A
Place in the Sun (1951)
An ambitious effort, and one of the few movies
of its day to address the subject of class conflict in America.
Clift gives a great performance as a young man content to climb
the social ladder by ordinary means. That is, until he meets rich
society girl Taylor. Although occasionally heavy and slow-moving,
and the impending tragedy is perhaps all too inevitable, this is
still poignant material, and Clift and Taylor express genuine
tenderness and passion. Winters is memorable as the girlfriend who
Clift wishes would vanish. Based on Theodore Dreiser's "An
American Tragedy."
The
Blue Gardenia (1953)
Hack producer Alex Gottlieb cynically titled
this standard-issue Hollywood murder mystery to exploit the
public's fascination with the "Black Dehlia" murder of
1947. What director Lang gave him was a classic noir. Baxter wakes
up from a drunken night on the town with lothario Burr only to
find the playboy murdered at her feet. Newspaper gossip columnist
Conte and her wise-cracking roommate Sothern try to prove her
innocence. Invoking a great atmosphere, Lang livens things up with
his usual visual flair, penchant for long takes, and his usual
brilliant mise-en-scene.
Raw
Deal (1948)
With tough-talking guys, hard-boiled dames,
plenty of cross and double-cross, and a hero so gruff you almost
expect to hear his street-smart moll call him a "lug," Raw
Deal is a startling good noir thriller which doesn't pinch on
action or characterization. O'Keefe is a prisoner ready for the
break. He took the rap for his creepy, sadistic boss Burr, who's
helping in the escape. Only Burr doesn't want to see him succeed.
To complicate matters, O'Keefe, accompanied by flame Trevor, has
taken his lawyer Hunt hostage, and he's soon torn between the two
women. Sexual tensions simmer, jealousies erupt, and the line
between right and wrong becomes blurred. Mann directs in a crisp,
no-nonsense fashion, and the dialogue is priceless.
