bob_gilmore1 Reviews

Madison Avenue (1961)

Advertising drama will appeal more to sales types than average viewer

[8/10 · 24 February 2012]

As far as I know this 1962 drama is unavailable on video but thanks to the Fox Movie Channel it is back in circulation. The always dependable Dana Andrews plays a big time "build-up man" who appears to be at the pinnacle of his ad man career when his boss double crosses him and he is forced to seek revenge by going to a rival agency. The story involves almost an excessive amount of crosses and double crosses but those who have spent time in corporate America should find these antics interesting if not thoroughly engrossing.

Visually, the film has the look of contemporary Billy Wilder widescreen B&W classics like "The Apartment" and "One, Two, Three" and while it is not in that pedigree it nevertheless keeps things brimming along for its running time. Many have suggested that its sexual politics (using sex to get what you want) are out of date. My view is that while some of the overt strategies of 1962 have evolved the basic premise still prevails.

Fritz Lang, le cercle du destin - Les films allemands (2004 TV Movie)

Great Overview of Lang's German language films

[9/10 · 24 February 2012]

I must admit that I found this obscure French documentary especially interesting. Fritz Lang is my favorite director but that belief is based almost exclusively on his English language films since I have only seen a handful of the German silents discussed here.

The opinions on these films and Lang himself are presented by a number of personalities ranging from early noir pioneer Curt Siodmak to the French auteur Claude Chabrol. The documentary opens with a grabber: the first shots (and sounds) from Lang's last film made in Germany until after the war, "The Testament of Dr. Mabuse" All of the scenes from the earlier films seemed to be sourced from great prints and just enough is shown from each to want to make a fan seek them out.

While the prospects of a French documentary about a German silent director will not appear to be exciting to the average viewer this is a must see for those that enjoy the genre.

Brüno (2009)

LOL Funny film

[8/10 · 15 July 2009]

The producers of Borat are at it again and this time the target is the anti-gay marriage, anti-gay rights crowd. After becoming persona non grata in his home country of Austria,

a wildly gay fashion reporter travels to America to become a mega star. When his initial attempts fail he realizes that the biggest challenge that he faces is his sexual orientation. He travels to the deep south for a "pray away the gay" remedy. He also tries hard to be straight, even attending a swingers party with predictably disastrous results. The writers bring the gags; many hit their target square on and many are "just a bit outside." Bruno is great fun for all but the least tolerant out there across the fruited plain. Definitely do not watch with your mother or with your kids, unless you are ready to field a whole bunch of questions.

Moon (2009)

Sci Fi film on fast track to classic status

[10/10 · 15 July 2009]

With just two weeks to go on a three year hitch mining minerals on the moon an isolated man (Sam) awaits a return to earth and his wife and young daughter. Spare and stripped down to the essence of the central conflict (Man vs. technology) Moon shows a heavy 2001 influence but the Sean Connery film "Outland" is a precursor as well as the film introduces corporate greed into the equation. The story involves Sam talking to "gertie" a computer voiced by Kevin Spacey. Gertie pretty much calls the shots but what really gets Sam confused is when he awakens in the infirmary to find a carbon copy of himself going about duties on the station. He is exactly the same as Sam except he appears to have just started his tour of duty. Is one of them a clone? Is Sam still alive? Is this a dream? Moon asks a lot from the viewer in terms of paying attention but for those who stick with this acting tour de force will be richly rewarded by a conclusion that makes more sense the more that you think about it.

The Big Combo (1955)

Brutal, violent noir thriller

[9/10 · 26 June 2009]

With Brian Donlevey, Cornel Wilde and Richard Conte and the iconic noir shadings of John Alton "The Big Combo" is widely held as one of the best of the genre's films this late in the noir cycle. An obsessive police detective (Donlevey) bucks departmental policy to focus an investigation of mob kingpin Conte. Long before Jack Bauer would strap Arab type people to the chair, these "enhanced techniques" were used on Wilde. They blast his eardrums with loud drum music delivered via Donlevy's hearing aid, (it looks like a forerunner of today's "earbuds"), force him to drink hair tonic and beat the crap out of him, suggesting that he lay off the case. Of course this only increases the resolve of our noble protagonist as he searches for the key piece of evidence that will put his nemesis behind bars.

The is a no holds barred, tough picture. At the time the producers pushed the violence envelope further than any mainstream film before it even causing common taters to bemoan the state of modern entertainment. Even now after "The Sopranos" and "The Godfather" this tale seems especially brutal and the audiences are the better for it. Strongly recommended.

The Damned Don't Cry (1950)

Noir melodrama quite efficiently done

[9/10 · 26 June 2009]

Joan Crawford delivers a vintage performance in this rags to riches story of married early middle aged woman who leave her husband following the tragic death of her son. She has had enough of the grinding poverty associated with living in a small house with her in-laws and husband which is positioned close to pumping oil wells. Her mission is to be someone important, a woman of society. The method used is that of sleeping her way to the top of the syndicate latter.

None of this material is new or groundbreaking. "Flamingo Road" released earlier when Crawford was nearing the end of her stay at Warner Brothers covered much of the same ground. The Damned though benefits from even brisker than usual pacing and a strong supporting cast. The increased sexuality of the storyline was indicative at all the major studios as they saw the rise in the popularity of television was starting to cut against their numbers.

It may not be of the caliber of "Mildred Pierce" but it is very representative of the performances she was giving at the time

Hangover Square (1945)

Richly atmospheric thriller

[9/10 · 7 April 2009]

While RKO had Val Lewton and his psychological classic like "The Seventh Victim" and "Cat People" Fox had John Brahm, a much underrated director most famous for "The Lodger" a study of Jack The Ripper that also starred this film's leading man, Laird Cregor. For my money both Brahm and Cregor top themselves in this very similarly textured thriller about a classical pianist that suffers from a split personality. The bad news for him and those around him is that when he slips into "blackouts" that he takes the lives of those around him that he has disagreements with. There is no doubt that the success of "The Lodger" prompted Fox to re-teem the director with the star and also bring back George Sanders for a much similar role. This time rather than Scotland Yard detective Sanders plays a police alienist who Brahm initially seeks out when he has reason to believe that he has committed murder during one of the "missing time" intervals.

Set in 19th century London, the film benefits from brooding atmosphere and a set peculiarity. It seems that the film is set while London engineers are digging up the streets to lay new sewer pipes and the presence up the upturned earth and pipes laying about creates a near documentary feeling. Recently released by Fox alongside "The Lodger" and another Brahm feature this set is a great bargain and should be snatched up before it vanishes from stores.

Lured (1947)

Not exactly a film noir, but noir influenced

[8/10 · 11 March 2009]

To some people any movie shot in black and white in the 1940's that was not a western or a war movie is a film noir. Not that classifications are really important to one's enjoyment of a movie but they do guide the faithful as to which films to embrace. Since the term itself is retroactive (it was coined by the French in the late 50's and not used by US critics until the 70's)it is often very subjective.

Whether it be thriller or noir, Lured is a great example of how the studio system (even though this was an independent production) could turn out top notched entertainment over and over again. It is an early take on the serial killer sub-genre and given the uniform excellence of the cast, Lured is the type of movie that you could show in mixed company (the company being those that love old films & those that are indifferent to them)As a mystery it hold together pretty well. Is the killer Bris Karlof? Well he always plays a killer so it might be. Is it George Sanders? He plays the villain so much that no one would be surprised? Is the killer Cedrick Hardwicke (great as the old Pharaoh in "The Ten Commandments") is is the chauffeur? He looks guilty on occasion, and so on. In summation, I would say that Lured is more like a film noir than a true film noir but those interested in the genre will want to see for themselves.

Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Searing drama illuminates, frustrates

[8/10 · 11 March 2009]

RGM sports the documentary style eavesdropping viewpoint that is the vogue every now and then in mainstream cinema. Woody Allen used a similar approach in "Husbands & Wives" The hand held camera (in this case HD video tape) can provide that authentic, "not a movie" feeling that injects this observation with most of it poignancy. The performances will either frustrate or excite you depending on your proclivity for this type of angst. The story is a straightforward account of what happens when a twenty something young woman of a wealthy family gets a furlough from intensive in-patient drug therapy to attend her sister's wedding. The family, seeped in the accouterments of upper class Northeastern life, represent what conservatives call the "eastern liberal elite". It is the type of family that you simultaneously wish you could be a part of and want to avoid at all costs. To say that this family has "baggage" would be putting it mildly. Anne Hathaway gives an intense performance as the 12 step addled sister who struggles with a boatload of guilt and doubt about her future. Overall, while the film may grate at times (and is at least 20 minutes to long) it is an ambitious attempt to go deeper inside family emotions than just about anything that has come down the pike in recent years and the film boasts one of the most honest depictions of a NA or AA meeting that I have EVER seen on the screen.

The Reader (2008)

Multi-layered emotional triumph

[9/10 · 9 February 2009]

The Reader is a real rarity in movies today; an emotional film that resists a simple explanation. If you like your movies all neatly wrapped up for emotional consumption, "The Reader" is not for you. Our story begins in 1995 as our hero, Ralph Fiennes comments about his daughter's impending visit. We are soon transported back to 1958 as our character is seen as a young teenager getting violently ill in the rain. He is assisted by a woman who takes him to her apartment and before a whole lot has transpired they have begun a sexual affair, an affair that both parties keep secret. We move forward eight years hence when our hero is a young law student witnessing the war crimes trial of several minor SS guards. The woman that taught him about sexual love is one of the women in the dock.

As difficult as it is to sum up in under 100 words what this film is about, it is just as rewarding to the patient viewer. It covers a wide range of issues and has something important to say about a wide range of subjects, from The Holocaust to adult literacy. From lustful sex to repressed memories. Kate Winslet is absolutely stunning as a woman who ages forty years before our eyes. Every performance rings true to some extent and that is no easy task given the depth of the lead. "The Reader" is a film that will reward the patient viewer with one of the best paced and developed stories of the year.

The Man with a Cloak (1951)

Victorian noir, indeed

[7/10 · 20 January 2009]

While not in the top drawer of mystery films of the era, the film should come as a pleasant surprise for those interested in the period and definitely will register with films of the noir genre. The plot is difficult to sum up quickly but rest assured that it is literary and interesting, involves at least one or two good twists and sports a fine cast of players better known for work in more famous films. Joseph Cotten is particularly fine as the man of mystery who foils an attempt to rob the inheritance related to the demise of an old reprobate (Louis Calhern) in 1840's New York. Throw in Barbara Stanwyck at her most sultry and Leslie Carone at her most innocent and you have a film that does not exactly match the excitement generated by the opening scenes but holds one's attention nonetheless.

This Is My Affair (1937)

Overlooked Historical Drama

[8/10 · 7 January 2009]

In 1937 Darryl Zanuck, who had recently moved from head of production at Warner Brothers, was trying to get his newly created company, 20th Century Fox off the ground and on a level playing field with his old bosses at Warners and the glitter palace at MGM. "This Is My Affair" was an attempt to cash in on the current success of historical films set around the turn of the century ("San Francisco" "In Old Chicago")and in retrospect he succeeded quite mightily. The plot is fascinating. A trouble maker but heroic naval officer (Robert Taylor) is given a secret assignment by President McKinley to uncover a ring of bank robbers that are paralyzing American finance. He finds the gang but falls in love with their female mascot (Barbara Stanwyck) and must decide between love and duty.

Not everything about this vintage film works well, but overall it is a good slice of studio film-making. The plot gimmick would be borrowed by Kurt Vonnegut for "Mother Night" (the lead role of that film of the book was played brilliantly by Nick Nolte) and seems quite believable, at least within the confides of studio make believe. As a fan of old movies I am always thrilled when I stumble upon one that I have never seen and "This is my Affair" was no exception.

Frost/Nixon (2008)

Not Quite what it could have been

[7/10 · 5 January 2009]

Watching the previews for Frost/Nixon suggest a film replete with growing tension and excitement, a sort of "All The President's Men" played out before the TV cameras. In actuality "Frost/Nixon" is a fairly unimaginative filming of what must have been a great play; at the time Ron Howard plunked down a record amount of money to by the rights. What has made it to the screen is something less than riveting.

On the plus side we have Frank Langella, who, having starred in the stage version has the part down pat. Almost a little too pat as he seems to give his performance in a vacuum. While this causes the early scenes in the film to be somewhat void of excitement it does contribute to the undeniable peak of the film, when the interview schedule turns to the Watergate cover-up. Is it worth it? That is a question of individual taste and attention span as the film boils down to what was a fifteen round heavyweight fight. The early rounds are dull indeed, as the fighters probe and spar, searching for weaknesses. The supporting players are strong. Kevin Bacon and Oliver Platt do more than their share, but in the final analysis it comes down to what the the title suggests. Frost/Nixon is not a great film but you could do worse and probably often do at the multiplexes these days.

Milk (I) (2008)

Stunning Biography

[9/10 · 5 January 2009]

Milk is one of the best films of the year and is a safe bet to make an appearance at this year's Oscar contest with Sean Penn almost locked into the favorite role for Best Actor. The film focuses on the gay rights movement in San Francisco in the 1970's and what could have easily boiled down to tired rhetoric is actually quite uplifting and entertaining.

The film's framing device (harvey Milk predicting his own death in a taped interview with himself) is actually a pretty good way to plot out the story line beginning with Milk's arrival in SF and his meeting up with his long time lover (James Franco). The relationship between them is quite accurately observed. Those with an open mind will realize that these are the pitfalls inherent in any long term relationship, gay or straight. Another great performance is delivered by Josh Brolin as Dan White, the council member who finally cracked and whose attorneys came up with the infamous "twinkie defense".

You don't have to be a liberal activist to enjoy Milk. Penn's performance infuses such humanity in the lead that the picture transcends many of the limitations of the biopic genre and makes for quite rousing entertainment regardless of your preconceptions.

Revolutionary Road (2008)

Less Than Meets The Eye

[5/10 · 2 January 2009]

While the film has all of the trappings of Oscar gold including a large marketing campaign, a top shelf cast and Golden Globe nominations it fails the biggest test: Watchability. After an intriguing first half hour the film seems to slip into a predictable pattern and by the end that pattern has worn out its welcome.

Director Sam Mendes is no stranger to marital drama. He swept the Oscars with "American Beauty" a film that made Kevin Spacey a star and was extremely accurate at mining the contradictions of upper middle class domestic bliss. The wild success of "Desperate Housewives" owes more than a small debt to that film. His follow-up "Road To Perdition" broadened the scope but at its heart was a study of the family. Turning his focus to a popular and critically acclaimed novel I must say that he falls flat this time despite the efforts of DeCaprio and Winslett, the pair that hold the record for the most successful box office champion of all time.

"Road" is set in about the same time period as AMC's critically acclaimed "Mad Men" and is about a couple approaching their 10th anniversary. They live in a nice house and have two darling kids and are friends with other couples. The film suggests that according to the standards of the current zeitgeist they should be happy and content. But the script suggests that the pair once believed that they were "special" above the milieu of everyday life. Unforetunately there seems to be very little that is "special" about them unless you consider the husband's extramarital affairs at work or what would appear to be the increasing erratic behavior of his wife to fall into any ex halted category.

At first the aggressive banter between the pair seems jarring and somewhat unique if not totally captivating. But precious little happens in the story and we are left to chew on basically two performers showing us all of their chops and if we can draw anything from the finished product it may be that either Mendes is not that great of a director or maybe that these movie stars are not great movie artists at least not good enough to carry an entire film without any real support. DeCaprio seemed to blow away his detractors with his stunning work in "The Departed" but in retrospect the kudos may actually belong with Scorsese who helmed that project. I guess that everyone will draw their own conclusion but my guess is that simple deduction would place the blame on the performers.

The glowing reviews, award nominations and the cast will most likely bring the public in to see the film but my guess is that this Road will end up being less traveled than others.

The Seventh Victim (1943)

B Thriller predicts Rosemary's Baby

[10/10 · 7 November 2008]

The Seventh Victim is a somewhat overlooked gem from the classic period known as Hollywood's Golden Age or The Studio System or basically referring to a time when movies did not have to compete with television. In those days everyone went to the movies at least once a week. Films were not aimed necessarily at the lowest common denominator as most are now. People who made films actually assumed that the audiences were adult, literate and in most cases willing to sit through scenes that did not focus group very well. The "Production Code" was still very much an issue. Blood, gore, sex and swearing were kept to a minimum. Viewers had to interpret often ambiguous comments and double entendre to get the point. The feeling was that if you were to young or naive to get the clue that it's inappropriateness would not harm or offend you in any way.

This picture was made by RKO's head of horror production, Val Lewton. Given small budgets and being saddled with idiotic titles (This fares better than the titles for "Cat People" and "I walked with a zombie") Lewton was able to fashion films that stand up to the test of time. This was one of them. It begins in a fairly straightforward manner as a young woman must leave boarding school to try to find her older sister who seems to have disappeared in the big city of New York. Let it be said that nothing that she encounters is really as it looks and many surprises await her and the viewer.

Suffice it to say a lot of the value from this movie is directly linked to how little you know about the actual plot so I will dispense with saying anything that might limit your enjoyment. It is one of the darkest films of the period and any period for that matter but is absolutely knockout entertainment and is not to be missed.

Smart People (2008)

Acceptable Comedy-Drama in the "Wonder Boys" vein

[8/10 · 24 October 2008]

I must begin my admitting that I have found all of Payne's movies to be quite entertaining; he writes a lot of heart into all of his characters. Few of them fit the typical Hollywood cookie cutter mold. While it may not be as side splittingly funny as "Election" or "Sideways" it is a rather accurate depiction of campus life, viewed not from the student's standpoint from from the slightly over the hill professors.

Dennis Quaid's character is either a rip off or homage (depending on whether you like the director) of the Michael Douglas character in Curtis Hanson's "Wonder Boys" but that type of person is so rarely given the screen treatment that it is far from redundant. Having spent a year at Grad school I can attest to the accuracy of the post graduate environment. Instructors like these are wondering around schools all over America and more often then not they make a positive contribution to the lives of their students. The other thing that the show has going for it is that there are at least four well developed characters that grow and develop over the course of the film. As a viewer, you could do a lot worse than "Smart People."

The Lazarus Project (2008)

Derivative but highly watchable psycho-drama

[8/10 · 24 October 2008]

After facing lethal injection for a multiple murder that he happened to be the only survivor of, our hero awakens to find that he is the grounds keeper at a mental hospital for priests deep in the forests of Oregon. He faces the normal confusion that would be expected by such a turn of events but actually starts to get used to this second chance at life even though he has been told by a visionary figure that he can not ever return to his old life with his wife and child. Things really start getting weird after that.

While the film is sharply derivative of many other better films ranging from "The Shining" to "Jacob's Ladder" it gets by and remains entertaining because it is the type of film that hits it's modest targets squarely on. The pacing is not exactly brisk so if you require your movies to keep you awake and alert then this might not be the DVD rental for you but this psychological drama is definitely worth a rental especially if you like this type of stuff

The Ninth Gate (1999)

Best to watch it 9 times.....

[10/10 · 10 October 2007]

Time has been good to "The Ninth Gate." Generally panned upon release as a "would be" international sensation it has generated quite a cult (go figure) following and rewards patient viewing. Like the great noir films ("The Big Sleep", "Murder My Sweet" etc) the joy is found not at the end of the film when everything "is tied up with pink ribbons on it" but rather in the quest itself. Many of the film's defenders (who were actually surprised by the flood of negative reviews) go to great lenghts to justify it's plotting, lighting, music, etc. but the real defense of the film is that it is one of the best film noirs made since, you guessed it, Chinatown.

Much of the film's technical qualities have been widely praised in this entry but to see such a convergence of fine film making technique all at once is quite a bit of fun. At any point in the film you can focus on the set-ups, framing and what not and can certainly tell the difference between this and the routine collection of hack jobs that show up at the multiplexes weekly.

It would not be until the release of "The Pianist" two years later that Polanksi would get the majority of critics squarely back in his camp. The "Ninth Gate" is almost reason enough to quit reading the critics, period.

Borderline (1950)

Just plain lousy

[3/10 · 3 October 2007]

With so many films of the 40's and 50's readily available for cheap (public domain)it is possible to build a pretty large library of classic period films with the change that you find in your couch. I had owned this one for over a year before I watched it (it was wedged inside a budget "film noir" collection.) I was very impressed when the title credits rolled (excellent transfer-rare for public domain DVD)and noir greats Claire Trevor, Fred MacMurray and Raymond Burr head the cast. It takes about 60 seconds to figure out that this is not a film noir and it takes about another ten minutes to realize that it is not a send-up like Bob Hope's "My Favorite Brunette". It is just a lame film that for some reason has been kept from showing much wear and tear. That said, if you are a hardcore fan of the noir or classic genre it is almost worth sitting through simply for the unintended laughs. And it may make you reach for films like "The Blue Gardenia" or "Desperate" to see what a great noir actor that Raymond Burr was.

The Long Goodbye (1973)

One Of The Most Controversial films of the 70's

[10/10 · 19 September 2007]

The Long Goodbye was one of the most controversial films of 1970's. Along with McCabe & Mrs Miller Robert Altman polarized critical reaction that in many ways contributed to both films poor showing at the box-office. By 1973 a lot of the good will that Altman had built up from the commercial and critical hit MASH had dissipated and his films were playing to near empty houses around the country. Older critics that had grown up with Bogart as Phillip Marlowe could not believe what Elliot Gould had done to their hero. Marlowe is now a plodding, stupid and out of touch private detective that still charges just a few dollars a day and expenses and drives a 1949 car and lives in a rather squalid apartment.

Time has been good to The Long Goodbye. As virtually all of the movies of the film noir genre have been re-released and canonized we have a broader perspective with which to place Gould's take on the private eye. Gould's Marlowe is a logical figure given what the 70's were like and where the movies were heading.

Shown in very bright Southern Cailfornia sunshine the film turns a lot of visual traditions of the style on their head but the feel is stil distinctly nourish predating the visual style of "The Rockford Files" to hit the small screen in a couple of years. Both work within the noir framework and reward repeat viewings. The ending has been particularly maligned by the commentators of the time but viewed from a 21st century perspective it is just the perfect way to close the film.

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Defines difference between quality & entertainment

[6/10 · 11 September 2007]

It seems that Russel Crowe has been trying to dig himself out of a hole ever since he threw that telephone at a hotel worker....Alas this remake of a relatively minor film from the 50's is a great example of a film that is extremely well made but lets be honest, not a great deal of fun.

Everything about the film is a downer. I don't mean that in a bad way but potential film-goers need to know what they are getting in for. While the cast is uniformly excellent the question that is begged here is why was this film remade? They have lifted whole sections of dialog from Delmer's film and have really done nothing more than add realism to the violence. Sure, it is in color but to what end? Every bit of vibrancy in the image has been drained out as if they wanted to do it in black and white but didn't have the guts.

I really wanted to enjoy this movie but found myself checking my watch on more than one occasion particularly in the last half hour. Mangold has made some great films ("Identity" comes to mind even more than "Walk The Line") but all that he really proves here is that given two of the finest actors working today that he can do as well as Delmer Daves did 50 years ago.

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Hard Boiled View Of Media, Relationships

[9/10 · 26 June 2007]

When Billy Wilder's "Ace In The Hole" was released back in 1951 it was not a very popular film. It's reputation was such such that Wilder himself referred to it has his "runt of the litter." While "Stalag 17' from the previous year had been a major hit audiences found nothing upbeat about this entry. It stars Kirk Douglass as a newspaper writer who gets stuck out west doing stories about quaint local events because his reputations proceeds him at the big eastern papers. It seems as if our hero has had a habit of seeking out his publishers' wives for his own purposes.

Douglass gets his chance when he runs across a man trapped in a cave in that happens to be in the middle of a sacred Indian burial ground. As the entrapment drags on Douglass gets exclusive rights to the story and manipulates events to catapult his power until the trapped man eventually dies when he could have been rescued. A broken man, Douglass has about the same future now as Walter Neff had in the closing frames of "Double Indemnity." Time has been good to "Ace In The Hole." It's critique of the media has become what we now expect of all news and entertainment sources. We understand and feel for the reporter in a way that was not possible in the 1950's and we are much more likely to root for him. The film was remade in 1997 as "Mad City." Those that are into film noir or classic Hollywood would be advised to take a look at "Ace In The Hole" and from what I have heard the knew Criterion DVD is a great package.

The Night of the Following Day (1969)

Rarely screened Caper film a surprising find

[9/10 · 9 May 2007]

Wondering through the list of "free movies" available from my cable provider I stumbled on this rarely screened suspense film from the late 60's about an unstable group of kidnappers whose plot to snatch a rich heiress go completely wrong. The film has a slow, deliberate pace that is evident from the opening credits. It is not surprising that the younger generation brought up on MTV and comic book action sequels and prequels would be so bored by a film that takes it's time in unspooling its simple plot. The picture was made in a different era when directors could actually present a vision and let the audience decide if they liked it; not a focus group or committee of studio executives. American films reached a certain creative peak in the late 60's and early 70's before the blockbuster knocked everything else off the playing film. This is a serious movie for people that are looking a little deeper than the surface for enrichment. This is a movie that causes you to FEEL something. You may feel bored, hypnotized or energized but you won't walk away feeling nothing.

The performances are all strong, especially Brando as a "chauffer" that leads the gang. While the heavy (Richard Boone) may explain to the kidnap victim that "we are all professional criminals" they certainly don't act like it. Their desperation is evident as the plot unravels.

The ending is much discussed (on this very site, for instance) but it is quite satisfying along the lines of Fritz Lang's "The Woman In The Window" but it is not an obvious copy as it took me several hours to come up with the comparison.

Cause for Alarm! (1951)

Suspense Film certainly worth the money

[7/10 · 3 April 2007]

After picking up a cut-rate DVD box set containing 100 "mystery" films that have lapsed into the public domain I came across this thriller from 1951 about a dutiful housewife who watches her bedridden husband slip into paranoia. Whether the film possesses film noir bona fidas is not the question; the answer is that the film is quite effective at stirring up Hitchcock like thrills for the picture's final reels. The filmmakers even inject a note of ambiguity at the film's conclusion enough to make you wonder if the film's climax could perhaps be viewed from a different perspective.

Like so many films of the era there are several things that do raise humorous eyebrows these days. At the onset Loretta Young is doing "housework"; struggling with an unruly vacuum cleaner while wearing an elegant dress that would be more than appropriate attire for a four star restaurant. It really wasn't that long ago that millions of women would have killed for Young's sedate upper middle class existence as a "housewife." The idea that a doctor would make a house-call (let alone two house-calls in one day) is a humorous artifact of a bygone era. Redgardless of the anachronistic humor, "Cause For Alarm" is a pleasant diversion.