his seaside home, Senator Remmy (Harry Harvey) suggests his newly-hired
secretary Evelyn Smith (Anne Jeffreys) enjoys the beach while he awaits the
arrival of James Blackton (Addison Richards), a government operative who
possesses a list of 200 Germans whose day-to-day actions deserve monitoring. On
her way to the beach, Evelyn draws the hungry eye of Johnny Christopher (Lawrence
Tierney), recently discharged from the United States Marine Corps after being
stranded in the South Pacific. The two have a friendly conversation, but
nothing happens beyond talk. Evelyn returns to the Remmy beach house and
eventually is followed by Johnny, who is floored to be greeted by another
blonde (Myrna Dell) who claims to be Evelyn!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqP-NDf407jNMwPlSvec2JSkDJBSsEbnI9WnUqT9y3UvBK2WY9S8pDB3WIVc6XETBCw_2tCtiFQGY-X_zg4W7gCTFSIFVkzaXgUGfNISn_WRfiLVe1nzIlG8uGGKe52_r11QKzjWaE2D72wmE4m6Iq5ArfRKSWZwGz-IyOmWDrVHLj8ER6cLrmMgR3g/s1920/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqP-NDf407jNMwPlSvec2JSkDJBSsEbnI9WnUqT9y3UvBK2WY9S8pDB3WIVc6XETBCw_2tCtiFQGY-X_zg4W7gCTFSIFVkzaXgUGfNISn_WRfiLVe1nzIlG8uGGKe52_r11QKzjWaE2D72wmE4m6Iq5ArfRKSWZwGz-IyOmWDrVHLj8ER6cLrmMgR3g/w400-h250/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0GtF_czr4FlHNUMFmfOMRO9Em_dI_Aj_StfKasLsh6CcnHtWQVU13C_HOBt35wIMt9gCHYp9R7NxlH84LbcTf9Bfep6nAqzY1m0bs_5lDcboB9AByFSGAFRALRLoQlSATfU2CjwtZFMd2oJCatvJW3urTlJL71K5LK1OD3CimKfJ2dimFM-TD73UeA/s1920/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0GtF_czr4FlHNUMFmfOMRO9Em_dI_Aj_StfKasLsh6CcnHtWQVU13C_HOBt35wIMt9gCHYp9R7NxlH84LbcTf9Bfep6nAqzY1m0bs_5lDcboB9AByFSGAFRALRLoQlSATfU2CjwtZFMd2oJCatvJW3urTlJL71K5LK1OD3CimKfJ2dimFM-TD73UeA/w400-h250/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyYs6EwTSzL301I9u6XMFrE91sIIpH-ZbsRGpsPwN8dAAgPPy2omYQ3czSbPJlFipLPOcbiKWbaiePTbsZY7PqOu_IS44OBzoh9GENmk4LnWfsan-SxpBKkltrhgDx0AK6CHRaNRamndv46difeCIk1UGjFredf6mH5dUjjUyEVcVwIwAObM0lkgAcA/s1920/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyYs6EwTSzL301I9u6XMFrE91sIIpH-ZbsRGpsPwN8dAAgPPy2omYQ3czSbPJlFipLPOcbiKWbaiePTbsZY7PqOu_IS44OBzoh9GENmk4LnWfsan-SxpBKkltrhgDx0AK6CHRaNRamndv46difeCIk1UGjFredf6mH5dUjjUyEVcVwIwAObM0lkgAcA/w400-h250/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">STEP BY STEP</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">
qualifies as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> thanks
mostly to its unstable environment where the order of things is questioned and ordinary
people inspire doubt. Our lead protagonist Johnny stands among a vast array of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> characters who served their country
only to encounter continued opposition back in the states. This theme pervades
the narrative early when a motorcycle traffic cop (Pat Flaherty) accuses Johnny
of being a shell-shocked veteran whose perceptions cannot be taken seriously.
An unhelpful public servant, the cop does not buy into the former Marine's
story and is outwitted easily by the Nazis led by Von Dorn (Lowell Gilmore) who
have assembled at the Remmy estate. The battle-tested <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> doppelgänger theme is emphasized by this German crew that
substitutes for Remmy and Evelyn without much resistance. Effectively the Nazis
put Johnny and Evelyn on the run, with the couple sought by both police and
criminals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Particularly
for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noirs</i> of this period, the
woman of mystery is one of the accepted genre conceits. It is hinted at very
early in the proceedings that Evelyn Smith might not be who she claims to be in
terms of work history. On a related note, she is an outsider from the east.
Though not a femme fatale per se, from the opening segment there is question as
to who she is and why she suddenly has become a secretary for Senator Remmy. In
fact she eventually reveals she was selected for the job based on false credentials,
and thus never should have been in a position to attract Johnny with her
fetching swimwear. Interestingly, Evelyn proves she is capable of spider woman
detail when she tricks the chauffeur Norton (Phil Warren) into admitting his
treachery just before he gets iced.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6jHGuV61KVpgNFS3XCtOFt1z3XkMV1WU_VLH96Rlrw-08F_mZ-Hqfjc_NPxkpurSW56yVeo4Mq5Nd_ooeG7Pdf2HPvdLBhND_z1TGPg6-eP8k8kqzI_9lvV52oclClK9EU7B910Z_H2Zo2oqu0hvp-P8U8pkc7hHR5S0DY3uciqXUvkegr1egFY0gg/s1920/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir6jHGuV61KVpgNFS3XCtOFt1z3XkMV1WU_VLH96Rlrw-08F_mZ-Hqfjc_NPxkpurSW56yVeo4Mq5Nd_ooeG7Pdf2HPvdLBhND_z1TGPg6-eP8k8kqzI_9lvV52oclClK9EU7B910Z_H2Zo2oqu0hvp-P8U8pkc7hHR5S0DY3uciqXUvkegr1egFY0gg/w400-h250/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYVtAgyzAerMOUNHgMtLJ8AkXjVRx0WnA-y8kmK6wl4ZEtz8KV8DiI_EhXCobhCpK3BUmxPkLi7Yyz-roC_DvxiyURlJtWlSkt0IC20gqBQ3d_HUOezK3MfrujwiJ5VlAJA2_pLnbdmbJOSPQQgHYcYyK61AqQNjjeIa4b6unA-kmlTLRYDBhXoHzHQ/s1920/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYVtAgyzAerMOUNHgMtLJ8AkXjVRx0WnA-y8kmK6wl4ZEtz8KV8DiI_EhXCobhCpK3BUmxPkLi7Yyz-roC_DvxiyURlJtWlSkt0IC20gqBQ3d_HUOezK3MfrujwiJ5VlAJA2_pLnbdmbJOSPQQgHYcYyK61AqQNjjeIa4b6unA-kmlTLRYDBhXoHzHQ/w400-h250/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwVwlB_LI395xofPdLUkS26bJT6jfSvSdwylM_311YUt2tqD6l3SmCdYMWpKAaHcSYSUMfXy6gHjMNZmfdBF8zSxTGL-8zX2eFitnv3Ua5nWKUNDS10TvVWHZRH6a-2lhBGVdQMh-740hPlD4Q9Q3UpthVVRTMQFtta8Il9zLaaaIoUdl9EOoRS_bag/s1920/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMwVwlB_LI395xofPdLUkS26bJT6jfSvSdwylM_311YUt2tqD6l3SmCdYMWpKAaHcSYSUMfXy6gHjMNZmfdBF8zSxTGL-8zX2eFitnv3Ua5nWKUNDS10TvVWHZRH6a-2lhBGVdQMh-740hPlD4Q9Q3UpthVVRTMQFtta8Il9zLaaaIoUdl9EOoRS_bag/w400-h250/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_6.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The requisite heterosexual union (well, sort of)</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Ultimately
the Nazi fugitives are expunged as Hollywood conventions of the time required,
although the cathartic concluding sequence strains credulity to the limit, with
law enforcement firepower responding to a wildly implausible S.O.S. signal
engineered by Johnny. Overall the plot seems heavily dependent upon <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">coincidence</i> rather than the preferred <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> power of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fate</i>. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">STEP BY STEP</b> reunites
Lawrence Tierney and Anne Jeffreys from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DILLINGER</b>
(1945), though it should be mentioned this vehicle is hardly the forum for the
unique talent of the real-life bad boy Tierney, who was so effective the
following year as the heavies in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
DEVIL THUMBS A RIDE</b> (1947) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BORN
TO KILL</b> (1947). Myrna Dell's character Gretchen is branded repeatedly as
far less attractive than Evelyn, as if Dell were some sort of ugly duckling.
Not only are Nazis engaged in nefarious activities that threaten our basic
freedoms, the viewer is to understand their women are homely to boot.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">This
Blu-ray presentation is derived from outstanding source material and looks
smooth and crisp in motion, framed at the original theatrical scope of 1.37:1.
Two bonus features are selectable. The first is THE TRANS-ATLANTIC MYSTERY
(1932, Warner Bros., 21m 40s) with Ray Collins, who would later appear as Boss Jim
Gettys in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CITIZEN KANE</b> (1941). John
Hamilton from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">STEP BY STEP</b> is also
part of the cast. The second supplement is “The Great Piggy Bank Robbery”
(1946, Warner Bros., 7m 33s) a surreal animated short starring Daffy Duck.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBhqHPrDrCZMiTJpfdUn0GSikV-neSpb_1Vk1eJ4gA4i8EUSkqbkjeFAiB2RiiKcVodX3eXZHRVDfOB2fryfR2IvwxlA0Z1PNfIV-jBbJDlCHtjbKARmM4XGEntz83W7HZQN0dkyxSK4-S4t-wC1yRVLf6mFEDv8UCm2jAXp8P267U9jDKFImihw1xg/s1508/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_Poster_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1508" data-original-width="580" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBhqHPrDrCZMiTJpfdUn0GSikV-neSpb_1Vk1eJ4gA4i8EUSkqbkjeFAiB2RiiKcVodX3eXZHRVDfOB2fryfR2IvwxlA0Z1PNfIV-jBbJDlCHtjbKARmM4XGEntz83W7HZQN0dkyxSK4-S4t-wC1yRVLf6mFEDv8UCm2jAXp8P267U9jDKFImihw1xg/w154-h400/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_Poster_2.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYl_AsR0uavh0qIf8eg3UA-on0vp2LDKESo-2trlhD7fBwtDwCz2xHh3WgbZXao2OcynaI6H0qPKDQgNwT9skp_twOreBvXA0bODroEAhXSDhB70c3wPeg6vtpdwFSRgpVcKNrbVTSVkmzaSFBxs9JasKLl9-Eg8EQpkxArc_jSbZVY9-D58qOPlzcyg/s758/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_Poster_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="758" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYl_AsR0uavh0qIf8eg3UA-on0vp2LDKESo-2trlhD7fBwtDwCz2xHh3WgbZXao2OcynaI6H0qPKDQgNwT9skp_twOreBvXA0bODroEAhXSDhB70c3wPeg6vtpdwFSRgpVcKNrbVTSVkmzaSFBxs9JasKLl9-Eg8EQpkxArc_jSbZVY9-D58qOPlzcyg/s320/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_Poster_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKGw4yXtQfNYkAyPa0_bm6NrPxonENALgCYuEbT_qoCLnDeF6LvOkfZz4cYoIC0DDhiHYFDfuPeOYUQE4WeyaZUw225RFP3iPnXpfS8Vq8EPPOg_KjNPMLCeIn9juCgC38xow5QSuCJZr9paUUccCsIqVN-uDNn-a0IfYxXRaPpKLrGKueKTdNxwYJQ/s500/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_Blu-ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="383" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKGw4yXtQfNYkAyPa0_bm6NrPxonENALgCYuEbT_qoCLnDeF6LvOkfZz4cYoIC0DDhiHYFDfuPeOYUQE4WeyaZUw225RFP3iPnXpfS8Vq8EPPOg_KjNPMLCeIn9juCgC38xow5QSuCJZr9paUUccCsIqVN-uDNn-a0IfYxXRaPpKLrGKueKTdNxwYJQ/w306-h400/Step%20by%20Step%20(1946)_Blu-ray.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async="" src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-81904899535297232972022-02-26T13:25:00.000-06:002022-02-26T13:25:09.840-06:00NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES (1948)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Paramount
Pictures, 80m 56s<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2Z39H0ntKzXuRxZEEJ1qHNry0i7o0pDHV1efoA3tpz7Rzo3oLsNtw5lwx6PsUS2fg4H7rXNbmGojuxHgqQjJZuuJi5CveZ9oCkXJgg9-pToMQpSgUC2s9qGFUxqo4YV_kcq-eayqrRBXTW82O3Uh8l7B5sUi7isTn20mPHxib1HlfpA1A1OI4h2z0ug=s2550" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1711" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2Z39H0ntKzXuRxZEEJ1qHNry0i7o0pDHV1efoA3tpz7Rzo3oLsNtw5lwx6PsUS2fg4H7rXNbmGojuxHgqQjJZuuJi5CveZ9oCkXJgg9-pToMQpSgUC2s9qGFUxqo4YV_kcq-eayqrRBXTW82O3Uh8l7B5sUi7isTn20mPHxib1HlfpA1A1OI4h2z0ug=w269-h400" width="269" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">After
a man acquires the power of second sight, he comes to understand his
inexplicable ability as more of a curse than a blessing. He becomes a loner,
effectively closed off from the world around him. When he realizes he may be
able to alter one of his visions, he senses such intervention may cost him his
life. If that brief plot summary brings to mind director David Cronenberg's <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE DEAD ZONE</b> (1983), based on the
novel by Stephen King, it should. One wonders if King found some inspiration
for his story in director John Farrow's <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHT
HAS A THOUSAND EYES</b>, or perhaps in that film's source material written by
Cornell Woolrich. After screening the Farrow film, it occurred to me that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE DEAD ZONE</b> might best be discussed
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> terms, but that will be
an essay for another day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwKrpe3-jH2jxkUOKrXEoo6POgSaSoDDPmStHB6P3YRojSqRUncQxhjjnUS22_zFj_aVHohXTWdunmesXMVzRCX7z3d8myHYDBSgtaA7Zyp7nbzUQ4sKrigTKJ0yddUXTNiID-DGDDvTBEjP8C2sIy3dxnjl7zD-oQOvHUDv3wdE2cUrvTRISj7uwOjg=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwKrpe3-jH2jxkUOKrXEoo6POgSaSoDDPmStHB6P3YRojSqRUncQxhjjnUS22_zFj_aVHohXTWdunmesXMVzRCX7z3d8myHYDBSgtaA7Zyp7nbzUQ4sKrigTKJ0yddUXTNiID-DGDDvTBEjP8C2sIy3dxnjl7zD-oQOvHUDv3wdE2cUrvTRISj7uwOjg=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES</span></b><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"> is
among the best calibrated of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
films that focus on an alienated individual doomed to a bleak outcome. Like
many <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noirs</i> of this period, it begins
at the end, but then journeys backward in time to shed light on what brought
the major characters to where they find themselves. In this case the flashback
takes us back 20 years to 1928 Louisiana, where John Triton (Edward G.
Robinson) makes his living in a "first-class phony" mind reading act.
Billed as "Triton, the Mental Wizard," he is flanked by his fiancée
Jenny (Virginia Bruce) and his close friend Whitney Courtland (Jerome Cowan).
Each night the trio stands before appreciative spectators, all primed to
believe in Triton's reputed clairvoyance. One night Triton is inclined to
believe it too after he learns his sudden impression of a boy in danger proves
stunningly accurate. Then a 10-1 longshot comes through at the horse track per
Triton's intuition. Triton grows increasingly fearful of his forewarnings after
the death of a newsboy (Georgie Nokes), but Courtland repeatedly reaps
pecuniary rewards. Winning bets on horse races lead Courtland to stock market
success and tracts of land rich with oil in Oklahoma. After a particularly
disturbing vision drifts through his consciousness, Triton abandons Jenny and
Courtland. "I'd become a sort of a reverse zombie. I was living in a world
already dead, and I alone knowing it."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8Lqby4JIV_M7CCt4tmM7YG9KayJTXulF0D0aiMvmpXbpz3daLhp375IbmPYiZiZgQU4Yik0t07BoWC3zxmTPYn03v6utxldQ9BwHGEGdlCu6cd5DktLCnWkoWPr_ZzwexV61I-lQZxDSlA6VuG1dtURbrgfr9FbkNkSgSBGkwjR-IdzOBL7vw-Pu3nw=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8Lqby4JIV_M7CCt4tmM7YG9KayJTXulF0D0aiMvmpXbpz3daLhp375IbmPYiZiZgQU4Yik0t07BoWC3zxmTPYn03v6utxldQ9BwHGEGdlCu6cd5DktLCnWkoWPr_ZzwexV61I-lQZxDSlA6VuG1dtURbrgfr9FbkNkSgSBGkwjR-IdzOBL7vw-Pu3nw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLY8sOsc9XkSeI-CwXjVAo9zQl_e6CMQC0pov7VVD-2mSpBR8AbPvAkCXkkyKczuJvO3H359ZLWJFeQmtnYhQUkBOSwgjsmNwYXFZpWKLpaZHuboJlyMZj1X0CURZfp9JYom_25FIlmFgG9iwBeExXZA6SD3vM1FujyU3Z1RNvTtEIyaeImQgIR4tqxA=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLY8sOsc9XkSeI-CwXjVAo9zQl_e6CMQC0pov7VVD-2mSpBR8AbPvAkCXkkyKczuJvO3H359ZLWJFeQmtnYhQUkBOSwgjsmNwYXFZpWKLpaZHuboJlyMZj1X0CURZfp9JYom_25FIlmFgG9iwBeExXZA6SD3vM1FujyU3Z1RNvTtEIyaeImQgIR4tqxA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikZZT8RGWkMO4R5AWSIs7Qd2CHgeYM0zzSbPlKgEnEcTaQS8F0UwsyqeiWPiJo5XSxnUdt8tB2BCh_E1ef6eEswYWJY5c_q3lmYLMxnbwmuAVOR5EZ0FzqOQqXpM8sZx6QIFocvqYgyU4pUwhk6CYWERMwLGhFWc47QBb-7glL5D05cAx4kjCZaawlfw=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikZZT8RGWkMO4R5AWSIs7Qd2CHgeYM0zzSbPlKgEnEcTaQS8F0UwsyqeiWPiJo5XSxnUdt8tB2BCh_E1ef6eEswYWJY5c_q3lmYLMxnbwmuAVOR5EZ0FzqOQqXpM8sZx6QIFocvqYgyU4pUwhk6CYWERMwLGhFWc47QBb-7glL5D05cAx4kjCZaawlfw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As
Courtland rises to the top of society thanks entirely to Triton's incredible
powers of precognition, Triton is absorbed into oppressive <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> nothingness within Los Angeles, where he lives alone and
operates the Triton Novelty Co., a small mail order service. The mentally
traumatized <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> figure was a
common sighting in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> output of the
late 1940s, almost a prerequisite, i.e. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIGH
WALL</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b>
(1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">POSSESSED</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MOONRISE</b> (1948), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SO EVIL MY LOVE</b> (1948), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
CROOKED WAY</b> (1949) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHIRLPOOL</b>
(1949). The psychologically haunted protagonist of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES</b> is Triton, a man who once had a place in
society when he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pretended</i> to be a
mentalist. In one of the genre's most darkly ironic twists, Triton comes to
possess actual paranormal power only to be destroyed by it after two decades of
misery. Some of his dialog is instructive as he describes his life of anonymity
in the Bunker Hill neighborhood using absolute <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> verbiage:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"It
was an odd part of the city, but I liked it. It was a strictly 'no questions
asked' area; people minding their own business and letting you mind yours. Even
after 15 years my social conversation didn't exceed 25 words a day...it was a
lonely life..."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Other
than significant financial gain for his friend Courtland (a dubious benefit as
it turns out), there is no plus side for Triton that comes from his foresight.
He has no control over his premonitions, which strike without warning and
always seem to bring the worst imaginable news. Triton effectively forfeits his
fiancée Jenny to his friend Courtland in the hope of altering his vision of her
death, nonetheless she dies during childbirth. Triton eventually envisions
Courtland's death by plane crash, but is unable to prevent it, try as he might.
Then Triton foresees the imminent death of Jean (Gail Russell), the daughter of
Jenny and Courtland. Ultimately both Triton and Jean join the ranks of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>'s walking dead, those
unenviable folks who can see their own demise. This was another common <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> trope of the mid-to-late
1940s, as seen in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE DARK CORNER</b>
(1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE KILLERS</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OUT OF THE PAST</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RIDE THE PINK HORSE</b> (1947) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ACT OF VIOLENCE</b> (1948).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKZo5UpZREc0H5fkPsqOHGUrGdLPl4RUndgNmY19CHzmnswtZQ-imuCLYPy_bJkwNT8UcztbxjPJDGXsjXfD9HZ7hE5n-zP4xg03AZ-mKIKyDDZUjSPoScN8Lc9y2aGdjHzRQNnsvdTYIqZAugS7k5b3B1h1edi4DIduJixmwVOw1kipIS3GJRR5rSxw=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKZo5UpZREc0H5fkPsqOHGUrGdLPl4RUndgNmY19CHzmnswtZQ-imuCLYPy_bJkwNT8UcztbxjPJDGXsjXfD9HZ7hE5n-zP4xg03AZ-mKIKyDDZUjSPoScN8Lc9y2aGdjHzRQNnsvdTYIqZAugS7k5b3B1h1edi4DIduJixmwVOw1kipIS3GJRR5rSxw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portrait of Jenny</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmAm770HMI-gprYCIJ-TNNyefxbQYyXxNLci5tQAT5II7tzi0JKH1jHngCojA0F0HEmtyI7HkwYCX6a6ZtRxKPrt1YLGZuurUNg-JFvjWLYo5f9Ex3RdYxQhyoQZEaNp6aD2SDDr9OV23lOojiitwvlEXV72rvX4bzUoD0qvd1Uf5AggDvnlbjkrOFng=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmAm770HMI-gprYCIJ-TNNyefxbQYyXxNLci5tQAT5II7tzi0JKH1jHngCojA0F0HEmtyI7HkwYCX6a6ZtRxKPrt1YLGZuurUNg-JFvjWLYo5f9Ex3RdYxQhyoQZEaNp6aD2SDDr9OV23lOojiitwvlEXV72rvX4bzUoD0qvd1Uf5AggDvnlbjkrOFng=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3QKJ1mprqM2RM7RwmsyLaiy2i6Gea1U6YjjJsoIYB07qP5qdU28Y1WHlrsilhInbe-mFz5pq9bYdab5fSJlc8ALnfLpxCMKn7E7pPvn8m5wrYL5z84H0YEI5chTVoioEXJUVGQPRBRMU1mYsUftBLLcBJw1g2swAtNlrPMBjSkyU2DYsF_BGQFWBYIA=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3QKJ1mprqM2RM7RwmsyLaiy2i6Gea1U6YjjJsoIYB07qP5qdU28Y1WHlrsilhInbe-mFz5pq9bYdab5fSJlc8ALnfLpxCMKn7E7pPvn8m5wrYL5z84H0YEI5chTVoioEXJUVGQPRBRMU1mYsUftBLLcBJw1g2swAtNlrPMBjSkyU2DYsF_BGQFWBYIA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In
a sequence that connects the main protagonist directly to the viewer, Triton
posits he is not that different from anyone present at the Courtland estate:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"You've
been there, all of you. You've had experiences:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>telegrams that you knew the contents of before you opened them, places
that seem familiar though you've never been in them before, and under the
emotional stress of tragedy, have you noticed how everything becomes disturbed
and unreal as the mind tries to escape into time? And in dreams, it escapes
too; not always into fantasy, sometimes the dreams come true."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">By
inference, none of us are much different than Triton as he attempts to explain
how unremarkable he believes himself to be. The notion that the lead
protagonist could be anybody is a powerful attribute for any <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>; it allows the audience to identify
with people who are not always likeable, though it is easy to sympathize with
Triton as he copes as best he can against unyielding <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> doctrines. Later at the police station, he reminds us of
the absurdity of his position, how powerless he is within the context of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> conditions:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 0.5in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"This
gift, which I never asked for and I don't understand, has brought me only
unhappiness."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">That
moment of recognition extends to Elliott Carson (John Lund), the oil geologist.
The man of science maintains a skeptical attitude throughout the film, but ultimately
comes to a certain respect for the fatalistic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> universe and its mysterious functions. He admits scientists
indeed are conducting studies in the area of second sight, which in itself
seems to legitimize the possibility of such phenomena.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
diagram of interconnected <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>
themes and motifs is created through an emphasis on darkness, low camera
angles, elaborate staircases, mirrors, an idealized portrait and an
overwhelming sense of dread. Repeatedly Triton's grim prognostications are
associated with rainfall. Of course rain-soaked streets provide a film-friendly
terrain for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> sequences, but there
is a deeper meaning attached to water, which is linked symbolically to ominous
transitions in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> narratives
such as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b> (1944), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW</b> (1944), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MILDRED PIERCE</b> (1945), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BRUTE FORCE</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PORTRAIT OF JENNIE</b> (1948) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SUNSET BOULEVARD</b> (1950).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnKR2Zc6K5hfdoHE5536b-pEgj1jtn7AgkTWX_AEXBWuMp44_61_ruGfZDj1GHhaA7rlj3eDtJX_9TyHSkPWGFlOLdmyFVZhbXP2CBTwrvkH9LP0MfUbdMWkdoFxrWmSWjrTA0ZqUkdcNEhUtBHq8Jj5lwNfb8ou5_DX3UU8X-ZGeyztH8Z2LGd_LKgg=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnKR2Zc6K5hfdoHE5536b-pEgj1jtn7AgkTWX_AEXBWuMp44_61_ruGfZDj1GHhaA7rlj3eDtJX_9TyHSkPWGFlOLdmyFVZhbXP2CBTwrvkH9LP0MfUbdMWkdoFxrWmSWjrTA0ZqUkdcNEhUtBHq8Jj5lwNfb8ou5_DX3UU8X-ZGeyztH8Z2LGd_LKgg=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsgIktnWpaFZ_d3XRHVevliKml124dC00xls6-M2UhVyQBGbiJoeJqMNrFwi9V7LQjzMRljZV5O6XvHRaUO7EdMBcDO7-j8eGwnEJGBgsf2L8t5J-0etm1RrWNPNT-m6srbbBCF8vy9b63-CA7MyOF3idbjOTbU7A_0dFwN6icA_ycjjBWGUIY4peHkw=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsgIktnWpaFZ_d3XRHVevliKml124dC00xls6-M2UhVyQBGbiJoeJqMNrFwi9V7LQjzMRljZV5O6XvHRaUO7EdMBcDO7-j8eGwnEJGBgsf2L8t5J-0etm1RrWNPNT-m6srbbBCF8vy9b63-CA7MyOF3idbjOTbU7A_0dFwN6icA_ycjjBWGUIY4peHkw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The <i>noir</i> mirror</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhB9wWSuKFC0w5A9lHLIEA1Vdrl0FBiU_6_uo-fGtNVkqJ8vR_66_mO385HDO1Jl2hMgY3nDUR6L1NtEf1TyZJTS3-KJUveILTX62oZV1j-oV06y54Y5c2f0aOufExGWvqf6wIKj63UkPsfEsw5PaR4RqedPSSowCnuaE9BT-SklJ26ruTMiSCJJUk_ag=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhB9wWSuKFC0w5A9lHLIEA1Vdrl0FBiU_6_uo-fGtNVkqJ8vR_66_mO385HDO1Jl2hMgY3nDUR6L1NtEf1TyZJTS3-KJUveILTX62oZV1j-oV06y54Y5c2f0aOufExGWvqf6wIKj63UkPsfEsw5PaR4RqedPSSowCnuaE9BT-SklJ26ruTMiSCJJUk_ag=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
veteran of some of the genre's undisputed classics, including <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SCARLET
STREET</b> (1945), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE STRANGER</b>
(1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KEY LARGO</b> (1948), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HOUSE OF STRANGERS</b> (1949) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ILLEGAL</b> (1955), Edward G. Robinson is
at his most affable here as a man plagued by what many would assume to be a
wonderful gift. Director of photography John F. Seitz possessed a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> credit list arguably as impressive
as Robinson's, including <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DOUBLE
INDEMNITY</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CALCUTTA</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE BIG CLOCK</b> (1948), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER</b> (1950) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SUNSET BOULEVARD</b>. The compositions
captured by Seitz for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHT HAS A
THOUSAND EYES</b> now can be appreciated in the recently released
single-layered Blu-ray edition from Kino Lorber. The new 2K master does look a
little darker than what I would have preferred, though grain level is
appropriate. Minor speckles, scratches and artifacts are evident throughout the
presentation, but none of these little annoyances detract from the viewing
experience in any significant way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
new Blu-ray disc features an audio commentary track recorded by Imogen Sara
Smith, a voice to be trusted on all things Hollywood. Her research is so
thorough it really poses a problem for those of us trying to take notes; this
commentary in particular made me appreciate the pause button on my remote
control. Smith approaches the film from every imaginable angle. She notes that
the supernatural element is uncharacteristic of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>; consequently the lead protagonist is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> the fraud Stan Carlisle (Tyrone
Power) is in the prior year's <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE
ALLEY</b>. Also unusual for a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
exercise is that none of the major characters are motivated by greed, lust or
hatred—only fear of their own mortality. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Noir</i>
stories often are concerned with the power of the past over the present, and
that is true to some extent in this film given the textbook flashback format.
But the more meaningful focus is on Triton's unpleasant premonitions about the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">future</i>, which makes this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> especially cynical in its
thematic structure. Something that seems like a gift in reality is a heavy
cross to bear. Smith observes the adaptation (by screenwriters Barré Lyndon and
Jonathan Latimer) is not particularly faithful to Cornell Woolrich's source
novel (NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES, 1945, written under the pseudonym of George
Hopley). Triton was not the lead character in the novel, which is even more
obsessed with the inevitability of death than the film version. The doom-laden
novel was constructed around Courtland and his daughter Jean, with Triton as a
secondary character.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
film's second reel comes with a somewhat incongruous change in tone thanks in
part to the presence of William Demarest, who portrays the wisecracking
Lieutenant Shawn of the homicide division. Demarest was an actor noted more for
his work with director Preston Sturges than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noir</i> productions. As the action plays out at the Courtland home, there is
more of a comic flair to the proceedings than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> fans might expect or want. Smith suggests this might be
explained by the fact this film is a product of Paramount, a studio not known
for gritty films. Thus the stable of actors called upon for supporting roles
are more notable for their achievements in genres other than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>. At this point director John
Farrow is best remembered for his work in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noir</i>, i.e. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CALCUTTA</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE BIG CLOCK</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ALIAS NICK BEAL</b> (1949), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHERE
DANGER LIVES</b> (1950), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIS KIND OF
WOMAN</b> (1951) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A BULLET IS WAITING</b>
(1954). His <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> films are united by
consistent themes that include control, manipulation, loss of identity,
fatalism and absurdism. He favored the complexity of long takes with multiple
actors in the frame. This approach was more demanding of everyone involved, and
demanding he was. Farrow had a reputation for being a tyrant on the set with a
horrible mean streak. He also was "a chronic philanderer" according
to Smith. The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) impacted almost
every film for which Smith has submitted a commentary track. HUAC really hurt
Edward G. Robinson's career; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHT HAS A
THOUSAND EYES</b> came toward the end of his run as an A film actor. The story
of Gail Russell is far more tragic; the underconfident actress drank herself to
death at the age of 36. Smith points out Angels Flight in the Bunker Hill
district of Downtown Los Angeles was a landmark <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> setting that formed the backdrop for genre entries such
as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ACT OF VIOLENCE</b> (1949), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">M</b> (1951) and the great <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KISS ME DEADLY</b> (1955). The usual
assortment of theatrical trailers for discs available from Kino Lorber
completes the supplemental package.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
song "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" was composed by Jerry Brainin,
with lyrics by Buddy Bernier. Since the movie made its theatrical run, the song
has become a jazz standard, recorded by a vast assortment of artists such as
John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Horace Silver, UAB SuperJazz (featuring Ellis
Marsalis), Harry Belafonte, Paul Desmond (with Jim Hall), Toshiko Akiyoshi,
Pharoah Sanders, Irene Kral, Harry Beckett, Petula Clark, Gloria Lynne, and
Carmen McRae.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk1hsuueXOfLXKXncXmNuOFAwMBxsO11HfmIZc19NitnagGNVlXHfwXoCrvzZjF9_fHG3EtU-JnZn4UfeqQYVl5Wugfi5RV3MFKyRfg7Zp-T2oeG7xOCKkG-ME4NBaZxqyxCRAUaCp_S8vHoGUSYdCTf_I4bEbY9QfwkwiasghzUvsq5UqlAM8D8VlvA=s3000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2352" data-original-width="3000" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk1hsuueXOfLXKXncXmNuOFAwMBxsO11HfmIZc19NitnagGNVlXHfwXoCrvzZjF9_fHG3EtU-JnZn4UfeqQYVl5Wugfi5RV3MFKyRfg7Zp-T2oeG7xOCKkG-ME4NBaZxqyxCRAUaCp_S8vHoGUSYdCTf_I4bEbY9QfwkwiasghzUvsq5UqlAM8D8VlvA=w400-h314" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinXtVxuwixEZSk_2vRMz9st1x4KyDYx35hteSADWPNDeBuXrpqbflgLd9UV06vDRPKggWd-SYuifZidNE3XzTjFaUkRVNgAGsWlsi7AIQFUFRa7e1TML13fbl3Z7YJIyc4pQmdbvOmv6vSLsQuAu-e2paKt59IooT8HDRCjuz2Uc0gGCq7kFhJ7zITKg=s1657" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="1299" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinXtVxuwixEZSk_2vRMz9st1x4KyDYx35hteSADWPNDeBuXrpqbflgLd9UV06vDRPKggWd-SYuifZidNE3XzTjFaUkRVNgAGsWlsi7AIQFUFRa7e1TML13fbl3Z7YJIyc4pQmdbvOmv6vSLsQuAu-e2paKt59IooT8HDRCjuz2Uc0gGCq7kFhJ7zITKg=w314-h400" width="314" /></a></div>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async="" src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-12762567881125665542022-01-30T13:48:00.001-06:002022-01-30T14:03:12.696-06:00AMONG THE LIVING (1941)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Paramount
Pictures, 69m 9s<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6zBQcPjCLLC1421AdxFQgcFf-sy3x86f263zfD_oxD5-f38iWi2QdL-c86RBqQDLtdL2fDYLO6kxI23emeBeZQ2eTuyv0WAU2I8aLj2ty53u5RKZc-h8A_KbGYNUQOqI9Ouu0GZDW1RVFm3Wn5uhXeXKJ2uDv7f5v7E-FmQ9WdVlWcSggRcotlsuz_w=s2936" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2936" data-original-width="1961" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6zBQcPjCLLC1421AdxFQgcFf-sy3x86f263zfD_oxD5-f38iWi2QdL-c86RBqQDLtdL2fDYLO6kxI23emeBeZQ2eTuyv0WAU2I8aLj2ty53u5RKZc-h8A_KbGYNUQOqI9Ouu0GZDW1RVFm3Wn5uhXeXKJ2uDv7f5v7E-FmQ9WdVlWcSggRcotlsuz_w=w268-h400" width="268" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">An
undervalued <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>-horror composite
ripe for rediscovery, director Stuart Heisler's <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b> is a veritable movie milestone for those
fascinated with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> and horror.
New to domestic home video thanks to the always reliable folks at Kino Lorber,
this Paramount production contains a mélange of crucial elements that would
influence both the horror film and the emerging <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> genre.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As
the curtain rises, businessman Maxim Raden has departed. He built Radentown,
but ultimately put a large portion of area residents out of work with the
closure of his textile mill. After a 25-year absence, his son John Raden
(Albert Dekker) has returned home with his wife Elaine (Frances Farmer) for his
father's send-off. It was 25 years ago John's twin brother Paul (also Albert
Dekker) was buried, or so John was raised to believe. But according to Dr. Ben
Saunders (Harry Carey), Paul lost his sanity as a child after witnessing his
father assaulting his mother. Paul attempted to intervene when Maxim physically
lashed out at the boy, which permanently compromised his son's state of mind.
Maxim sent John away while Ben falsified Paul's death certificate. It is soon
revealed Paul in fact is among the living, though confined to a straitjacket in
a secured sector of the Raden manor, where he has lived in isolation, his
unsteady mental state allowed to fester.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Paul
goes berserk when he learns his cruel father is to rest next to his beloved
mother. After he learns his brother is alive and has broken free from home
imprisonment, John wants to involve local law enforcement. In the interest of
avoiding public scandal, Ben convinces John the matter should be handled
privately. Unsurprisingly, Paul loves his new freedom to wander wherever he
wishes, but proves himself completely clueless about how to make a move on the
cute brunette Millie Pickens (Susan Hayward), who is taken in by his
well-meaning clumsiness. But there is nothing cute about Paul loose on the
streets after the discovery of the murdered caretaker Pompey (Ernest Whitman),
who is found positioned in such a way to suggest the impenetrable mental issues
embedded deep within Paul's fragile psyche.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmHH0mnBNCdIZEE65Z55vVCCZCtjqimNKEIfckMamUpfVgu6baAlndvPWXd_VuQ47PghrEk9Mpg_n0mI5eHYlFlkPPmVXwSfwpgv4WQEL5x_6zx057n0mcj1K_vlq6m3QJLsidtUUQN6n9XiMPM4k_p-lt45hiIHvXlfWZPvrkUIDCBmolIbKVtzQUgA=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmHH0mnBNCdIZEE65Z55vVCCZCtjqimNKEIfckMamUpfVgu6baAlndvPWXd_VuQ47PghrEk9Mpg_n0mI5eHYlFlkPPmVXwSfwpgv4WQEL5x_6zx057n0mcj1K_vlq6m3QJLsidtUUQN6n9XiMPM4k_p-lt45hiIHvXlfWZPvrkUIDCBmolIbKVtzQUgA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiprlTO7jM8zLBbBGgHTo45prXQAtYnlmB9KOLQYy30URxdS-OsyPh6XhUm-MCSfkMvvCDsvffoDqdsUTF4fJ6coIWPfUeAGpUuB4wVm_zpU8SD3qYePfeKQ7IxBlKCaDE0DbQzH13PZdDoPiSCZ94U68sudGNAEQer4wiea6eJ20EgCE7jE2F4DPMhmw=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiprlTO7jM8zLBbBGgHTo45prXQAtYnlmB9KOLQYy30URxdS-OsyPh6XhUm-MCSfkMvvCDsvffoDqdsUTF4fJ6coIWPfUeAGpUuB4wVm_zpU8SD3qYePfeKQ7IxBlKCaDE0DbQzH13PZdDoPiSCZ94U68sudGNAEQer4wiea6eJ20EgCE7jE2F4DPMhmw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgP2csn5kzfc2fKCANxUKoI2LG6FD1Ft-joXXCJhjZ4GPKe8v2_CqlDHcM21YgEl3zx_mxJ-spA50r23_PXXRyEujX-d-uB2eK_K983d5H-wjptNOam6_bS8MZAXaJGuyuZRUDhq2mpTC1hTs16pdNMBKMwM5TW9ij2m6wqcTESaVbutdIK_7uGJ-wSng=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgP2csn5kzfc2fKCANxUKoI2LG6FD1Ft-joXXCJhjZ4GPKe8v2_CqlDHcM21YgEl3zx_mxJ-spA50r23_PXXRyEujX-d-uB2eK_K983d5H-wjptNOam6_bS8MZAXaJGuyuZRUDhq2mpTC1hTs16pdNMBKMwM5TW9ij2m6wqcTESaVbutdIK_7uGJ-wSng=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAC0owJIZ_-EZCkOqunPJ2Ctr8byQJdgLvbldudQLUJcYxnsr35p9jOu3CAuDHIXRhsL6xJrivtdCJM_fYcWplxZ3-j3TTpRyTZUHbvoQsvgtkym7h72CXcqlC7kF7BESRbb26UNJpKFD9tLX6xkJB8UiI05Ucn_X_c2k5R4xq6pqXTTjlViuk2VcoFA=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAC0owJIZ_-EZCkOqunPJ2Ctr8byQJdgLvbldudQLUJcYxnsr35p9jOu3CAuDHIXRhsL6xJrivtdCJM_fYcWplxZ3-j3TTpRyTZUHbvoQsvgtkym7h72CXcqlC7kF7BESRbb26UNJpKFD9tLX6xkJB8UiI05Ucn_X_c2k5R4xq6pqXTTjlViuk2VcoFA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Impressive matte effect for its era</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In
the 1940s, the horror genre underwent its slow transition from classic
Universal monsters to Paramount's landmark <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PSYCHO</b>
(1960, long since distributed on home video via Universal). RKO producer Val
Lewton often is credited for spearheading horror's dark new path from horrific
appearances to horrific minds, starting with his first RKO B-horror effort <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CAT PEOPLE</b> (1942). <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b> anticipates the Lewton approach, particularly with
the character Paul, who looks completely normal but has lost any grip on sanity
he ever had. Though not a monster from an appearance standpoint, Paul is
exactly that from a psychological perspective. His condition easily can be
traced back to irresponsible, selfish behavior on the part of those who should
have cared for him (thus Paul is a sympathetic figure). With its victim of
physical and psychological abuse Paul, a prisoner since childhood, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b> paves the way toward <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PSYCHO</b> in its implication that
untethered evil emanates from within the traditional family. Maxim Raden's
faculties must be questioned here as well:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>his plan was to hide his son in one room of his house indefinitely?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">A
story of brief runtime but considerable dimensions, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b> is composed of critical elements that would find
their way into a towering silo of standard <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noir</i> themes and motifs. In a transitional theme that merges horror concerns
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> functions, the horrors
of the past shape the present day. Abused by his domineering father, Paul
remains tormented by his mother's screams. Maxim Raden may be dead and unable
to mistreat his wife any longer, but Paul continues to hear her screams. The
psychologically tormented man Paul prefigures mentally traumatized characters
that would populate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> films such
as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE BLUE DAHLIA</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MOONRISE</b> (1948) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ACT OF VIOLENCE</b> (1949).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Already
dangerously disturbed, Paul is dragged to an even lower level by the fatalistic
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> climate, especially at the
crazed atmosphere of the appropriately named River Bottom Cafe, where an
out-of-his-element Paul is targeted by Peggy Nolan (Jean Phillips), a tempting
blonde. A heightened sense of trauma is well illustrated in the nighttime tavern
scene, where Paul learns the hard way about the effects of alcohol on the human
body. The combination of alcohol and his tortured mind makes him ill-equipped
to deal with the frenetic pace the club encourages on and around the dance floor.
Bodies twist and contort, women screech, faces get slapped. The evening
culminates with a chilling chase that leads to murder in a dark alley.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1Mif9MK8Hnk5fHOA8DoCbVoXgu4s2ROleTSuosRl_0usknWdjQD-5zoa9VMCfOeD4G-mYoJv27E304Vvcv7CiXu2xMffxFIbyZ_Gry_CipTno2OVZXtlvrL5YnkTAuihtDBQPtbyyE9bdv9sg-yz8X1mfgJkRLTBV-71uR-4vUn0aK-s6hpu-ALDlbg=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1Mif9MK8Hnk5fHOA8DoCbVoXgu4s2ROleTSuosRl_0usknWdjQD-5zoa9VMCfOeD4G-mYoJv27E304Vvcv7CiXu2xMffxFIbyZ_Gry_CipTno2OVZXtlvrL5YnkTAuihtDBQPtbyyE9bdv9sg-yz8X1mfgJkRLTBV-71uR-4vUn0aK-s6hpu-ALDlbg=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs7FOv-N_isyeH-OPBOGCR7E3gDQ-dQlKCj_7QcdfmYJIAq_xvfhA_2U2M6UiX3Z-8PQgBq_WmBFPyx72fEN4QPmY6tKl-BKG6FGaY_XlH43E_vOzzDYFO8rbmpg9PCcVxY6UR8Qbeg4On5g-4nd06lycpyUT3E125HzLDkez8mCI-OIRnfoUvUinEqA=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhs7FOv-N_isyeH-OPBOGCR7E3gDQ-dQlKCj_7QcdfmYJIAq_xvfhA_2U2M6UiX3Z-8PQgBq_WmBFPyx72fEN4QPmY6tKl-BKG6FGaY_XlH43E_vOzzDYFO8rbmpg9PCcVxY6UR8Qbeg4On5g-4nd06lycpyUT3E125HzLDkez8mCI-OIRnfoUvUinEqA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhifx1l7xoTRTX6a8InOeGJalwQ0bQ93Atu6_6erIj3YNuIoNmDXpRkfykSAd8jSo3bGgMbScMp98nerhGfax-fcQSOMpwDOJW_4T8Oo9Pj5IrCH11p-t30jXHqQSNBqfbSf8rxUaodTWqZTBUuWXpWHxkBGS9h8qV_QEkJJgMbkl8-ISzXSgEdQ9-Umw=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhifx1l7xoTRTX6a8InOeGJalwQ0bQ93Atu6_6erIj3YNuIoNmDXpRkfykSAd8jSo3bGgMbScMp98nerhGfax-fcQSOMpwDOJW_4T8Oo9Pj5IrCH11p-t30jXHqQSNBqfbSf8rxUaodTWqZTBUuWXpWHxkBGS9h8qV_QEkJJgMbkl8-ISzXSgEdQ9-Umw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A <i>noir</i>ish chase down rain-soaked streets</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In
its evocation of mental illness, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG
THE LIVING</b> communicates the sense of alienation experienced by its
protagonist Paul. He wants to be like everyone else, but he cannot because he
isn't. An alienated existence forms the backbone of many a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>, i.e. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIGH SIERRA</b>
(1941), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DETOUR</b> (1945), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">POSSESSED</b> (1947) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY</b> (1951). The
horrible toll of imprisonment sometimes provides a related theme, again in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIGH SIERRA</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY</b> and even more explicitly in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS</b> (1945), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BRUTE FORCE</b> (1947) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CAGED</b> (1950). That lack of belonging or
purpose in an impersonal society frequently is accompanied by an irreversible
sense of doom, sometimes equated with a dead-man-walking theme, as seen in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE KILLERS</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE DARK CORNER</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DECOY</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RIDE THE PINK HORSE</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OUT
OF THE PAST</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ACT OF VIOLENCE</b>
(1948) and most obviously in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">D.O.A.</b>
(1950).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">An
irresolvable sense of long-term corruption traces the contours of most every
legit <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>. In <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b> that notion is
personified by the murky motives of Dr. Ben Saunders, who has a history of
placing his private life ahead of professional duty. Ben falsified Paul's death
certificate, pressures John to avoid working with the police on Paul's escape,
indicates Pompey died of heart failure though he obviously was strangled, and
initially refuses to deliver testimony that would clear John from his brother's
wrongdoing. An atmosphere of intense corruption is sure to ignite social
tensions, as we see in the form of an implausibly large group of unruly locals
who quickly agree to take matters into their own hands when it comes to the
murderer on the prowl. A $5,000 bounty for the killer's capture whips them into
a lawless frenzy that anticipates the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
cult classic <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TRY AND GET ME!</b> (1950).
The corrupting power of money is readily apparent in the malcontent Millie, a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> femme fatale prototype driven
primarily by material things. Anything to do with money seems to maintain an
almost hypnotic pull on her. When she tries on a new dress, her legs are
fetishized to connect her sex appeal with a man's purchasing power. She really
gets off on the idea of that reward money, which could outfit her in a new fur
coat (that timeless movie indicator of a woman's status; a woman either has one
or wishes for one).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpaYVjKAbG0vsANPwl2Z8KUBLTkPYgZavV9RzXgskNM9t8h-PUzZhKPGkz2Svdyy7sKmocav1rlKekfcJ3QvN-XSpWpoEmg-OZvCEYNedjmiVfe4CT4s0u8YzSZhu5LnZ4Do-u3kTnLmfofvd-gxWQMsCHwkDH2g8ddQavDsOFoMm3vFRcfn3J2HEjVA=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhpaYVjKAbG0vsANPwl2Z8KUBLTkPYgZavV9RzXgskNM9t8h-PUzZhKPGkz2Svdyy7sKmocav1rlKekfcJ3QvN-XSpWpoEmg-OZvCEYNedjmiVfe4CT4s0u8YzSZhu5LnZ4Do-u3kTnLmfofvd-gxWQMsCHwkDH2g8ddQavDsOFoMm3vFRcfn3J2HEjVA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1aZGVsN_ogJbinZ75iySpf-Wk-c7pn4K3wKIwZa4a54jbiktANSoxNTGZl7f781fhphlEkdd38JR3OS2Mq_hVAbIK1taD73aSW-wkh_ltpWiGAOhtHThgSI02cWvNyargIwI2SJGec0FNeH4PGcjMLJOFNSrBOS2EVrX01Assw4DlbcEKTD56qId_vw=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1aZGVsN_ogJbinZ75iySpf-Wk-c7pn4K3wKIwZa4a54jbiktANSoxNTGZl7f781fhphlEkdd38JR3OS2Mq_hVAbIK1taD73aSW-wkh_ltpWiGAOhtHThgSI02cWvNyargIwI2SJGec0FNeH4PGcjMLJOFNSrBOS2EVrX01Assw4DlbcEKTD56qId_vw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-Avn00z5lzd8Y-sUi8qIHylJXfA5ZWm18djsO_16MSDerFpeblhlIyVx0HyjHOtWoMCh6UfeZzP5UTSeusADsR9SQFckH6StniKxab2HypQG_DVBuZ-IkUdCsNcfRMNaUY4lwXVeyUUsBh8uxWldAkQq6Z81LbRwDy5rWLjLacT8qE5zkFJyG9uZrFg=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi-Avn00z5lzd8Y-sUi8qIHylJXfA5ZWm18djsO_16MSDerFpeblhlIyVx0HyjHOtWoMCh6UfeZzP5UTSeusADsR9SQFckH6StniKxab2HypQG_DVBuZ-IkUdCsNcfRMNaUY4lwXVeyUUsBh8uxWldAkQq6Z81LbRwDy5rWLjLacT8qE5zkFJyG9uZrFg=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4s-aVD2EhHNyw_muRsxVTEy3cmVfg-xFp1Qt1N4BJy274-6Y2jr3icBimAhIyXPYo1VGDcNsjkiNeTGNWvcqJ7T2rbT1Y3tJ-ZnhUHpuVwlHOqaJ65yZDx8IxSERp3smO4OnXIhuZzLWwXNd6TlWxUt_m9HQKm9sl8ZD_vyhRvTYbdcyDEJBbggn5RQ=s1920" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4s-aVD2EhHNyw_muRsxVTEy3cmVfg-xFp1Qt1N4BJy274-6Y2jr3icBimAhIyXPYo1VGDcNsjkiNeTGNWvcqJ7T2rbT1Y3tJ-ZnhUHpuVwlHOqaJ65yZDx8IxSERp3smO4OnXIhuZzLWwXNd6TlWxUt_m9HQKm9sl8ZD_vyhRvTYbdcyDEJBbggn5RQ=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Albert
Dekker is highly effective in his dual role as the twins. His other <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> appearances include <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">EXPERIMENT PERILOUS</b> (1944), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE KILLERS</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KISS ME DEADLY</b> (1955) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ILLEGAL</b> (1955), an exceptional <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> film I need to get around to
reviewing one of these days. Director Stuart Heisler was at the beginning of
his Paramount contract days with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG
THE LIVING</b>. Over the course of his career he would work in various genres.
His other <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> credits include <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE GLASS KEY</b> (1942), another formative
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> classic, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I DIED A THOUSAND TIMES</b> (1955), a
reimagining of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIGH SIERRA</b>.
Cinematographer Theodor Sparkuhl again worked with director Heisler on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE GLASS KEY</b>. Co-screenwriter Garrett
Fort also co-wrote the screenplay for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FRANKENSTEIN</b>
(1931). The angry mob of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE
LIVING</b> certainly draws parallels to the sci-fi/horror classic.
Co-screenwriter Lester Cole was one of the Hollywood Ten, a group of
screenwriters and directors cited for contempt of Congress and ultimately
blacklisted for alleged ties to the Communist Party. Cole was raised as a
socialist and was an unapologetic Communist Party member as an adult, which or
course got him in the crosshairs of the House Committee on Un-American
Activities. Ironically troubled actress Frances Farmer, whose assignment was
limited in this film, was struggling with alcoholism and paranoid schizophrenia
at the time of filming.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
new Kino Lorber Blu-ray presentation of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG
THE LIVING</b> is framed at the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The
source material shows occasional damage but overall looks really good in
motion. This release should be considered a must-own for genre movie fans. The
major supplement is an audio commentary track by accomplished film scholar Dr.
Jason A. Ney, Director of the Writing Center and Assistant Professor of English
at Colorado Christian University. Ney has contributed frequently to the Film
Noir Foundation publication NOIR CITY and is in his element with this critique
of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b>'s credentials as
an early <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> and a transitional
horror film in which fears and anxieties are grounded in reality rather than
the world of the fantastic. The interplay of genres is apparent from the
opening sequence, when the "decrepit house" horror motif interlocks
with the brand of class tensions that would define so many <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> films going forward. He mentions several films that anticipate
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b>, including <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE BLACK ROOM</b> (1935), a Boris Karloff
horror vehicle that revolves around an evil twin. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE BLACK ROOM</b> served as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
bridge to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE DARK MIRROR</b> (1946),
with Olivia de Havilland's famous portrayal of twin sisters. Ney also notes
Harry Carey had starred in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BURNING
BRIDGES</b> (1928), a Western with a plot structure quite similar to that of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b>. Director Stuart Heisler
learned how to merge genres into one film with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE MONSTER AND THE GIRL</b> (1941), the film he made prior to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Ney
helpfully identifies <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMONG THE LIVING</b>'s
major <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> components as
follows:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A
deeply cynical view of human nature.</span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">An
unflinching exploration of damage caused by human weakness.</span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A
critique of the American city as a place of isolation and despair.</span></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bleak
fatalism with a protagonist doomed to a sad ending.</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Ney
argues that Heisler's chase sequence that ends with the murder of Peggy Nolan
holds up well even by today's standards with its careful progression from
terror to horror. He also is on solid ground with his evaluation of Millie as
femme fatale. She uses her sexuality to steer Paul in the direction of her own
agenda, then questions his masculinity when his compliance loses momentum.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
Blu-ray disc also includes an assortment of trailers for additional titles
available from Kino Lorber.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRUDQSx0fnO8HYseJA3fs4nTTfoJ40UdmLgD-DWcQNf-31jL0ygHZSShfLSFkNbXSA7KrG_5kXMLOlTlYpEwkAmFXOX7wLbP_3VICMZajJCrZYmYdG2MReQhpM1KaacU4DLs2pygXPhZqX29XcNNHtM4WBMfZ9B4tGm10tRUs4IprcghAd090rWXAw4Q=s2936" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2936" data-original-width="1154" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRUDQSx0fnO8HYseJA3fs4nTTfoJ40UdmLgD-DWcQNf-31jL0ygHZSShfLSFkNbXSA7KrG_5kXMLOlTlYpEwkAmFXOX7wLbP_3VICMZajJCrZYmYdG2MReQhpM1KaacU4DLs2pygXPhZqX29XcNNHtM4WBMfZ9B4tGm10tRUs4IprcghAd090rWXAw4Q=w252-h640" width="252" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQyHsQLYqdG6VOujoL8xb0_sD1QYzJDemn7LxDvH2HkeYjj3Rd-NaTEHKTfBJQnaWTPMZKXlgzs1rTJ0hd5c-I12STjh8I_EOVpp09EatCTEjV5Vag9-mErYU9_0QuGE4gzBLsAva0KbfZseDIQxTA2Qlro0Hpo58uNS0qmPq84AxgZRa0BeA7xQ77RQ=s1584" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1584" data-original-width="1244" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQyHsQLYqdG6VOujoL8xb0_sD1QYzJDemn7LxDvH2HkeYjj3Rd-NaTEHKTfBJQnaWTPMZKXlgzs1rTJ0hd5c-I12STjh8I_EOVpp09EatCTEjV5Vag9-mErYU9_0QuGE4gzBLsAva0KbfZseDIQxTA2Qlro0Hpo58uNS0qmPq84AxgZRa0BeA7xQ77RQ=w314-h400" width="314" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async="" src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-71427711841310205772021-12-31T17:23:00.001-06:002022-01-09T19:21:34.676-06:00HIGH SIERRA (1941)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Warner
Bros., 99m 56s<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6JqEOj0DM33oucWLUr6Hgxi1dagoCI_kzhV7TkOXygogtJiS9YOnF38j4PvcUTVc_8vgc6qH0_CP8MCySK50ahv4FMiSzaz3i7Llxljsk0ZyY8GcTHFVRVGLIMzaN_u55m-BIeEB7W8PXWV59xnOl5_EHatc9Y8ZziEuKAL-LVzbPAC2-hOMeN5voXw=s1192" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="930" data-original-width="1192" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6JqEOj0DM33oucWLUr6Hgxi1dagoCI_kzhV7TkOXygogtJiS9YOnF38j4PvcUTVc_8vgc6qH0_CP8MCySK50ahv4FMiSzaz3i7Llxljsk0ZyY8GcTHFVRVGLIMzaN_u55m-BIeEB7W8PXWV59xnOl5_EHatc9Y8ZziEuKAL-LVzbPAC2-hOMeN5voXw=w400-h313" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
release of <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> in early 1941 marked a time of genre transition,
as the decline of the gangster film coincided with the emergence of the <i>film
noir</i>. Themes that would become stock <i>noir</i> ingredients are on full
display in this classic Warner production from executive producer Hal B. Wallis
and associate producer Mark Hellinger, with master filmmaker Raoul Walsh at the
director’s chair.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Our
lead male protagonist is the "last of the big timers" according to
the theatrical trailer. After eight years' imprisonment, convicted bank robber
Roy Earle (Humphrey Bogart) is granted a pardon. Roy is not a young man anymore.
His hair is turning gray and most of his old cohorts are out of the picture for
one reason or another. Newly free, Roy shows enthusiasm for the simple elegance
of nature available at a local park, where the trees are tall, the grass is
green and children play ball. Not long after that pleasant excursion it is back
to the business for which newspapers have printed front-page stories about him.
Roy meets with Jake Kranmer (Barton MacLane), an ex-cop turned criminal working
with heist architect "Big" Mac (Donald MacBride). Roy takes an
instant dislike to Kranmer, who he does not trust whatsoever. When Kranmer
attempts to seize the initiative, Roy slaps his face in a manner only
imaginable in a movie of this vintage. Mac has engineered a scheme to rob a
ritzy hotel located near the Sierra Nevada. It is the sort of posh resort where
the sun is always shining, the pools look inviting and every woman possesses
perfect legs. Should the heist go as planned, there will be a considerable
amount of money to go around for all concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-RC2QQFVMFSSVaxOzrvS8oTTNGAy26Y_GymfCIc9iw9TXXelzC24fpwGIo1ppP1xdR-dG3_oxDtptHVbubhmdNuLu94OW5TgwIXf81y4VUhBSxYpHJQlZNaN6VDrW0GoHfHzRrKft7fivWQA8bxEySGuNwE5028wVJzeWZldCdJNQxgd_UY3J0f0fvQ=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-RC2QQFVMFSSVaxOzrvS8oTTNGAy26Y_GymfCIc9iw9TXXelzC24fpwGIo1ppP1xdR-dG3_oxDtptHVbubhmdNuLu94OW5TgwIXf81y4VUhBSxYpHJQlZNaN6VDrW0GoHfHzRrKft7fivWQA8bxEySGuNwE5028wVJzeWZldCdJNQxgd_UY3J0f0fvQ=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Perhaps
like no other genre, the <i>film noir</i> reminds the viewer how past events
cling to us, especially in regard to decisions made in some haste. That moment
of recognition comes quickly in <b>HIGH SIERRA</b>, when the career criminal
Roy returns to Brookfield, Indiana, to visit the home where he was raised.
After engaging in some small talk with the current residents, he makes an
immediate exit after he is recognized. That scene nicely establishes two major <i>noir</i>
themes at work in this gangster/<i>noir</i> hybrid:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
past maintains dominion over the present; there is no going back to whatever
life was like prior to a career in crime.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Roy
Earle may be a free man, but he is hopelessly out of place in a new decade.</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
above bullet points are reinforced in different ways by Roy's younger partners
in crime, Red Hattery (Arthur Kennedy) and the combustible Babe Kozak (Alan
Curtis). Red attempts to flatter Roy with references to his storied past, but
Roy closes the door on him. Less impressed than Red by the veteran criminal,
Babe dismisses Roy as a relic of a bygone era. That interpretation does not
work for Roy either, but both Red and Babe speak to uncomfortable truths about Roy’s
untenable position in a world poised to move on without him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
<i>noir</i> protagonist's inflexible moral code would become another key
component to the rising tide of Hollywood’s <i>film noir</i> output of the
1940s. That noticeable mechanism attached to Roy causes the aging everyman Pa
(Henry Travers) to believe Roy must be a good man. Such confusion would not be
unusual as the genre developed; <i>noir</i> criminals commonly look like
ordinary people or really <i>are</i> ordinary people, i.e. <b>DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b>
(1944), <b>NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> (1947), <b>GUN CRAZY</b> (1950). Such characters
have little in common with the larger-than-life gangster figures that populated
1930s cinema. Roy's moral code coupled with his attraction to Pa's pretty but
lame granddaughter Velma (Joan Leslie's youthful visage) prompt him to make a
financial commitment to the surgery she requires to walk normally. Roy's last
visit with Velma is purely out of moral obligation; he understands he has
rehabilitated her for another man.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Roy's
illegal business affairs lead to his entanglement with two women: one from the Midwest, one from the West. Each
of these characters is multi-dimensional in that neither is quite what she at
first would seem, and each has an indomitable spirit, nearly impossible to
subdue or defeat. Marie (doe-eyed British actress Ida Lupino) initially is
introduced as a cheap taxi dancer whose mere presence inhibits the heist's
probability of success. Only with reluctance does Roy agree to allow Marie to
hang around. The two begin an asymmetrical relationship, Marie in love and Roy
indifferent. As Marie fears her affection for Roy never will be reciprocated,
she must wonder if her history as a dancer ever can be forgiven (the <i>noir</i>
past again). That concern becomes especially painful when she hears about the
"decent" woman Velma, for whom Roy has fallen. Velma is introduced as
a model of virtue, an attractive, affable young woman whose unfortunate case of
clubfoot invites sympathy. Roy senses she is inherently good and worth
pursuing, despite the fact she has a significant other back home. From an
analytical standpoint, Velma provides an early example of <i>film noir</i>'s
many crippled characters; that her condition is cured makes her different from
any other <i>noir</i> character with mobility issues I can recall. Successful
surgery on her foot transforms Velma into a party girl, increasingly
insensitive to Roy's strong feelings for her. When Velma confines Roy to the
friend zone, the familiar chord of the alienated <i>noir</i> protagonist rings
with clean sustain (Bogart's reaction is so perfect, every man ever relegated
to "friend" must nod in agreement). Despite the appearance of
textured female characters, ultimately the viewer is left with a binary
takeaway: a woman is either one thing or
another, at least through the eyes of a man. As <i>film noir</i> developed into
the 1940s, the genre would become famous for dime-a-dance goodtime gals
contrasted with restrained housewife types.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTVmliXfjFrOIlKWVObXqsfDQb1RpnmIP2YiyzHC-LUB_L-FnYhWSkgJ4RhCr_hKhs0XJeFYF9aea0kFJJeI_82QYxwnr55lLMsrChF9uE0xbNcs_AJD6ue4pZMrLV8c7Zq42x7tIlkotfpLyu8DmxbxpHnCnSR7uA25s2JtXR_gGS-MTG7XlOskuSxw=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTVmliXfjFrOIlKWVObXqsfDQb1RpnmIP2YiyzHC-LUB_L-FnYhWSkgJ4RhCr_hKhs0XJeFYF9aea0kFJJeI_82QYxwnr55lLMsrChF9uE0xbNcs_AJD6ue4pZMrLV8c7Zq42x7tIlkotfpLyu8DmxbxpHnCnSR7uA25s2JtXR_gGS-MTG7XlOskuSxw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhR6p67IVucQM0UTDc7VfRkEoXwJT9gfAO7y9xwjNJbZ1CwdxShTMna9Dkd5bBDd8aSQ2CYSauuDlB3k0V7fsk4jLKxd1GWVXWrEuqdh-bvbKLIiPWCTvY7K4TiSRUSG-SxFuziMuGE0EXPbjSPMKWJkW88gZ3fxdYaOeLFDU2Tp4H_cQLwdzNvDv9zuA=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhR6p67IVucQM0UTDc7VfRkEoXwJT9gfAO7y9xwjNJbZ1CwdxShTMna9Dkd5bBDd8aSQ2CYSauuDlB3k0V7fsk4jLKxd1GWVXWrEuqdh-bvbKLIiPWCTvY7K4TiSRUSG-SxFuziMuGE0EXPbjSPMKWJkW88gZ3fxdYaOeLFDU2Tp4H_cQLwdzNvDv9zuA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Though
<i>film noir</i> would become associated closely with a stark urban landscape,
the big city never was a prerequisite for <i>noir</i> material. Various Ida Lupino
credits almost single-handedly confirm that notion, i.e. <b>ROAD HOUSE</b>
(1948), <b>WOMAN IN HIDING</b> (1950), <b>ON DANGEROUS GROUND</b> (1951) and <b>THE
HITCH-HIKER</b> (1953). <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> builds its <i>noir</i> case without
reliance upon the alienating setting of the large city identified with so many examples
of the genre. A major theme that binds <i>film noir</i> of all settings is that
the <i>noir</i> atmosphere has the potential to make its presence known
anywhere at any time. Pa exemplifies this axiom as the benign farmer from Ohio
who lost everything.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
unmistakable existential tone of <i>film noir</i> is illustrated best via a
conversation that takes place between Roy and his bedridden employer Mac. His
health failing, Mac openly laments how times have changed for the worse, with
dependable fellas like Roy replaced with "young twerps, soda jerkers and
jitterbugs." According to Mac, "All the A-1 guys are gone..."
Doc Banton (Henry Hull) holds a similar world view. There is a certain freedom
that comes with this school of thought, evident when Mac goes on to define the
existentialist nature of the <i>noir</i> narrative with stunning clarity. As he
creates a rationalization for the drinking his physician advises against, Mac
explains to Roy, "...I'm gonna die anyhow. So are you. So are we
all." That attitude goes a long way toward explaining the characters that
would empower the <i>film noir</i> throughout the next twenty years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
stylistic flourishes that came to distinguish <i>noir</i> films of the
mid-to-late 1940s take center stage after Roy and Doc Banton share a vehicle.
Banton suggests Roy is "rushing toward death" just before a cut to
the dog Pard, a harbinger of tragedy as described by the caretaker Algernon
(Willie Best). Past folks associated with Pard have a shared history of
premature death. It seems there is an element of the fantastic (or maybe that <i>noir</i>
factor of fate) in the form of Pard's unshakable connection to Roy. The dog's
rather curious name Pard secures his bond with Roy (who recently got a <i>pard</i>on).
The oppressive forces of <i>film noir</i> invade Roy's cabin by way of ominous
shadows and compositions that suggest entrapment. Roy even experiences a
nightmare while Pard is camped out at his feet. As Algernon alone seems aware
would happen, Pard indeed precipitates Roy's death, though from the outset it
is implied Roy must perish before the film concludes. While Roy gets a dramatic
death reminiscent of the gangster of the 1930s who became a victim of his own overindulgence,
on another level his demise takes on oddly tragic proportions: his fondness for
a dog seals his fate. A reminder of the worth of Roy comes in the form of the
smug journalist Healy (Jerome Cowan), who as a total outsider provides a brief
summary of Roy's life. In other film genres the reporter essentially would be
telling the audience members how to think, though his words have the opposite
impact here. The viewer is meant to find alignment with the condemned couple
formed by Roy and Marie. Inadvertently Healy does, however, grant Marie some
solace when he recognizes Roy is finally "free" in that he will not
return to prison. The final moments of <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> anticipate many a <i>film
noir</i>'s action-oriented conclusion, in which the trapped protagonist encounters
no exit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp9iBL0RxrwuOT1pcF8GiIkiakaImXh1iry9nNwj-PTRMMfZskssWUMtlHVG9nuegaMuN_h2JIgyzKSqbycKg5ahKn3aGz2kNqXckM1DPLLL0Pmoz9ZVVGwTzGqDFEXIKeNKqQ6GAX5XLwJednwtPMdz41lFKHQPkoRYiUQVFhuiTkYpNRLfk4w_s5eg=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhp9iBL0RxrwuOT1pcF8GiIkiakaImXh1iry9nNwj-PTRMMfZskssWUMtlHVG9nuegaMuN_h2JIgyzKSqbycKg5ahKn3aGz2kNqXckM1DPLLL0Pmoz9ZVVGwTzGqDFEXIKeNKqQ6GAX5XLwJednwtPMdz41lFKHQPkoRYiUQVFhuiTkYpNRLfk4w_s5eg=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZLU2fi-tjxUp-RzXWPiO1L366YhVT1--qJBCgCKYeYBCsRRrB2mqCY-QVnzR8TC5e7RAUQPw2F0yWL1v-rZyer0hHZ7M_t_w1_Jd37Hvgjctq8IZkrZVWq0Ht4O8Z7xdtMSL3Sh_lFXibg1mpewUZnBlSBtKaWkSU83ylznasDNcgynUCWrAz-mEujA=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZLU2fi-tjxUp-RzXWPiO1L366YhVT1--qJBCgCKYeYBCsRRrB2mqCY-QVnzR8TC5e7RAUQPw2F0yWL1v-rZyer0hHZ7M_t_w1_Jd37Hvgjctq8IZkrZVWq0Ht4O8Z7xdtMSL3Sh_lFXibg1mpewUZnBlSBtKaWkSU83ylznasDNcgynUCWrAz-mEujA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaWUm1qz8QAEXMaWN0M4NNmOpVfXoPeRsoiu5UHMs5-x9su70pQkmgobyZvAAZK69zDKBFCP_B3aTrNlxXzxHFUuh326dWTvFtLJXA5ZOtSvELXkFGvYkY6a56Md4YGyHAErpXpFH3NUA5GlwQM98sWQ28ruc_1wsU-Nr5xyz8CR7SMc8D0lrzODousA=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaWUm1qz8QAEXMaWN0M4NNmOpVfXoPeRsoiu5UHMs5-x9su70pQkmgobyZvAAZK69zDKBFCP_B3aTrNlxXzxHFUuh326dWTvFtLJXA5ZOtSvELXkFGvYkY6a56Md4YGyHAErpXpFH3NUA5GlwQM98sWQ28ruc_1wsU-Nr5xyz8CR7SMc8D0lrzODousA=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Despite
the top-billing of Ida Lupino, this is Humphrey Bogart's picture from beginning
to end. <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> allowed Bogart to transition from peripheral roles
to leading man. He proves his range as an actor from quiet menace to sudden eruptions,
his trademark speech pattern always an aspect of his performance. My favorite
Bogart moment occurs when his character returns to see Velma cured of her
clubbed foot. Roy recognizes in advance the visit likely will be a painful one
for him, but he has too much character to go back on his word. It is impossible
not to side with Bogart's sad countenance, which looks unfairly trampled throughout
this emotionally painful segment. Co-writer John Huston would famously team up
with his barstool buddy Bogart for <b>THE MALTESE FALCON</b> (1941), the
production many consider the first full-fledged <i>film noir</i>, with Bogart
cemented as a singular figure in the emerging film movement. Bogart and Huston
also combined forces for <b>KEY LARGO</b> (1948), which like <b>HIGH SIERRA</b>,
merges <i>noir</i> concerns with the gangster's obsolescence. The Bogart persona
was well established here, with his Army veteran Frank McCloud proving himself
the better man than gangster Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson), an outmoded
ogre. <b>HIGH SIERRA</b>'s location footage captured by director of photography
Tony Gaudio, especially during the final act, makes for a convincing and highly
entertaining movie-watching experience. The Whitney Portal climactic sequence
highlights the spectacular terrain of Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in
the contiguous United States (obviously Roy's downfall is quite literal). Also
worth a mention is Henry Travers, who portrays Pa with dignity. For a modern
audience (at least one with some classic film appreciation), Travers is among
the most recognizable of classic Hollywood actors thanks to his supporting work
in <b>SHADOW OF A DOUBT</b> (1943) and especially <b>IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE</b>
(1946). The "mongrel" Pard is credited as Zero. He was Bogart's pet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuwNs4rNnNiAPleB3deiKeJalDtHXISsxZG57LDHHtwIjTqvPDt50D49MRdqpis5WVdaTMrKNgn3AR0OieA-nbbfj83kYzdA-zWClpCz3rNwooS7l1wezBLT6ntdJ6B-NrDjf9Eh8RNihv7_NLjQcCXGNVMlY22SEdlfqthZfGuAkQxfdvP0UcYBrQpQ=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuwNs4rNnNiAPleB3deiKeJalDtHXISsxZG57LDHHtwIjTqvPDt50D49MRdqpis5WVdaTMrKNgn3AR0OieA-nbbfj83kYzdA-zWClpCz3rNwooS7l1wezBLT6ntdJ6B-NrDjf9Eh8RNihv7_NLjQcCXGNVMlY22SEdlfqthZfGuAkQxfdvP0UcYBrQpQ=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiRrF3En0ydQ-IDoZehgk3UkOJH42xIP2jcKI0-F49D12Lut5zvaqNPYobuFNsz2nVOaGNlYueRPEP5oywVKWDexVxFjagfevog7TEfiNQBRF8C9GBBDnF7E2G0aHa0e7a5Q-9t4tctKG6S5dGy_e-h5AqqhEpx5MfXHzq0FmaJHeFZVQc9FHpXENERw=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiRrF3En0ydQ-IDoZehgk3UkOJH42xIP2jcKI0-F49D12Lut5zvaqNPYobuFNsz2nVOaGNlYueRPEP5oywVKWDexVxFjagfevog7TEfiNQBRF8C9GBBDnF7E2G0aHa0e7a5Q-9t4tctKG6S5dGy_e-h5AqqhEpx5MfXHzq0FmaJHeFZVQc9FHpXENERw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
Criterion Collection's new 2-disc, dual-layered Blu-ray edition of the great <b>HIGH
SIERRA</b> presents a restored 4K digital transfer, with uncompressed monaural
soundtrack. Framed at 1.37:1, it is a pleasure to watch and hear and easily one
of my favorite Criterion releases of recent years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Supplemental
material is exceptional, even by Criterion standards. Extras begin with a
featurette ported from the Warner DVD issued in 2003. "Curtains for Roy
Earle: The Story of <b>HIGH SIERRA</b>" (AKA "Extra, Extra, Read All
About It", 2003, 15m 6s) traces Bogart's long path to the role of Roy
Earle. I never knew Bogart's second child Leslie Howard Bogart (his only daughter,
born 1952) was named after English actor Leslie Howard, who secured Bogart the
screen role of Duke Mantee in <b>THE PETRIFIED FOREST</b> (1936). In effect
Howard set Bogart's Hollywood career in motion. Bogart never forgot.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_cOgZEXWPkGaM4cz-ayTm7I0VUaM0572_0-lx_K9C-E9m4LFAqxoBXnG9KrlmcG_GBmw9aZKGthoQESOB-PhyqmCoy9WVOkcc9QOtfFSOAVon10Lr7N6hesUzXvgkdWDZ2Cbb4Eym6zWkMpCcUXPMbtD-TZRQw3sLI6hRdlIkJ1oqze4IGiwGltIyQw=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_cOgZEXWPkGaM4cz-ayTm7I0VUaM0572_0-lx_K9C-E9m4LFAqxoBXnG9KrlmcG_GBmw9aZKGthoQESOB-PhyqmCoy9WVOkcc9QOtfFSOAVon10Lr7N6hesUzXvgkdWDZ2Cbb4Eym6zWkMpCcUXPMbtD-TZRQw3sLI6hRdlIkJ1oqze4IGiwGltIyQw=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
remaining supplements are unique to Criterion. "Bogart: Here’s Looking at
You, Kid" is a documentary originally created for the television series THE
SOUTH BANK SHOW (AKA "Humphrey Bogart: You Must Remember This...",
Jan 5, 1997, 51m 7s). As produced and directed by Chris Hunt, our guide is
Stephen Humphrey Bogart, the only son of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall and
author of three semi-autobiographical books about his father and family.
Stephen describes his father as a distant figure, a loner whose nature was to
not allow others to get close to him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Humphrey
DeForest Bogart was born Christmas Day in 1899 in an affluent area of New York
City. His is the story of the spoiled rich kid, headstrong and rebellious.
After serving in the United States Navy, Bogart found his way onto the stage.
He reportedly did not think much of the acting trade, at least not for men.
That philosophy did not endear him to his colleagues; by all accounts he was
not the easiest guy to like during this period of his life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Bogart's
break in Hollywood occurred after his appearance in Robert E. Sherwood's play THE
PETRIFIED FOREST, which was performed 197 times at the Broadhurst Theatre in
New York in 1935. That same year Warner Bros. purchased the screen rights. The
play's lead Leslie Howard was brought onboard, and Howard insisted Bogart be
cast as well. At the age of 36, Bogart was under contract with Warner Bros.,
though he would grow disenchanted with the one-dimensional roles he was handed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Eventually
it was <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> that deployed the brand of Bogart that would bring
him international recognition. <b>THE MALTESE FALCON</b> (1941) was an even
more crucial star-making vehicle for Bogart, ironically after the role of Sam
Spade was turned down by George Raft, who had no interest in working with
first-time director John Huston. Raft also had declined the part of Roy Earle
in <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> (somewhat confusingly, this documentary touches on <b>THE
MALTESE FALCON</b> before <b>HIGH SIERRA</b>, though <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> was
released theatrically first). The following year brought <b>CASABLANCA</b>
(1942), Bogart's signature film. To think this flawless work was produced at a
time when the studios cranked out a film per week in assembly line fashion;
nobody had any way of knowing what a timeless classic <b>CASABLANCA</b> would
become. Film critic Ty Burr notes Bogart was dependent on the commitment of his
leading ladies to bring out his romantic side; he was not much of a romantic
presence on his own. As such Bogart brought to cinemas a new type of romantic
male lead, tough and no-nonsense but always honorable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Bogart's
four wives included Helen Menken (1926 to 1927), Mary Philips (1928 to 1937),
Mayo Methot (1938 to 1945) and of course Lauren Bacall (1945 until his death
from esophageal cancer on January 14th, 1957). From the very beginning,
Bogart's marriages were characterized by emotional outbursts, sometimes
physical, along with heavy drinking. His wives often gave as good as they got.
He met the woman who would become his fourth wife on the set of <b>TO HAVE AND
HAVE NOT</b> (1944). While Bogart and Bacall made <b>THE BIG SLEEP</b> (1946)
he remained married to Mayo Methot though very much in love with Bacall. Bogart
was drinking far too much at this point in his life, a habit that would catch
up with him. Another thorn in his side came in 1947, when The House Un-American
Activities Committee went after Hollywood. Though opposed to the investigative
committee's tactics, ultimately Bogart would create distance between himself
and the Hollywood Ten, the blacklisted writers and directors who were cited for
contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before HUAC. Like so many others,
Bogart was intimidated and opted to protect his own career.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Of
top interest to crime story fans should be the interview with screenwriter
William Riley Burnett recorded in March of 1976 (14m 24s). The author of LITTLE
CAESAR (Lincoln MacVeagh/The Dial Press, 1929), NOBODY LIVES FOREVER (Alfred A.
Knopf, 1943) and THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (Alfred A. Knopf, 1949), W. R. Burnett's
novel HIGH SIERRA (Alfred A. Knopf, 1941) was originally entitled "Rushing
Toward Death" until his publisher raised objections. Burnett describes Roy
Earle as the last member of the Dillinger gang rather than a standard gangster.
The scenic environment and the dog Pard were injected into the story to
emphasize Roy's humanity. Jack L. Warner acquired the film rights to HIGH
SIERRA for Paul Muni, an actor that screenwriter John Huston did not respect.
One night Huston got drunk and insulted Muni's capability as an actor.
Subsequently Muni turned down the script. Burnett got involved with the
adaptation under the assumption Muni could not reject the screenplay if the
author of the source material contributed. As much of the novel's original
dialog was preserved as possible, but Muni doubled down on his refusal. This
series of events predictably infuriated Warner, who approached George Raft.
Bogart convinced Raft the part did not suit him, so ultimately the role went to
Bogart. Though Bogart had his issues with director Raoul Walsh, Burnett cites
Walsh among the finest directors of action. Most interesting, Burnett believes
one of the more difficult habits for a writer to break is the insertion of
needless exposition dialog when a camera can do the work. That pattern remains
obvious in all sorts of theatrical and television content to this day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">On
deck next is an interview (14m) with film and media historian Miriam J. Petty,
author of STEALING THE SHOW: AFRICAN
AMERICAN PERFORMERS AND AUDIENCES IN 1930S HOLLYWOOD (University of California
Press, March 8th, 2016). Petty examines the career of actor Willie Best, who
made a living portraying black stereotypes for mainstream white audiences.
Characters such as the bug-eyed and cross-eyed Algernon, who walks around with
a peculiar hunched-over gait, were very familiar to moviegoers of the 1930s and
1940s. Petty notes such characters were born in material aimed at black
audiences. When these roles were repurposed for white viewers, the new context
was more socially troubling. Petty goes on to explain Algernon is not on hand
to teach us anything important about himself, he is present purely to help us
learn more about Roy Earle. A veteran of over 130 films and television
productions, Best amassed a lot of credits for a black actor of his time. Petty
wonders what type of career he might have had in an industry that supported
black actors beyond embarrassing comic relief duty. Best’s portrayal of Algernon
reflects prevailing attitudes of the time about how black actors should be
employed to make white America laugh. Petty laments, "It is hard to
imagine that there was a cultural appetite for this kind of straightforward
racism."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Also
selectable is a severely condensed radio adaptation of <b>HIGH SIERRA</b> (28m
26s), originally broadcast on THE SCREEN GUILD THEATER April 17th, 1944. Both
Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino recreated their original roles. For the sake of
time I'm sure, the plot thread that involved Velma and her family was
eliminated entirely. A theatrical trailer (2m 38s) rounds out the considerable
contents of disc one.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
second Blu-ray disc contains a most welcome surprise with <b>COLORADO TERRITORY</b>
(1949, Warner Bros., 94m 30s), director Raoul Walsh’s Western reimagining of <b>HIGH
SIERRA</b>. The unrestored scan was derived from the original camera negative
from the Library of Congress. In other words, the transfer is not up to the
usual Criterion standards, with some film element damage apparent. Nonetheless
this as-is film is in respectable condition and makes for great viewing. The
original Burnett source material holds up remarkably well in its transformation
into a <i>noir</i>-Western. Joel McCrea is well-cast as Wes McQueen, an outlaw
out for one last big score, and Virginia Mayo is fetching as Colorado Carson,
the equivalent of Ida Lupino's Marie, though Colorado is far feistier.
Similarly, Julie Ann Winslow (Dorothy Malone) is a lot more driven than <b>HIGH
SIERRA</b>'s Velma (Joan Leslie). Though I prefer the men of <b>HIGH SIERRA</b>,
the women of <b>COLORADO TERRITORY</b> have their counterparts beat. Walsh
proves with this effort he absolutely was adept at managing action sequences;
both the stagecoach robbery attempt and the train heist were superbly designed
and executed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">THE
TRUE ADVENTURES OF RAOUL WALSH</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;"> (2014, 95m 12s) is a
documentary directed by Marilyn Ann Moss, the author of RAOUL WALSH: THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOLLYWOOD'S LEGENDARY
DIRECTOR (The University Press of Kentucky, June 2011). Moss scans the defining
moments of a filmmaking career that stretched over 50 years. Although best
known for action, Walsh was able to handle any Hollywood genre. His personality
was a good match for pictures with plenty of grit. He was a man who liked to
add color to stories about himself, some of which were blatantly untrue. Walsh
learned the filmmaking craft while working with D.W. Griffith, and proved he
was willing to take on incredibly dangerous work while on assignment for <b>THE
LIFE OF GENERAL VILLA</b> (1914). As an actor in <b>THE BIRTH OF A NATION</b>
(1915), Walsh broke his leg in an all-too-realistic re-enactment of John Wilkes
Booth's assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. As a director, Walsh first
hit one out of the park with <b>THE THIEF OF BAGDAD</b> (1924), the first major
American fantasy film and a huge hit. His last film as an actor was <b>SADIE
THOMPSON</b> (1928) starring Gloria Swanson. Walsh lost his right eye after his
car hit a jackrabbit, which effectively ended his acting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Many
Hollywood careers stalled or were derailed altogether in the transition from
silent film to sound, especially for those who made their living in front of
the camera. Those on the other side of the camera were impacted as well. With
the advent of recording technology, the sound engineer became the most critical
judge as to what constituted an acceptable take, not the director. Walsh obviously
was one of the talents who was able to embrace sound. He thought his best
"talkie" as a director was <b>THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE</b> (1941)
starring James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland and Rita Hayworth. No doubt there
are many other candidates for best Walsh film, and many that were of some
historical significance, i.e. <b>THE BIG TRAIL</b> (1930, John Wayne's first
major role, innovative use of widescreen format), <b>GOING HOLLYWOOD</b> (1933,
Walsh shows ability to helm a musical), <b>THE ROARING TWENTIES</b> (1939,
instant success as new contract director at Warner Bros.), <b>THEY DIED WITH
THEIR BOOTS ON</b> (1941, Walsh becomes Errol Flynn's new director of choice), <b>GENTLEMAN
JIM</b> (1942, Walsh's leading men often discovered their better selves through
a woman), <b>OBJECTIVE, BURMA!</b> (1945, groundbreaking black & white
cinematography), <b>PURSUED</b> (1947, perhaps the quintessential <i>noir</i>-Western)
and <b>WHITE HEAT</b> (1949, the ultimate amalgam of gangster film and <i>film
noir</i>, with the crazed <i>noir</i> protagonist that would define the 1950s <i>film
noir</i> cycle front and center). Walsh believed the deaths of his frequent
male stars (Bogart, Flynn, Clark Gable) coincided with the passing of the type
of masculinity these men embodied.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
next bonus feature is a recently recorded conversation on Walsh between film
programmer Dave Kehr and critic Farran Smith Nehme (May 2021, 19m 49s). Kehr
observes there is never the feeling in a Walsh film that the director is
judging any of the characters. Walsh seems to be following them objectively and
the viewer is encouraged to do the same. Kehr applauds the effortl<a name="_GoBack"></a>ess flow from one scene to the next as the hallmark of a
Walsh film (a characteristic of Warner productions in general). Another Walsh staple
is the deep clarity of his shots; he did not like anything hazy in the
foreground or background. Nehme credits Walsh for encouraging actors to break
out of their comfort zones and go somewhere they had not ventured previously.
She also mentions Walsh's obvious humanism and sympathy for other people,
regardless of who they are or what they have done.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
booklet essay “Crashing Out” by reliable film scholar Imogen Sara Smith completes
the physical media package. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">W.
R. Burnett's novel HIGH SIERRA found its way to the screen a third time with </span><b style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I
DIED A THOUSAND TIMES</b><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> (1955), directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Jack
Palance, Shelley Winters, Lori Nelson and Lee Marvin.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKLK9wX8_oY0dCmosMVhgmW95oRHVrQmWvGu1f6Hfz1g4L-TJhF3pIwKVCpHZSUTy5nHUWUjTrGv-E5J7qsQbN54QGn9VHket8xEXy71QbEJrvqHu-UiSHeagI3mi0cMuvvLxqC1qCXPCYejgPy_HmSuIDrdGUD6f9zbMDJOXNulXEBJeEhBk9CbVciA=s2922" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2922" data-original-width="1951" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKLK9wX8_oY0dCmosMVhgmW95oRHVrQmWvGu1f6Hfz1g4L-TJhF3pIwKVCpHZSUTy5nHUWUjTrGv-E5J7qsQbN54QGn9VHket8xEXy71QbEJrvqHu-UiSHeagI3mi0cMuvvLxqC1qCXPCYejgPy_HmSuIDrdGUD6f9zbMDJOXNulXEBJeEhBk9CbVciA=w268-h400" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5-Bfk-MmtK4DL-vFvn-DTOpz_bkaL0fNbnwWm1xQACWHI53WJHBO531IrQeRklGSazZXOGTSWTAqFAEgYlFbzH_ab6gKBfTak75m7_mKTPJnKbpRO2pXRlg1LPVMEQ29PbQdVrc1dq7Ffemz8fBlv2auFh7cNKaVFXJD7BO4FcbGkJ9b14TnZoUgsVg=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi5-Bfk-MmtK4DL-vFvn-DTOpz_bkaL0fNbnwWm1xQACWHI53WJHBO531IrQeRklGSazZXOGTSWTAqFAEgYlFbzH_ab6gKBfTak75m7_mKTPJnKbpRO2pXRlg1LPVMEQ29PbQdVrc1dq7Ffemz8fBlv2auFh7cNKaVFXJD7BO4FcbGkJ9b14TnZoUgsVg=w323-h400" width="323" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-53193836599706388572021-11-28T17:08:00.001-06:002022-01-05T23:26:12.516-06:00THE WINDOW (1949)<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">RKO
Radio Pictures, 73m 27s<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbewGR_ZrJW86blAQ7HdCT64w2mkQ4ODXmmNlaok5pkMoahHrfSwzmZhnCuUV-xy_2p0IFuyX7IfWpn_b-jZ88aE6ZJODeN_cKsSKkmEeek6AyICYbl4H0b7w0UC7DHJc5any77V7eko7D/s2048/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Poster_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1357" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbewGR_ZrJW86blAQ7HdCT64w2mkQ4ODXmmNlaok5pkMoahHrfSwzmZhnCuUV-xy_2p0IFuyX7IfWpn_b-jZ88aE6ZJODeN_cKsSKkmEeek6AyICYbl4H0b7w0UC7DHJc5any77V7eko7D/w265-h400/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Poster_1.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">An
underappreciated cult classic, <b>THE
WINDOW</b> effectively merges <i>film noir</i>,
fantasy and horror elements. Such a collision of genres was not unexplored
territory at RKO, where Val Lewton left his indelible mark with <b>CAT PEOPLE</b> (1942), <b>I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE</b> (1943), <b>THE
LEOPARD MAN</b> (1943), <b>THE SEVENTH
VICTIM</b> (1943), <b>THE GHOST SHIP</b>
(1943), <b>THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE</b>
(1944), <b>THE BODY SNATCHER</b> (1945), <b>ISLE OF THE DEAD</b> (1945) and <b>BEDLAM</b> (1946). Not sure if Mr. Lewton
was familiar with the title under review, but it is probably safe to assume he
would have approved. Rooted in one of Aesop's Fables ("The Boy Who Cried
Wolf"), the considerable amount of suspense offered by <b>THE WINDOW </b>is as palpable as the
Manhattan summer heat that accents the proceedings.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Amidst
abandoned tenements of New York City, Tommy (Bobby Driscoll) passes the time
with other area kids. The boy has an active imagination and a bad habit of
making up stories that travel, which leads to the mistaken notion his family is
leaving the neighborhood. Embarrassed by an unexpected visit from their
building manager, Mary and Ed Woodry (Barbara Hale, Arthur Kennedy) scold their
son for his long history of untruths. That evening Tommy ventures outside to
sleep on the fire escape due to the uncomfortable seasonal temperature. He
climbs to his apartment building's next level in search of a comforting breeze,
but instead of rest he finds a struggle between a sailor (Richard Benedict) and
the upstairs apartment's tenants, Joe and Jean Kellerson (Paul Stewart, Ruth
Roman). The scuffle culminates with what appears to be a fatal scissors
stabbing. Tommy reports the evening's shocking brutality to his mother, who of
course does not believe one word of it. She writes it off as a bad dream, but
Tommy knows better. As the boy sticks to his rendition of what took place, it
costs him his lunch and dinner, and potentially <i>a lot</i> more after Mary marches her boy upstairs to apologize to the
Kellersons for the supposedly malicious lies he has told about them. Tommy
rightly fears he might end up squashed like a bug under a shoe now that the
Kellersons are aware he knows far too much to be ignored.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf9z-s7NMrhLAWlf3zdMYEOJfjRGlmojSInGaPKY8Um9aaZTFd1EnS-jN6BQvv6eijCRCVo1NYm25-87uUykZl2Va70nz1qAtcn6w9XYc3OPEMlIHCtnZucNzpdm_kxkEPwuudWXS4jwl/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf9z-s7NMrhLAWlf3zdMYEOJfjRGlmojSInGaPKY8Um9aaZTFd1EnS-jN6BQvv6eijCRCVo1NYm25-87uUykZl2Va70nz1qAtcn6w9XYc3OPEMlIHCtnZucNzpdm_kxkEPwuudWXS4jwl/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASy8QeuKTxRImnR_M5YfMcVRdFEz0BwYxexNshRnPG2L3svUEB1OWANLT-4C7YUv3csirn4FB1ezoJifKLLYE8HwoR8ii9ayq3yNTNDnfxcifzjjaSggsw3AKtZHf1cZmqrpLv90z_Yqr/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASy8QeuKTxRImnR_M5YfMcVRdFEz0BwYxexNshRnPG2L3svUEB1OWANLT-4C7YUv3csirn4FB1ezoJifKLLYE8HwoR8ii9ayq3yNTNDnfxcifzjjaSggsw3AKtZHf1cZmqrpLv90z_Yqr/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWNcqj_swYcsRrCTVEWo0SDzohoVFAT1Xn6cJ2zaKSRE2vKtaVvo7WZErwUPHKra3U9tIU9uqUa6IgeqaQhyphenhyphensruB7FwUXCdCZYptTyfI0pVx0ENjHBZcTQsOXgcW_JQL8c2CATaqTD2OC/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtWNcqj_swYcsRrCTVEWo0SDzohoVFAT1Xn6cJ2zaKSRE2vKtaVvo7WZErwUPHKra3U9tIU9uqUa6IgeqaQhyphenhyphensruB7FwUXCdCZYptTyfI0pVx0ENjHBZcTQsOXgcW_JQL8c2CATaqTD2OC/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">From
an analytical standpoint, Mary Woodry might be onto something with her
interpretation of her son's disturbing account of nighttime at the Kellersons,
especially since the film's introduction of Tommy captures him awakening from
an apparent nightmare. Indeed there is an element of the fantastic woven into
the narrative, a uniquely <i>urban</i>
nightmare that only could transpire in a sprawling, impersonal city. NYC is
comprised of an incredibly intricate network of structures, from which
rooftops, fire escapes and clotheslines interconnect. Among the living areas
are deserted buildings that function as playgrounds for children. Fire trucks,
squad vehicles and streetcars punctuate the atmosphere each day. It is the type
of setting where the family patriarch might work the night shift, building
managers have endless tenancy concerns and police detectives are handed
information about killers but are unable to capitalize on it. The hectic urban
environment is an ideal place for a vile criminal couple like the Kellersons to
call home. No doubt they have fooled Mr. and Mrs. Woodry for some time; neither
Mary nor Ed can imagine anything earth-shattering connected with Joe or Jean, a
supposedly unassuming pair. But Tommy is more right about the Kellersons than
he probably realizes; the man who dies at the Kellersons likely was lured there
by the sexuality of Jean, one of the genre's alluring, exceptionally dangerous
spider women. The nocturnal sequence in which she makes her way toward Tommy's
bedroom via the fire escape is nothing short of chilling. Also frightening is
the scene in which Joe punches out Tommy in the back of a taxi cab. With such
activity playing out from a child's perspective, <b>THE WINDOW</b> could be excused were it to wrap up with one of those
"it was only a dream" conclusions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMQCzvfC-BrvEp-VbBf_mgIvvIJFAZW7N-B_mMxfCDZU2aZB83ZUi4RNhvaFHYeC3ozOVXZpavyJNiIZYWBpDCFG1OFwkh-6SrjNp7KiUr5Fhi6-heYRBuZQS1Lx4_QeIthN8j8HLG2Qa/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtMQCzvfC-BrvEp-VbBf_mgIvvIJFAZW7N-B_mMxfCDZU2aZB83ZUi4RNhvaFHYeC3ozOVXZpavyJNiIZYWBpDCFG1OFwkh-6SrjNp7KiUr5Fhi6-heYRBuZQS1Lx4_QeIthN8j8HLG2Qa/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckvoRJ0DGgCklupGnKGAmYrYH1igdXpVmCDEyTchwHTlH82R5ACiZNqC6SAIFJM-J_SzLUhTYVRZQsFhP4Hnwzysr4HczCyqiLgc_Xv16MkV2n0zpm0QLvaHPixQM_WoxhHYwqxE-qSCS/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckvoRJ0DGgCklupGnKGAmYrYH1igdXpVmCDEyTchwHTlH82R5ACiZNqC6SAIFJM-J_SzLUhTYVRZQsFhP4Hnwzysr4HczCyqiLgc_Xv16MkV2n0zpm0QLvaHPixQM_WoxhHYwqxE-qSCS/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMg-RNTgDCCqVeGOeJjubxlpdgHFs3R_x_iJ1_mVfXuh6Q3IyNPN0H00Uh2cq4bZtwMhuiFIi2CuAyual6LDrK0KoXhDmRl9ZKlPj1aYSoLF1qPCXcEB9D-X1WptcEVReAXBNWJtwvCdW/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMg-RNTgDCCqVeGOeJjubxlpdgHFs3R_x_iJ1_mVfXuh6Q3IyNPN0H00Uh2cq4bZtwMhuiFIi2CuAyual6LDrK0KoXhDmRl9ZKlPj1aYSoLF1qPCXcEB9D-X1WptcEVReAXBNWJtwvCdW/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMYdg7_Y9FxKQFqHbZHltvDpyggVKkyz-TdP1fkG5qk6efe6wREkKJOjxkxv8eMNocKUhkGAKdRs7bJg7sTSPXqzKp5GBSzGnc8zN8-Ba_wivbNd7MrifAgxwjAGtt6qLpYKdjlEatxe0/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsMYdg7_Y9FxKQFqHbZHltvDpyggVKkyz-TdP1fkG5qk6efe6wREkKJOjxkxv8eMNocKUhkGAKdRs7bJg7sTSPXqzKp5GBSzGnc8zN8-Ba_wivbNd7MrifAgxwjAGtt6qLpYKdjlEatxe0/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_7.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Other
<i>noir</i> elements command the viewer's
attention, though not in quite the same context as the <i>noir</i> fan has been trained to expect. Grade-schooler Tommy is this
story's lead protagonist forced to contend with endless adversity, in this case
through <i>some</i> fault of his own. As he
grapples with his place in an uncompromising urban jungle, Tommy is guided by
an unbreakable moral compass, the same sort of inner strength that drives numerous
<i>noir</i> leading men who emerged after
Samuel Spade (Humphrey Bogart) in <b>THE
MALTESE FALCON</b> (1941). Tommy's fanciful storytelling tendencies aside, his
parents have ingrained a strong sense of right and wrong in their son. The
boy's potentially fatal flaw is his track record of not being truthful, which
cannot be undone. Expressed in <i>noir</i>
terms, his tall tales have fueled a dark past that rises to threaten his very
existence. The flawed individual immersed in textbook <i>noir</i> terrain (the sweltering heat of the big city), Tommy is
fatalistically pushed in the direction of the Kellerson dwelling. After the
murder he so fatefully observes, Tommy discovers his road to redemption will be
tortuous to navigate.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RDtlLeXdstNxzx2flEcA9yl9xWWu8mlaSxOFissmoekjmN33xkdgl11Xdwd3ixSiIdXvqdPw5hHKVr4wvbPgIXOefzWji0zXqdZ5w9npFSSAms1NU4g82SyCdkUsAsXmHLtHZ7OZNUqL/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RDtlLeXdstNxzx2flEcA9yl9xWWu8mlaSxOFissmoekjmN33xkdgl11Xdwd3ixSiIdXvqdPw5hHKVr4wvbPgIXOefzWji0zXqdZ5w9npFSSAms1NU4g82SyCdkUsAsXmHLtHZ7OZNUqL/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_8.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilo6zMql2LftrZgRCZxzTrqXUEnWTWs3ME1KyVTwcwvrJiWPqdXK_Pg_veVsVIeCgmOVTqI01WFdYrawLPvpuo5k0Av5IyR8hy4SXdlBT7Vko2FjBh33k74twnIwB7kpX410tSyVIAHMLE/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilo6zMql2LftrZgRCZxzTrqXUEnWTWs3ME1KyVTwcwvrJiWPqdXK_Pg_veVsVIeCgmOVTqI01WFdYrawLPvpuo5k0Av5IyR8hy4SXdlBT7Vko2FjBh33k74twnIwB7kpX410tSyVIAHMLE/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_9.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpAgnubGJnbfqA6lShjl-nQ2V38JNtjONSZ_0ncLhrnhkq9YNXKXI6Mdm_i4sBTWaF6msSUf7M5hcpWlxVtL4fcL7PQC6okOby4Z9imJRxMpkevkAtUrv3Z57VBDePPFbGu_XWpXm2MU0/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpAgnubGJnbfqA6lShjl-nQ2V38JNtjONSZ_0ncLhrnhkq9YNXKXI6Mdm_i4sBTWaF6msSUf7M5hcpWlxVtL4fcL7PQC6okOby4Z9imJRxMpkevkAtUrv3Z57VBDePPFbGu_XWpXm2MU0/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">After
industrialist Howard Hughes purchased RKO in 1948, <b>THE WINDOW</b> was among the completed products Hughes considered
unworthy of theatrical release. It sat on the shelf for almost two years. Once
released it proved to be a popular item that earned several times its
production cost. The development of <b>THE
WINDOW</b> was overseen by Dore Schary, who served in a production capacity for
<i>noir</i> heavy hitters that include <b>THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE</b> (1946), <b>THEY LIVE BY NIGHT</b> (1948), <b>THE SET-UP</b> (1949) and <b>WALK SOFTLY, STRANGER</b> (1950), a
personal favorite. Director Ted Tetzlaff is best remembered for his long career
as a cinematographer, with the Alfred Hitchcock <i>noir</i> masterpiece <b>NOTORIOUS</b>
(1946) among his many credits. Screenwriter Mel Dinelli was a veteran of the <i>noir</i> narrative, with his first seven
assignments all falling under the <i>noir</i>
umbrella: <b>THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE</b>, <b>THE
WINDOW</b>, <b>THE RECKLESS MOMENT</b>
(1949), <b>HOUSE BY THE RIVER</b> (1950), <b>CAUSE FOR ALARM!</b> (1951), <b>BEWARE, MY LOVELY</b> (1952) and <b>JEOPARDY</b> (1953). Here Dinelli adapts
the Cornell Woolrich story "The Boy Cried Murder" (MYSTERY BOOK MAGAZINE,
March 1947). The writing of Woolrich provided the backbone for well regarded <i>noir</i> exercises such as <b>THE LEOPARD MAN</b>, <b>PHANTOM LADY</b> (1944), <b>BLACK
ANGEL</b> (1946), <b>THE CHASE</b> (1946)
and <b>NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES</b>
(1948). The expressive black & white cinematography by William O. Steiner
combines studio work with location footage in New York's Lower East Side for a
convincing <i>noir</i> experience. Without
question <b>THE WINDOW</b> would be a
lesser achievement had it been filmed in color. The highlight of the final act
is a suspenseful chase sequence through an abandon tenement complex that could
hold its ground in comparison to any of the genre's many similar finales. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">A
familiar sighting in the <i>film noir</i>,
NYC native Paul Stewart portrayed unrepentant lowlifes with brazen assurance in
<b>JOHNNY EAGER</b> (1941), <b>APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER</b> (1950), <b>WALK SOFTLY, STRANGER</b> and <b>KISS ME DEADLY</b> (1955). His brand of
evil is especially boundless in this film; his character coldly attempts to
murder little Tommy and make it look like an accident. Another of the more
capable actors in the <i>film noir</i>
firmament, Ruth Roman blended well into <i>noir</i>
narratives such as <b>CHAMPION</b> (1949), <b>LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE</b> (1951), <b>STRANGERS ON A TRAIN</b> (1951), <b>TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY</b> (1951) and <b>DOWN THREE DARK STREETS</b> (1954). Here
she radiates her usual amount of sex appeal (a lot). Stewart and Roman combine
to form a <i>noir</i> couple best avoided by
anyone who wants to keep living. Bobby Driscoll was awarded an Academy Juvenile
Award for his work in <b>THE WINDOW</b> and
<b>SO DEAR TO MY HEART</b> (1948). The
child actor best known for live-action productions from Walt Disney Studios
would struggle in adulthood with substance abuse. Sadly, and ironically for those
familiar with <b>THE WINDOW</b>, he died at
the age of 31, his body discovered in an abandoned building in the East Village
of Manhattan. Thought to be homeless, Driscoll was buried in an unmarked grave
in NYC's Potter's Field on Hart Island. His identity was discovered after the
fact.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
Blu-ray edition of <b>THE WINDOW</b>
recently made available from Warner Archive looks sharp framed at 1.37:1 but
disappointingly offers no supplemental material. Film grain is apparent but
minimal. Compared to the 1.35:1 Warner Archive DVD, this Blu-ray presentation
reveals more information on all sides of the frame and strikingly superior
detail:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nAV-jhhOaDYEjRxwxPFY_Iz-tU_UyWFt5syY-tz20W-KQQ5j71kTwQBqOCPiutCIRDO53xFBtLZiTYG1ThOFx71-QyhVfzpaTo5W7g3j37sE-vrMlDqFEbgXK3LVTkivkcWXQ05VIIrF/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_11+%2528Blu-ray%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nAV-jhhOaDYEjRxwxPFY_Iz-tU_UyWFt5syY-tz20W-KQQ5j71kTwQBqOCPiutCIRDO53xFBtLZiTYG1ThOFx71-QyhVfzpaTo5W7g3j37sE-vrMlDqFEbgXK3LVTkivkcWXQ05VIIrF/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_11+%2528Blu-ray%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warner Blu-ray</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVOjDJhuCC9IugA93YOKVintKXoQAvKbyeR-YDhQpe8caKFjohTJ6tXsBjVrQJU_5H4lHupT2aH6FvU8FAPjm27YwBXB8hoiMGT8DiL_UjVgqTMXWpsxZreQIT2PoEL8cO9j4ckvLTDbs/s1920/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_12+%2528DVD%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVOjDJhuCC9IugA93YOKVintKXoQAvKbyeR-YDhQpe8caKFjohTJ6tXsBjVrQJU_5H4lHupT2aH6FvU8FAPjm27YwBXB8hoiMGT8DiL_UjVgqTMXWpsxZreQIT2PoEL8cO9j4ckvLTDbs/w400-h250/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529_12+%2528DVD%2529.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warner DVD</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">THE WINDOW</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">
would make a nice double feature with director Charles Laughton's <b>THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER</b> (1955), another
<i>film noir</i> that puts childhood
innocence at odds with ruthless adult criminality. Another potential match I
have yet to check out is <b>THE BOY CRIED
MURDER</b> (1966), a British suspense film based on the same Cornell Woolrich
story that inspired <b>THE WINDOW</b>.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzX20cFrCft-prEKfVxf3ur6lGf-NS04AAnjOrCBcjkbuu9a_jR9XyFbKWNDXYgiQm-TLEu9-XR2sW5-oxMRksj8k1QXS-7UKkOXAcKjf-MEFwqUomqvc-HkHiZhC2JTUoXgwBKHnduE3/s2048/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Poster_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1045" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhzX20cFrCft-prEKfVxf3ur6lGf-NS04AAnjOrCBcjkbuu9a_jR9XyFbKWNDXYgiQm-TLEu9-XR2sW5-oxMRksj8k1QXS-7UKkOXAcKjf-MEFwqUomqvc-HkHiZhC2JTUoXgwBKHnduE3/w204-h400/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Poster_2.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQM-THTETyEvQgUBox_LN25LOGe4SfWBpGB7n6fbEkxEDZVzPAwLfJiU_degOeLDOB_M5TkVrQgFQCGtyxY_R96am7MWNRy2t1HuKSqq8QU6p0l3JaFlqjO0Vg89vXdvJlTYFPmjVYbzWT/s2585/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Poster_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2585" data-original-width="1216" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQM-THTETyEvQgUBox_LN25LOGe4SfWBpGB7n6fbEkxEDZVzPAwLfJiU_degOeLDOB_M5TkVrQgFQCGtyxY_R96am7MWNRy2t1HuKSqq8QU6p0l3JaFlqjO0Vg89vXdvJlTYFPmjVYbzWT/w189-h400/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Poster_3.jpg" width="189" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FawNgTC4-VlNgr4ktghNMYlyHhBrhlB83nL38XAlvOumdkdQO7s8-aD8W_kqj6AYQ8KIaSCjN1-6KGYWIOm-8lTMBZw5wE0JN6tQ7PIS4HlqH5srraK_qYyLWuF57QQcJEcesGaQ2TXy/s1280/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Poster_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="838" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FawNgTC4-VlNgr4ktghNMYlyHhBrhlB83nL38XAlvOumdkdQO7s8-aD8W_kqj6AYQ8KIaSCjN1-6KGYWIOm-8lTMBZw5wE0JN6tQ7PIS4HlqH5srraK_qYyLWuF57QQcJEcesGaQ2TXy/w263-h400/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Poster_4.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8iODa2EmNPiiYhxoqKCbte5WePg5b4YeLoeHumwpUHim4WKj1smGTBRZvdlo8kATLFH3-wuwd9TnKN4VJwE3M4rLbsFN1fBl3NC4BjmO0oAwW5B4vBeUpbCjy9U6_ujR4jX0bA_FU8jc/s500/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Blu-ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="415" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8iODa2EmNPiiYhxoqKCbte5WePg5b4YeLoeHumwpUHim4WKj1smGTBRZvdlo8kATLFH3-wuwd9TnKN4VJwE3M4rLbsFN1fBl3NC4BjmO0oAwW5B4vBeUpbCjy9U6_ujR4jX0bA_FU8jc/w333-h400/Window%252C+The+%25281949%2529+Blu-ray.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-68456444884241106062021-10-24T18:29:00.001-05:002022-01-09T19:22:01.996-06:00HELL BOUND (1957)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">United
Artists, 71m 37s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMKXTtjhPpqIsatkjViWt2yyyGlNQDm3JRb9JhrQO8MhzZ81dQwXDu9jo5LV4R5zbJxsH71gFExiiibjxA0xdtau-z6O8kYs5lhl77-mnKGILbWpBcS7pxjk8WQeNS6zWC73xy6jSJAe6/s991/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_Poster_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="656" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBMKXTtjhPpqIsatkjViWt2yyyGlNQDm3JRb9JhrQO8MhzZ81dQwXDu9jo5LV4R5zbJxsH71gFExiiibjxA0xdtau-z6O8kYs5lhl77-mnKGILbWpBcS7pxjk8WQeNS6zWC73xy6jSJAe6/w265-h400/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_Poster_1.png" width="265" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> heist film of the 1950s has its
origins in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE ASPHALT JUNGLE</b>
(1950), a superb effort from director John Huston. Though not a huge commercial
success at the time of its release, the Huston film was followed by a number of
quality <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> heist pics including <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ARMORED CAR ROBBERY</b> (1950), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ROADBLOCK</b> (1951), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL</b> (1952), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">5 AGAINST THE HOUSE</b> (1955), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I
DIED A THOUSAND TIMES</b> (1955), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
KILLING</b> (1956) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ODDS AGAINST
TOMORROW</b> (1959), one of my personal favorites. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HELL BOUND</b> may owe a spiritual debt to all of the great heist films
that came before it, but director William J. Hole Jr. ensures his contribution
to the durable <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> subgenre has more
than enough grit to stand apart. A potent distillation of the heist film, this
turbulent thriller from Bel-Air Productions anticipates the unfiltered violence
of the American crime film that would crest in the 1970s, with muscular
neo-noirs directed by the likes of Robert Altman, William Friedkin, Arthur
Penn, Roman Polanski, Martin Scorsese and Don Siegel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Confidently
armed with a well-researched international drug smuggling scheme, Jordan (the
familiar face of John Russell) stands before businessman Harry Quantro (Frank
Fenton) with vigor. The operation involves infiltrating a freighter from the
Far East bound for the Port of Los Angeles. The plan is green-lighted with one
addition in the tantalizing form of Paula (June Blair), a woman who instantly spells
trouble. Jordan agrees to inject Paula into the cast of characters necessary to
perform the heist. But as the trained <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
eye should suspect, the plan of military precision does not translate to
perfect execution, thanks mostly to a destabilizing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> atmosphere rich with ironies and irresolvable problems. As the
curtain falls on the major protagonist Jordan, prevailing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> forces allow no time for reckoning over what went wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpzubOnfcdJb22O6AJo3_kb5z9iI532sR8UhLP6D3fxb_rG_sYtzudRtt9-SsulJXki53lqLmTGONpnlJEHpV8O_trtT1MqKkQmiAMF_bGo3FKl5AbQN1hlBlC7k68bCz4M6ALdCKJY15/s1393/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1393" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpzubOnfcdJb22O6AJo3_kb5z9iI532sR8UhLP6D3fxb_rG_sYtzudRtt9-SsulJXki53lqLmTGONpnlJEHpV8O_trtT1MqKkQmiAMF_bGo3FKl5AbQN1hlBlC7k68bCz4M6ALdCKJY15/w400-h304/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyDXksb61FYYu4971mIlNi1xu7HBlmqz-DxuK5CEWlqDMHI9rNBdpZaHFA1vF66RghqRb1poVKcvJ7iRHuSZPUX1GDjrqEsZE_DNNDWRrKIN3oGNEpHRcVEIyAaKvyVgJxDFX62xtSpqV/s1397/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1397" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyDXksb61FYYu4971mIlNi1xu7HBlmqz-DxuK5CEWlqDMHI9rNBdpZaHFA1vF66RghqRb1poVKcvJ7iRHuSZPUX1GDjrqEsZE_DNNDWRrKIN3oGNEpHRcVEIyAaKvyVgJxDFX62xtSpqV/w400-h303/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcTYt0rZIK-jlNRksG3S_ZBTvqzbOEln-NH8l9nInCNMiToS1tKRhqg36MXj3FWO8JzfIEBl5Uhvb33t_4SSTFSeIFA4nRO6oKLifPqaN2iOM65m8uUaM7tfBk53vdbOnw6DgLnWOTREv/s1398/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1398" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcTYt0rZIK-jlNRksG3S_ZBTvqzbOEln-NH8l9nInCNMiToS1tKRhqg36MXj3FWO8JzfIEBl5Uhvb33t_4SSTFSeIFA4nRO6oKLifPqaN2iOM65m8uUaM7tfBk53vdbOnw6DgLnWOTREv/w400-h303/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Characters
of the heist film tend to be assembled based upon the unique skill set each
individual brings to the table. In <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HELL
BOUND</b>, Jordan deliberately brings together people who are flawed, and that
speaks to his own flaw as a planner. Herbert Fay Jr. (Stanley Adams) is a
health officer who is a diabetic, and that irony is not lost on Herbie. His
physician happily informs him he no longer requires insulin shots, that to take
one could cause catastrophic heart failure, but Herbert's agreement with Jordan
calls for a potentially fatal injection. In the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>, sometimes what should be good news is really bad news.
The viewer is granted a subjective shot from Herbert's disoriented view before
he gets a patented <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> send off
(carted out feet-first). Another flawed recruit is Stanley Thomas (George E.
Mather), the "butcher boy" who killed his significant other on the
operating table. After he takes a vicious beating from Jordan, Stanley is on
board. The unwanted assignment leads Stanley to a strip club to visit the blind
dope dealer "Daddy" (Dehl Berti), a memorable <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> peripheral character to say the least. Why would a blind man
be so excited to be in the presence of a topless dancer? Since
"Daddy" cannot see the leggy burlesque performer in front of him, the
viewer might assume there will be some touching going on off camera.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
accomplice Jordan didn't ask for is the first to default on her commitment to
the heist. Early in the film, it is said Paula has "two heads on her
shoulders." One is the beauty, one is the pragmatic thinker. This
observation, though not 100% accurate, nicely anticipates her conversion from
femme fatale into conscientious maternal figure. Paula undergoes this
metamorphosis suddenly, when she witnesses a young boy's death en route to the
hospital (a truly chilling moment). It is made clear that under her carapace of
sexual confidence is a sensitive, unselfish creature. The duality of woman is
referenced again when Paula feels compelled to remind Eddie Mason (Stuart
Whitman) she is both a nurse <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> a
woman. In a genre that tends to emphasize woman as strictly one thing or the
other, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HELL BOUND</b> suggests such
categorization is troublesome.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhit9JvRKjN2h9g7ZKmFdfOmbQymI9mTZBel0R5QW3_OLtYR-bcvn4ZMivrXUyiU85LZIrXl_TgrSimirj95wtl-ijGuRRA7ZmBD0-CPNwgXsa8op157bw9qeZlth549pnu5fN-29rVdDm/s1398/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1398" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhit9JvRKjN2h9g7ZKmFdfOmbQymI9mTZBel0R5QW3_OLtYR-bcvn4ZMivrXUyiU85LZIrXl_TgrSimirj95wtl-ijGuRRA7ZmBD0-CPNwgXsa8op157bw9qeZlth549pnu5fN-29rVdDm/w400-h303/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJfDrKFGSwvC6yYzvjsH0r-i21KGAk9nOcvaQrbuThRt-vOHYVlc7y9UjKVcaK2kJHOMG2N4AJy1vjijauZmbyxESaabrcyRCizfvnfssF3svU5gluYHVn-9ZFLP6qdJBU8HWqs1XYUpw/s1395/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1395" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJfDrKFGSwvC6yYzvjsH0r-i21KGAk9nOcvaQrbuThRt-vOHYVlc7y9UjKVcaK2kJHOMG2N4AJy1vjijauZmbyxESaabrcyRCizfvnfssF3svU5gluYHVn-9ZFLP6qdJBU8HWqs1XYUpw/w400-h304/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Jordan
is a man with an existential belief system, though in fact he does not see
himself as a man, at least not in the same sense most of us probably do.
"I've got no blood," he tells Paula as he rebuffs her considerable
sex appeal. The narcotics acquisition plan comes first; not even a looker like
Paula can distract him. The accuracy of his odd self-description is confirmed
when he callously runs down an international connection who no longer is of any
use to him. Later Jordan victimizes Paula with a vicious knife attack. Jan
(Margo Woode), Jordan's original choice for Paula's role in the heist,
recognizes that something is amiss when she tells Jordan, "suddenly your
whistle is off-key." Though at the time of that quote Jan is not quite in
the know about what exactly happened with Paula, her comment tellingly reflects
the huge difference between Jordan's planned version of the heist and the
actual event. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HELL BOUND</b>'s
concluding sequence is simultaneously predictable and fascinating as criminal
activity leads to logical consequences (though the manner in which that
certainty reaches its apex scores mega originality points!).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Executive
producer Aubrey Schenck, producer Howard W. Koch and Edwin F. Zabel founded
Bel-Air Productions, a film factory for low budget fare during the mid-1950s.
Koch's meritorious career includes executive producer credit on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE</b> (1962) and
producer credit on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE ODD COUPLE</b>
(1968). His first films as director both happened to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noirs</i>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SHIELD FOR MURDER</b> (1954) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BIG
HOUSE, U.S.A.</b> (1955). Schenck's debut as producer was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SHOCK</b> (1946). Schenck and Koch also combined talents for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">T-MEN</b> (1947), an incontestable <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> must-see, with Schenck as producer
and Koch as assistant director. Cinematographer Carl E. Guthrie had extensive
experience capturing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
productions, including his work on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BACKFIRE</b>
(1950), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CAGED</b> (1950), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIGHWAY 301</b> (1950) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HOLLYWOOD STORY</b> (1951). Location
footage is crucial to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HELL BOUND</b>'s
tone, particularly the industrial landscapes that compose the waterfront of
Terminal Island between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where overhead
shots minimize a man in relation to his surroundings. The byzantine complexity of
a cargo ship gives shape to the film's final act, even more impactful is the
footage of Jordan on the run within the streetcar cemetery near Southern
Pacific Railyard, an inspired choice of scenery for this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>'s resolution. A familiar face to fans of the Western,
John Russell appeared in a number of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noirs</i> of interest, such as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SOMEWHERE
IN THE NIGHT</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">UNDERTOW</b>
(1949) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HOODLUM EMPIRE</b> (1952).
June Blair was PLAYBOY magazine's Playmate of the Month within the January 1957
issue.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkY7D_aLHI8FrCLz2NxdGYKW2MNgw2bfAjRuj9ykKZdrPbtLKrK1v_8plANIDWMeQoOKBmChKS3QwCvIWE3ZgWfoHbyNmGPElKkS_JibIaeAzZoY0vTGDN2jEsoBJ82Y94Je75VjPZlYg/s1399/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1399" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkY7D_aLHI8FrCLz2NxdGYKW2MNgw2bfAjRuj9ykKZdrPbtLKrK1v_8plANIDWMeQoOKBmChKS3QwCvIWE3ZgWfoHbyNmGPElKkS_JibIaeAzZoY0vTGDN2jEsoBJ82Y94Je75VjPZlYg/w400-h303/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2F75PHQTxMZqu9ULqoT13exms7tHfOM3lBxAE_RQrraq2lM6LuvfEKQ5bIFLulIQt90MtK_GVOJaLOA79dWO4BBaWldAg0akeTKSqu19XfVWwKTAJ2bU40YfV5IN2_Gb9QDingFjH6v7-/s1399/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1399" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2F75PHQTxMZqu9ULqoT13exms7tHfOM3lBxAE_RQrraq2lM6LuvfEKQ5bIFLulIQt90MtK_GVOJaLOA79dWO4BBaWldAg0akeTKSqu19XfVWwKTAJ2bU40YfV5IN2_Gb9QDingFjH6v7-/w400-h303/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPWQep8_5sMgazlMWBaCG5UOQOieTkbdg6hQEmOg0BGJUNMd-rOufhc1bhcDHcCRYw1ykJozEE23hW-SPQXPP8ppIJjeaz9PwGqGwVfxuG0VciJ3uPri64gu3d5lBFXWyyqjxvLpqPnT2/s1398/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1398" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPWQep8_5sMgazlMWBaCG5UOQOieTkbdg6hQEmOg0BGJUNMd-rOufhc1bhcDHcCRYw1ykJozEE23hW-SPQXPP8ppIJjeaz9PwGqGwVfxuG0VciJ3uPri64gu3d5lBFXWyyqjxvLpqPnT2/w400-h303/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_8.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Like
the best examples of the genre always seem to offer, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HELL BOUND</b> has its share of moments that are sure to stick with
you, and it withstands repeat viewings without issue. Hopefully a Blu-ray
release of this top-shelf B <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> will
become available at some point in the future. The print shown on TCM is less
than ideal but perhaps the best available source material out there. The option
available via Amazon Prime appears to be derived from the same print.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-AeA0XSuWRPIAuDNhAIHKJckz1uCsfaqEuSZkwoaX66Ru1ZaYh3aaWyRI4q9ZSE4L_XUv2pa7eA0qr-SHbZaugAfpdB4eqaxoyBm15peT0iK5qPnimv1IWSQ3AxpgYXmyglByGJOE9_6/s1280/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_Poster_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1280" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY-AeA0XSuWRPIAuDNhAIHKJckz1uCsfaqEuSZkwoaX66Ru1ZaYh3aaWyRI4q9ZSE4L_XUv2pa7eA0qr-SHbZaugAfpdB4eqaxoyBm15peT0iK5qPnimv1IWSQ3AxpgYXmyglByGJOE9_6/w400-h316/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_Poster_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKg7H-nnuv2XyPJQqXub419r_bWLHY-vuA5wZrvaZlVMLlHg8aQ4mhVdhd8ebvBNl763TfP48hNw53nttFbYTA-KEM6nE-Oq6YdOHLfdsnkcV6bYJqONisCO2qe6zgibZ350lhLMVzAXQm/s1200/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_Poster_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKg7H-nnuv2XyPJQqXub419r_bWLHY-vuA5wZrvaZlVMLlHg8aQ4mhVdhd8ebvBNl763TfP48hNw53nttFbYTA-KEM6nE-Oq6YdOHLfdsnkcV6bYJqONisCO2qe6zgibZ350lhLMVzAXQm/w266-h400/Hell+Bound+%25281957%2529_Poster_3.png" width="266" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-8418770127188931292021-09-26T10:40:00.001-05:002022-01-09T19:22:25.175-06:00I WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR SHOES (1948)<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monogram
Pictures, 70m 44s</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKlzVBEUlon4pvqmRGIxv2Ac0ynrr1QKrQ82NDEcOWKhpZoqfC86nUT2GbEIwNmmQ9sNCu5AX-ak5d3fnXkbTJ1iW0Hn_nQoQqAAvDvgTz0NSlQoEZSwu2e7Mvwe05qH-WY1BPrB626xQ/s2048/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_Poster_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1371" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKlzVBEUlon4pvqmRGIxv2Ac0ynrr1QKrQ82NDEcOWKhpZoqfC86nUT2GbEIwNmmQ9sNCu5AX-ak5d3fnXkbTJ1iW0Hn_nQoQqAAvDvgTz0NSlQoEZSwu2e7Mvwe05qH-WY1BPrB626xQ/w268-h400/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_Poster_1.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Film noir</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">
builds many rooms atop consistent pillars, its support structure provided by
post-WWII malaise, fatalistic themes, atmospheric cinematography and, perhaps
most important, attention devoted to ordinary people (this could happen to
you!). That last pillar is tested in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I
WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR SHOES</b>, a serviceable <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> programmer from Monogram Pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">After
an introductory segment that emphasizes the time-sensitive nature of what we
are about to witness, the story gets underway in New York City within a tiny
studio apartment where the beds are one step from the entrance. It is a hot
July night, and Tom Quinn (Don Castle) is upset his wife Ann (Elyse Knox) has
yet to return home from work. He imagines she is being pursued by any number of
men who have taken notice of the attractive instructor at Ortiz Dancing
Academy. When Ann arrives home safe and sound, the two discuss their stagnant
act as a tap dance team. Ann believes if they could get established in
California there is still time for them to make it, though Tom feels they would
spend more time working in the food service sector than dancing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
narrative drifts deeper into its <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
orbit when Tom tires of nocturnal alley cat noise. He hurls both of his shoes
at the screeching felines, but is unable to retrieve his footwear in the
darkness. Weirdly, his shoes materialize the next morning. Stranger still,
sufficient funds for the husband-wife dance act to relocate in California wind
up in Tom's hands, but he recognizes the lost $2000 must be missed by someone. After
Ann adopts a "finders keepers" mentality, the couple compromises by
watching the lost and found section of local newspapers for a week. They agree
to keep the cash in the event no one places an ad in search of it. Nobody
raises a flag in search of missing money, but before there is much opportunity
for celebration two cops arrest Tom on a murder charge! Circumstantial evidence
is sufficient to produce a guilty verdict.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgWTul8iSVOySl-I9GTqLZ_GIQwKGq92n_uaf9YWxVhCfPVmuC8aw0nW6NdZURv_COFGBraYw6noeKEVi402OtDlt5Q4hbgPO28gk_eiEQyYXmVOmOPoJw-s5iwy-I7AuuX-KueNbasXc/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgWTul8iSVOySl-I9GTqLZ_GIQwKGq92n_uaf9YWxVhCfPVmuC8aw0nW6NdZURv_COFGBraYw6noeKEVi402OtDlt5Q4hbgPO28gk_eiEQyYXmVOmOPoJw-s5iwy-I7AuuX-KueNbasXc/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTRm4Nh51fP01vdFSr2rP4iYM3naZ2q2sLwZcuQjrg1RO-p-QOiPuiJGh7UXIg7vuX9-ucNMz0JZWqA30kc3rU70R3kuLwIzMel3_eFx9xB8pMlFWqS7KclgMPbs6_jb_xC8dBJHHaDat/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtTRm4Nh51fP01vdFSr2rP4iYM3naZ2q2sLwZcuQjrg1RO-p-QOiPuiJGh7UXIg7vuX9-ucNMz0JZWqA30kc3rU70R3kuLwIzMel3_eFx9xB8pMlFWqS7KclgMPbs6_jb_xC8dBJHHaDat/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYiuhFZLEZgHU-fkq217c_u8B4goedeh0sYd5ngsG0hhSJTSKkI47zwuldUqKhIinrqJBI69GNmrJvHioaJmSgsvxqhg-7ka-2daipUVhw3FAqs3m4IZxwHyJznmAlFWpI7Nt5Hc0x-Po/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEYiuhFZLEZgHU-fkq217c_u8B4goedeh0sYd5ngsG0hhSJTSKkI47zwuldUqKhIinrqJBI69GNmrJvHioaJmSgsvxqhg-7ka-2daipUVhw3FAqs3m4IZxwHyJznmAlFWpI7Nt5Hc0x-Po/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcMgVrZcklglAetX9PBfQxryJcCwWSqsN_oOKPu-4oH4dpMHogIQszCZMP3_puF0oQla-kLT-u1DDwjrC_rzUji-Tl9wA6vDAk5Bos8leWfqN626oahW5A1Fpk2rbIcctWnJ9CgxPIGGX/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcMgVrZcklglAetX9PBfQxryJcCwWSqsN_oOKPu-4oH4dpMHogIQszCZMP3_puF0oQla-kLT-u1DDwjrC_rzUji-Tl9wA6vDAk5Bos8leWfqN626oahW5A1Fpk2rbIcctWnJ9CgxPIGGX/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">
Despite its brief runtime, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WOULDN'T BE
IN YOUR SHOES</b> is hardly deficient in necessary <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> ingredients. It begins at the end, with a doomed man's
narration guiding the viewer through his flashback. A crucial segment of the
film underscores Tom's complicity in his dire situation; though his instincts
instruct him to turn in the found money, he allows his wife's persuasive influence
to prevent that action. As Tom makes his case for doing the right thing, Ann
pressures him to keep the money, as if it fell from heaven specifically for
their wants and needs (in fact the money is planted to destroy their marriage).
Indeed the narrative blames Ann for her husband's death sentence. She even
offers herself to the man smitten with her, Police Inspector Clint Judd (Regis
Toomey), should he be able to prove Tom's innocence. Interestingly, the sexual
control wielded by Ann is both the cause of and solution to Tom's
fast-approaching date with the electric chair.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
element of psychological torture that so frequently attaches itself to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> protagonist erupts at the trial,
where Tom cannot hide ("Shoes!" "Shoes!"
"Shoes!"). The mental torment continues when the judge sentences Tom
to die just after Christmas! Now <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> execution. The indifference
of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> universe seems
particularly cruel when one considers all the events that stack up against Tom.
As always, the many unlikely plot details are best thought of not as
coincidence, but fate (not to suggest the story is all that plausible). Another
theme consistent with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>
concerns involves the incredible lengths men will go to for the sake of
securing a hot-looking woman in the bedroom. Tom's suspicions in the early
going prove completely accurate; the "creeps" who gravitate to his
wife for dance lessons envision closeness to her beyond the dance floor. On an
even more pessimistic note is the film's distrust of law enforcement officials.
The system is driven by convictions, not justice. Either downright dirty or
disappointingly indifferent, the most disconcerting example of lawman is more
interested in economic prosperity with the woman of his dreams than public
duty. In marked contrast is the connection the viewer is encouraged to feel for
Tom and the other death row inmates. That opening pan from right to left lets
us know in no uncertain terms how the filmmakers feel about the death penalty. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR SHOES</b> supports
the human rights of these condemned men, though animal lovers are sure to note
that Tom's spoken wish to kill feral cats coincides with his downward spiral.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHRrQ9Gh4YahPeGtUHNJrUv4Y2rgs_UJAeApt2ElQguO5ushhkPhJXU2_d2R56D4JWCK0EXEOM7PxzNA3PuLS6KK9De09kk2h0iuAwgM4LVt14VXs7BFaoRv8jD_PjRn86R_9eZGO43vw/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHRrQ9Gh4YahPeGtUHNJrUv4Y2rgs_UJAeApt2ElQguO5ushhkPhJXU2_d2R56D4JWCK0EXEOM7PxzNA3PuLS6KK9De09kk2h0iuAwgM4LVt14VXs7BFaoRv8jD_PjRn86R_9eZGO43vw/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDK3dDLnKQ_wdN5eWz0FVUPKe9IofaIJ3qxmI4DrM4baSyEt09zqxJeSRdCz4tRZk_Aj0j7D5Y5ABmx5-CFJ5wLo72-eJ2fGungebq1Yi9Rw0enWluFEHalZiaCqRszLO7AVup9PL8D4H/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDK3dDLnKQ_wdN5eWz0FVUPKe9IofaIJ3qxmI4DrM4baSyEt09zqxJeSRdCz4tRZk_Aj0j7D5Y5ABmx5-CFJ5wLo72-eJ2fGungebq1Yi9Rw0enWluFEHalZiaCqRszLO7AVup9PL8D4H/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjee-FPo8TWgdwxR08CtSDolOPm_a2Lm4r8sKoZaxIvqdm8dmBsKxzdepDpXSXA_cZiVx6JUUpn3VKa5vO7ASGL-Z6vNN9AzGwJzZnLYmNyup2OXV13o8xcWNcLi55O1qu6qmZzWtXJaknW/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjee-FPo8TWgdwxR08CtSDolOPm_a2Lm4r8sKoZaxIvqdm8dmBsKxzdepDpXSXA_cZiVx6JUUpn3VKa5vO7ASGL-Z6vNN9AzGwJzZnLYmNyup2OXV13o8xcWNcLi55O1qu6qmZzWtXJaknW/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxKQYyg-SiQFvxARbhGayhXHhBJV0v6v6j_-YUflDwpIN7272Mg9BdzSLM-3Ur628p__lPyqd8QefIsD_yb6ExP_bSs8JD32xTghkLXRsMfZo91TJdH9h0EcVpJQoEx6jjS5bvIWTiDl0/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxKQYyg-SiQFvxARbhGayhXHhBJV0v6v6j_-YUflDwpIN7272Mg9BdzSLM-3Ur628p__lPyqd8QefIsD_yb6ExP_bSs8JD32xTghkLXRsMfZo91TJdH9h0EcVpJQoEx6jjS5bvIWTiDl0/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_8.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
William Nigh began his career as an actor in 1911 before turning to directing.
Like so many others of his time, his career did not benefit from the industry's
transition to sound. He would spend his last twenty years in the industry
churning out B product for Poverty Row studios like PRC and Monogram.
Screenwriter Steve Fisher's vast <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noir</i> credits include <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">JOHNNY ANGEL</b>
(1945), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">LADY IN THE LAKE</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DEAD RECKONING</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ROADBLOCK</b> (1951), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS</b> (1953) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HELL'S HALF ACRE</b> (1954). For <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I
WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR SHOES</b>, Fisher adapted the work of noted crime writer
Cornell Woolrich (published under the pseudonym "William Irish" in
1943). Fiction authored by Woolrich anchored <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> heavyweights such as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
LEOPARD MAN</b> (1943), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PHANTOM LADY</b>
(1944), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE CHASE</b> (1946) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE WINDOW</b> (1949). Cinematographer Mack
Stengler also worked on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FALL GUY</b>
(1947), another Woolrich adaptation released the prior year, produced by <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR SHOES</b> producer
Walter Mirisch, who will turn 100 on November 8th, 2021. Don Castle also
starred in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIGH TIDE</b> (1947) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE GUILTY</b> (1947), quality B <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noirs</i> distributed by Monogram Pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlzNnE8DvglhPCqrq-Ag-SgEyqyXjT09_WgDuyi4UWHpsBN3awYnn_h5-O1uSCYrXxYAXeWg07Tt-sUk8QoSCFbZu3jeiCsMLoa7dDFOamlqzlmXqVQ_ZcTOVISUhQ7aOgYLrwf0n1EYi/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlzNnE8DvglhPCqrq-Ag-SgEyqyXjT09_WgDuyi4UWHpsBN3awYnn_h5-O1uSCYrXxYAXeWg07Tt-sUk8QoSCFbZu3jeiCsMLoa7dDFOamlqzlmXqVQ_ZcTOVISUhQ7aOgYLrwf0n1EYi/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_9.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RTqfzrermnH-9aVgSrBJPwuzHoCMuGPPl9ZASqTLIindQXYNOIwd1Bb34Pyw0HwYpLTgPd0WpyKTOPUOou0eV2Q2DCB86xxM7TV1J7O3YSWVqsOt-puUwjxcorvJaadI0Q2EjjCuMiY2/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RTqfzrermnH-9aVgSrBJPwuzHoCMuGPPl9ZASqTLIindQXYNOIwd1Bb34Pyw0HwYpLTgPd0WpyKTOPUOou0eV2Q2DCB86xxM7TV1J7O3YSWVqsOt-puUwjxcorvJaadI0Q2EjjCuMiY2/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-OpUAb_uHtpEDY8h1CFfClnPc6IYMAKg8ppXKxh1xrLZ7s9jwOCgmCSEtYFTFy9Mjy3e1elU-R0igFGXG4enjk3tRv-5LWGnusUoutYF4i_moXe8SkTNwLKjKXASqIJG2VEhOWVtXFUV/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-OpUAb_uHtpEDY8h1CFfClnPc6IYMAKg8ppXKxh1xrLZ7s9jwOCgmCSEtYFTFy9Mjy3e1elU-R0igFGXG4enjk3tRv-5LWGnusUoutYF4i_moXe8SkTNwLKjKXASqIJG2VEhOWVtXFUV/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvkFv4GdMEvuO4DyKgs4_ok5CYZ5MozLeUxU8_sWtBt8LG42aNWmTkSO83hWfW5XzDwCRro1i3-wfMTxjO3f4Cw4aFKxX0B7jforpOIIYBqKp4id773g7dFeQT70isHp2EMJodH2iD7Rf/s1920/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvkFv4GdMEvuO4DyKgs4_ok5CYZ5MozLeUxU8_sWtBt8LG42aNWmTkSO83hWfW5XzDwCRro1i3-wfMTxjO3f4Cw4aFKxX0B7jforpOIIYBqKp4id773g7dFeQT70isHp2EMJodH2iD7Rf/w400-h250/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_12.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
single-layered Blu-ray recently made available from Warner Archive was derived
from excellent source material, especially considering the obscurity of this
title. Framing looks appropriate at 1.37:1. Bonus material includes the
modestly entertaining short film THE SYMPHONY MURDER MYSTERY (21m 27s, 1932)
along with the clever Merrie Melodies cartoon HOLIDAY FOR SHOESTRINGS (7m 22s,
1946). Like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR SHOES</b>,
the animated feature samples Frederic Chopin.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhns_0TKtefJkKYYETe_sUxYuu5ZasxrVQjE0IN7KEtSsvsKu7SEuWDJ9kwbHuzudwfohMyg04NFi1nvlz4sdCKBD7DIM3diuPYpOepM1GnPhC-oO9E3PHwEbfLeAYUWZfqoOClx7GxaK0n/s2785/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_Poster_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2785" data-original-width="1129" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhns_0TKtefJkKYYETe_sUxYuu5ZasxrVQjE0IN7KEtSsvsKu7SEuWDJ9kwbHuzudwfohMyg04NFi1nvlz4sdCKBD7DIM3diuPYpOepM1GnPhC-oO9E3PHwEbfLeAYUWZfqoOClx7GxaK0n/w261-h640/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_Poster_2.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ln0vBillNo0mfZBEZdubKUnq_mTLiXhmiFnnBw2Q-79OZGAqwrl0mtyNxqGBUxg2lubx8NTV_-W_74pPY35ljG9NFAVezSoecOhLzqhAy_YFxKRlkSIDvDkSgiQknydO647zoNgL40FO/s500/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_Blu-ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="383" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ln0vBillNo0mfZBEZdubKUnq_mTLiXhmiFnnBw2Q-79OZGAqwrl0mtyNxqGBUxg2lubx8NTV_-W_74pPY35ljG9NFAVezSoecOhLzqhAy_YFxKRlkSIDvDkSgiQknydO647zoNgL40FO/w306-h400/I+Wouldn%2527t+Be+in+Your+Shoes+%25281948%2529_Blu-ray.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-22552102243182658572021-08-29T15:11:00.002-05:002022-01-09T19:22:48.096-06:00THE WEB (1947)<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Universal
Pictures, 87m 21s</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbi5wgM9CpJO95E1Ngv1F9rq0US8kvcDL-1VdavlujBBsfo8Jlrl1d9GZa3K9ywadMRjSYEC54DpdnioGpnGNmmWyd9tb6eA2wLPSrWV0Fi2sdftp8iscqbuF8CjaiUvLUMpoE9QZKDeM/s1500/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Poster_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1094" data-original-width="1500" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbi5wgM9CpJO95E1Ngv1F9rq0US8kvcDL-1VdavlujBBsfo8Jlrl1d9GZa3K9ywadMRjSYEC54DpdnioGpnGNmmWyd9tb6eA2wLPSrWV0Fi2sdftp8iscqbuF8CjaiUvLUMpoE9QZKDeM/w400-h291/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Poster_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
indispensable Edmond O'Brien was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noir</i> powerhouse whenever so deployed, tailor-made for a variety of genre
characters and settings. With his everyman looks and headstrong attitude, his
leading men are sufficiently self-assured to go after what they want, but smart
enough to question everything along the way. He could be the sympathetic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> protagonist (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">D.O.A.</b> [1950], <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
HITCH-HIKER</b> [1953]), the less likable lead (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">711 OCEAN DRIVE</b> [1950]) as well as the outright <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> heel (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SHIELD FOR MURDER</b> [1954]). In director Michael Gordon's unheralded
but supremely competent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> thriller
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE WEB</b>, a Universal International
Pictures production, O'Brien offers a terrific turn as Bob Regan, the basically
good man with a public school education who takes a high-dive plunge into
choppy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> waters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As
the opening credits unspool over city streets that lead to Grand Central
Station, it is apparent this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
film will be of the urban variety. As Leopold Kroner (Fritz Leiber) returns to
New York City after serving a five-year prison stretch for embezzlement, the
story begins properly at Andrew Colby Enterprises, where the doggedly
determined attorney Regan impresses the international industrialist Colby
(Vincent Price at his most threateningly soft-spoken and effeminate) with his unbridled
gumption. Not focused on business alone, Regan displays an everlasting supply
of self-confidence in his gravitation toward Noel Faraday (Ella Raines,
top-billed), Colby's personal secretary of six years. As the "brash"
Regan seeks the favor of Faraday, sexual suggestion is sky high.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Regan's
earnest professional efforts get him an invitation to Colby's home, where the
lawyer is offered $5,000 to serve as Colby's bodyguard for a few weeks. Colby
has his concerns about the return of Kroner, his one-time business associate
who allegedly sold counterfeit bonds for the sum of $1 million. Though he is hesitant
at first to accept the offer, the top-paying temp job allows Regan to be in the
presence of Faraday frequently, an obvious plus for any man with a pulse. His
attraction to her immediately looks like a serious problem in the making; from
the moment he lays eyes on the fair-skinned brunette he makes it perfectly clear
he would do just about anything to get her out of her clothes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExgj0sUi8iyXmMeiPqDM-5FHeFS_srmH7rg21W6Yu8oXuRoI_TkQ6oe9RheJ55_iRVqCurt7gUM2qaFPrs8Wl-W42YCE3IlI2mbWVIKRarJCjJETdfqtBPIaToGHz7PfeUNQeF1G9M-xc/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiExgj0sUi8iyXmMeiPqDM-5FHeFS_srmH7rg21W6Yu8oXuRoI_TkQ6oe9RheJ55_iRVqCurt7gUM2qaFPrs8Wl-W42YCE3IlI2mbWVIKRarJCjJETdfqtBPIaToGHz7PfeUNQeF1G9M-xc/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9L8llhEdOcHZCsOz5OAKtF8pAduojOiTXfUZKVnVZj5z70FTLlpW3TDajb4JnGAnF21fluRStsyvNL3mfMd7nDyC57_1RY50gr5mrTeqG_MiN09y5t3RqzaIJJsG3agu4lR2vn5oHD1ef/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9L8llhEdOcHZCsOz5OAKtF8pAduojOiTXfUZKVnVZj5z70FTLlpW3TDajb4JnGAnF21fluRStsyvNL3mfMd7nDyC57_1RY50gr5mrTeqG_MiN09y5t3RqzaIJJsG3agu4lR2vn5oHD1ef/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9Q1WASH8wTfnxtdjwR2hj1lOkQhIFejctFmRq9jjGbiRjWb0enqeOexeD_uvWOHRY19sVFnT7uucUfER_FwE5k-Te7p0Mx4b7xtqHLEs8MrAIPh4Sa7qEiIHRSCzAUYgEpuM263ff-X4/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9Q1WASH8wTfnxtdjwR2hj1lOkQhIFejctFmRq9jjGbiRjWb0enqeOexeD_uvWOHRY19sVFnT7uucUfER_FwE5k-Te7p0Mx4b7xtqHLEs8MrAIPh4Sa7qEiIHRSCzAUYgEpuM263ff-X4/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXHZiJeeYkaHicPNjS9I13i3UdmwCisXLu9kJtunGN0VaG1P3ySHxPyWmxrWSVGWbY4GxeqOiDM1L6uMxPvIqHO7H-N3_AaJY6fHXTD-qgujhIGX7Fiu2MgG6kFuX9uNRL3HB_U5WE0bG/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXHZiJeeYkaHicPNjS9I13i3UdmwCisXLu9kJtunGN0VaG1P3ySHxPyWmxrWSVGWbY4GxeqOiDM1L6uMxPvIqHO7H-N3_AaJY6fHXTD-qgujhIGX7Fiu2MgG6kFuX9uNRL3HB_U5WE0bG/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Soon
enough, Regan must earn that big $5K salary when he guns down Kroner, who
inexplicably materializes in Colby's home brandishing a gun. Naturally there is
more to the shooting than it at first would seem; Regan suddenly comes to terms
with that notion when he is greeted unexpectedly by Kroner's upset daughter
Martha (Maria Palmer). Now the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
protagonist epitomized, Regan must ascertain the truth about the shooting with
nothing evidentiary to support his position. Considering the amount of money
that traded hands around the time of Kroner's death, Lieutenant Damico (William
Bendix) will be a tough man to convince that Regan was not a willing hit man.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNx7hzhvz-Xi8XyAjx8zzhDJ00-lK_VHevgOzUsGJkzf0Cu_ELVQVprR7AHAjRlpZnlmpJ3zijEXmLc2Oae9XB_YUl0j2-gBMb_X6sxdIlXDy50iRkelXj9Q_vpgylXlCJ9t4vFwGGmRiO/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNx7hzhvz-Xi8XyAjx8zzhDJ00-lK_VHevgOzUsGJkzf0Cu_ELVQVprR7AHAjRlpZnlmpJ3zijEXmLc2Oae9XB_YUl0j2-gBMb_X6sxdIlXDy50iRkelXj9Q_vpgylXlCJ9t4vFwGGmRiO/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NdofT2pAFScH4SV5HD83HtwaLRAQ4h_WrVEIbj7FSatYpo3RknQpSNWEQqq0nv4QZmEyheY8Fohg-41s_s7d6uZjbwAm6s4feLVrXQ7I96xAy-oer7KccycYpD3K7emEf-zp7yVyB_Q8/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NdofT2pAFScH4SV5HD83HtwaLRAQ4h_WrVEIbj7FSatYpo3RknQpSNWEQqq0nv4QZmEyheY8Fohg-41s_s7d6uZjbwAm6s4feLVrXQ7I96xAy-oer7KccycYpD3K7emEf-zp7yVyB_Q8/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SpQGBm3gq_yKq5oasbhXhOg4zDBOc2QdRJhZx3_JehibLoT3zwitRBAJivHDRT3SOAh_VHia8Yn3tSJ5jkYUwLP33sRja2JbxaXRkZYXp3uNnBk-Wcnc2h1Z5OKmT1BRJo79rSQ29ZOo/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SpQGBm3gq_yKq5oasbhXhOg4zDBOc2QdRJhZx3_JehibLoT3zwitRBAJivHDRT3SOAh_VHia8Yn3tSJ5jkYUwLP33sRja2JbxaXRkZYXp3uNnBk-Wcnc2h1Z5OKmT1BRJo79rSQ29ZOo/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_7.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">With
an unambiguous title treatment like <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
WEB</b>, the viewer should expect to encounter plenty of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> signifiers and director Michael Gordon does not
disappoint. The most <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> elements of
the film would be the inner workings of Andrew Colby, who shows zero loyalty
for the man who did five years for him. Ultimately Colby's feelings for Charles
Murdock (John Abbott), another employee, are identical. The murder of Murdock
is a wicked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> moment, a man in the
wrong place at the worst possible time. With the abrupt expiration of Murdock
comes one of the genre's great jump cuts to a construction sign that reads
"DANGER:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MEN AT WORK." Indeed
the darkest dealings in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
universe tend to revolve around distinctly masculine concerns. Noel Faraday
exudes certain femme fatale traits, mostly in terms of her appearance and
employment, and Universal's marketing department played her up as a heartless
spider woman. Although not the betrayer the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
viewer is trained to suspect, she delivers a deliciously vampish quote,
"...my dangerous beauty depends upon eight hours of sleep." Ella
Raines possessed the rare ability to appear both deadly and delicate. A
peripheral character who seems well suited to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> film is James Timothy Nolan (Howland Chamberlain), the
obviously gay author and erstwhile contributor to the New York Star who makes a
pass at Regan. For that sequence to have evaded censorship is a credit to the
subtlety of the studio system, which injected numerous gay characters into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> films from <b>THE MALTESE FALCON</b>
(1941) to <b>THE BIG COMBO</b> (1955). Gun control advocates will note Lieutenant
Damico is skeptical from the get go that Regan wants a permit to carry a
firearm. Those suspicions are confirmed when Regan kills someone with that gun
within a mere 24 hours. The film concludes on an upbeat note with Regan and
Faraday as the happy couple with their lives in front of them, but one wonders
if there is a dark story embedded in that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
fabric, with Regan unable to cope with his complicity in the planned death of
Leopold Kroner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFHpgP7sbu6BUYqmwWU5XhCkfWFgglhBP-1J8zmvSR603IIFxgXSHBL8jCzWTNkKkiVyhZ-deWSvvey0tHgwSKhVj_FyJTHRJkMWNYHevSMHEmAFZF5l8qhQqf7HHQVmgawToIgKCdMQE/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjFHpgP7sbu6BUYqmwWU5XhCkfWFgglhBP-1J8zmvSR603IIFxgXSHBL8jCzWTNkKkiVyhZ-deWSvvey0tHgwSKhVj_FyJTHRJkMWNYHevSMHEmAFZF5l8qhQqf7HHQVmgawToIgKCdMQE/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_8.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjgWFeWQpay4ssKHIv2Jz936z5o3mrTkmTzFdK_0QQXZ-v6H51m-ap7SWCZsmBXFaO7C2WGwp0liYzjibJ9pXASQwf7iS4x9coFcwfT0s0jISe28MJycCwXVrsp9OBOBi_uKyI-eMKomq/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_9.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjgWFeWQpay4ssKHIv2Jz936z5o3mrTkmTzFdK_0QQXZ-v6H51m-ap7SWCZsmBXFaO7C2WGwp0liYzjibJ9pXASQwf7iS4x9coFcwfT0s0jISe28MJycCwXVrsp9OBOBi_uKyI-eMKomq/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_9.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfOR3GsE8UOVgMwEApXHsGcywY94p9DC4KyLo3Ghn6FksIs_pa9Xd4tvglaiKanupiOLa82mT0otd-1K3OVLijKsZiTMrOQ4Gmdpu8qqFpEd39yBrSZwZ2HN6FhY2YsZ9wFkNdK3-D1Xq/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_10.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDfOR3GsE8UOVgMwEApXHsGcywY94p9DC4KyLo3Ghn6FksIs_pa9Xd4tvglaiKanupiOLa82mT0otd-1K3OVLijKsZiTMrOQ4Gmdpu8qqFpEd39yBrSZwZ2HN6FhY2YsZ9wFkNdK3-D1Xq/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
Michael Gordon also helmed <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AN ACT OF
MURDER</b> (1948), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE LADY GAMBLES</b>
(1949) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WOMAN IN HIDING</b> (1950),
all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noirs</i> of merit.
Co-screenwriter William Bowers made uncredited contributions to two of my
favorite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noirs</i>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PITFALL</b>
(1948) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CRISS CROSS</b> (1949). He
also wrote the screenplays for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CRY
DANGER</b> (1951) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE MOB</b>
(1951). Co-screenwriter Bertram Millhauser was the screenwriter behind <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE SUSPECT</b> (1944) and received story
credit for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WALK A CROOKED MILE</b>
(1948). <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE WEB</b> was Irving
Glassberg's first credit as director of photography. His career was noted
mostly for Westerns cranked out at Universal Pictures, though he did handle the
camera for a couple of other <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
products:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">UNDERTOW</b> (1949) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
PRICE OF FEAR</b> (1956). His work in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE
WEB</b> is in step with a genre that comprises low camera angles, wet streets,
shadows and staircases.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYj7Sz2utRzTVObf8fpgU5ZViiNsgb8_exvJSvCcu3m_DahYoNG0_JA2qLkgHwMc_IFoQLkJsPEJzPnd5-mQ4DAJo9ZF0avv4Ug1p0oMfjTUliD-NEt1C4UEIDHK1-knvIPEF8wjFnTvg/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_11.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYj7Sz2utRzTVObf8fpgU5ZViiNsgb8_exvJSvCcu3m_DahYoNG0_JA2qLkgHwMc_IFoQLkJsPEJzPnd5-mQ4DAJo9ZF0avv4Ug1p0oMfjTUliD-NEt1C4UEIDHK1-knvIPEF8wjFnTvg/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMP6s7U8FJYnSWvLkiA9qe_RG6gAgFwMBeSd9k5KFGUAhTbYzVBbQL_OFfKKXnSxsg6UvTuFPOcSVleIEGi6MXSXa1ZpRmoVKyDVsm3xMlkYaBtq362BMqifjVpddLarp7VpdAYnWFVL5y/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_12.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMP6s7U8FJYnSWvLkiA9qe_RG6gAgFwMBeSd9k5KFGUAhTbYzVBbQL_OFfKKXnSxsg6UvTuFPOcSVleIEGi6MXSXa1ZpRmoVKyDVsm3xMlkYaBtq362BMqifjVpddLarp7VpdAYnWFVL5y/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_12.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3W-97V2uSPm-cD2V8N4as_GizxrUs1KTS5J3OcG0uYkRNpIRKI1LFp9twGPKjWRQirDCcJh_ybE4KAN_Eai7BqMKyJIMgKsb4mmGnPqC0E68hDP2vTDe6Mmzm5_2Y39Rs8jdNuCur0uV/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_13.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3W-97V2uSPm-cD2V8N4as_GizxrUs1KTS5J3OcG0uYkRNpIRKI1LFp9twGPKjWRQirDCcJh_ybE4KAN_Eai7BqMKyJIMgKsb4mmGnPqC0E68hDP2vTDe6Mmzm5_2Y39Rs8jdNuCur0uV/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_13.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOlak2VPiSJeOjN9e1zj_Had66yC6hXvXwNXAkaf8zhp4IQTbzsc6B4s0H-H9V9ca_fEn9YUTne16k8hDp9VcPk3VxpTq0TPr8T_CKKiAmV94Da7QTQCU-1QsSmi-b2mbgomGiXg0zvUn/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_14.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOlak2VPiSJeOjN9e1zj_Had66yC6hXvXwNXAkaf8zhp4IQTbzsc6B4s0H-H9V9ca_fEn9YUTne16k8hDp9VcPk3VxpTq0TPr8T_CKKiAmV94Da7QTQCU-1QsSmi-b2mbgomGiXg0zvUn/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_14.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-29eVaFK9f6YldBuaZ_GymrQKdeXUgcv79Y2fp0CJzc4Hehk-_ShnFC2OT1KHTG3yh3OZ7u8rBnkso7tFVOLViy7VvUuHgoGbYxvxm4kNp6CDPXKpznVy28C5v0jmdHd6rBAwV5SyTzuw/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_15.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-29eVaFK9f6YldBuaZ_GymrQKdeXUgcv79Y2fp0CJzc4Hehk-_ShnFC2OT1KHTG3yh3OZ7u8rBnkso7tFVOLViy7VvUuHgoGbYxvxm4kNp6CDPXKpznVy28C5v0jmdHd6rBAwV5SyTzuw/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_15.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3bIbOM_meoPLImjQ73rl5IQYV6Fwzq_nb5DnIKA_qIlh5-40m_wm0dMspwz0Loa9HuL_W5Lc_DR7fYzHu3qzuBUVOZSvac65URSe5VyB0dy9ebjEZuQQCAxoW_tO3x_bCw7EDSZKDuVD/s1920/The+Web+%25281947%2529_16.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3bIbOM_meoPLImjQ73rl5IQYV6Fwzq_nb5DnIKA_qIlh5-40m_wm0dMspwz0Loa9HuL_W5Lc_DR7fYzHu3qzuBUVOZSvac65URSe5VyB0dy9ebjEZuQQCAxoW_tO3x_bCw7EDSZKDuVD/w400-h250/The+Web+%25281947%2529_16.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Brand
new to domestic home video is this dual-layered Blu-ray disc from Kino Lorber
Studio Classics. For <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> fans
like me who always wanted to own a copy, this release comes as a pleasant
surprise. Though the source material is somewhat bespeckled, the contrast level
and film grain both strike acceptable notes. Framed at 1.37:1, the presentation
looks quite nice in motion, which is always what counts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
significant extra is a new audio commentary track courtesy of Dr. Jason A. Ney,
Director of the Writing Center and Assistant Professor of English at Colorado
Christian University, as well as a staff writer for the Film Noir Foundation's
NOIR CITY e-magazine. Ney extensively reviews the careers of Ella Raines,
Edmond O'Brien, William Bendix and Vincent Price, all of whom appeared in at
least one genuine <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> classic
and many other well-regarded <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
features. In fact O'Brien alone was cast in 17 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> vehicles if one includes <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHITE
HEAT</b> (1949), which straddles genre boundaries of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> and the gangster film. Ney clarifies Raines was not
exactly discovered by filmmaker Howard Hawks as legend has it; producer Charles
K. Feldman saw Raines on Broadway and brought her to the attention of Hawks.
Given her movie star looks, it is hard to believe she endured severe burns to
her face and scalp before her acting career was set in motion. Ney credits
cinematographer Irving Glassberg for his masterful use of lighting to reflect
the tone of conversations. Glassberg also effectively locates his camera to
accent shifts in character power. One of Ney's most insightful observations
involves the film's transcendence of Italian American stereotypes. The
policeman portrayed by Bendix is elevated to hero, the immigrant's American
dream realized.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
only other supplemental material arrives in the form of an 8-film trailer collection
of Kino Lorber titles, including a theatrical trailer for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE WEB</b> (2m 17s).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tbDmhKgu-wOpV7JIGrP7v6z-GcrIMyvNfFAP3lLQ2mk6tBBaTfODi6ExtQ1NpYJABuuPUPaa-kLOW9NDjOxxnl19zYyY3Ko17X-HVc6PM0Mj9RFlX1yDcGKVpSj2T6pJAflIBviR135c/s1440/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Poster_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tbDmhKgu-wOpV7JIGrP7v6z-GcrIMyvNfFAP3lLQ2mk6tBBaTfODi6ExtQ1NpYJABuuPUPaa-kLOW9NDjOxxnl19zYyY3Ko17X-HVc6PM0Mj9RFlX1yDcGKVpSj2T6pJAflIBviR135c/w266-h400/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Poster_2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtr0xbiDENLccLv5SZZWQ0ZqOSE-imY2cYafrSlFPov-PbPk2_4luqZlVCXdwzxG8Ox9TmLeifJ5Kp9-KBBjxOgmIuGao4xv_VNJWTmOaO76RXt5mzlWL_oVGNhCrJHWMjwtRe4kHI78l/s681/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Poster_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="681" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtr0xbiDENLccLv5SZZWQ0ZqOSE-imY2cYafrSlFPov-PbPk2_4luqZlVCXdwzxG8Ox9TmLeifJ5Kp9-KBBjxOgmIuGao4xv_VNJWTmOaO76RXt5mzlWL_oVGNhCrJHWMjwtRe4kHI78l/w400-h316/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Poster_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhyphenhyphenuwAavgwyNB4thtgx3o9tyJ6aBGCLqEM5pjjuYmgnNjJKUHFskCJT5K-ge4VejUMB7vEbLaUFjLlBYYnvnmynCL6CKCowRAXdEkFj2B2Z-TeTf9JBI15_PmyQS27GKjmju-Bv3RDiot/s993/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Poster_4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="993" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhyphenhyphenuwAavgwyNB4thtgx3o9tyJ6aBGCLqEM5pjjuYmgnNjJKUHFskCJT5K-ge4VejUMB7vEbLaUFjLlBYYnvnmynCL6CKCowRAXdEkFj2B2Z-TeTf9JBI15_PmyQS27GKjmju-Bv3RDiot/w400-h314/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Poster_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zKlVZLdlQj5j6NfaLU7qCWtnIBruF5d3uyR1OGfWt0odP9Yj13cxFPkoGpVF8oHoO4FfmDLa7ibIjbdJokkrcL9RimvIja33-mK2tW45OL0aB6PvU-iA7dPJC0fiPHrenPVInh69BE_Z/s1834/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Blu_ray.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1834" data-original-width="1513" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zKlVZLdlQj5j6NfaLU7qCWtnIBruF5d3uyR1OGfWt0odP9Yj13cxFPkoGpVF8oHoO4FfmDLa7ibIjbdJokkrcL9RimvIja33-mK2tW45OL0aB6PvU-iA7dPJC0fiPHrenPVInh69BE_Z/w330-h400/The+Web+%25281947%2529_Blu_ray.jpg" width="330" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-22252642520958455532021-07-31T14:53:00.001-05:002022-01-09T19:23:11.146-06:00PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET (1953)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Twentieth
Century Fox, 80m 37s</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqnIckwH2ah7IYev9RyMbKRUilX6SxK61t8wovCKx3R5k47cKcrphcqf6UqDtK8SfyI2pKEhJvCFr1Eaf7lLLUlCAx9JGsI9Lhnut8VPJHsweKCI8gVGEZOOsol8WW8HN4_1KytTwC2rN/s2048/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Poster_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1327" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqnIckwH2ah7IYev9RyMbKRUilX6SxK61t8wovCKx3R5k47cKcrphcqf6UqDtK8SfyI2pKEhJvCFr1Eaf7lLLUlCAx9JGsI9Lhnut8VPJHsweKCI8gVGEZOOsol8WW8HN4_1KytTwC2rN/w259-h400/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Poster_1.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Seldom
focused on binary heroes and villains, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noir</i> sometimes appraises diverse people from marginalized communities,
battle-hardened folks barely subsisting. An 80-minute tale told with razor
sharp clarity by writer/director Samuel Fuller, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET</b> is one of the most affecting instances of
this variety of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> filmmaking. It
is also one of the most intriguing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noirs</i> to focus on characters driven by their own internal moral devices,
society's laws and norms of behavior notwithstanding.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
opening sequence is heavy in the brand of fatalism found primarily in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>. As an incorrigible pickpocket
practices his trade in a subway train, a remarkable moment of fate comes to
pass. Skip McCoy (the inimitable Richard Widmark) unknowingly takes possession
of classified government information ("a new patent for a chemical
formula") from the purse carried by Candy (Jean Peters). On the surface it
seems a stretch that a pickpocket in search of a random victim in
densely-populated NYC would manage to single out a courier for communists, but
this meeting is destiny, not coincidence. To witness the theft is to feel a
little guilty for watching; the crime is uncomfortably erotic. As Skip
skillfully relieves Candy of her personal item, her reactions reflect an
unconscious awareness of the violation going on, a wanton readiness to his
touch. The tone is set for a relationship in which crime and passion coexist,
one never far removed from the other.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYc6qhWLEIQLivhFh-W2eQ_EtXW4ig06-QcwCUnoJ3xpw5S-pZFeNCRxQ_BP9ssLB72YbXzgQ9X_rPXpedaSYJCqse41JiE1DMWhaGRnEiM3rJK4cwCqS4Rakt1sYf5qcGYPIXfJjlJD5/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSYc6qhWLEIQLivhFh-W2eQ_EtXW4ig06-QcwCUnoJ3xpw5S-pZFeNCRxQ_BP9ssLB72YbXzgQ9X_rPXpedaSYJCqse41JiE1DMWhaGRnEiM3rJK4cwCqS4Rakt1sYf5qcGYPIXfJjlJD5/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJxS2BbsexW2eFJMMrA9-e5avkC9VLoHpPOFCnVC6P3ncsDVGiwvty-gjiNejGCLQwAiq28yt9v-9jH66coQhXGKdmsyIs4UkcQjZ-tOOpb8sZ3DSc7dF9A6eoKxVvmEyWyPt_oLB7KM-/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJxS2BbsexW2eFJMMrA9-e5avkC9VLoHpPOFCnVC6P3ncsDVGiwvty-gjiNejGCLQwAiq28yt9v-9jH66coQhXGKdmsyIs4UkcQjZ-tOOpb8sZ3DSc7dF9A6eoKxVvmEyWyPt_oLB7KM-/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIClergXlvXm4tizbBziNIJdOyFVtpBenVyGtID383Vw49JV7UpbOjLPXPtO8_QdR70pNECfsjxRgLzm_djuTo4YlNY4OqOB2IQxYIh0jtBk_yfvPWBDbq5sOzwi8iaIbWoA0Atbci7Dn/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIClergXlvXm4tizbBziNIJdOyFVtpBenVyGtID383Vw49JV7UpbOjLPXPtO8_QdR70pNECfsjxRgLzm_djuTo4YlNY4OqOB2IQxYIh0jtBk_yfvPWBDbq5sOzwi8iaIbWoA0Atbci7Dn/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LD7Z44mk-F3Fp7JR-AEyHv0WMKtZqtkJfHvTA4kkog36TuSNX-tjxOptqBz4tUcwJ-SaPJmcUO2vb6hg95bxAr8Xg_sotwp_eXYtoZc_w5emqfq5kvF3aqyUOQte4fDttoNxXiVcLQSy/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LD7Z44mk-F3Fp7JR-AEyHv0WMKtZqtkJfHvTA4kkog36TuSNX-tjxOptqBz4tUcwJ-SaPJmcUO2vb6hg95bxAr8Xg_sotwp_eXYtoZc_w5emqfq5kvF3aqyUOQte4fDttoNxXiVcLQSy/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
spine of the story is provided by Skip, a tightly-wound individual and
three-time loser sought by police after a mere week out of the joint (a fourth
conviction means a life sentence). Skip is no hero by any means, neither is he
a villain. The only sensible description for him is the protagonist. Inside the
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> sphere, such lead characters are
commonplace, which makes the genre quite unique in that regard. In some ways a
composite figure of cops, criminals and tough guys who came before him, Skip is
tough in every way a person can be. You want tough? How about blowing cigarette
smoke in a police captain's face? Now <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i>
is tough. Skip shows no tendency toward chivalry either when he punches Candy
out cold after he finds her searching his premises. He awakens her by pouring a
bottle of beer on her face after his kick doesn't rouse her. Hardly any way to
treat a lady, and this occurs after he already victimized her in the opening
segment. Then an embrace ensues! In a later encounter, again Skip treats Candy
as both the object of abuse and affection. Given his instinctive pattern of
behavior, the viewer is left to assume Candy is in fact turned on by Skip's
darker impulses. He wrongly thinks she is a "red" (communist), but
that does nothing to dissuade him from doing business with her cohorts. It
would seem Skip is driven by money exclusively. A frustrated Candy clubs him
over the head with a bottle in an earnest attempt to save him from his own
pigheaded greed (for once she gives as good as she gets).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> aggressively invites
critical investigation of its stock female characters. Many times they fall
into archetypal categories, i.e. femme fatale, domineering matriarch, the girl
next door. The two significant females of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP
ON SOUTH STREET</b> are unusually nuanced, probably a lot more than the
seasoned <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> fan has a right to
expect. A million-dollar looker with a 10-cent education, Candy once was a
goodtime gal of some notoriety. Her checkered past is suggested more than once
("You gonna throw that in my face again?"). Though whatever she used
to be is left a little murky, one must assume erotic dancer or prostitute. Late
in the film, when Candy's paranoid ex Joey (Richard Kiley) wants to know how
she procured the coveted microfilm from Skip, she suggests she employed her
physical attributes. Joey intuitively falls in line with that explanation. A
tough cookie thrust into impossible situations as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> characters often are, she unknowingly serves as the go-between
for communist interests (all male of course). Like Skip, she is what I would
call a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> survivor, someone who
never had it easy, a person who forever will have to fight for everything. She
is the object of persistent physical abuse; in fact bruises are evident on her
right arm in the opening sequence. Even Lightning Louie (Vic Perry) carelessly
pokes her in the face with chopsticks during their brief encounter. Ironically,
it is flag-waving cops who set Candy up for the most damage when Joey knocks
her around with alarming force—before he shoots her! In an emotionally-charged
moment, Candy proves her love for Skip when she reveals she took a beating and
a bullet rather than hand Skip's address to the irredeemable Joey. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglR7e7h-_sNNLzGgGb_3plYNqSYXCNx_oskHeB9qUTQLCAgrxpxPKVBgBqQwI2_XsW2BQXscKqjj4zAKqi9pBO0Sek8n_dlsShr-wGvGoBbbAf80ohNPWq0m17e6qs-PO05YRzsBK4k7OT/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglR7e7h-_sNNLzGgGb_3plYNqSYXCNx_oskHeB9qUTQLCAgrxpxPKVBgBqQwI2_XsW2BQXscKqjj4zAKqi9pBO0Sek8n_dlsShr-wGvGoBbbAf80ohNPWq0m17e6qs-PO05YRzsBK4k7OT/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzU4i7BP25SV89eN4zCuWP557yRoPeeMu-YgQQH6Qh5nomrft1Z8Tv4giX9RErPH-f2m76h3cX19SI_e9EqNZQjGu_awkC-YbaDgTLuy-89rNNotb0o33Tqdtl5qo-ooGWK8MzLgsAfUZi/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzU4i7BP25SV89eN4zCuWP557yRoPeeMu-YgQQH6Qh5nomrft1Z8Tv4giX9RErPH-f2m76h3cX19SI_e9EqNZQjGu_awkC-YbaDgTLuy-89rNNotb0o33Tqdtl5qo-ooGWK8MzLgsAfUZi/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi025ILyLsa0LlwdUOaWuJA612wOR3SlookBaNN4tedrt8zqXpv9c_gop2f0PIp1_2T-Brv500LNaWxlmmUmR7_9OjfZZGNYp_xV3zFkuTgSrIRNPWxqa5Mt5DQPHbmrSpdSIgB77ydRDwO/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi025ILyLsa0LlwdUOaWuJA612wOR3SlookBaNN4tedrt8zqXpv9c_gop2f0PIp1_2T-Brv500LNaWxlmmUmR7_9OjfZZGNYp_xV3zFkuTgSrIRNPWxqa5Mt5DQPHbmrSpdSIgB77ydRDwO/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxM6fz_ODdQes2LNLtFhE21ATomzZcW-YZIVwFec3OjBRQSQ9Aq7Px9TA0EK9eo2hexGIBvZSGiuMnW4XDsJi-smm8foxEXzoW07yxS1S-aMDxlI7IZX3PeDBFbOBl9noRKgaz1twGJqL/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxM6fz_ODdQes2LNLtFhE21ATomzZcW-YZIVwFec3OjBRQSQ9Aq7Px9TA0EK9eo2hexGIBvZSGiuMnW4XDsJi-smm8foxEXzoW07yxS1S-aMDxlI7IZX3PeDBFbOBl9noRKgaz1twGJqL/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_8.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmutGCUkEHW5u8japA33YFpKLsHC4ItRT5CzMFIJMR42mvIBsLAid_yxYeVMe_3SyKYVwLfCmVBCfAS9438kgFOlstmeLxWg98F4ES55yxPkSMxxEV_n9IS66tEJm8QnPDnXIloEiqLRci/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmutGCUkEHW5u8japA33YFpKLsHC4ItRT5CzMFIJMR42mvIBsLAid_yxYeVMe_3SyKYVwLfCmVBCfAS9438kgFOlstmeLxWg98F4ES55yxPkSMxxEV_n9IS66tEJm8QnPDnXIloEiqLRci/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_9.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Another
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> survivor, Moe Williams (Thelma
Ritter, a six-time nominee for Best Actress in a Supporting Role) is a
self-described "old clock runnin' down." She is more focused on
securing a dignified burial plot than anything that might play out in her
remaining lifetime. She does not view herself as anything beyond what she
is:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>an information peddler and street
merchant whose tired body has betrayed her over the passage of time. If nothing
else, she believes she is better than a "red" and would sooner die
than do business with one. True enough, Moe dies with a dour look on her face
in one of film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>'s most
uncompromising scenes, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
universe functioning as pitiless enemy. There is a sound argument to be made
Moe's death is the most <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> of all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> deaths. Not only does she
stoically accept her fate, she says her killer is doing her "a big
favor." That same attitude has cropped up in numerous <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noirs</i>, that complete ambivalence, even acceptance, during the worst
imaginable moment (see <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DOUBLE INDEMNITY</b>
[1944], <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DETOUR</b> [1945], <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE KILLERS</b> [1946], <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE KILLING</b> [1956]). When the condemned
man (or, less often, woman) makes no attempt to slip free from the hand of
fate, chances are that character is in close proximity to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> territory.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcGYt7QxpMY46itJr8-Ai8LhnpS36ax4xDEuFBO-GiMpJ05943BWrnCsxAgiUxWNFPvckKyj_qJeFaUnY8WU_bpeZ6l0rA7IKfbajwB2VMTLKXmJb-HH1vRTuXRlVkw2Xjr6nVjf4Y4_V/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcGYt7QxpMY46itJr8-Ai8LhnpS36ax4xDEuFBO-GiMpJ05943BWrnCsxAgiUxWNFPvckKyj_qJeFaUnY8WU_bpeZ6l0rA7IKfbajwB2VMTLKXmJb-HH1vRTuXRlVkw2Xjr6nVjf4Y4_V/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9Ef9PtjVqiycxxbUFfTdZVu7v5726pn_4Lit7B8JTjnlQ2DPf4p_n-rWKlrgxeAt0Tj1lChwtDYda0CrhCjzYIJILcZ50RblZaelB2ae5ASR17rgh8PXKRb1tmpJ23q7KXaT1nQ8dT8P/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9Ef9PtjVqiycxxbUFfTdZVu7v5726pn_4Lit7B8JTjnlQ2DPf4p_n-rWKlrgxeAt0Tj1lChwtDYda0CrhCjzYIJILcZ50RblZaelB2ae5ASR17rgh8PXKRb1tmpJ23q7KXaT1nQ8dT8P/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Time
and again violence is treated as a given in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> film, either brewing or transpiring in genre classics such as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BRUTE FORCE</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BORDER INCIDENT</b> (1949), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IN A LONELY PLACE</b> (1950) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KISS ME DEADLY</b> (1955). The hard-hitting
violence of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET</b>
often erupts without a warning shot, always with painful results for those on
the receiving end. Skip gets tough with Candy (again!) after she inquires as to
how he became a pickpocket. Thoroughly annoyed, he places all the blame on a grim,
fatalistic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> world in his
response:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin: 0in 1.25in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">"How
did I get to be a pickpocket? How'd you get to be what you are? Things happen.
That's how."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">At
this point in the film, Skip understands the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> landscape far better than Candy, who makes the mistake of
implying she is better than he is. In the existential language bound to the
genre, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nobody</i> is better than anyone
else. Rough behavior is not limited to citizens either; Police Captain Dan
Tiger (Murvyn Vye) was suspended in the past for assaulting Skip (the two share
a mutual contempt that is borderline comical).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WKta0UJk1-spEVqlDRrMYGm1rLqAZf9L6iKjN83fvkBShazcnfZIxQqsLvVrY4oK4LBE6d-J3QzK4GFgAjj0TwquMRP1HPZLp1a9kOyIjbmWKEoIB8lT2sKsbi2xsEEuS9vODS5Bp4Ck/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WKta0UJk1-spEVqlDRrMYGm1rLqAZf9L6iKjN83fvkBShazcnfZIxQqsLvVrY4oK4LBE6d-J3QzK4GFgAjj0TwquMRP1HPZLp1a9kOyIjbmWKEoIB8lT2sKsbi2xsEEuS9vODS5Bp4Ck/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_12.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5csIZKC4GZIjeNU5V0I2xFxrMB3V9eWQEkuL9KRGVuhccn4mkb4djCFsMTvavkpVspga0V3YqVtf6yCHepLj_CJbwMACADta2FepmZE2n-9w2uKQx4MmtQP50KWGeZ2HCj8VM8M948psJ/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5csIZKC4GZIjeNU5V0I2xFxrMB3V9eWQEkuL9KRGVuhccn4mkb4djCFsMTvavkpVspga0V3YqVtf6yCHepLj_CJbwMACADta2FepmZE2n-9w2uKQx4MmtQP50KWGeZ2HCj8VM8M948psJ/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_13.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
streetwise types who understand each other best in Samuel Fuller's urban milieu
are characterized by impoverished but functional living arrangements
distinctive to down-and-outers. Consider Skip's modest waterfront residence, a
bait shack without modern conveniences (he submerges his beer to keep it cold
since he has no fridge). Similarly, Moe lives above a tattoo parlor in the
Bowery. Cut from the same cloth, Moe and Skip identify with each other, each
keenly aware of what might motivate the other, both connected to the identical
moral coordinates. Skip barely reacts when he learns Moe offered his
whereabouts for sale ("...she's gotta eat."). He demonstrates his
capacity to do good, for the first time really, when he ensures Moe will not rest
in a potter's field. He knew her well enough to know she did not wish to suffer
that final indignity. The difference between people like Skip and mainstream
society is evident when the G-man Mr. Zara (Willis Bouchey) gives Skip too much
credit. Zara does not realize Skip would have been more than happy to do
business with the commies had Candy not intervened. For Skip, getting paid
always has been his top priority, and probably always will be.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As
the plot unspools, Candy repeatedly sticks her neck out in the hope of
converting Skip into a presentable partner, with him contesting the idea most
of the way. She recognizes his best qualities long before he does, but the
correlation of sex and violence that links Skip and Candy looks to be an
intractable issue. One has to question their prospects for the future at least
a little! Can the traditional heterosexual union that concludes the film really
resolve all potential problems? That is the message we are left to consider,
unrealistic as it might be. Admittedly they both look happy enough and excited
about their prospects for the future, though somewhere underneath her steadfast
devotion she probably wishes he had not stolen from her repeatedly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVkq2rtZ5Ls7ac0ZJL8_a5X3af3xaklXZ5-0hd86LGlX6xl30ZmhlmhmMTbOhiMHeYoGzgmHCJTjduSVMppbbfbVG9waVzB6i5vWqPj_4OZ2z3-SBGjo5OnzWMh4AK9K2qtYXzAB21Cmf/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVkq2rtZ5Ls7ac0ZJL8_a5X3af3xaklXZ5-0hd86LGlX6xl30ZmhlmhmMTbOhiMHeYoGzgmHCJTjduSVMppbbfbVG9waVzB6i5vWqPj_4OZ2z3-SBGjo5OnzWMh4AK9K2qtYXzAB21Cmf/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_14.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The self-entrapped <i>noir</i> criminal</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSvngEE6KAJY-9Bm150qedsrbRSgNEoqWNPboFRZ-sKBrRNYV-Ai6EGkJhG3ICaPd77DlbFsvbV5W9GUrjDIafS54-_u7cqCCqQXgPY0OjfN9EhzNt-XFJHh7rD0EEl6_3liArEXOpWRD/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_15.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSvngEE6KAJY-9Bm150qedsrbRSgNEoqWNPboFRZ-sKBrRNYV-Ai6EGkJhG3ICaPd77DlbFsvbV5W9GUrjDIafS54-_u7cqCCqQXgPY0OjfN9EhzNt-XFJHh7rD0EEl6_3liArEXOpWRD/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_15.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiding out</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4qvupMOjvtlJXXswE7iKdIOeQFJkYQy0GHeBOBhIEgMybTasKRiRt2AyzWtsVDxusX3u95sfXVuF2dkWZoqEylLQJwuhTEGpfloELFyOJnJRJ_CDJ1lDbBjjQ6sOEr0-1uhyphenhyphenqUg0a-6n/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4qvupMOjvtlJXXswE7iKdIOeQFJkYQy0GHeBOBhIEgMybTasKRiRt2AyzWtsVDxusX3u95sfXVuF2dkWZoqEylLQJwuhTEGpfloELFyOJnJRJ_CDJ1lDbBjjQ6sOEr0-1uhyphenhyphenqUg0a-6n/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_16.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new beginning?</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
Samuel Fuller shows a fondness for long takes, God-like POV shots and sudden
zooms, especially when a character has come to terms with something of
significance. His gradual zoom in on the condemned woman Moe confirms his
affection for that character (she gets special treatment). In a more subtle
shot, Fuller voices his approval of the pickpocket when Skip is amused to
discover Candy had to purchase a tie from Moe in the interest of locating him.
Fuller also handles action like nobody's business, as when Joey brutalizes
Candy in demand of Skip's address. It is a genuinely disturbing sequence; Jean
Peters clearly earned her paycheck. The climactic fisticuffs between Skip and
Joey also are excitingly staged, with Joey dragged down a stairway face first
at a particularly satisfying juncture. But the film's highlight would have to
be the scene in which Skip finally sees the worth of Candy, as the complexion
of their relationship undergoes an immediate change. In a movie loaded with
callous, self-serving behavior, it is a welcome heartwarming moment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq37v7HHLdb7Xi6l1vnQYIMVpgcGq7wZlto_jUdPSK-ermhdfJKF09afoe8AriqVHelZnCrINfSttDV5t6k3PqAj6Ajijs6_fAXlA4tf9Iib_AOC-CTCbSaOJ1bvUodeym8NDAkjZwZm4/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Mirrors_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSq37v7HHLdb7Xi6l1vnQYIMVpgcGq7wZlto_jUdPSK-ermhdfJKF09afoe8AriqVHelZnCrINfSttDV5t6k3PqAj6Ajijs6_fAXlA4tf9Iib_AOC-CTCbSaOJ1bvUodeym8NDAkjZwZm4/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Mirrors_1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The familiar <i>noir</i> mirror motif</td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqEHbCr_sOV86g6ZTnojb-mTQICPeyizOpGMVbvWAqSPGiG8mX5IIknlSvVHdg7Un6QGlcn-IAH_rU_LWlYbMTH07bPzwoKWN_OlU1R9XHLEs1Ec36uffk_Wszco___QSysEAnyRrC7UB/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Mirrors_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqEHbCr_sOV86g6ZTnojb-mTQICPeyizOpGMVbvWAqSPGiG8mX5IIknlSvVHdg7Un6QGlcn-IAH_rU_LWlYbMTH07bPzwoKWN_OlU1R9XHLEs1Ec36uffk_Wszco___QSysEAnyRrC7UB/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Mirrors_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C_HEv1b2rgVqxav0SCz673BxRhK4YnwVZlDuISDt9gnECO3hd0qIQD5Ax3zdTxpuA4B_7Vecr_5MRlEk44g9PU93xaUFtvmBsdkeFv2V1ZLZ72lwnufh4JpFXL009Jm78dn3iyqTwCHS/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Mirrors_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C_HEv1b2rgVqxav0SCz673BxRhK4YnwVZlDuISDt9gnECO3hd0qIQD5Ax3zdTxpuA4B_7Vecr_5MRlEk44g9PU93xaUFtvmBsdkeFv2V1ZLZ72lwnufh4JpFXL009Jm78dn3iyqTwCHS/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Mirrors_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Despite
convincing verisimilitude, the bulk of the film was shot on the Twentieth
Century Fox lot. Fuller was responsible for the design of Skip's waterfront
shack along the East River. I would rank it second only to the hotel in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KEY LARGO</b> (1948) as the fictitious <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> location I would most like to
visit. Fuller's other <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> efforts
include <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HOUSE OF BAMBOO</b> (1955), a
color <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> he directed, and his
novel THE DARK PAGE (1944), which was converted into <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SCANDAL SHEET</b> (1952). As a screenwriter Fuller made an uncredited
contribution to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE RACKET</b> (1951).
Based on track record alone, it is tempting to commend cinematographer Joseph
MacDonald exclusively for the stylish visual schemes that compliment <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET</b>. MacDonald
handled the camera on some of the genre's most atmospheric titles, including <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SHOCK</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE DARK CORNER</b> (1946) and the splendid <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PANIC IN THE STREETS</b> (1950), as well as Fuller's <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HOUSE OF BAMBOO</b>. Of course it is always
tricky to ascribe credit correctly for technical achievements in cinema of this
era, but it is safe to conclude MacDonald understood the dynamics of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir </i>very well. It is a shame Jean
Peters did not leave us more films to revisit or discover. After her seven-year
contract with 20th Century-Fox ended, she led a reclusive private life with her
husband Howard Hughes. She would not work again as an actress until her
appearance in the 1973 made-for-TV movie <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WINESBURG,
OHIO</b>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Film noir</i> enthusiasts
should remember her best for her impressive 1953 run. Along with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET</b> she was cast in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIAGARA</b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A BLUEPRINT FOR MURDER</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">VICKI</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
new dual-layered Blu-ray version of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP
ON SOUTH STREET</b> available from The Criterion Collection replaces their DVD
edition released in 2004. The film elements look better than ever in motion,
with skin tones and textures that speak to the worth of the new 4K digital
restoration. Framing looks appropriate at 1.34:1, though the original
theatrical aspect ratio is listed at 1.37:1 according to IMDb.com. The new
Blu-ray offers more information on all sides of the frame:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YYxxYSY29wlizJYTUGWEa-0eKdKJgatmbbekQSNwD5OaT9Z72zFKpq5I6fEOnVEmWTOeDsUrwAP0Jp_WhFwnk0zqe2ppayujAOnmJ_BXdYbS_LVU_axqkH8ePCky-F0VQ6aL0t4vBPKL/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Blu-ray.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YYxxYSY29wlizJYTUGWEa-0eKdKJgatmbbekQSNwD5OaT9Z72zFKpq5I6fEOnVEmWTOeDsUrwAP0Jp_WhFwnk0zqe2ppayujAOnmJ_BXdYbS_LVU_axqkH8ePCky-F0VQ6aL0t4vBPKL/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Blu-ray.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Criterion Blu-ray</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWtIl3mtHu0cnfYA6splREHUbyErR013MnSYzbVItO_tnFIEovlFXyFm-SKwbeO3kk_R7aYNxp9astjsCbfmFN2P2cwrSagr-hTpWkW958zDFK306KBuZ50DBYlW5IclryxYf3Hs6y7ly/s1366/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_DVD.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXWtIl3mtHu0cnfYA6splREHUbyErR013MnSYzbVItO_tnFIEovlFXyFm-SKwbeO3kk_R7aYNxp9astjsCbfmFN2P2cwrSagr-hTpWkW958zDFK306KBuZ50DBYlW5IclryxYf3Hs6y7ly/w400-h225/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_DVD.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Criterion DVD</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">As
for supplemental goods, a new interview (35m 48s) with Criterion favorite
Imogen Sara Smith allows the author of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IN
LONELY PLACES:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>FILM NOIR BEYOND THE CITY</b>
(2011) to discuss everything a person possibly could want to know about the
feature film under review. Smith explains why Fuller was such a good match for
the genre when she notes he always gravitated toward characters who existed on
the fringe of society, people more inclined to follow a personal code than
society standards. Often such character types are relegated to supporting roles
in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>, but Fuller elevates
them to the stars of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH
STREET</b>. Zanuck granted Fuller a considerable amount of resources and
autonomy during the filmmaker's contracted years with Fox. Though remembered as
a maverick, Fuller also was noted for sticking to film budgets, a quality that
endeared him to producers. Smith is correct that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET</b> is an apolitical Cold War film, which is to
say Fuller does not reinforce the agenda that was so typical of Hollywood at
that time. In testimony to Fuller's talent, Smith points to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE CAPE TOWN AFFAIR</b> (1967), a
rudderless remake of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH
STREET</b> that is not highly regarded (despite allegiance to the source
material). Smith reminds us we are not asked to pity the characters of Fuller's
film, instead we are encouraged to accept them as human beings, no better or
worse than anyone else. Too often the cinema asks us to feel sorry for someone
(a frequent complaint of film critic Armond White). The trouble with that
approach to filmmaking is by default the viewer is made to feel somehow
superior.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Also
selectable is a radio adaptation (52m 20s) that aired June 21st, 1954 via the
United States Armed Forces Radio Service. The condensed adaptation of the movie
has its issues as radio drama, with the key dramatic moments from the Fuller
film mostly lost in translation. Nevertheless, Ritter gives it her all before
an appreciative audience in her return to the role of Moe. She is joined by
Stephen McNally as Skip and Terry Moore as Candy. Audio dropout badly distorts
the opening act, but the audio quality improves as the radio show progresses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Ported
from the Criterion DVD from 2004 is an engaging interview (19m 6s) with
director Samuel Fuller from 1989, produced by film critic Richard Schickel in
Paris. Fuller maintains he got along well with Twentieth Century Fox studio
head Darryl Francis Zanuck. The director recalls a meeting with Zanuck and J.
Edgar Hoover, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the time. Not
a supporter of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET</b>,
Hoover frowned on the scene in which Skip does not appreciate having the flag
waved at him. Zanuck stood by his filmmaker. Fuller contends there is nothing
patriotic about Skip, even as the pickpocket beats down Joey in the final act.
Skip goes on the offensive not for his country, but for his girl.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">Also
returning from the DVD is an excerpt (11m 5s) from the French television
program <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">CINÉMA CINÉMAS</i> that aired
December 1st, 1982. Fuller discusses the opening sequence of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET</b> in terms of
technical challenges. He has a suggestion for all filmmakers:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>always put yourself in position to control
what you want to accomplish since you probably will get only one chance. The
lonely life of the cannon (pickpocket) was always of interest to Fuller, who
mentions he never met Dwight Taylor, whose story was the basis for Fuller's
screenplay. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">The
trailer collection includes a whopping 16 trailers for Fuller-directed films.
The booklet within the Blu-ray case duplicates the writing assembled for the
2004 Criterion release. There is an essay from author and critic Luc Sante, a
remembrance from filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who is known for sudden, sometimes
shocking violence in his own films (it is little wonder he has been a huge fan
of Samuel Fuller since the age of seven) and a chapter from Fuller’s
autobiography:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A THIRD FACE:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MY TALE OF WRITING, FIGHTING, AND FILMMAKING
(2002).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 135%;">In
2018 the Library of Congress selected <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PICKUP
ON SOUTH STREET</b> for preservation in the National Film Registry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jpSfcCA1tn-dG8opUo86KlTl6AlQLQLNEHgIXcDPEsB9l0CgPWPd46suTvQfDD52vCJJubn9mciCMJ6jXClIftD5SJcRtWFpf9mJddU4Q7r09h_J0Emu1tfDShfXFWqAs6jOoXiiQMMz/s2048/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Poster_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2019" data-original-width="2048" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jpSfcCA1tn-dG8opUo86KlTl6AlQLQLNEHgIXcDPEsB9l0CgPWPd46suTvQfDD52vCJJubn9mciCMJ6jXClIftD5SJcRtWFpf9mJddU4Q7r09h_J0Emu1tfDShfXFWqAs6jOoXiiQMMz/w400-h394/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Poster_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9in_z6TF-qi9fnjm2CXeXHyHEtQcVpqcLURpxAg1lr7wFD5s-YiCZOr__7BdF-h18aiMBW4LqRbxR7TY0Frl02laxcb9vVcJXoFuFO_m3NdqWZEas_imgbZ_BOcwdK0MJDvpWLKsfvXeG/s990/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Poster_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="377" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9in_z6TF-qi9fnjm2CXeXHyHEtQcVpqcLURpxAg1lr7wFD5s-YiCZOr__7BdF-h18aiMBW4LqRbxR7TY0Frl02laxcb9vVcJXoFuFO_m3NdqWZEas_imgbZ_BOcwdK0MJDvpWLKsfvXeG/w244-h640/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Poster_3.png" width="244" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yeqocw4etYQJb_L0lnsVGMeUBqMpx0nOoeR-CCzJhlXoB6jle-j7hyjVXVsu_FfJJ2mFJSdbPxx_LHgGF-wAxbd33afzpI2N5dEmajZ22EWlUUKRIUqBMCS_ft9ZwTzghYxhWaWayYiR/s1600/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Blu-ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yeqocw4etYQJb_L0lnsVGMeUBqMpx0nOoeR-CCzJhlXoB6jle-j7hyjVXVsu_FfJJ2mFJSdbPxx_LHgGF-wAxbd33afzpI2N5dEmajZ22EWlUUKRIUqBMCS_ft9ZwTzghYxhWaWayYiR/w323-h400/Pickup+on+South+Street+%25281953%2529_Blu-ray.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1731952771611944417.post-18988864615031119632021-06-27T13:08:00.001-05:002022-01-09T19:23:35.224-06:00NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947)<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Twentieth
Century Fox, 111m 39s</span></p><div style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xaL5mSiwqm9dIFIXvZLmgxIe70qcpGQciPPP1rw7pXewgJsDrIEwm_IlIPgUp2wrpZ8s7CNTOpxem1O2nHG8VEi_WnBZzorLJayGbILJJmlrS3UdJCWviojzlSl-CuuSAHatMNjvtcsg/s2048/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_Poster_1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1346" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xaL5mSiwqm9dIFIXvZLmgxIe70qcpGQciPPP1rw7pXewgJsDrIEwm_IlIPgUp2wrpZ8s7CNTOpxem1O2nHG8VEi_WnBZzorLJayGbILJJmlrS3UdJCWviojzlSl-CuuSAHatMNjvtcsg/w263-h400/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_Poster_1.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">"</span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Film noir</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> is the most American film
genre, because no society could have created a world so filled with doom, fate,
fear and betrayal, unless it were essentially naive and optimistic."</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">—Roger
Ebert (January 30, 1995)</span></div></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
social spectrum of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>
discloses uncomfortable truths about American society, the sort of reporting
many of us would rather not encounter. In social terms, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> is one of the most unequivocally American of all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noirs</i>, its nightmare forcefully
embedded in long-held American sensibilities and ideals. Hollywood likes to
memorialize human perseverance stories, but this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tour de force</i> serves
as a tale of caution about a man who "reached too high," the square-jawed
hero gone rogue. An aggressive man armed with good looks and an inspired idea
rises to the top of his trade, then falls to a place far lower than his humble
beginnings. His unenviable career trajectory acknowledges a grim reality of
American upward mobility. Though a capitalist system makes uncapped riches
possible, this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> suggests to
reach beyond one's place is an exercise in futility.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Set
in the heartland of the US, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE
ALLEY</b> is constructed around the history that binds Zeena Krumbein (Joan
Blondell) and Pete Krumbein (Ian Keith), a married couple and once top-billed
vaudeville act thanks to an arcane code known only to them. Thanks to the
complexity of that code, Zeena appeared to possess inexplicable powers as a
seeress. These days Zeena and Pete perform a diluted version of their act in a
carnival sideshow, with Pete barely functional due to chronic alcoholism.
Despite his shaky condition, Zeena remains intensely loyal to her husband, at
least in a caretaker sense. Our lead protagonist is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> survivor named Stanton "Stan" Carlisle (Tyrone
Power), a sycophantically charming but always covetous charlatan. While Zeena
and Pete have accepted their best days are behind them, Stan hopes his time has
yet to come. His talents all involve the manipulation of anyone standing in
front of him, whether they are coworkers, audiences or even his wife. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjBt1iDHDTZNZOykPJ8zbhaZefp99M-vClOSx7Y7OrmVYaiOfmtxuIgUoUddKu0DnY2mxv8QmMYOkWejTWfkBGinpwSPr0pTivZdxO3pAt_2SuKywUvZPcrhwn9fUuLK04QqHMthF18e0/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvjBt1iDHDTZNZOykPJ8zbhaZefp99M-vClOSx7Y7OrmVYaiOfmtxuIgUoUddKu0DnY2mxv8QmMYOkWejTWfkBGinpwSPr0pTivZdxO3pAt_2SuKywUvZPcrhwn9fUuLK04QqHMthF18e0/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_1.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCV0kw8qYmNEEUDrfJ8liGK1CaC6WSsWIpTndeWvS4OHjtZ2qyporFTUVn27seqMcgkSswZBh-CW7z70PTBKNtIwbrCh5lX8rb7q7BIFx3pgm-sMoTSXYuQ0rpCdVMV9Mt5N2bF9lW8bLJ/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCV0kw8qYmNEEUDrfJ8liGK1CaC6WSsWIpTndeWvS4OHjtZ2qyporFTUVn27seqMcgkSswZBh-CW7z70PTBKNtIwbrCh5lX8rb7q7BIFx3pgm-sMoTSXYuQ0rpCdVMV9Mt5N2bF9lW8bLJ/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfV-eCFcAKPNQHUAJPhzkUn4io2mAuEG6oDoh57V4FwT8IMYFc-hGA9McfGZE3jKIz7Hsq38MBS4K2-OwgKw6NgiIFdmvuvM5199NRYwgDpEX2jqR9PmK06svZootCKjdB89L1bpyYwtT/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjfV-eCFcAKPNQHUAJPhzkUn4io2mAuEG6oDoh57V4FwT8IMYFc-hGA9McfGZE3jKIz7Hsq38MBS4K2-OwgKw6NgiIFdmvuvM5199NRYwgDpEX2jqR9PmK06svZootCKjdB89L1bpyYwtT/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_3.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">A
selfish personality may not make for good company at the family dinner table or
a company event, but that type of individual sometimes thrives in our
free-market economic system. The ideological challenges and thematic
oppositions of capitalism permeate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noir</i> time and again, with the genre serving as clearinghouse for the
inherent flaws of private enterprise. While the market economy allows great
celebration for some, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i> tends
to focus on those whose invitations to the party got lost in the mail. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Noir</i> characters often feel economic
constraints have been imposed on them. Income inequality seems to have a
preferential place in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> narrative,
particularly when one of the major characters plans to do something about it.
Laws will be broken and people will get hurt, some irrecoverably. The human
cost associated with Stan's aspirations is manifested quickly; he essentially
sentences Pete to death with the gift of a full bottle of moonshine, which
turns out to be wood alcohol. Stan was unaware of the accidental bottle switch,
but it makes little difference. Clearly his thoughts were in place:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>get Pete out of the way, get working with
Zeena on her secret code ("Over my dead body..." Pete had mentioned
in an earlier scene when Stan was getting inquisitive about the code). In other
words, one man's agonizing decline marks the ascent of another man, which is to
say Stan prospers after the death of Pete. That basic dynamic reinforces one of
the more unappealing assumptions of capitalism, that for every material world
success someone (or, more likely, a large group) is left out in the cold. Pete
stands for the displaced man in an economic system unsympathetic to his
affliction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">"Son,
that's the gospel truth."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">With
Pete out of the picture, Stan absorbs the proprietary code and works
effectively with Zeena before entranced onlookers. Next something even more
remarkable transpires:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stan flaunts his
seemingly limitless potential as a mentalist when he manipulates a man of the
law (James Burke). With Stan cleverly at work under the guise of civility,
borderline as a man of God, the scene is played for laughs on one level, but on
another level rests the unfunny suggestion the lawman need not be a barrier to
the ambitious. If Stan can subvert an experienced local law official,
especially a crusty old doubter, perhaps he can bend anyone's will to his
liking. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIpjDsbb_Veuads492QgaRUezwcCZODUwL9qXKO93dV_5ZPsABkHvfNpxddZeCsMTvSDFTEs9YyyHdZz2L3UgqC01_6KnNj8LomU8bzPOMDSFdKv4ZgHdi22SpaKCVnL9SkGV1322bRMO/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIpjDsbb_Veuads492QgaRUezwcCZODUwL9qXKO93dV_5ZPsABkHvfNpxddZeCsMTvSDFTEs9YyyHdZz2L3UgqC01_6KnNj8LomU8bzPOMDSFdKv4ZgHdi22SpaKCVnL9SkGV1322bRMO/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_4.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxfFwpeML6GoI1iZ-JQ0o_jZR4FBlWAzSyy0T_gBFd8gGHDEGbUjaYJm9IisIzHDQDOhLKmcMpZSXFV1vhXrPx1IrpxNnHVILr6dqxce0dXuB_xbFb-trZ3z61EogD5CcLTOdkXcVOxjF/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxfFwpeML6GoI1iZ-JQ0o_jZR4FBlWAzSyy0T_gBFd8gGHDEGbUjaYJm9IisIzHDQDOhLKmcMpZSXFV1vhXrPx1IrpxNnHVILr6dqxce0dXuB_xbFb-trZ3z61EogD5CcLTOdkXcVOxjF/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_5.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XV5UBM4XSakYAFw65rl49_hgOS3XL44bHJVx2N9UC1nep9JEg4hadPh8di2oLnVx5aVVKp70_UulG_q1JfUbmB2fFLuQ5LVu4gWr-iZMV4SOOxBBTdYu84LRwoHSlIB6b3P_1dqTYQKG/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XV5UBM4XSakYAFw65rl49_hgOS3XL44bHJVx2N9UC1nep9JEg4hadPh8di2oLnVx5aVVKp70_UulG_q1JfUbmB2fFLuQ5LVu4gWr-iZMV4SOOxBBTdYu84LRwoHSlIB6b3P_1dqTYQKG/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_6.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Armed
with the same code once employed by Zeena and Pete, Stan aggressively pursues
big-city fame and fortune. With a fair amount of initial success, he enters an
upper class world where entry is reserved for a chosen few. Perhaps the most <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> thing about <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> is the manner in which its charismatic lead extends
his magnetic pull to the viewer. Who wouldn't want to evolve from smalltime
carny into The Great Stanton?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In spite
of Stan's many dubious qualities, regardless of his connection to the death of
Pete, we find ourselves pulling for a man of moral ambivalence. It is not
difficult to empathize with him in a general way; his ambitions are not
dramatically different than anyone else's, the only difference is the lengths
to which he will go to execute his plans. His underprivileged background is
another critical factor that makes him more likable, if not morally defensible.
Stan's upbringing does not evoke pleasant childhood memories:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he was beaten routinely in an orphanage
before graduating to reform school. With a background like that, his drive to
ascend into a higher social stratum comes off as a bit more palatable. Or maybe
interminable greed is ingrained in his DNA? Stan briefly discusses his
egocentric tendencies during a private conversation with Zeena:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I wonder why I'm like that...never
thinking about anybody except myself." He seems aware he has reached his
genetic destiny when he accepts employment at the very bottom of the carnival
trade during the film's concluding sequence. He ironically states, "I was
made for it." If indeed Stan was somehow pre-engineered for his final
role, that means he was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> born to
walk among Chicago sophisticates. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">However
one might want to account for Stan's rise and fall, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b>'s cynical take on the American dream is along for
the ride. In his journey from unremarkable carny to prominent mentalist to
stigmatized outcast, our most optimistic notions about endless riches for
dogged determination are defeated with Stan. His illusion of propriety ultimately
exposed, Stan goes from seemingly limitless upward mobility to a wretched place
of immobility, with absolutely no potential for realignment with the upper
class he once navigated with supreme confidence. From a Marxist school of film
criticism, the story provides a stark reminder of the rigidity of American
socioeconomic boundaries.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
decadence represented by the carnival creates a befitting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> backdrop in this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noir</i> and numerous others, including touchstones such as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GUN CRAZY</b> (1950), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ACE IN THE HOLE</b> (1951) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">STRANGERS
ON A TRAIN</b> (1951). The commotion of carnival life intentionally blurs the
line between illusion and reality, what we see and what we do not see, what we
believe and what we do not believe. Such uncertainty blends well with the
genre's overarching mood of pessimism. That the carnival travels from one place
to another works to convey a relentless, ubiquitous <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> atmosphere, unsparingly omnipotent. Such a climate is
encapsulated fittingly by Zeena's tarot cards, which persistently provide
prescient warnings while Stan looks askance. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Closely
intertwined with the carnival's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>ish
conditions emphasized by the tarot cards is Stan's progressively unsteady
psychological state. His distressed frame of mind is suggested by the
"inhuman" geek's cries of anguish that plague him at several crucial
turning points. He cannot seem to escape the threat of being reduced to the
lowest level of entertainment, a tragic Id case to be fed live chickens for
public amusement. Likely what invigorates the geek in Stan is his humbling
recognition he has become the semi-functional drunkard Pete, the man he wanted
to replace all along! Consumption of alcohol largely contributes to Stan's
torturous downward slide into existential purgatory, where he looks like a bum
and smells like a whiskey bottle. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
film frequently positions alcohol as a harmless vice, but not always, as we
witness here and in other instances that include <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BLACK ANGEL</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CROSSFIRE</b>
(1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TRY AND GET ME!</b> (1950) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IN A LONELY PLACE</b> (1950).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpPCZwu-U3AWd9A__bOhD5xcXLyD_KE9pv8JZTcHONruly-S9qpIOwVEXMYztvdrnpjdlRtkC_a5EaKsjZ2E2bL72xGBf69fqqGMisAIvzKGPtHA2Z45KeG3gveEglR_UW44Ue9YGygnR/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidpPCZwu-U3AWd9A__bOhD5xcXLyD_KE9pv8JZTcHONruly-S9qpIOwVEXMYztvdrnpjdlRtkC_a5EaKsjZ2E2bL72xGBf69fqqGMisAIvzKGPtHA2Z45KeG3gveEglR_UW44Ue9YGygnR/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_7.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNEtHNSLhpyMjzBKpwEa-161EBboXuf5yhY03HzBOYYhuHincwoWUY9M2pytZyPzV-7O7TFCfcNugxbAZH3bNoxx4paEEYE-rFYCcWjJf-rVVXwGbtAunnoIVxaSkjHXjsMSEJENhwwr-/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBNEtHNSLhpyMjzBKpwEa-161EBboXuf5yhY03HzBOYYhuHincwoWUY9M2pytZyPzV-7O7TFCfcNugxbAZH3bNoxx4paEEYE-rFYCcWjJf-rVVXwGbtAunnoIVxaSkjHXjsMSEJENhwwr-/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_8.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM7bT41bSxnQ8fANzkSp3N4qAIOpp-An0XnhA129APNZquzxH9Ns4di-Ru2nPx3uj4U3oeKzaDL46dVkFjFcRVJAeqnBigLZUsUpV9vt6VxtEpuyR45GsP-na5vfB2X2B6U9BGAukJc8_/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoM7bT41bSxnQ8fANzkSp3N4qAIOpp-An0XnhA129APNZquzxH9Ns4di-Ru2nPx3uj4U3oeKzaDL46dVkFjFcRVJAeqnBigLZUsUpV9vt6VxtEpuyR45GsP-na5vfB2X2B6U9BGAukJc8_/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_9.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">A
woman's gaze looms large in the opening segment, when Zeena confirms her sexual
interest in the younger Stan. To analyze the film in terms of gender
representation, disparate female characters help empower Stan, but in due
course those same women unplug him, his reduction certified in writing when an
emphatic newspaper headline announces he is sought by police. He makes his
first major mistake when he turns his back on Zeena, the woman who installed
his enhanced capabilities as a mentalist. Stan never considers the possibility
that same person could foretell the removal of the skill set she set in motion.
After Stan's relationship with Zeena no longer matters to him, the homme fatale
moves on to the ingénue Molly (the genial-looking Coleen Gray), who becomes his
wife and work wife (partner in their act). As his reputation as a mentalist
grows, thanks in large part to encouragement from Zeena and Molly, Stan's
belief in himself balloons to epic proportions. His carnival days seemingly
long behind him, he preys upon the fragile state of the society woman Addie
Peabody (Julia Dean), who desperately misses her departed daughter. In awe of Stan's
visions, she financially backs him in the hope he brings others the identical
"spiritual comfort" he brought her. In search of even larger stacks
of money (no amount is sufficient of course), Stan targets the skeptic Ezra
Grindle (Taylor Holmes), a ruthless tycoon who gets over his suspicions and
arranges a $150K capital injection for Stan. Assured Ezra is susceptible to further
acts of treachery, Stan swoops in for the kill by staging an ethereal
appearance of Ezra's deceased sweetheart. Having advanced to the stage of full-blown
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> sociopath, Stan makes the
catastrophic error of coercing his principled wife Molly into playing along. As
so many <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> films have echoed, the
portrait of marriage as an institution of longevity is questioned in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b>. Molly has too much
character to become Stan's accomplice, Stan has too much self interest to go
along with his wife's better judgment. His inability to function as a good
husband and decent man makes him susceptible to Molly's antithesis, the deviously
capable femme fatale Lilith Ritter (Helen Walker), a psychologist. Lilith’s disruptive
nature is apparent when Stan first visits her office, where imprisoning shadows
imply a lethal trap has been set. Lilith and the schemer Stan form a sleazy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i> partnership for the ages, with the
headshrinker tapping into personal patient information for astronomical profit.
When their alliance expires, Lilith proves herself by far the superior con
artist. She plays his game, washes her hands of him and walks away the winner.
Thus Stan is brought down by a combination of feminine control, both benign and
malignant. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAw870MjeyGQPWspbVfVoIlXrHLtKD0WraDD0C1VChPXfONLFzQUcG8nAR6OIIrPx72rMCCwC6adV_Rjfy4W4OsTt-m7-JRVxZDDJozf0YTxs6ysDioCyKxnOSkyYaABHlGbQCJs3WP8rH/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAw870MjeyGQPWspbVfVoIlXrHLtKD0WraDD0C1VChPXfONLFzQUcG8nAR6OIIrPx72rMCCwC6adV_Rjfy4W4OsTt-m7-JRVxZDDJozf0YTxs6ysDioCyKxnOSkyYaABHlGbQCJs3WP8rH/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_10.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QwqHaFF_GfYhcwWZUJ6DQuki0UTAz9chf5Y1ztZInpIgZD8mHw2kEPoujoZeD0493l9VoUBd4nK_hJT_2ziyj4FyUa-48H2Tq4faFdCj4mKTsiYjDsXzbpN5Aj2GJiw1KTs46GrBKWOu/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QwqHaFF_GfYhcwWZUJ6DQuki0UTAz9chf5Y1ztZInpIgZD8mHw2kEPoujoZeD0493l9VoUBd4nK_hJT_2ziyj4FyUa-48H2Tq4faFdCj4mKTsiYjDsXzbpN5Aj2GJiw1KTs46GrBKWOu/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_11.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NXOmC8hM9bz6eZTzaI3fYYChNq7rUcUkqYnkRSeim8EmAzMS-J0bMYoWvYOQZVBtnubLVqa6YIR1o1gJYf__MhqebXS3wxitvfsizbljg-Q1eY0DrSEUkV8UWaVogUKz5Cpps3Kh3P7n/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_12.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NXOmC8hM9bz6eZTzaI3fYYChNq7rUcUkqYnkRSeim8EmAzMS-J0bMYoWvYOQZVBtnubLVqa6YIR1o1gJYf__MhqebXS3wxitvfsizbljg-Q1eY0DrSEUkV8UWaVogUKz5Cpps3Kh3P7n/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_12.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
psychology theme is another vital <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
angle, with a psychologist character sometimes shown in unflattering light,
i.e. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CAT PEOPLE</b> (1942), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SHOCK</b> (1946), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WHIRLPOOL</b> (1950). Lilith is a psychologist both psychologically
complex and conniving, as much competent professional as willing trickster. The
most decisive moment for Stan occurs when he seeks Lilith's therapeutic
services after again being tormented by the screams of the geek. He reveals his
vulnerability during the therapy session, which paves the way for his downfall.
The only consolation for Stan at the film's resolution is a reconciliation of
sorts with his wife, but that reunion comes at a costly price. That is the
ideological function of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>
more often than not:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>even the redemptive
ending has an incurably somber tone. By all accounts the conclusion was
intended to soften the landing of the even more downbeat source novel of the
same title, but I am not sure Stan's position improves a great deal. Whether he
is the new geek (novel) or the new Pete (film) his destiny will be to drink
himself to death.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Director
Edmund Goulding had helmed Tyrone Power's prior star vehicle, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THE RAZOR'S EDGE</b> (1946). Here Goulding
delivers one of the most enduring of all <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film
noirs</i>, a production that looks more impressive the more I look at it. It is
absolutely loaded with cinematic language that speaks to those who want to
listen, with the iconography of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>
particularly vocal in the form of shadows that create visual instability. One
of my favorite moments of the film is Goulding's introduction of the
villainess. As the camera pans to follow the sweetness portrayed by Coleen
Gray, the tracking halts abruptly to focus on the dangerous intellectual played
by Helen Walker. Cinematographer Lee Garmes also worked on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PORTRAIT OF JENNIE</b> (1948), which shares an indisputable kinship
with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> in relation to
how a female specter is presented. The imposing presence of Mike Mazurki never
seems to do any harm to a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>,
and other notable supporting performances are contributed by Ian Keith, James
Burke and Taylor Holmes.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9w4Mbk2j7uTg0YuiNxSmp6UznpmbA8v0zPznOGkUWCrin9CPL_q5HZ5VFeWTq1x4-uo_K0E_t8i9z62A2O_q6Dgbsas5v2tBUWEZfswWTRoiVj5qeOHcOEeCpfkYxb_g1C0uW59C_msG/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_13.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf9w4Mbk2j7uTg0YuiNxSmp6UznpmbA8v0zPznOGkUWCrin9CPL_q5HZ5VFeWTq1x4-uo_K0E_t8i9z62A2O_q6Dgbsas5v2tBUWEZfswWTRoiVj5qeOHcOEeCpfkYxb_g1C0uW59C_msG/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_13.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCXqQEXL8bkT4xUSKkSIK0Uiq6U4pZlySnssQILir68Eljtiy83zYrfY-SZEkK-t6B4EoCbRtFDUMenoYdkDj2ctROk5w2aEyfWj1aFIaTvtVATADDI0v6gel0OdFQPbX7qZdLVsJn3ax/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_14.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCXqQEXL8bkT4xUSKkSIK0Uiq6U4pZlySnssQILir68Eljtiy83zYrfY-SZEkK-t6B4EoCbRtFDUMenoYdkDj2ctROk5w2aEyfWj1aFIaTvtVATADDI0v6gel0OdFQPbX7qZdLVsJn3ax/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_14.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9SHYSBjnjcFIkBdNdpaV9REH7ajg3L5PysMfv5IujSsdS7CjQqV682kSSIt8nlTzHkHNJK1_HmlB5T9ev6krFHTlQuXPs3jwIsNNzZ5poTWQw8RUoOTj6b3kjXgvtq2NQZLXtyB5ZkA3/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_15.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9SHYSBjnjcFIkBdNdpaV9REH7ajg3L5PysMfv5IujSsdS7CjQqV682kSSIt8nlTzHkHNJK1_HmlB5T9ev6krFHTlQuXPs3jwIsNNzZ5poTWQw8RUoOTj6b3kjXgvtq2NQZLXtyB5ZkA3/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_15.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;"> has
arrived on dual-layered Blu-ray as part of The Criterion Collection. The new 4K
digital restoration is framed at 1.37:1 and was derived from a 35mm nitrate
composite print. Compared to the DVD released in 2005 for the Fox Film Noir DVD
series from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, more information is
conveyed on all four sides of the frame. Alongside other <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noirs</i> of that era that have been resurrected on Blu-ray, i.e. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OUT OF THE PAST</b> (1947), <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KEY LARGO</b> (1948) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHT AND THE CITY</b> (1950), the transfer
looks a little soft, but the overall visual impact is more than acceptable and
a fine upgrade for owners of the Fox DVD. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9AmPPMK8kp6VTjLrS3nD0BYF_r8ngwSEOiPcJ0zmaIthEtkVaqBwHe-WxUJGvohzAwjxa2BySkoDCoUAEoDyPGW9J0RamHRRJqKnm8LlA0rhvWzrr-fswpozMUUl9VtbSH-R2ozngJBD/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_Blu-ray.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9AmPPMK8kp6VTjLrS3nD0BYF_r8ngwSEOiPcJ0zmaIthEtkVaqBwHe-WxUJGvohzAwjxa2BySkoDCoUAEoDyPGW9J0RamHRRJqKnm8LlA0rhvWzrr-fswpozMUUl9VtbSH-R2ozngJBD/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_Blu-ray.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Criterion Blu-ray</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlGANeE67K6cKBkeT3uuuRwrwRW8Kohds6TSs0gGc7Y-JKtreWjSNGV4xUyvKCXtIiWBjGWKmiv1fepmiSxH-Tt9qfxNDTpisYRsTLpNK0a0Ls06kflNyATBgGe5d-TXIkbqva_GnssID/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_DVD.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlGANeE67K6cKBkeT3uuuRwrwRW8Kohds6TSs0gGc7Y-JKtreWjSNGV4xUyvKCXtIiWBjGWKmiv1fepmiSxH-Tt9qfxNDTpisYRsTLpNK0a0Ls06kflNyATBgGe5d-TXIkbqva_GnssID/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_DVD.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fox DVD</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">The
new Criterion Blu-ray offers a slew of supplemental material, starting with the
audio commentary track recorded in 2005 for the Fox DVD. Commendable film noir
experts Alain Silver and James Ursini stress <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> was matinee idol Tyrone Power's project; 20th
Century Fox studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck did not aid in the film's promotion.
Power wanted it, he made it happen. His hope was to step away from romantic
leading roles to something that would allow him to demonstrate his talent range
as an actor. Though an obvious success from an artistry standpoint, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> was not a financial
winner; audiences did not accept Power as the lead in this type of project. The
source material was written by William Lindsay Gresham, whose debut novel NIGHTMARE
ALLEY was published in 1946. An alcoholic, Gresham was abusive to his wife Joy
Davidman, who later married C. S. Lewis. Gresham would kill himself at the
Hotel Carter, Manhattan, the identical hotel in which he wrote NIGHTMARE ALLEY.
Gresham was once a member of the communist party, which was by no means unusual
for a writer during this era, but that piece of information is interesting
given the nature of the material under consideration. Silver makes an excellent
point that the moral code of behavior is more strict in the carnival than the
outside world, especially in comparison with the upper class. My favorite
observation from the commentators is that Stan struggles to come up with enough
ink to write the word "wife." It is a terrific moment in the film, so
subtle yet so telling.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">New
bonus material includes an interview (31m 52s) with film scholar Imogen Sara
Smith, who has her gameface on, as always. Smith explains the Gresham novel was
condemned widely on grounds of blasphemy, so much so the pending film
adaptation prompted letters of protest from an outraged public. The alcoholic
Gresham was himself the subject of psychoanalysis, so it is fair to surmise he
wrote NIGHTMARE ALLEY at least in part from self experience. New evidence
suggests the author may have received a terminal cancer diagnosis before he
chose to end his life in 1962. Producer George Jessel and screenwriter Jules
Furthman were brought in to downplay the deeply cynical tone of the book, as
well as make the film a little more Production Code ready. Plot elements scrubbed
from the source material include the botched back alley abortion that kills
Ezra's love and the sexual relationship between Stan and Lilith (in the movie
he shrugs off her advances, preferring they focus on their business affairs). I
did not think about it while watching <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE
ALLEY</b> three times in one week, but Smith observes this is one of the few <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noirs</i> to not feature guns.
"All of the torments are internal," according to Smith. I agree this
is a purely psychological <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">film noir</i>,
as opposed to the more visceral style of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">noir</i>
favored by filmmakers such as Phil Karlson, Anthony Mann and Nicholas Ray, who did
not shy away from featuring violent situations. Another compelling point raised
by Smith is that interest in spiritualism is always strongest after times of
war, when people want to connect with friends and family lost in military
conflict.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5GwYRsdE5uxaQaaw0SM5iyrEXeUtJnsP7_X6-m-quCO6fAEdiOUsfWkkIZtx00FiUog8mPwSA9SiDKTjvyozhhoyijoGP8XAcDgpYXZLiQosfSXh-nw5rARBK_tCUeeMXBqACLhRuZMZ/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_16.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5GwYRsdE5uxaQaaw0SM5iyrEXeUtJnsP7_X6-m-quCO6fAEdiOUsfWkkIZtx00FiUog8mPwSA9SiDKTjvyozhhoyijoGP8XAcDgpYXZLiQosfSXh-nw5rARBK_tCUeeMXBqACLhRuZMZ/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_16.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE4KLQ-nl4soYgsangWqsZPmzJeiphSfKohqMVUWhARhJJL14GSU70hhe0PKEv9CCHxi1vkyQbHh9NNocN6lilPNNQbk0AZ2FHf5hiixdTQHlT-0R2OCh23j5z_invzop9iyEgjQFVzhg/s1920/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTE4KLQ-nl4soYgsangWqsZPmzJeiphSfKohqMVUWhARhJJL14GSU70hhe0PKEv9CCHxi1vkyQbHh9NNocN6lilPNNQbk0AZ2FHf5hiixdTQHlT-0R2OCh23j5z_invzop9iyEgjQFVzhg/w400-h250/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_17.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">Also
fresh for 2021 is "Step Right Up! Todd Robbins on the History of the
American Sideshow" (19m 17s). The author of THE MODERN CON MAN: HOW TO GET
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING (2008) tracks the evolution of the carnival and sideshow
from a world's fair held in Chicago in 1893. Fans of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b> will be interested to hear Robbins confirm how a
geek was manufactured. The hopeless alcoholic or mentally deficient man (or
both I suppose) merely pretended to devour a chicken's head in return for a
daily bottle and a place to sleep. Eventually the sideshow boss would demand
the chicken's head be bitten off for real or no more bed and bottle. Completely
dependent on the regular alcohol dose and without any better options to get it,
the geek complied. The sideshow declined as rides became more prevalent in the
traveling carnival and improved prenatal care minimized the birth of “freaks.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 135%;">"Coleen
Gray on <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NIGHTMARE ALLEY</b>" (12m
41s) was recorded in 2007 and appears here courtesy of the Film Noir
Foundation. Gray recalls working with Darryl F. Zanuck, Tyrone Power and
director Edmund Goulding. The actress credits Goulding for encouraging her to
control her emotions when her instincts were to give too much as an actress. In
the 1971 audio excerpt (9m 36s) with Henry King, the filmmaker describes how he
convinced Zanuck to feature the young unknown Power in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">LLOYDS OF LONDON</b> (1936). While reviewing the dailies, Zanuck
informed King the director’s instincts were correct about Power. A trailer (2m
30s) is also selectable, and the packaging includes an essay by film critic and
screenwriter Kim Morgan, who along with Guillermo del Toro co-wrote the
screenplay for the remake, currently scheduled for release December 2021.
Another nice add within the packaging are six tarot cards. I took care not to
allow any of them to fall to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 135%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWesWLFe8i-GXkg5SBdxbnokKyZDZFQDkyua7xT-_66_S_lqz0Bw1hTlYByhY4dG3b2iwf7bmeD5SCOC3BO9l28UcqdrWOvPTH9ZO63-LiDJ-IiDcJKYj76Z09Ds4C4-Mg1FkSL27UOLkk/s960/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_Poster_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="960" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWesWLFe8i-GXkg5SBdxbnokKyZDZFQDkyua7xT-_66_S_lqz0Bw1hTlYByhY4dG3b2iwf7bmeD5SCOC3BO9l28UcqdrWOvPTH9ZO63-LiDJ-IiDcJKYj76Z09Ds4C4-Mg1FkSL27UOLkk/w400-h313/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_Poster_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiESSjYJLEgdioFaGjDqIbEP6__ArfBJc9nLtjHEYYGdVP2uZic1siKNDLt4LHCYKxagnTqlhbXlcdrA_ERzVKn_qKlFcMkl36Eio7wIe4B9WCtpDwGInVpWtd_lrT9tTs9TG49XNIZEy/s1600/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_Blu-ray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZiESSjYJLEgdioFaGjDqIbEP6__ArfBJc9nLtjHEYYGdVP2uZic1siKNDLt4LHCYKxagnTqlhbXlcdrA_ERzVKn_qKlFcMkl36Eio7wIe4B9WCtpDwGInVpWtd_lrT9tTs9TG49XNIZEy/w323-h400/Nightmare+Alley+%25281947%2529_Blu-ray.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><p></p>
<div id="amzn-assoc-ad-7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></div><script async src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=7438ac53-5b17-4752-86a9-e030e0603403"></script>Eric Somerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08179620071998716913noreply@blogger.com0