Had a chance to watch WOMAN ON THE RUN the other night and found it an odd, but at times enjoyable noir. Ann Sheridan plays the title role and the first thing you notice about this movie is that it is chock full of the snappy, sassy dialogue that films like this are all about. Much of that great dialogue provided by Sheridan. She plays the wife of an innocent bystander(Ross Elliott) who witnesses a murder while out walking the dog but rather then help the cops and become a possible target for the killer, he flees. This backfires of course, because not only do the cops want him but also, the killer. Sheridan teams with reporter Danny Leggett, the always terrific Dennis O'Keefe, to try and find her husband before the killer and the cops do. To make matters worse, Sheridan finds out, because she was never told, that her husband suffers from a heart condition that requires medication, which he is out of. The film builds to a bizarre climax with an interesting plot twist that for me, saved the film. I say saved because even though the plot sounds pretty interesting and the characters and performers are excellent, the film is a bit too talky and slow paced at times but it does pick up towards the conclusion. Director Norman Foster does a pretty good job using San Francisco locales and creating the right amount of darkness and shadows for the night scenes. The climax at an amusement park is quite bizarre and put me in mind of an episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE entitled PERCHANCE TO DREAM. I think I should mention the fine performance also of Robert Keith as the police Inspector who heads the case. An interesting, if at times slow film that comes through at the end.
Reviews
7 Reviews
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
(1950)
Breezy, Enjoyable and Violent!
19 August 2004
Had a chance to watch KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE and although I don't agree with the claims of some that if you must see one "crime" film, this is it, I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and that James Cagney was again terrific and on top of his game for this one. I also didn't get the feeling that this film was, in reality, WHITE HEAT 2, as some have said but it was a nifty follow up to that classic JC film. Cagney was indeed brutal and off his rocker, but it was more controlled and offset with his characters smarts and sense of humor. In WHITE HEAT, JC was just downright nuts, out of control and a lot more frightening IMHO. In KTG, Cags plays Ralph Cotter who after a daring and violent daylight prison break, uses his smarts to prove that he is no small timer and formulates a grand scheme to garner lots of cash and protection which involves crooked lawyers and crooked policemen. Cotter, in the end, is his own downfall as he goes too far and his romance with a high society girl with a very wealthy and powerful father, leads to his downfall because one thing you don't do is double-cross your moll! Excellent performance by all, including Barbara Payton and a near film stealing performance by Luther Adler as JC's eccentric and very crooked lawyer. Direction is robust and swiftly paced by Gordon Douglas and in the end, makes this film fun, breezy, yet violent, but also a very good watch.
Port of New York
(1949)
Gritty, Violent Little Noir
19 August 2004
Had a chance to sit down and watch PORT OF NEW YORK some time ago and I have to say that this is a terrific little noir/crime/thriller! Told in "documentary style" as in such films as HOUSE ON 92ND STREET, THE NAKED CITY and HE WALKED BY NIGHT, the movie is swiftly paced, violent with a decent amount of suspense and plenty of fisticuffs. Scott Brady and Richard Rober play a couple of federal agents, one a customs agent and the other a treasury agent out to stop the distribution of illegal "contraband", i.e., opium, that came in on a ship but was smuggled off by drug dealers. The leader of the drug operation is Yul Brynner, sporting a head of dark, wavy hair and appearing in his first film role I believe. Brynner is suave and refined and listens to avant-garde piano music but it is clear that he is also quite cold and violent as the bodies start to pile up. Plenty of action to keep one interested and wonderful direction from László Benedek. The real star though is cinematographer George E. Diskant. Filmed entirely on location in New York City, the film bursts to life with magnificent images of the Big Apple and some truly wonderful shots of the NYC maritime scene. This is a rather obscure, "B" noir/crime film that was a pleasant surprise and a movie that all fans of the genre should check out.
The Red House
(1947)
Haunting, Engrossing Movie Watching
19 August 2004
Watched this film a while back and I really loved it! Entertaining throughout and with solid performances from a cast that consists of Edward G. Robinson, Lon McCallister, Judith Anderson, Rory Calhoun and Allene Roberts. The movie is very odd but incredibly atmospheric and at times, a bit spooky. Robinson and Anderson play a brother and sister who have adopted Roberts and have raised her as their own on their farm all the time concealing a dark secret that lays hidden in the red house beyond the woods. Robinson will go to whatever means he has to in order to protect the secret and that includes hiring Calhoun to scare away trespassers with his handy scope rifle. Young McCallister is hired by Robinson to help on the farm and soon proceeds to try and unravel the mystery with the help of Roberts. Excellent direction from Delmer Daves who pumps up the atmosphere with lots of whistling wind, creepy shots of the woods and terrific use of shadows. A mention also must be made regarding the great score by Miklós Rózsa which fits every scene perfectly and creates the right amount of eeriness at the right times. The ending is quite haunting also. A very good film that has become a quick favorite of mine and one I'll definitely be watching again.
Dark Passage
(1947)
Not The Best, But I Kept Watching
19 August 2004
Watched this DVD last night and although I thought the film was unintentionally funny in several parts and that there were a lot of bizarre and outlandish happenings, I found it oddly compelling and pretty entertaining. On the plus side was the cool first person camera work. Though it was also seen in LADY IN THE LAKE, this type of filming always interests me. The San Francisco locations also gave the film a nice air of authenticity. The biggest plus of course is the Bogart/Becall team. The chemistry and the heat is quite obvious and Bogie comes off as charming while Becall sizzles with her "innocent" sexiness. Some things just had me shaking my head in amazement though and chuckling a little to myself. I mean, Bogart just gets into this cab and right away, the cabbie knows people because he studies faces and immediately he knows Bogart is the prison escapee even though his face is completely covered in darkness!! And just like that, the cabbie happens to know this doctor who performs face lifts and on and on it went. I mean, Bogie just happened to get into the right cab at the right time in a huge metropolis! Timing is everything I guess. And how about the cop at the diner? Just because Bogart didn't realize a certain race track was closed and because he wasn't wearing a raincoat, he was automatically a suspect who needed to go down to headquarters even though he looked nothing like his old self??? Wow! And don't get me started on Bogie's final confrontation with Agnes Moorehead! Anyway, there was still something about the film that kept me entertained and interested to the end but all in all, DARK PASSAGE in not a great film and I prefer something like THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT to this one.
Dark Mountain
(1944)
For Hard Core Crime Film Fans Only!
19 August 2004
Had a chance to check out this "B" quickie last night and didn't think it was anything special. With it's 57 minute running time, fairly bland characters and familiar plot, it felt more like an episode of some 1950's anthology series as opposed to a movie. Basically, Ellen Drew plays a woman who marries a mobster (Regis Toomey) without knowing it and becomes innocently implicated in a murder her husband commits. The authorities are after her so jilted love, Robert Lowery, a park ranger, hides her away in a cabin on a remote mountain-top because he correctly believes she is innocent. The gangster husband followed them and now holds his wife hostage in the cabin. Not really much action here until the end when a car chase ensues around the twisting roads of the the mountain but that's really about it. Lot's of corny dialogue and weak attempts at comic relief by Eddie Quillan as Lowery's partner. Probably the best thing about the movie are some of the outdoor location shots utilized by Director William A. Berke that gave the film a nice atmosphere. All in all, it's probably a film that should be passed up unless your an absolute hard core crime film nitwit like I am.
Murder in the Night
(1939)
Dull And Lifeless
19 August 2004
A dreadfully boring, dull and lifeless "crime" film that was originally released in the UK as MURDER IN SOHO in 1939 and then released in the States as MURDER IN THE NIGHT in 1940. I watched this last night and even at about only 70 minutes, the film dragged and nearly had me nodding off a couple of times. The film stars Jack La Rue as this big time night club owner and "criminal" who wants only things that the finer parts of life can offer. La Rue actually comes off as likable and is hard to take seriously as a gangster. As a matter of fact, if you look quickly at him from time to time, he resembles Ricky Ricardo! Sandra Storme gives a horrid performance as the new night club act who's help is requested by Scotland Yard to help put an end to La Rue's "criminal reign". A total of four gunshots are fired in the film and there is absolutely no action. Instead you get nearly 70 minutes of hokey dialogue, song and dance and terrible stabs at comedic relief. All in all, a pretty awful movie.
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