Classic movies are not just antiquated films from a bygone era...rather, they are beautiful, well-acted, well-written gems that ought not to fade into obscurity. Truly, Hollywood just doesn't make 'em like they used to!!! I hope you'll discover some must-sees by your visit here.
Though Douglas Sirk is mostly known for romantic melodramas, he did venture into other genre...including film noir. One such example is 1948's Sleep, My Love, which stars Claudette Colbert, Robert Cummings, and Don Ameche. Another of those "wife being driven to madness" films, Sleep, My Love features Queenie Smith, Hazel Brooks, Rita Johnson, and George Coulouris in supporting roles.
Wealthy Allison Courtland (Claudette Colbert) awakens in the sleeper car of a New York-to-Boston train, hysterical because she has no recollection of how she got there. Despite the fact that witnesses claim to have seen her in Grand Central Station before departure, Allison insists that she did not board the train and had, in fact, gone to bed in her own home. After phoning her husband, Richard (Don Ameche), to tell him where she is, Allison boards a plane for the flight back to New York. Although panicked by the situation in which she finds herself, Allison does manage to strike up a friendship with her seat-mate, Bruce Elcott (Robert Cummings).
Richard Courtland is relieved to have his wife back home; however, after informing her that she shot him the previous evening and reminding her that she has disappeared on other occasions, he convinces her that it's time to see a psychiatrist. Allison reluctantly agrees, and Dr. Rinehart (George Coulouris) is called in---but Dr. Rinehart isn't a doctor at all. He is actually a man in cahoots with Richard Courtland, and the plan is to drive Allison to suicide and then cash in on her wealth. Allison's only hope lies in new friend Bruce. Will he figure things out in time to rescue her? How it all plays out is the balance of the film.
While solid and interesting, Sleep, My Love fell a bit short for me. Although all the leads are fine in their roles, since I had been expecting something the caliber of Gaslight, I was letdown by this. I found Miss Colbert and Mr. Cummings to be a rather strange pairing, plus the storyline was a bit too farfetched for me. Also, the scene with the Chinese wedding seemed rather pointless. Still, though, I enjoyed the film and deem it a solid 3-stars. Another 3-star Claudette Colbert "woman being driven insane" film is The Secret Fury, which pairs Miss Colbert with (the wonderful and under-rated) Robert Ryan (reviewed HERE).
To my knowledge, Sleep, My Love is not out on DVD; however, it is available on YouTube (HERE), plus, through instant streaming on Amazon.
A discussion of John Garfield's career would be incomplete without mention of Body and Soul, the noir-ish 1947 boxing drama for which he received his only lead actor Academy Award nomination. As such an important film in his career, it ought to have been highlighted in the recent blogathon---and it was scheduled to have been included. In the end, however, the blogger scheduled to highlight that film was unable to participate; thus, I have re-worked my 2-year old review of the film, in order that Mr. Garfield's centennial year see a spotlight on that all-important film here at They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To.
A 5-star film for me, this 1947 Robert Rossen noir, which won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing, explores the corrupt world of professional boxing. Also starring Lilli Palmer, this film features Anne Revere, Canada Lee, Hazel Brooks, and William Conrad in supporting roles.
The son of a candy store owner, Charlie Davis (John Garfield) wants big things out of life. Telling his mother (Anne Revere) that he doesn't want to end up like his father---just getting by---Charlie sets out to pursue a boxing career, and he soon wins an amateur boxing championship. His mother, however, doesn't approve of her son behaving like an animal, and, wanting him to be something worthwhile, she begs Charlie not to pursue such a career. Initially, Charlie complies with his mother's request; however, when his mother is forced to seek charitable relief after his father's death at the hands of gangsters, Charlie changes his mind.
With the encouragement of his girlfriend, Peg (Lilli Palmer), who tells him to fight if he wants to fight, Charlie goes on the prizefighting circuit and finds great success. Before long, wealth and lavish living come his way, but they come with a price---his very soul. With a corrupt manager dictating his every move, Charlie not only refuses to listen to the warnings of his family and friends, but he also postpones his wedding to Peg, and as he gets in deeper, Charlie finds himself having to enter the ring with men of questionable health and even to throw a fight if told to do so. Saying brutally unkind things to his mother and Peg, he pushes them away.
As Charlie is about to fight in the championship---a fight he has been instructed to lose---he becomes aware that the people in the candy store neighborhood---despite being poor--- have bet on him...not so much for the money but as a way of saying they are proud of him. With this crisis of conscience, Charlie enters the ring. Will he do what he's told and throw the fight? Or will he defy the powers-that-be, give the fight his all and, thus, regain his self-respect? Those are the questions which play out in the remainder of the film.
Body and Soul is an interesting, exciting film, featuring great performances by all. This is one of John Garfield's most brilliant performances. (I think he was almost always brilliant in his portrayals.) He brings incredible realness and passion to this role. Because of a heart condition, Mr. Garfield was usually under doctors' orders to take things easier, but determined to do his own fight scenes and not rely on a double, he ignored the advice and took "sparring lessons from Mushy Callahan." His preparation for the role only added to the film's incredible realism. It is absolutely no surprise that he received a Lead Actor Academy Award nomination for his work here.
Anne Revere was terrific; the scene in which she humbles herself to ask for welfare relief is particularly poignant.
Lilli Palmer---lovely as always--was very good and believable in her role as well, and she and Mr. Garfield had great chemistry with one another.
Even William Conrad, as one of the boxing "heavies," was great, as was Canada Lee, in his role of Charlie's opponent-turned-friend. Beyond the acting, was the gritty realism of the boxing ring and the corruption of the sport. Interestingly, at the time of the film's release, the corruption in professional and amateur sports---especially boxing---was under investigation and receiving much press coverage.
Two other boxing movies which I also greatly enjoy are The Set-Up, (starring Robert Ryan, reviewed HERE) and City forConquest (starring James Cagney, reviewed HERE). All three films ought to satisfy the boxing enthusiasts out there. Body and Soul is out on DVD and should be fairly easy to track down. For Garfield fans, it's an absolute must-see.
Cause for Alarm, from 1951, is a mildly suspenseful film noir starring Loretta Young, Barry Sullivan, and Bruce Cowling. Directed by Tay Garnett, the film takes place
during several hours of one July afternoon in the life of housewife Ellen Jones (Loretta Young).
George Jones (Barry
Sullivan) is an ill man...a very ill man. Because of some sort of heart condition, George has been confined to his bed for some time, and although his doctor and longtime friend, Ranny Graham (Bruce Cowling), makes house calls on a regular basis, his dutiful wife, Ellen, is his primary caregiver.
Endless days in bed, coupled with his illness, have done wild things to George’s mental state, and he comes to believe that Ellen and Dr. Graham are conspiring to kill him.
Since Ellen and the doctor had been seeing each other prior to her
marriage to George, George is convinced that they are still in love and that they have set a plan
in motion to be rid of him.
Determined
to make the two “lovers” pay for their crime, George pens a letter to the local
district attorney---a letter in which he accuses his wife and doctor of
aggravating his condition so as to make his death look natural. After requesting that a complete investigation be made into his death, George seals the envelope and hands it to his wife. Telling Ellen he had to sign some insurance papers, he asks her to put the envelope in the mail, which, being the helpful wife she is, she does when the mailman arrives at the house a short time later.
George isn’t as bed-bound as he would have Ellen believe,
however, and upon her return to their bedroom, he pulls out a gun and spills
forth his delusions of her love for Ran and their plan to murder him. Sure it is nothing more than George’s illness
talking, Ellen denies his accusations, but to no avail. George is convinced his wife and doctor are
out to do him in, and after informing her that the envelope she just put in the
mail was a letter incriminating her and the doctor of trying to kill him,
George collapses.
Though she and the doctor were never trying to kill George,
Ellen panics about the letter now on its way to the district attorney. She knows she must retrieve it before it ever reaches its destination, yet doing so is not as easy as she had
hoped. For the remainder of that “most
terrifying day of her life,” Ellen must oppose bureaucratic regulations and race against time in order to save herself and the doctor from her husband’s delusional
mind. How it all plays out is the
balance of the film.
Cause for Alarm is an interesting, well-acted, mildly
suspenseful film. Both Loretta Young and
Barry Sullivan are very good in their roles.
I could really feel Loretta’s terror as the walls began to close in
around her, and I found Mr. Sullivan quite believable as the neurotic
husband. Of course, this film is best on
a first-time viewing---before you know how it all turns out---but even repeated
viewings are enjoyable.
Two other things stand out to me in this film. First is the Jones’s little neighbor boy,
whose nickname is Hoppy, after Hopalong Cassidy. I found him delightful, especially when he
grabbed a handful of cookies so he could feed his horse...er...tricycle. After he had pocketed several cookies, he
remembered that he had forgotten to ask if he might have some. Of course, permission was granted. Another fun thing in the film is the walking
door-to-door mailman (though the Jones's mailman was certainly annoying). I haven’t seen a walking door-to-door mailman in years!! Most mail carriers
for at least the last three decades drive to every house on their route,
depositing the mail in the box at the end of the driveway (or to the community
mailbox). Gone are the days of
conversing with your mail carrier as he arrives at your front door to fill your
doorside mailbox with cards and letters (and bills). Seeing that walking, bag-on-his-shoulder postman may well take you on a trip down memory lane as you remember the mailmen of your youth.
At any rate, Cause for Alarm is definitely an enjoyable viewing experience. The film is out on DVD, so it should be
fairly easy to track down. In addition,
it is on the TCM schedule for Wednesday, January 30th at 4:30 a.m. (ET). Hope you
get a chance to see it...or at least set your DVR.
I just heard about another upcoming event that I wish I was able to attend. As with the Broadway production of The Heiress, I don't live close to where this event is taking place, nor do I have the money to make a trip there. If I did, I would definitely be attending this screening.
Sunday, October, 28th, at Los Angeles's Downtown Independent Theatre there will be a screening of classic and contemporary "Desert Noir 3-D" films...those films being Inferno 3-D (1953...my 2nd favorite Robert Ryan film) and Dark Country 3-D (2009). The event is sponsored by the LA 3-D Club. On hand to introduce the films will be the "Czar of Noir," Eddie Muller, founder of the Film Noir Foundation, and Thomas Jane, director and star of Dark Country 3-D.
For more information, visit the LA 3-D Club's website (HERE).
I hope some of y'all get a chance to attend this event. If you do, please be sure to tell me about it, especially how wonderful it was to see the fabulous Mr. Ryan "up close and personal."
Kiss the Blood off My Hands, from 1948, is a film noir/drama starring Joan Fontaine and Burt Lancaster. Featuring a terrific Miklos Rozsa score, this film is one I had never heard of until seeing someone post about it on The Golden Age of Hollywood (a fantastic classic film social network...HERE).
In the aftermath of the war, ex-POW Bill Saunders (Burt Lancaster), is struggling with anger and, most likely, PTSD. While in a bar, he gets into a brawl, which leads to the death of the man he punched. Determined not to be arrested and, thus, imprisoned again, Bill hightails it out of the bar, with the police giving chase. To elude his pursuers, Bill enters a nearby apartment through an open window, and when the sleeping woman within (Jane Wharton, portrayed by Joan Fontaine) wakens, Bill manages to convince her that he did nothing wrong and that he is being wrongly pursued. Although she allows him to spend the night in her apartment, Jane tells Bill that he needs to be gone by the time she returns from work the next day.
While Bill does leave Jane's apartment and finds lodging in a hotel, the two begin seeing each other. Though things are going well between them, Bill's anger problem is never far from the surface, and upon lashing out at a cop, Bill is sent to trial and given a 6-month sentence. After serving his time, Bill returns to Jane, who is willing to put in a good word for him at the medical institute where she works. Though Bill wants to begin anew and to make good on the job Jane procured for him, a man who witnessed the barroom killing tracks him down and blackmails him into agreeing to allow his delivery truck of medicine to be hijacked and robbed.
Will Bill go through with the crime? Will he come clean with Jane about his involvement in the killing? Will their love survive? Will Jane's trust in him remain? These are the questions which will play out in this film.
Kiss the Blood off My Hands is an incredible-sounding film title, is it not? With such a title, it gives incredibly high hopes for a 5-star Double Indemnity kind of film noir. Alas, the title is more exciting than the movie. That's not to say, though, that it isn't interesting or exciting. It is...just not to the extent that I had expected. Still, though, it is very definitely worth a watch. I don't believe the film is out on DVD; however, it is available on YouTube (in parts), so if you are interested, you could catch it there.
One of the most solid leading men of the 1940's and 1950's, Dana Andrews was an actor who, sadly, never seemed to get the recognition and appreciation he deserved. Classic Movie Man, however, is doing his small part to bring Mr. Andrews a bit of recognition---he is hosting the Dana Andrews blogathon on Saturday, July 28th. As one who places Mr. Andrews firmly among her top 20 favorite actors, I am thrilled to take part in the event and to have the opportunity to bring one of this terrific actor's lesser-known films to the attention of others. Please visit the Classic Movie Man's blog (HERE) to take part in this event yourself or to read the film reviews and thoughts of the other participants.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, a 1956 Fritz Lang film, is a crime-drama starring Dana Andrews and Joan Fontaine. Some sites classify this as film noir, but I think it's only mildly noir. It's mostly crime/mystery.
The movie begins with the execution of a man who had been convicted solely on circumstantial evidence. After witnessing the execution, newspaper publisher, Austin Spencer, an opponent of capital punishment, becomes quite concerned about the possibility of convicting and executing innocent men. Together with his son-in-law to-be, reporter-turned-novelist, Tom Garrett (Dana Andrews), Spencer devises a scheme in which an innocent man will be arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death, all based solely on circumstantial evidence. Upon conviction, the scheme will be revealed, showing the prosecuting attorney, the court, and the entire public the danger of capital punishment.
After reading in the newspaper about the unsolved murder of burlesque dancer, Patti Gray, Spencer and Garrett's plan is put into action, with Garrett being the man who will be suspect. The two men plant Tom's lighter (a gift from his fiance, Susan) at the scene of the crime; additionally, a lady's stocking is planted in his glove compartment, and traces of the kind of makeup Patti used are rubbed on the seats of his car.
After learning that the murdered woman was last seen with a man wearing a gray tweed coat and a top hat, Tom makes sure that is how he is seen. He begins frequenting the club where Patti worked, coming on to one of her fellow dancers, and eventually, as hoped, that woman begins to suspect that Tom was the man she saw Patti with the night of her murder. The police are called in, and Tom is arrested and sent to trial.
Upon Tom's conviction, Austin is supposed to reveal the truth, which had been completely documented with photographs of every bit of evidence the men planted. However, things don't work out as planned, but I won't say more than that so as not to give away anymore of the story. I will say that there is a totally major twist, which I never saw coming.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt is a very interesting, exciting film, and up until the very end, I was going to give it 4 stars. However, in the end, I decided to go with 3 stars (more like 3.5), as I thought the final few minutes were a bit of a letdown. I think it was just wrapped up too quickly; there could have been a bit more depth. Even though I was disappointed in the strength of the ending, though, I definitely enjoyed this film and fully intend to watch it again sometime. Though Joan Fontaine gets second billing, as Andrews' fiance, she has almost nothing to do. She is hardly more than a beautiful face in a couple of scenes.
The film is out on DVD, plus it is on the TCM schedule for Monday, October 22nd, at 4:45 p.m. (ET). Try to catch it if you can. Dana Andrews is always worth watching!
They Won't Believe Me, from 1947, is a mildly suspenseful film noir starring Robert Young, Susan Hayward, and Jane Greer. Directed by Irving Pichel, this film is one which had been on my radar for quite some time, and about a month ago, TCM finally aired it, so I DVR'd it and saved it to watch during my Susan Hayward birthday month celebration.
The story, which is told in flashback, begins as Larry Balantine (Robert Young) takes the stand at his own murder trial. Mr. Balantine reveals a story which clearly portrays him as a philandering husband...but does that necessarily equate to being a cold-blooded murderer?
A married man, Larry has been seeing Janice (Jane Greer) for several months. Janice, however, realizing that she's not "a Saturday afternoon girl," nor a home-wrecker, breaks things off with him and leaves town. Although Larry would like to run off with Janice, the fact is, he's quite attached to his wife Greta's money; therefore, leaving her is not an option.
Despite Larry's unfaithfulness, Greta (Rita Johnson) wants to save their marriage and suggests that a change of scenery would be good for them, so they move off to California, where Greta's influence buys Larry a job at an investment brokerage.
A young lady named Verna Carlson (Susan Hayward) works in Larry's firm, and in short order, the two of them begin seeing one another. When Greta discovers that Larry is, once again, being unfaithful to her, she sells his investment in the firm and then gives him an ultimatum---go with her to the mountain ranch she has bought or stay in the city with his girlfriend. Since he has no intention of living without Greta's money, Larry has no choice in the matter...he breaks things off with Verna and heads out to the isolation of the mountains.
When, a short while later, a building project on the ranch leads Larry back to Los Angeles, he re-connects with Verna; in love with her, he determines that he will leave Greta---no matter how hard it will be, his and Verna's love will see them through. After slipping a cheap drugstore ring on Verna's finger, the two lovebirds happily head off to Reno, where Larry intends to obtain a divorce and then marry Verna. Things don't go as planned, however, and ultimately, Larry finds himself charged with the murder of the woman he loves. (I can't reveal anymore without giving away too many of the surprise twists.)
Now on the witness stand for his life, Larry has revealed the whole ugly, sordid story...but will the jury believe him? Will the jury really believe that while he is certainly a cheating husband, he is not a murderer? Or will they deem Larry's story a complete fabrication and convict him? These are the questions which will play out in the balance of the film.
They Won't Believe Me is definitely an interesting, exciting film. However, to be honest, I have to say that it occurred to me several times, that the role of Larry was exceedingly out of character for Robert Young. I have never seen him portray anything but an honorable, upright man, and in fact, in his own life, he was decent and honorable, having been married (apparently faithfully) to one woman for over 60 years. It just seemed so odd to see him as a lying philanderer. He played the part well and was very credible---it just didn't seem like his kind of role. Jane Greer's part in the film is fairly small, but she does a great job with it. Susan Hayward is a fantastic femme fatale---I always love seeing her in meaty roles like this. The film's ending is rather shocking. While I kind of expected one aspect of it, I definitely never saw the other aspect happening.
All in all, They Won't Believe Me is a solid, enjoyable, 3-star viewing experience, and it's very close to being 4 stars. Although not out on DVD, it is on the TCM schedule for next Tuesday, June 12th, at 10:00 p.m. (ET), so perhaps you can catch it then.
My good friend, Monty, whose blog All Good Things is one of the most awesome places in blogland, is hosting a Cinematic World Tour this summer. Since I am always up for a trip to any exotic location in this beautiful world, taking part in this event is definitely right up my alley, and since one of my dream trips is a Transatlantic, Caribbean or Yucatan cruise, I figured I would begin my world tour with that very thing...a cruise on a beautiful ocean liner...in the form of 1953's Dangerous Crossing. This suspenseful mystery/film noir stars Jeanne Crain and Michael Rennie, with Carl Betz taking on a supporting role.
Newlyweds John and Ruth Bowman (Carl Betz/Jeanne Crain) have booked a cruise for their honeymoon; shortly after entering their cabin and depositing their luggage, John realizes he has some cash he wants to leave with the purser. After instructing Ruth to meet him in the main deck bar in fifteen minutes, John heads to the purser's office, while Ruth goes topside to watch the ship disembark.
At the appointed time, however, John fails to arrive at the bar, and when Ruth makes a visit to the purser's office to see what is detaining him, she discovers that her husband was never there. Thinking that there was a mix-up of some kind and that John has returned to their cabin, Ruth finds her way back to #B16, but to her utter shock, she is told that no one is occupying that room. Upon Ruth's insistence, the steward unlocks the door to that cabin, and, sure enough, it is completely bare. There is no sign of the Bowmans' luggage nor of the flowers which a maid had been arranging upon their entrance only a short time earlier.
A quick look at the passenger list reveals that the Bowmans' names aren't there; however, Ruth Stanton (which is Ruth's maiden name) is on the list, cabin #B18. A check of that room reveals Ruth's luggage...but no sign of John's. Of course, Ruth grows hysterical, especially when she realizes she doesn't have a passport, nor does she even know the name of the town in which she was married.
To placate Ruth, a search of the ship is made, but nothing is revealed, and when the stewardess Ruth claims she saw arranging flowers in #B16 denies having been in that cabin or seeing the Bowmans, it is assumed that Ruth's story is not true. After the captain discovers that Ruth has previously had a mental breakdown, he assumes she is having another one and puts her into the care of the ship's doctor, Paul Manning (Michael Rennie).
Although the kindly doctor doesn't think Ruth is purposely lying, he does think she is hallucinating and/or imagining things, so he prescribes medication and suggests she go to bed.
Later that evening, Ruth receives a phone call from John, a call which indicates that he has gone into hiding because they are in danger. After warning Ruth not to trust anyone, he hangs up.
When Ruth reports the phone call to Dr. Manning, he suggests that the call was nothing more than a dream. Was the call a dream? Was the whole marriage a figment of Ruth's overwrought imagination? Is the beautiful, emotionally-frazzled woman having another breakdown? Or does she really have a husband? And if so, where is he? And why is he hiding? These are the questions which will play out in the balance of the film.
Suspenseful without being scary, Dangerous Crossing is an interesting, exciting film. No, there are no beautiful sun-drenched beach scenes on this cruise; in fact, many of the scenes take place on a chilly, mist-shrouded deck. Even so, the film is loads of fun. Jeanne Crain puts in a fine performance---she is quite credible as a hysterical, possibly-losing-her-mind woman. Plus, she's incredibly lovely here...beautiful really. I was completely in love with her hair in this film, and I love her gowns and her fur coat.
Michael Rennie, as always, is solid in his role, but the film is essentially Jeanne's.
While I want a slightly less suspenseful cruise for myself, I enjoyed every minute of this Dangerous Crossing. If you are a Jeanne Crain fan, you ought to enjoy it as well. The film is out on DVD and is available on YouTube, so it should be fairly easy to track down.
The Postman Always Rings Twice, from 1946, is a great little film noir starring Lana Turner and John Garfield. Based on the James M. Cain novel of the same name, the film features Cecil Kellaway, Leon Ames, and Hume Cronyn in supporting roles. With this past Monday having been the 60th anniversary of Mr. Garfield's untimely death, I enjoyed a re-watch of this film in his honor.
While hitch-hiking his way to San Diego, drifter Frank Chambers stops at a little roadside gas station/hamburger joint just outside Los Angeles. Though the owner, Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway), offers Frank employment as a handyman, Frank has no intention of staying any longer than it takes to grab a bite to eat---that is, until he gets a glimpse of Nick's beautiful wife, Cora (Lana Turner). Much younger than her husband, Cora immediately sets Frank's blood to pounding, and although she initially fights it, Cora is attracted to the handsome stranger as well. In short order, she gives in to her passion and embarks on an affair with Frank.
In love with Frank, Cora makes the decision to run off with him; however, they haven't gotten very far before she begins to have second thoughts. Since divorcing Nick would leave her with nothing, Cora refuses to go through with it. Instead, after a time, she convinces Frank that the only way for them to be together is to get Nick out of the picture by killing him. At first resistant to the idea, Frank eventually realizes Cora is right, and the two of them develop an elaborate scheme to bring about Nick's demise.
Their first attempt at murder doesn't go as planned, and with a highly suspicious D.A. (Leon Ames) bearing down on them, they struggle to cover their tracks. In due time, they have put together another plan---one which is successful---and the D.A., determined to convict them of their crime, pits one lover against the other. Where there once was love between them, suddenly there is hatred and mistrust. How it all plays out is the balance of the film. (I can't really say more than this without giving away too much of the plot.)
The Postman Always Rings Twice is a fantastic film, well-acted by all. Lana Turner is stunningly beautiful here (then again, I think she almost always was!), and she makes a perfect femme fatale...icy, aloof, and mesmerizing in her beauty. John Garfield is masculine, gorgeous, and oozing with virility. The chemistry between the two of them is incredible. No nude scenes necessary for them to exude passion and sensuality.
Really, they sizzled and smoked through this whole film, which wouldn't be anything amazing had I not known Lana Turner's opinion of working with Mr. Garfield. (I quite adore Lana and it was through watching a documentary about her a couple months ago that I learned her feelings about Garfield.) The two of them absolutely did not get along, and she was irritated that he had been given the role, saying, "Couldn't they at least hire someone attractive." Say what? Someone attractive? John Garfield not attractive? Oh, Lana, what were you thinking? Mr. Garfield is beyond attractive here...he's quite gorgeous really (in a rugged, sexy, masculine way). The older he got, the better looking he became, and at this point in his career, I think he was looking incredibly fabulous!
The supporting cast of Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn, and Leon Ames is outstanding as well, with each man playing his part to perfection; Tay Garnett's direction is fantastic too. All in all, The Postman Always RingsTwice is an interesting, exciting, wonderful noir, and its final several minutes feature twists I never expected. How true it is to the novel, I don't know, but the film adaption, as written, is terrific.
The film is out on DVD, plus it is on the TCM schedule for Friday, June 29th, at 2:45 p.m. (ET). Fans of Turner, Garfield, and noir ought to totally love this film.
The Woman on the Beach, from 1947, is a romantic drama/film noir starring Joan Bennett, Robert Ryan, and Charles Bickford. Having not watched one of my beloved Bob Ryan's films since mid-January, I was going into withdrawals and was in desperate need of a "fix," so when I knew I was having a beach theme this month, I decided to do a re-watch of this movie.
At a U.S. Coast Guard Mounted Patrol Station, Lt. Scott Burnett (Ryan) has been having recurring nightmares involving a strange woman and a shipwreck.
While patrolling the beach on horseback one evening,
Scott comes upon a woman (Joan Bennett) collecting wood near the remains of an old wreck.
Though he's unnerved because both the woman and the wreck remind him of his dream, Scott is, nonetheless, drawn to the woman---whose name is Peggy Butler---and accepts an invitation to her home.
With conversation easy between them, in due time, Peggy and Scott embark on an affair.
Peggy is not an available woman, though;
she is married to Tod Butler (Charles Bickford), a painter who has recently been blinded. Though the man is cruel and controlling, Peggy, who was responsible for his blindness, stays with him out of guilt.
Paranoid, Scott is certain that Tod can really see and that he knows about the affair Scott and Peggy are having. After Peggy promises to leave Tod if Scott can prove to her that the blindness is a fake, Scott sets out to substantiate his claim.
Is Tod really blind? Or can he see? Will Peggy leave him and find a future with Scott? These are the questions which play out in the remainder of this film.
Much as I adore Robert Ryan, I have to admit, this film is not one of my favorites. While Mr. Ryan looks incredible in his Coast Guard uniform, that is about all the film has going for it.
The plot is loaded with holes, and some of the storylines never came together. I have no idea how Peggy---a non-surgeon---could accidentally cut Tod's optic nerve, and I never understood the connection between Scott's nightmare and the chance meeting with Peggy Butler. The acting was good---though nothing spectacular; but the characters weren't developed very well. I'm giving this film 3 stars, but it's more like 2.5. Since I recorded this from TCM, I own this film and will probably watch it again---but that is only because my beloved Robert Ryan is the male lead. Apart from Mr. Ryan (and how gorgeous he looks in his uniform!!), I really don't care for TheWoman on the Beach at all.
The film is out on DVD, so I would imagine you ought to be able to track it down.
The Damned Don't Cry--a solid 4-star film for me---is a romantic crime/drama from 1950. Starring Joan Crawford, David Brian, Steve Cochran, and Kent Smith, this movie, which gets to the action immediately, also falls into the noir genre. This is another of the films I enjoyed for the first time as part of my Joan Crawford birthday celebration.
In the desert of California, land surveyors come upon the dead body of a notorious racketeer; with no clues immediately available, detectives look into the man's home movies, which reveal that he was somehow connected to Texas oil heiress, Lorna Hanson Forbes (Joan Crawford). A visit to Miss Forbes' home reveals blood on the carpet of her empty house, and not sure whether that means she, too, was slain, the authorities begin an active search for her. Meanwhile, in another part of the city, the missing woman is reflecting on how she came to find herself on the run.
After her young son is killed while riding the bicycle she insisted he be given, money-hungry Ethel Whitehead (as Lorna was known then) sees no reason to stay with the husband she doesn't love. Tired of scraping and penny-pinching, yet barely getting by, Ethel wants more out of life and moves to New York where she begins a modeling career. In addition to modeling dresses, Ethel entertains her boss's out of town buyers by taking them to Grady's, a local gambling establishment.
Grady's is only a small part of a much larger operation of illegal activities---narcotics, prostitution, and gambling are all part of the business of George Castleman (David Brian), and Ethel, anxious to make up for all the lean years, soon gets involved with him. At Castleman's suggestion, Ethel invents an impressive past and takes on the grand socialite-sounding name of Lorna Hanson Forbes. Now the mistress of the wealthy, powerful Castleman, Lorna is privy to many of his business dealings, so when it appears to Castleman that his associate Nick Prenta (Steve Cochran) is double-crossing him, he sends Lorna/Ethel to seduce the man and discover what he is up to.
With Castleman's promise to be free when she returns, Ethel/Lorna sets out for California and quickly puts her plan into motion. What she didn't count on, though, was falling for Nick. Suddenly, she doesn't want to report his disloyalty to Castleman, but when reports from Lorna aren't forthcoming, the big man decides to investigate for himself. Will he find out that Nick intends to doublecross him? Will he realize that Lorna is in love with Nick? And what about the honest CPA (Kent Smith), who the flirtatious Lorna led right into the lion's den of criminal activity? And just which one of these men is the one thrown into the California desert? How it all plays out is the balance of the film.
The Damned Don't Cry is a very interesting, exciting, suspenseful film. Each one of the stars----Crawford, Brian, Smith, and Cochran---was great in their part. While Joan, at 44, may have been a trifle old to be playing the femme fatale role, that didn't matter to me. I thought her performance was believable, and even if a younger woman would have been more appropriate for the seduction of Steve Cochran (who was 33 here), I think Joan played the part perfectly. I thought she was fantastic...as was Cochran. He was his usual wonderful, sleazy self. David Brian, as the brutal crime boss, was terrific as well. The exciting storyline, coupled with the great acting, makes this a very solid 4-star film for me. The only negative I have is that everything seemed to wrap up too quickly, making the ending a bit abrupt.
The film is out on DVD as part of the Joan Crawford Collection. Other titles in that 5-volume collection are The Women, Possessed, Mildred Pierce, and Humoresque. Fans of Miss Crawford ought to really enjoy this film.
Based on a true story,Call Northside 777is a 1948 drama directed by Henry Hathaway and starring James Stewart, with Richard Conte and Lee J. Cobb taking on supporting roles. In honor of Mr. Conte's March 24th birthday, I took a break from the Garfield, Crawford, Brent, and Heflin films which have been occupying me this month and enjoyed a re-watch of this film. I was then inspired to learn a bit about the actual case upon which the story is based.
With Prohibition in full force, violent gangster activity has taken over Chicago, and in December, 1932, the 8th police killing of the year takes place in a speakeasy in the Polish district. Fronting as a grocery store, the speakeasy is owned by Wanda Skutnik, who is talking with a police officer in her back room when two masked men enter, shoot the officer, then make a hasty exit. Witnesses finger two unemployed men---Frank Wiecek (Richard Conte) and Tomek Zaleska, and very soon, the men are indicted and brought to trial.
Identified by Miss Skutnik as the men who entered her store, Wiecek and Zaleska receive convictions and sentences of 99 years.
Eleven years later, in October, 1944, a small advertisement appears in the Chicago newspaper. Offering a $5,000 reward for information about the shooting of Officer Bundy, the tiny ad provides the contact phone number of Northside 777. Curious as to who would be interested in an eleven year-old case which has already been solved, Chicago Times editor Brian Kelly (Lee J. Cobb) puts reporter Jim "Mac" McNeal (James Stewart) on the story.
Finding that the ad was placed by Tillie Wiecek---mother of the convicted Frank---McNeal pays her a visit. Convinced her son could never have committed such a crime, Mrs. Wiecek has scrubbed floors all these years---saving every penny she could---so as to earn reward money which may provide new evidence in the case. Though Mac doesn't share the woman's belief in Frank's innocence, he nevertheless realizes he has just been provided with a great human interest story---which may well increase circulation; therefore, he writes a feature piece about Mrs. Wiecek's faith in her son. As expected, the public response to the story is extremely positive, which causes Mac to continue pumping out articles about the case.
Eventually, after going to the penitentiary and meeting with Frank and doing a bit of investigation, Mac comes to believe that Wiecek truly is innocent. He commits himself to pursuing one lead after another until Frank is exonerated. How it all plays out is the balance of the film.
Call Northside 777 is a very interesting, exciting film----all the more so because it is based on actual events. Rather than just a fictional man languishing in prison eleven years for a crime he didn't commit, this is the story of a very real man---a man who lost eleven years of his life...and who, but for the courage and dedication of a news reporter, may have lost dozens more years as well. The acting in the movie is very good...very believable.
For more information about the real story upon which Call Northside 777 is based, HERE is a link to an interesting piece written by a Chicago Tribunereporter back in 2009. He links to several other fascinating articles. While the movie took liberties with the true story, the basic facts were not altered.
The film is out on DVD, so it should be easy to track down. Additionally, it is on the TCM schedule for Sunday, April 8th, at 8:00 p.m. (ET). It is also available on YouTube in several different parts.
Force of Evil---a solid 3-star film for me---is a gritty crime drama/film noir starring John Garfield and Thomas Gomez. This 1948 film, which features another outstanding performance by Mr. Garfield, is one which I recently watched for the first time.
A lawyer for a racketeer, Joe Morse (Garfield) is intending to make his first million dollars on the upcoming 4th of July holiday. Knowing that the numbers played will undoubtedly be 776, Joe's employer is "fixing" things so that those are the numbers which hit, thereby causing a run on the "numbers banks." With all the banks scrambling to make their payoffs, most are bound to go broke, allowing the syndicate (Joe's client) to put them out of business and gather the market for themselves. Stepping in after the crash, the syndicate's plan is to loan money to certain banks, but to let certain others be swallowed up.
Joe's only hesitation in the scheme is because his brother, Leo (Thomas Gomez), runs one of the operations, and Joe wants to warn him. He plans to encourage Leo to close up shop early...before he's had a chance to receive any 776 bets. No bets means no payoffs to break him. The powers-that-be, however, deny Joe permission to do that, forcing him to double-cross the syndicate and take matters into his own hands.
What happens to Leo, who really believes he runs a legitimate lottery operation? What happens to Joe when the gangsters realize one of their own has double-crossed them? These are the questions which play out in the balance of the film.
Force of Evil is an interesting, exciting, suspenseful film, with superb performances by all. John Garfield was terrific here---another of the many roles which I think is perhaps his best. Beyond Garfield, though, is Thomas Gomez. Wow! He was the star of the show for me. Really, his performance surpassed even the brilliance of Garfield! Thomas Gomez may be a name you don't automatically recognize---well, he was Edward G. Robinson's chief hood (Curly) in Key Largo. Though in somewhat of a supporting role here, he definitely more than held his own with Mr. Garfield. I have to admit, however, that this film was ultra-confusing to me. Perhaps because I don't fully grasp the "numbers game," syndicates, and "numbers banks," I was a little perplexed on occasion. I enjoyed the story and the acting (and I always love Mr. Garfield); however, if I had understood the film a bit more, I'm sure I would have gone with 4 stars. Therefore, while I'm calling this a 3-star film, it could easily be 4.
The film is out on DVD, so it should be fairly easy to track down. At one point, it was available on YouTube; however, I can't find it there anymore, so it must have been removed.
As part of my Joan Crawford birthday celebration, I recently enjoyed a re-watch of 1947's Possessed. A romantic drama/film noir which also stars Van Heflin, Raymond Massey, and Geraldine Brooks, this incredibly-acted film is among my favorite of Miss Crawford's works. (Interestingly, in 1931 Miss Crawford starred with Clark Gable in a film called Possessed; this film is not a remake of that one. Although they have the same titles, they are two completely different stories.)
As the film begins, a confused and distraught woman (Joan Crawford) wanders the streets of Los Angeles, inquiring about the whereabouts of a man named David.
After passing out in a coffee shop, she is taken to a hospital, where an examination reveals she has fallen into a non-traumatic stupor, a diagnosis which finds her immediately admitted to the psychiatric unit.
The woman's name is Louise Howell, and as the doctors seek to help her, her story is brought to life.
Completely in love with David Sutton (Van Heflin), Louise is devastated when he breaks things off with her. Telling her that he doesn't love her the way she loves him and that he feels smothered by her, David has determined that the best thing to do is to end the relationship. He believes Louise will even be glad of it one day.
Hysterical at the thought of losing David, Louise begs him not to leave, even assuring him she would do anything for him; David, who doesn't love Louise and doesn't want to be tied down by her, will not be swayed, though, and to put distance between them, he agrees to take a job in Canada.
Nurse to the invalid wife of wealthy Dean Graham (Raymond Massey),Louise lives with the Grahams in their lakefront home.
Mrs. Graham has come to believe that her nurse and her husband are having an affair, and she even writes a letter to her college-age daughter, Carol (Geraldine Brooks), informing her of that fact.
There is no affair going on, but to make things easier on Mr. Graham, Louise is willing to give up her job. He convinces her to stay on, however, and not long afterwards---on one of Louise's days off---Mrs. Graham drowns in the lake. Though Louise's nursing skills are no longer needed, Dean asks her to remain in his employ, as a caregiver to his young son. Louise agrees...and she moves to Washington with the family. Eventually, Dean---who tells Louise she is a part of his home and his life---asks her to marry him, and although she isn't in love with him, she does believe she can make him happy, so she accepts his proposal.
Though Louise appears to be happy and stable, the old obsessiveness soon comes bubbling to the surface. David Sutton, who is a longtime friend and business partner of Dean, makes an appearance at their wedding reception, and as if seeing him again isn't bad enough, it would appear that her new step-daughter, Carol, may just be the woman who has captured David's heart.
Still obsessed with David herself, Louise will do whatever it takes to keep Carol and David apart. How it all plays out is the balance of the film.
Possessed is an amazingly acted film. Joan Crawford's portrayal of the obsessive, possessive, fanatical love-crazed woman is completely brilliant. Without question, she was worthy of the Oscar nomination she received for her work here. And Van Heflin...well, this is THE FILM which began to change my mind about him. Prior to my first viewing of Possessed, I had little regard for Mr. Heflin...even thought him kind of wimpy; however, after seeing him here, my eyes were opened to a whole new side of him, and as I have already made known, the more of his films I discovered, the more I came to like him. While some might see his character as callous and unfeeling, I didn't see him that way at all; rather, I see him as a man who simply wanted to extricate himself from a love affair gone bad. I'm not overly familiar with Raymond Massey, but generally when I've seen him, he has been a villianous character, so seeing him as a decent guy was a bit odd. (It worked, though.)
This film is out on DVD, so it should be fairly easy to track down. Plus, it is on the TCM schedule for Tuesday, June 12th at 8:00 p.m. (EDT). Hope you get a chance to see it. Joan Crawford and Van Heflin fans ought to especially enjoy this one.
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