Minor masterpiece
Director Jules Dissan is better known for other films: Rififi, Thieves Highway, Night in the City, The Naked City, and other gems. This 1946 production for MGM is sort of like Hitchcock films of the 50's: witty, smart, and rather opulent...............it is a glamorous movie about two thieves who fall in love.......the plot is clever, and the final scene takes place during Mardi Gras where a very suspenseful 15 minutes unfold. The editing and direction of this scene is magnificent. Being MGM there is no skimping on extras or production value.....this movie is a visual treat.
The cast includes film noir icons Lloyd Nolan ( The House on 92nd Street ) Elisha Cook Jr ( I Wake Up Screaming ), and Lucille Ball ( The Dark Corner )..John Hodiak plays a very dashing leading man. All in all this is a very entertaining movie............I have yet to watch a Jules Dissan film I have not enjoyed. I recommend highly.
Decent film with interesting combination of stars
In this story of who is double-crossing who, John Hodiak gets a chance to play leading man with a non-comedic Lucille Ball. Instead of focusing too much on the story, the better focus here is on the stars. Hodiak is good as the con man at the center of the story. The romance with Ball as the female con woman keeps the plot interesting as it puts more ambiguity to their motives. Lloyd Nolan is strong as the cop with a heart and gets a pretty nice role in the film. If you are a fan of Hodiak you should see this one. Don't expect "Lucy" here though, there is no trace of her comic self and here she plays the glamourous leading lady. For another good film with Hodiak see "Lady without a Passport". Overall an entertaining film but not a classic.
Click to Editorial Reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment