Road House (1948)

Aug. 14, 2011

70. Road House (1948)

Starring Ida Lupino, Cornel Wilde, Celeste Holm, Richard Widmark
Directed by Jean Negulesco

Plot: “A nightclub owner frames a romantic rival for murder.” (from TCMDb)

I can’t remember where it was that I saw this clip (shout out if it was you and I’ll credit your blog),  but when I first saw it a month or so ago it made me want to check out this film. Luckily, I was able to get it through our state inter-library loan system, and I’m so glad I did! This film did not disappoint.

** THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS **

I didn't think I liked film noir, but this was really excellent. (Though I guess some would say that it's not technically noir because **BIG SPOILER** it has a happy ending.)

Speaking of the end, I kind of wonder what is supposed to have happened after the movie ends. Do they go to Canada? Are they acquitted?

Richard Widmark’s performance is one of the best parts of this film. It’s one I could watch over and over, I think, because he’s just so deliciously villainous in it. He manages to be both amusing and frightening at the same time.

Cornel Wilde’s role isn’t quite a showy as some of the other players in this, but he does a good job as the strong and steady man.

There's something about Ida’s character I didn't like. She's too sassy and sure of herself, and I don’t like how she plays up to Pete. Plus, it is rather hard to believe that their relationship is more than passing infatuation. It was difficult for me to really buy the chemistry between these two. It didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the film, though, because there’s so much more going on than just their relationship. Of course, Ida’s performance is top notch. I did have a hard time believing that her singing really drove that much business to the road house, though!

I love how she totally shuts down Cornel's character when he tries to dump her at the depot. One tough dame.

Celeste Holm is great in this as Susie. Even after the man she is kind of interested in falls in love with someone else, she is not vengeful or full of spite. She just does what is right and tries to help the them. She was also not afraid to face Widmark’s character. I did feel a little sorry for her, though, because I think she deserved to end up with Pete (though I know of course that the movie would not have worked out the same that way).

Ida’s face may not be traditionally beautiful, but it is very captivating. I want to see more of her movies (especially if they are all this good). She's just so unique. I don't really 'love' her yet, but I'm definitely intrigued by her. 

I can’t believe I didn’t get any screencaps with people smoking because there is an insane amount of it in this film. I know most old movies include some cigarette use, but this one seemed like it had an extra lot of it! Ida’s character in particular is rarely seen without a cigarette.

This film has a great dark, atmospheric feel.

Definitely see this. The performances, cinematography, plot, and dialogue are all really great.

Yeah, there are improbabilities and contrivances, but I didn’t really notice any of them during the film. I was too caught up in the plot to care about the details.

Oh, and if you have seen this, please recommend any other similar film noirs that you think I would like. I think I may be slowly changing my mind about this genre!

On Dangerous Ground (1952)

May 17, 2011

53. On Dangerous Ground (1952)

Starring Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan, Ward Bond

Directed by Nicholas Ray

Plot: "Hard, withdrawn city cop Jim Wilson roughs up one too many suspects and is sent upstate to help investigate the murder of a young girl in the winter countryside." (from IMDb)

This film was okay, but overall I am not a big fan. In its favor, it did include interesting location shooting, pioneering camera techniques, and a nice score (though the latter was sometimes a bit obtrusive). Ryan and Lupino are both good actors but I can't say I really like them... or the film. But maybe I just had false expectations. You see, going by this (which prompted me to check out the film), I was expecting it to be deep and moving. Instead, it seemed to be lacking that certain 'something'. Perhaps the depth was there but it just failed to resonate with me--for whatever reason. Still, it's an interesting film and if you like noirs about hardened cops and with tacked on endings, I would recommend giving it a view.

For a different perspective…Laura also reviewed this film several years ago.

Detective Story (1951)

Mar. 31, 2011

47. Detective Story (1951)

Starring Kirk Douglas, Eleanor Parker, William Bendix, Cathy O'Donnell

Produced & Directed by William Wyler

Plot: "On one day in the 21st Precinct squad room, assorted characters form a backdrop for the troubles of hard-nosed Detective Jim McLeod." (from IMDb)

Anybody want to watch a really depressing movie? Not tender tear-jerker type depressing, but one—to quote the film—that makes you want to just "dry up and die"? Well, then I have the film for you!

Maybe I just feel this way because I was expecting a different type of movie (I thought this would be a mystery!). I do think that it is an intelligent film (based on a stage play) and that there are probably some kernels of truth/things of merit in it, but for some reason it just struck a wrong cord with me.

First off, the acting. Kirk Douglas is just a bit much here. I guess it’s mainly his delivery that I’m not a fan of. I like Eleanor Parker in The Sound of Music, but in the films I have seen of hers in the last few months, she seems to play a very tormented type of woman. The way her face paralyzes into this ‘tormented’ expression is, again, just a bit much. Those were the performances that I disliked—feel free to disagree. I don’t want to insult anyone’s favorites if you happen to love Kirk and Eleanor. Please enlighten me! :)

Thankfully, most of the other performances were really good (if a little stage-y). I especially liked Lee Grant (her exit was hilarious and the best part of the movie, in my opinion) and William Bendix. As a side note, it was also refreshing to see a film of this period that featured an African American (albeit in a small part) who was not portrayed as a racial stereotype.

For some reason, I seem to either love or hate a lot of William Wyler movies. I certainly did not love this one. But if you are a fan of film noir, watching characters’ lives unravel, and unhappy endings, this just might be for you.

Trivia and observations:

• Cathy O'Donnell, who played Susan Carmichael, was producer-director William Wyler's sister-in-law. Her husband, Robert Wyler, co-wrote the screenplay.
  
• I couldn’t help but wonder if Lee Grant’s line "will they shave my head?" was a nod to costar Eleanor Parker’s film Caged (1950), which came out the year before. In that film, Parker’s character gets her head shaved. But maybe I am just reading too much into it?

P.S. Tomorrow is the last day to vote in this month’s poll.

Short Review: Mildred Pierce (1945)

Feb. 1, 2011

27. Mildred Pierce (1945)

Starring Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Zachary Scott, Eve Arden, Ann Blyth, Bruce Bennett, Lee Patrick

Directed by Michael Curtiz

Plot: “After her cheating husband leaves her, Mildred Pierce proves she can become independent and successful, but can’t win the approval of her spoiled daughter.”

This was an interesting movie. The blending of noir and melodrama was nicely done, and I was surprised at some of the twists in the plot—especially near the end. The use of flash-backs was compelling and the lighting and shadows accentuated the different moods of the story. I also thought the acting was top-notch and contained some very memorable characters. This was a very entertaining and well-done movie. If you haven’t seen it already, I recommend checking it out.

Short Review: The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Jan. 25, 2011

22. The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane, Lee Patrick, Sydney Greenstreet, Ward Bond, Jerome Cowan

Screenplay by John Huston

Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett

Directed by John Huston (this was the first film he directed)

Plot: “A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette.” (from IMDb)

Making many “greatest films ever made” lists, there’s no doubt that this movie is a classic. Its main strengths lie in the marvelous script, flawless casting, and—of course—great acting and directing. It’s gritty, compelling, and solid (and probably brilliant)…but it’s just not my kind of movie. I’m not denying its status as a landmark film, it just personally didn’t appeal to me. Maybe I’ll give it another try in a few years. In the meantime, I plan to watch some other film noirs to get a better taste of the genre. Suggestions?

Short Review: Christmas Holiday (1944)

Jan. 7, 2011

7. Christmas Holiday (1944)

Starring Deanna Durbin, Gene Kelly, Richard Whorf, Dean Harens, Gladys George, Gale Sondergaard

Directed by Richard Siodmak
Loosely based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham
Written for the screen by Herman J. Mankiewicz 

Plot: Two strangers meet unexpectedly, each separately trying to deal with previous rocky relationships. (That’s not a very good synopsis, though.)
I knew going in that this wasn’t a normal Deanna Durbin movie and I was fine with that. I knew that it was a dark film noir—and it is. I can only imagine how surprised audiences whodidn’t know that would be, however. The two leads (Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly) play very much against type from their usual frothy musical fare. This is a film about love, obsession, and moving on. That’s all fine, but I just never felt invested in any of the characters. Dean Harens was especially dull and uninteresting. The plot was very simple and a great deal of the movie is told in flashbacks—which I usually don’t mind, but here it’s mostly stuff the audience already knows. It’s not that this is a painfully bad movie, it’s just not anything special (at least in my opinion). I also found the ending to be just a little over-dramatic. Oh, and despite the title, this isn’t really a Christmas movie—unless you like watching film noirs about crime and murder at Christmas time.