STELLA DALLAS (1937)

 

This is one classic 1930's movie that I've somehow managed to miss all these years. So, I was happy to finally get a chance to see it during the second week of my Barbara Stanwyck film class. All I knew about the film was that it was Miss Stanwyck's first of several Oscar nominations for Best Actress, although she never actually won the award. 

Our instructor informed us that the hard-working Stanwyck had completed fourteen films between BABY FACE and STELLA DALLAS, her stature and popularity increasing as time went on. In watching her performance in this film, one gets the impression that it was a labor of love for the actress. It's hard to believe that the producer, Samuel Goldwyn, initially didn't want her for the role. His first choice was Miriam Hopkins. As talented as Hopkins was, I can't see her bringing Stella to life as well as Stanwyck. The story, based on the novel by Olive Prouty, had been filmed previously in 1925, with Belle Bennett playing the title role. It was filmed again in 1990 as STELLA, with Bette Midler. The 1937 version was directed by King Vidor.

The story has Stella Martin living with her working-class family and dreaming of improving her circumstances. She sets her sights on businessman Stephen Dallas (John Boles), the owner of the mill where Stella's father and brother both work. The two have a brief courtship and get married. A year later, their daughter, Laurel (Anne Shirley), is born. Stella loves being a mother, but her marriage begins to suffer because she is unable to overcome her working-class status. As the story goes on, Stella is faced with a heartbreaking decision to sacrifice her own happiness for her daughter's future.

I don't want to give away any spoilers to anyone who hasn't yet seen the film. This is a perfect example of what used to be called a "woman's picture", as well as the more derogative term, a "weepie". Indeed, you might want to keep a box of Kleenexes nearby when you get to the very emotional ending. 

As much as I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and Stanwyck's performance, I sometimes found her acting a little overstated. It also seemed slightly implausible that Stella, having found a high-class husband and an opportunity to escape her origins, appeared to make little attempt to actually improve herself. What did ring true was the cruelty of many of the people she encountered in her husband's circle, people who mocked her for her imperfect manners and style of dress. As Stella's grown daughter, Anne Shirley hits the right mark as a girl who adores her mother and hates to see her being ridiculed. Miss Shirley was nominated for Best Supporting Actress of 1937 but didn't win. 

It was good to finally see this old classic, and I plan to get a Blu-ray copy, which also features the 1925 silent version.

Barbara Stanwyck and John Boles

 

BIG SCREEN THRILL: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925)

 

I admit to spending less and less time going out to see movies, but if anything can inspire me to venture forth into a theater, it's a revival of an old classic, and that's what happened last night. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, starring the legendary Lon Chaney, was playing for one night at the beautiful Virginia Theater in Champaign, Illinois, and I wasn't about to miss out on seeing it on a big screen. 

The Virginia is a movie palace that was built in 1921, with a wide screen and a stage that was used for vaudeville shows. It closed several years ago as a first-run theater and was eventually taken over by the Champaign Park district and lovingly restored to its former glory. It's used for a variety of live performances, the annual Roger Ebert Film Festival, and for periodic film showings throughout the year. Many of the films are sponsored by our local newspaper, The News-Gazette.

One of the nice features of the Virginia is the built-in Wurlitzer organ that has also been kept in repair all these many years and provided marvelous accompaniment for this silent classic. The imagery of the film was excellent. It's been may years since I saw the film, and there were so many things I didn't remember about it. So, it was kind of like seeing it for the first time. The crowd was fairly large, and, I must say, well-behaved. I saw only a few cell phones lighting up on occasion and there was respectful attention given to the screen. After the movie ended, the organist received a standing ovation. I chose a seat in the back row and had a perfect view of the film. All in all, it was a cinephile's delight, and I'm so glad I went.

My DVD of the film is a 2-disc package from Image Entertainment that I picked up at a video store that was going out of business quite a number of years ago. It has two versions of the film and many other extra features. It plays beautifully, so I don't feel compelled to replace it. But who knows; that double-dip fever may one day overtake me.

BABY FACE (1933)

 

This week, I started another non-credit film course at the Osher Lifelong Living Institute (OLLI) at the University of Illinois here in Champaign. The course is being taught by film scholar and critic Chuck Koplinski, who has taught most of the classes I've taken. This time, Chuck's class is called: Barbara Stanwyck: Actress, Icon. For eight weeks we will be viewing films starring this legendary lady of the screen.

The first film we watched was the pre-code classic BABY FACE (1933), directed by Alfred E. Green. I actually saw this film in another one of Chuck's film classes several years ago and I also have a DVD copy. Even though I'm familiar with the movie, it was a pleasure to see it again in a classroom setting.

Stanwyck plays a young woman named Lily Powers, who works in her father's speakeasy in Erie, Pennsylvania during Prohibition. Since the age of fourteen, Lily's father has been selling her as a prostitute to his customers. One of those customers, a prominent politician, threatens to close down the business when Lily refuses his sexual advances. Before that can happen, the business burns down, and her father is killed. Not having any other prospects, Lily is prepared to accept a job as a stripper in a burlesque house. An older man whom Lily trusts advises her to use her sexual power over men to get the things she wants instead of allowing herself to be a victim. Lily takes his advice and leaves for New York with her best friend, Chico (Theresa Harris), who also worked at the speakeasy.

Theresa Harris and Barbara Stanwyck

Using her newly acquired seduction skills, a determined Lily manages to get hired as a file clerk at Gotham Trust, a prestigious bank in Manhattan. From that modest beginning, she literally sleeps her way to the top floor of the company, man by man, until she is living in high style as a kept woman by one of the banks' executives, with Chico as her maid. When a former suitor is inflamed with jealousy, he comes to their opulent apartment to shoot the executive and then kill himself. Mired in scandal, Lily attempts to come out ahead by threatening to sell her diary to a magazine unless Gotham Trust pays her $15,000 to keep quiet. But the new bank president, Courtland Trenholm (George Brent), refuses to go along with the idea and sends Lily to Paris to work at the bank's branch there, avoiding further scandal.

George Brent and Barbara Stanwyck

When Courtland comes to Paris after a few years, he and Lily fall in love and begin a romance. After they marry, they have to return to New York, as the bank is failing. The board members blame Courtland for the failure, and he must raise money for his legal defense. He asks his wife to give back all the bonds, etc., he has given her, but she refuses to give up the security she's worked for all her life. She and Chico prepare to leave on a ship going to Paris. But she changes her mind and goes back to Courtland, only to find that he's shot himself. She rides with him in the ambulance, along with her money, bonds and jewelry, all of which she intends to trade for true love.

If this story sounds outrageous and somewhat cartoonish, you must remember this was 1933, and wicked women were big box office. In fact, they had been ever since Theda Bara started destroying men in 1915. What makes this movie work is Stanwyck herself, who gives a controlled, convincing performance as Lily Powers, the ultimate sexual politician. Another less talented actress might have portrayed Lily as a Mae West type, or as Jean Harlow played a similar character in REDHEADED WOMAN at MGM in 1932. In fact, BABY FACE was Warner Brothers' answer to the successful MGM picture. 

With its themes of sexual immorality and prostitution, BABY FACE received quite a bit of condemnation and is considered to be the reason why the Hollywood Production Code was finally turned into a powerful force. After the film was released, Warner Brothers decided to make several changes and re-release a censored version which was approved by the Production Code. The original version was considered lost until a copy was found in a Library of Congress film vault in Dayton, Ohio. That version is now available to be seen.

Lily confronts her father, played by Robert Barrat

Baby Face shows off her seductive style to one of her victims.

Barbara Stanwyck and Theresa Harris looking glamorous.

Some interesting faces turn up in the picture. A young John Wayne, taking a break from his low-budget cowboy flicks, puts on a suit to play a bank employee and one of Lily's many anxious suitors. And uncredited Edward Van Sloan, known for his role as Van Helsing in Universal's DRACULA (1931) and other horrors, brings his recognizable voice to the movie as one of the banks officers. It's especially wonderful seeing beautiful Theresa Harris in a significant role. Like all African-American actors and actresses in the Hollywood of the era, she was given very few opportunities to play anything but servants, but she's given a good showcase here. And look fast for gorgeous blonde Toby Wing from FORTY-SECOND STREET (1933) as an office girl.

Next week, we're going to watch STELLA DALLAS (1937), which garnered Stanwyck her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress. It's a film I haven't seen, so I'm looking forward to it.

Barbara Stanwyck tangles with John Wayne

THE DARK SECRET OF HARVEST HOME (1978)

 

Directed by Leo Penn. Based on the 1973 novel Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon. Originally produced at Univeral as a miniseries for NBC, airing on January 23-24, 1978 at 228 minutes. Later rebroadcast at 3 hours 48 minutes and 3 hours. Also released on DVD at 2 hours.

Starring: Bette Davis, David Akroyd, Joanna Miles, Rosanna Arquette, Rene Auberjonois, John Calvin, Laurie Prange and Norman Lloyd.

When most of us think of Folk Horror, films like THE WICKER MAN (1973) and MIDSOMMAR (2019) usually come to mind. This 1978 TV miniseries shares similar story points with those two feature films: pagan fertility rites, matriarchy, and cultish/spiritual fanaticism.  I never saw the complete TV version, but only the two-hour DVD release that I seem to remember picking up at a flea market years ago. So, I can't speak to the possible richness and effectiveness of the complete version. The DVD version is indeed effective and atmospheric as presented, but the story does have a few loose ends that may have been followed through more thoroughly in the miniseries.

Without giving too much away for those who haven't seen the movie or the miniseries, here is the basic plot. A married couple from New York City, Nick and Beth Constatine (Akroyd and Miles), and their teenage daughter, Kate (Arquette), happen to come across a town in Connecticut named Cornwall Coombe. The family stops to walk around the picturesque village, finding themselves surprised and charmed by the old-fashioned customs and farming techniques. They decide to buy a house from the town matriarch, Widow Fortune (Davis) and start a new life in the village, trying to learn what they are told are "the ways", the age-old practices of the villagers. Beth and Kate grow accustomed to their new surroundings with enthusiasm. But Nick grows increasingly uneasy and questions many things that he sees and hears. He soon learns that asking too many questions is a bad idea. Nonetheless, all of his questions are answered at the village festival known as Harvest Home.

Joanna Miles and David Akroyd

With the prevailing restraints and standards governing television production at the time, there is very little actual violence, although some scenes, especially at the climax, push as far toward the edge as possible. There is a strong, slowly building erotic element to the story, which isn't at all graphic, certainly not by today's standards. Nick Constantine functions as not only an outsider attempting to navigate a world he doesn't understand, but as a detective trying to solve a mystery. He has much in common with Edward Woodward's character in THE WICKER MAN, but without the religious convictions. In the place of Christopher Lee's Lord Summerisle, we have Miss Davis's regal, implacable Widow Fortune. 

By this stage in her career, Bette Davis had become firmly established as an icon from Hollywood's Golden Age, a living legend. Feature film roles were infrequent, so she worked mostly on television. Her name brought prestige to any project she was involved with. As Widow Fortune, she is dressed all in black, a look that can suggest witchcraft as much as mourning, especially considering her association with the horror genre. Miss Davis is her usual powerful, dominant presence, although she is given many lighter, softer moments as well. She gives what I would call her standard Bette Davis latter-day performance, with all of her lines enunciated perfectly in a regal cadence that at times sounds more like recitation than acting. But that doesn't matter. Anyone who loves Miss Davis as much as I do will not be disappointed with her presence here. And anyone who enjoys slow-burn horror films won't be disappointed either.  The top acting honors, in my opinion, go to Rene Auberjonois in the supporting role of Jack Stump, a quirky villager who is called upon to suffer and emote much more than the actor did in all seven years of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and to Akroyd, who has more screen time than any other character. He is at once subtle and intense, making you believe his mounting sense of terror.

THE DELIGHTFULLY UBIQUITOUS BESS FLOWERS

 

If you are a fan of old movies from the 1920s to the 1960s, then this lovely face must be familiar to you. This elegant lady is Bess Flowers (1898-1985), and she has over one thousand film and television credits dating all the way back to 1923. Most of her appearances were uncredited and brief, in crowd scenes, party scenes, etc. Occasionally, she played a character in a film, such as her role as a secretary in DOUBLE INDEMNITY. And she sometimes even spoke a line or two in a film, as in ALL ABOUT EVE, where she approaches award winner Eve Harrington (Ann Baxter) with the words, "I'm so happy for you, Eve." Now do you recognize her? 

Miss Flowers gained the title of Queen of the Hollywood Extras, or more specifically, dress extras, who were seen wearing fashionable clothes, usually their own, in thousands of party scenes and crowd scenes in movies. She holds the record for appearing in the most films nominated for Best Picture, twenty-three, including these five winners: IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934), YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU (1938), ALL ABOUT EVE (1950), THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) and AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS (1956). Her last feature film appearance was in GOOD NEIGHBOR SAM (1964.)

I never knew anything about her until I read the excellent book ALL ABOUT ALL ABOUT EVE by Sam Staggs. Mr. Staggs did painstaking research for his book, covering every possible detail concerning the film as well as every name connected with it. He said of her: "For her brief role in ALL ABOUT EVE, credit is due but none is given. You find her name not on the screen but rather in scholarly lists compiled by passionate cinephiles." After I became aware of who Bess Flowers was, I found myself spotting her face in dozens of films, many that I'd seen before (IMITATION OF LIFE (1959), A STAR IS BORN (1954), etc.) and I continue to spot her today. For example, she showed up in two films I reviewed in my previous blogpost about my Kino-Lorber update: NO MAN OF HER OWN and THE SCARLET HOUR. I think of these pleasant surprises as Bess Flowers Sightings, just one more enjoyable aspect of exploring old movies.

Miss Flowers in DOUBLE INDEMNITY with Barbara Stanwyck in the background.

With Vivian Vance and Lucille Ball on TV.

In SONG OF THE THIN MAN (1947)

COLLECTION UPDATE: KINO-LORBER SUMMER SALE 2025

 

Once again, the good folks at Kino-Lorber have found their way into my wallet and wreaked cinematic havoc with my credit card. It seems like I just managed to store all the items I picked up during the last sale, making sure everything is alphabetized and in its proper place. At this point, I have to say Kino has become my boutique label of choice, even more than the Criterion Collection. Their catalogue is endlessly eclectic, and I've always had good luck with the quality of their products. My only complaint is that if I continue life as a Kino junkie, I'm going to need a bigger movie room. Or maybe just taller shelves! Here's a look at my recent purchases.

ROCK, PRETTY BABY! (1956) Full disclosure: This is one of Kino's new releases and wasn't included in the summer sale. But I've always loved this movie, so I was more than happy to pay full price, even though I already had a fairly decent DVD copy from The Video Beat. There's nothing profound going on in this combination of music and Teen Angst drama. It's all about a group of high school boys who form a rock and roll band and all of the obstacles they face in trying to achieve fame and fortune. Well, OK, not exactly fame and fortune. But they're at least trying to get a few gigs and make a few bucks and then enter a Big Contest. The band leader is John Saxon, and his main obstacle is his father, Edward Platt, who wants the kid to drop the guitar playing and go to medical school. That's just about the whole plot, with a little romance thrown in between Saxon and Luana Patten. There's a strong "TV sitcom" vibe about this movie, meaning that the Teen Angst is much more family friendly than what was portrayed in recent blockbusters like BLACKBOARD JUNGLE and REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE, both released in 1955. What makes it so interesting is that Sal Mineo, who became a sensation after appearing in REBEL, is the top-billed star in ROCK, PRETTY BABY, and Edward Platt also had a prominent role as the police detective in REBEL. Mineo is used mainly for marquee name value, and his persona in this film is nothing like his troubled youth in REBEL. As the band's drummer, Mineo spends most of his screen time being overly cocky, sarcastic and chasing girls.  His character isn't really all that important, but Mineo was a big draw for the teenage audience. The center of the film is John Saxon, who fulfills the promise of his previous film, THE UNGUARDED MOMENT. Saxon has just the right combination of edgy rebelliousness and sensitivity that makes us care about him but also wonder when he might turn dangerous. Saxon, more than anyone else, raises the dramatic quality of the film, and his father/son scenes with Platt are quite moving and believable. Also featuring Fay Wray, Shelley Fabares, George "Foghorn" Winslow and Rod McKuen. McKuen composed some of the music, and the entire soundtrack is surprisingly good. 

SUPERNATURAL (1933) I hadn't seen this movie since the early 1960s, and all I remembered about it were the opening credits and the theme music. The plot is so far-fetched, I can't possibly do it justice here. It has to do with seances, soul transference, and possession. Carole Lombard, in a departure from her usual comedy roles, becomes possessed by the soul of a woman executed for murder. She does her best to look creepy and the movie is fascinating, as much as a curio as anything else. Featuring Randolph Scott and H.B. Warner. Filmed at Paramount, not Universal, and directed by Victor Halperin (WHITE ZOMBIE).

FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA XIX

Kino-Lorber continues to expand the definition of Film Noir with its series of box sets under this genre umbrella. I love digging into these releases, as many of them were unfamiliar to me. And it's always fun to explore that age-old question: Is it Noir, or isn't it? Some of them are straightforward crime dramas, while some are romantic melodramas with a criminal element. But what usually brings them into the Noir universe is some kind of fatalism or bad choice in a character's past that comes back to haunt him or her.

DARK CITY (1950) Produced by Hal Wallis at Paramount and directed by William Dieterle, this is a genuine Noir classic. Charlton Heston makes a solid impression in his film debut. He is supported by an amazing cast of actors: Lizabeth Scott as a husky voiced (What else?) torch singer, Viveca Lindfors, Dean Jagger, Don DeFore, Mike Mazurki, Jack Webb and Harry Morgan. A real gem.

BEWARE, MY LOVELY (1952) After scoring big with the Noir classic ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1952), Ida Lupino and Robert Ryan team up again in this excellent, intense film. Lupino is a widow who hires Ryan, a total stranger, to do some handyman work around her house. She doesn't know that the man is mentally deranged, not only extremely paranoid, but also suffering from memory lapses. She becomes a prisoner in her own home. I'd never seen this film before, and it was excellent from the beginning to the totally unexpected ending. 

NO MAN OF HER OWN (1950) Barbara Stanwyck gives an excellent, restrained performance as an unwed expectant mother who befriends a young married couple (Phyllis Thaxter and Richard Denning) on a train, the wife also expecting a child. When the train crashes and the young couple are killed, Stanwyck takes the woman's place and goes to live with the husband's family to give a better life to her child. Unfortunately, her past, and her baby's crooked father, catch up with her. With John Lund.

FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA XX

Two films from Paramount and one from Republic.

MAKE HASTE TO LIVE (1954)

From Republic Pictures we have this well-acted melodrama starring the always watchable Dorothy McGuire as a woman who finds out that her handsome, charming husband is also a killer. She flees with her young daughter and begins a new life. Years later, as the Noir rulebook would have it, her husband is released from prison and comes after her, setting his sights on their daughter. With Stephen McNally, Mary Murphy and Edgar Buchanan.

From Paramount Pictures we have two Alan Ladd starring vehicles:

CAPTAIN CAREY, U.S.A. (1950) and APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER (1951). I haven't watched either of these yet. Well, OK, I did start to watch APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER a few nights ago and fell right to sleep. I'm not blaming Alan Ladd. I'm blaming the strong Rum & Coke I consumed before turning on the movie. I'll be giving both films a fair shot when I'm wide awake.

FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF CINEMA XXI

In this box set, we have a spy film directed by the legendary Fritz Lang and a remake of a Noir classic, not to mention a perfect combination of spy thriller and Noir from Allied Artists.

CLOAK AND DAGGER (1946) Exciting war time thriller starring Gary Cooper and directed by Fritz Lang. Cooper is an American nuclear physicist recruited by the OSS to go to the European war front to investigate German attempts to manufacture a nuclear bomb. He finds allies in resistance fighters Lilli Palmer and Robert Alda.

SHACKOUT ON 101 (1955)

Terrific combination of action and spy intrigue. A seaside diner near a military instillation is the center of a ring of spies selling secrets to a mysterious group of foreign agents whose goal is to undermine the good old USA. Waitress Terry Moore takes on volatile Lee Marvin, a short order cook moonlighting as an anti-American agent. Featuring Frank Lovejoy, Whit Bissell and Keenan Wynn.

SHORT CUT TO HELL (1957)

Actor James Cagney, for his only effort at directing, chose to do a remake, or more accurately, a reboot of the 1942 classic THIS GUN FOR HIRE, but without the magical chemistry of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. Ladd's role is taken by Robert Ivers and Lake's by Georgann Johnson. The two young actors aren't bad, but they don't exactly light up the screen either. The action is fast-paced and there are interesting locations. The best thing about the film is the marvelous Yvette Vickers in a good supporting role. She manages to outshine everyone else in the cast. The lady deserved to be a star.

FILM NOIR: THE DARK SIDE OF THE CINEMA XXII

True star power shows up in this box set, courtesy of the legendary Humphrey Bogart. But there is also plenty of excitement to be found in two lesser-known films, which I highly recommend.

THE ENFORCER (1951)

Bogart shines as a crusading district attorney doing battle with the mob. The story is based on the real-life Murder, Inc. trials and the action is fast and furious. Also featuring Ted De Corsia, Zero Mostel, Roy Roberts and Everett Sloane. I already have this on a good DVD copy, but this makes for some happy double-dipping.

THE SCARLET HOUR (1956)

From Paramount Pictures and directed by Michael Curtiz, this excellent crime thriller introduces three fine young actors: Carol Ohmart, Tom Tryon and Jody Lawrance. Bored wife Ohmart is cheating on her husband, James Gregory, with young stud Tryon, an employee of Gregory's company. By a bizarre chance, the two lovers find a way to make big money real fast so they can run away together and find true happiness, at least until the sex is no longer terrific and Ohmart gets bored again. Anyway, there are more than enough twists and turns in the plot to keep the viewer's attention. With Scott Marlowe, Elaine Stritch, E. G. Marshall and a great song by Nat "King" Cole.

PLUNDER ROAD (1957)

I'd never heard of this film, but it turned out to be one of the best heist flicks ever. It would make a great double feature with Kubrick's THE KILLING. Five men, Gene Raymond, Wayne Morris, Elisha Cook, Jr., Stafford Repp and Steven Ritch, pull off a robbery of $10 million in gold bullion from a US Mint train headed for San Francisco. Then they split up the loot in three trucks and head off in different directions. The journey proves hazardous, but Raymond is finally reunited with his girlfriend and fellow criminal, Jeanne Cooper. Fantastic film that moves fast at only 72 minutes. A real sleeper, this one!!

IL LAGO DI SATANA aka THE LAKE OF SATAN (1966)

Finally, I certainly didn't need one more copy of this Barbara Steele horror flick from Italy, seeing as how I already have three DVD copies. But, you know, it's La Steele, right? And it's nice to have it on Blu-ray. Too bad the movie just isn't very good. In fact, this is the weakest of all the Italo-Steele horrors, especially because she isn't on screen all that much. A lot of people rave about the director, Michael Reeves, who only directed three films in his short life. I'm not among his fan base, however. Besides the lovely Barbara, the film features Ian Olgivy, John Karlsen and Mel Welles. The film's many titles include: LA SORELLA DI SATANA aka THE SISTER OF SATAN, THE SHE BEAST and REVENGE OF THE BLOOD BEAST. Pick one and go for it. The Blu-ray has a nice audio interview with Miss Steele in which she retells the story of her mythical career. I've heard most of it before, but I still hang on her every word!

TRY AND GET ME aka THE SOUND OF FURY (1950)

 

The title of this movie, and the poster you see to the left, can give an inaccurate impression of what the movie is about. The title is a little goofy, suggesting comedy, and the depictions of actors Lloyd Bridges and Adele Jergens don't necessarily bring serious drama to mind. However, the original title, THE SOUND OF FURY captures the spirit and narrative of the film quite well. This is a dark, downbeat Film Noir that also has a social conscience.

It also has an interesting history. Jo Pagano wrote the screenplay, which was based on his 1947 novel The Condemned. Pagano based his novel on real life incidents which took place in San Jose, California in 1933. The first movie based on these events was Fritz Lang's FURY in 1936, a movie I haven't seen.

As TRY AND GET ME begins, Howard Tyler (Frank Lovejoy) is hitching a ride with a truck driver back to his home in a dusty California town after a failed attempt to find work. He lives with his pregnant wife, Judy (Kathleen Ryan) and their young son. The family left Boston to seek a better life out West but have had no luck. It's obvious how much Howard and Judy love each other, but both of them are discouraged. When Howard goes to a local bowling alley to have a beer and try to forget his troubles, he runs into slick, fast-talking Jerry Slocum (Lloyd Bridges), a small-time criminal with big ideas. Taking note of Howard's desperate need for money, Jerry recruits him into working as his driver in a series of gas station robberies. Howard lies to his family, saying he's found a good factory job. Howard's moral conflict over his new career is intensified when Jerry plans to kidnap a young man from a wealthy family to hold him for ransom. Howard swears to Jerry that this job will be his last. But Jerry decides to murder the young man, turning Howard's life into a waking nightmare from which he can see no escape.

Howard (Frank Lovejoy) finds himself pulled into the orbit of crooked Jerry Slocum (Lloyd Bridges).

As the crime wave continues, the local newspaper exploits the concerns of the community to increase circulation. The series of robberies were already causing fear and anger among the citizenry, but the murder of the young man begins to stir up hatred. Crusading reporter Gil Stanton (Richard Carlson) and his inflammatory daily columns about the situation unintentionally create a spirit of vigilantism among the townspeople that reaches a fever pitch when Howard and Jerry are arrested and put in jail awaiting trial. A violent mob surrounds the jail, threatening to break in, drag the two criminals into the street, and execute them. Stanton deeply regrets his role in what has happened.

Citizen outrage creates a violent mob.

The Noir elements of the film involve the usual plot device of a good, but weak man being drawn into a life of crime and hopelessness. But in this story, there is no femme fatale. Judy Tyler is a loving, supportive wife who only wants the best for her family. Instead, we have what might be called a "homme fatale", Jerry Slocum. Jerry is a dominant alpha male, confident and cocky to the point of almost being a parody of such a character. The lucky casting of Lloyd Bridges, an actor who personifies masculine strength without even trying, makes the character of Jerry totally believable, even when he seems to be posing and preening a little bit too much. Jerry sizes up Howard very quickly as a weaker man who can be manipulated. After their first encounter in the bowling alley, Jerry invites Howard back to his hotel room where he wants to change clothes. In no time at all, Howard is holding a hand mirror while Jerry combs his hair, fastening the buttons on Jerry's shirt sleeves, and even complimenting Jerry's cologne. Jerry has smooth talked his way into Howard's brain and easily cast him in a subservient role. There's no overt sexual element here, but it's obvious that Howard has come down with a serious case of hero worship and needs Jerry's approval. Jerry's dominant posturing is also displayed when he meets up with his girlfriend, Velma, (Adele Jergens). He is seductive one moment and threatening violence the next, and even Velma is unable to pull herself away from him. We are introduced to gorgeous, sexy Velma and her very lonely, repressed friend, Hazel (Katherine Locke), when Jerry arranges for a night out with Howard and the two women. Howard becomes so overwhelmed with guilt that he confesses his crimes to Hazel, who calls the police.

When researching this movie on Wikipedia, I came across the term Film Gris, or Grey Film. The term was coined by independent filmmaker, critic and scholar Thom Andersen. It refers to a type of Film Noir (Black or Dark Film) that is more pessimistic and cynical than the average Noir. Other points include: 

1. Dividing lines between crime and law enforcement are blurred.

2. The tendency to blame society for crime rather than the individual.

3. Audience identification with the collective.

4. The femme (or homme, addition mine) fatale's motives are more obvious. 

5. Leftist criticism of society, class, capitalism and materialism.

Andersen lists the following films in this category: (An * indicates a film I've seen.)

BODY AND SOUL 1947*

FORCE OF EVIL 1948*

THEY LIVE BY NIGHT 1948*

THIEVES' HIGHWAY 1949

KNOCK ON ANY DOOR 1949*

WE WERE STRANGERS 1949

THE ASPHALT JUNGLE 1950*

THE BREAKING POINT 1950

THE LAWLESS 1950

NIGHT AND THE CITY 1950*

TRY AND GET ME aka THE SOUND OF FURY 1950*

THE PROWLER 1951

HE RAN ALL THE WAY 1951*

The director of this film was Cy Endfield who, like some other directors of the films listed above, was blacklisted during the infamous era of the government inquiries into suspected Communist subversion in the film industry. What fascinates me is that very little has changed in all the decades since these movies were made. In fact, many of the plot points in TRY AND GET ME are more evident today: families struggling with joblessness, families falling into poverty, people embracing crime out of desperation, mob violence, and numerous problems with media manipulation. The film ends on a somber note. No happy ending is forthcoming, a portent of what would become more frequent in Hollywood films in the 1950s and beyond. 

Kathleen Ryan and Frank Lovejoy

Frank Lovejoy was a solid, talented actor who was equally effective in supporting and leading roles. He made his mark in such Noirs as IN A LONELY PLACE (1950), THE HITCHHIKER (1953) and SHACKOUT ON 101 (1955). Lloyd Bridges had the versatility to work in every film genre, including several Westerns, before finding fame on television in the popular series SEA HUNT (1958-1961). His other impressive Noir credentials include MOONRISE (1948) and TRAPPED (1949). Kathleen Ryan was an Irish actress whose career was rather brief. She is probably best remembered for her debut film ODD MAN OUT (1947). Richard Carlson was a handsome, versatile actor who is revered by fans of the science fiction genre for his work in such classics as THE MAGNETIC MONSTER (1953), IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953) and THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954). Vivacious Adele Jergens was a busy supporting actress in dozens of films throughout the 1940s and 1950s, always a welcome presence. She has the distinction of playing Marilyn Monroe's mother in LADIES OF THE CHORUS (1948), despite being only nine years older than Marilyn! Hollywood magic!!

Richard Carlson

 

Adele Jergens