Summer of Darkness Week 4 6/29 - 7/5
The Threat - 1949 - Felix E. Feist
A man called Kluger escapes from prison and, with the skill of a Batman villian, kidnaps the district attorney and lead detective that put him away. He also grabs his ex-girlfriend and with his two cronies everyone heads out to the desert to wait for a plane to Mexico.
There is something to Feist's style that just does not click with me. This is a shot, claustrophobic movie that manages to have no sense of urgency.
Scene of the Crime - 1949 - Roy Rowland
Mike Conovan, homicide detective, is working the murder of a fellow cop who may have been on the take. This movie feel like a Bogart movie without Bogart. If Bogart's private detective was absent from a film and the police are competent. This is even alluded to by a PI character who says, after getting beat up, "I no Bogart" meaning when a thug comes and beats him up, he leaves the case.
Having a clean cop as the protagonist does bring limitations. Instead of looking out for number one, his over zealousness is motivated by loyalty to his fellow cops. Or when he is sweet talking the nightclub girl there is no tension because we know he is going home to his wife.
The Window - 1949 - Ted Tetziaff
The boy who creid murder. Slow build but an exciting final chase scene.
The Bribe - 1949 - Robert Z. Leonard
Rigby, a federal agent, is sent to an island off Central America to investigate a smugling ring.
Charles Laughton gives a stand out performance in a supporting role. Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, and Vincent Price are all good as well. The ending sequence in the fireworks display looks amazing.
Johnny Belinda - 1948 - Jean Negulesco
A social issues type noir about a deaf-mute girl who is rapped and has a child.
Jane Wyman won the Oscar for her performance, deservedly so, and Jan Sterling shine in a small supporting role.
Act of Violence - 1948 - Fred Zimmermann
You can't out run your past. From the opening with a man packing a gun and boarding a bus to head out west, this is a chase movie. Joe Parkson (Robert Ryan) is trying to track down Frank Enley (Van Heflin). They were in the war together, Frank was Joe's commanding officer. They were shot down on a bombing mission and taken captive. Some of the guys dug a tunnel and were going to try and escape but Frank told the guards about the plan. Joe survived but was crippled and 10 other soldiers were killed. Now Joe is out for vengeance.
The Gangster - 1947 - Gordon Wiles
A small time hood called Shubunka is going through a breakdown. A new group of thugs are in town trying to takeover his racket and he does not know if he can trust anyone.
Brilliantly structured and excellently paced. I am sure that if you took the time you could map every character in the movie to an aspect of Shubunka's mind.
Nocrurne - 1946 - Edwin L. Marin
Composer Keith Vincent is found dead. It looks like suicide but detective Joe Warne thinks it is murder.
George Raft is very good as the stubborn detective that will not leave an open and shut case alone. The scene where Warne's mother and her friend are discussing the technical details of the murder is a highlight. Kind of a cheap move , having two older ladies talk out a murder over tea, but the actresses pull it off with the necessary sincerity.
The People Against O'Hara - 1951 - John Sturges
Spencer Tracy as Jim Curtayne, an aging attorney. A former criminal defense lawyer and recovering alcoholic. When a friend's son is arrested for murder he agrees to take the case. As the case begins to fall apart so does Curtayne.
Berlin Express - 1948 - Jacques Tourneur
A group of ally government and military officials must join forces to protect a Germen doctor working to help rebuild Germany after the war.
Can't we all just get along.
Possessed - 1947 - Curtis Bernhardt
Joan Crawford goes full crazy. I know she is considered one of the all time best but I have never really understood why. A bit over the top for my taste.
The Big Clock - 1948 - John Farrow
Charles Laughton is outstanding as Janoth, an idiosyncratic publishing tycoon with a love of clocks. publishing tycoon. Ray Milland is George Stroud, editor of Janoth's Crimeways magazine. When Janoth kills a former model he attempts to set up a man he saw leaving her apartment. He tasks Stroud with finding the man not knowing Stroud is the man he is looking for.
A man called Kluger escapes from prison and, with the skill of a Batman villian, kidnaps the district attorney and lead detective that put him away. He also grabs his ex-girlfriend and with his two cronies everyone heads out to the desert to wait for a plane to Mexico.
There is something to Feist's style that just does not click with me. This is a shot, claustrophobic movie that manages to have no sense of urgency.
Scene of the Crime - 1949 - Roy Rowland
Mike Conovan, homicide detective, is working the murder of a fellow cop who may have been on the take. This movie feel like a Bogart movie without Bogart. If Bogart's private detective was absent from a film and the police are competent. This is even alluded to by a PI character who says, after getting beat up, "I no Bogart" meaning when a thug comes and beats him up, he leaves the case.
Having a clean cop as the protagonist does bring limitations. Instead of looking out for number one, his over zealousness is motivated by loyalty to his fellow cops. Or when he is sweet talking the nightclub girl there is no tension because we know he is going home to his wife.
The Window - 1949 - Ted Tetziaff
The boy who creid murder. Slow build but an exciting final chase scene.
The Bribe - 1949 - Robert Z. Leonard
Rigby, a federal agent, is sent to an island off Central America to investigate a smugling ring.
Charles Laughton gives a stand out performance in a supporting role. Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, and Vincent Price are all good as well. The ending sequence in the fireworks display looks amazing.
Johnny Belinda - 1948 - Jean Negulesco
A social issues type noir about a deaf-mute girl who is rapped and has a child.
Jane Wyman won the Oscar for her performance, deservedly so, and Jan Sterling shine in a small supporting role.
Act of Violence - 1948 - Fred Zimmermann
You can't out run your past. From the opening with a man packing a gun and boarding a bus to head out west, this is a chase movie. Joe Parkson (Robert Ryan) is trying to track down Frank Enley (Van Heflin). They were in the war together, Frank was Joe's commanding officer. They were shot down on a bombing mission and taken captive. Some of the guys dug a tunnel and were going to try and escape but Frank told the guards about the plan. Joe survived but was crippled and 10 other soldiers were killed. Now Joe is out for vengeance.
The Gangster - 1947 - Gordon Wiles
A small time hood called Shubunka is going through a breakdown. A new group of thugs are in town trying to takeover his racket and he does not know if he can trust anyone.
Brilliantly structured and excellently paced. I am sure that if you took the time you could map every character in the movie to an aspect of Shubunka's mind.
Nocrurne - 1946 - Edwin L. Marin
Composer Keith Vincent is found dead. It looks like suicide but detective Joe Warne thinks it is murder.
George Raft is very good as the stubborn detective that will not leave an open and shut case alone. The scene where Warne's mother and her friend are discussing the technical details of the murder is a highlight. Kind of a cheap move , having two older ladies talk out a murder over tea, but the actresses pull it off with the necessary sincerity.
The People Against O'Hara - 1951 - John Sturges
Spencer Tracy as Jim Curtayne, an aging attorney. A former criminal defense lawyer and recovering alcoholic. When a friend's son is arrested for murder he agrees to take the case. As the case begins to fall apart so does Curtayne.
Berlin Express - 1948 - Jacques Tourneur
A group of ally government and military officials must join forces to protect a Germen doctor working to help rebuild Germany after the war.
Can't we all just get along.
Possessed - 1947 - Curtis Bernhardt
Joan Crawford goes full crazy. I know she is considered one of the all time best but I have never really understood why. A bit over the top for my taste.
The Big Clock - 1948 - John Farrow
Charles Laughton is outstanding as Janoth, an idiosyncratic publishing tycoon with a love of clocks. publishing tycoon. Ray Milland is George Stroud, editor of Janoth's Crimeways magazine. When Janoth kills a former model he attempts to set up a man he saw leaving her apartment. He tasks Stroud with finding the man not knowing Stroud is the man he is looking for.
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