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