Having never heard of this film and finding it on a bargain DVD a friend lent me, I entered the film experience with an open mind and zero expectations, beyond the "film noir" description on the box (which is often misleading anyway). Well, this definitely qualifies as "noir" in my book, and a pretty good one at that. I'd never heard of the director, Steve Sekely, but photography by John Alton is a great sign. Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett OK, not my favorite stars but not too shabby either. Henreid also produced, which piqued my interest.
Bennett takes no major steps forward in my esteem with this film (though she's fine, nothing wrong with her performance), but it sure does raise my opinion of Henreid, who I've seen to somewhat underwhelming effect in "Of Human Bondage," "Casablanca," and "Meet Me in Las Vegas." I've always felt like he's just eye candy for the ladies, but in this film he really carries the story with a lot of screen presence and authority. He's in a very different role from some of those milquetoasts here he's a daring, ruthless criminal who steals another man's identity after a botched casino robbery. There is so much delicious irony in the fallout first he accidentally puts the scar on the wrong cheek (one of those highly improbable plot twists I'm inclined to accept simply because it serves the story so well), and then he discovers that the man whose identity he stole has a mountain of gambling debts and the bill is due. The character isn't very appealing but Henreid does pull it off, carrying the improbable story with pretty much sheer charisma. In the past I always felt his roles were the type where I'm supposed to like him even though he's a bit of a stiff, but quite the opposite is true here.
I wish I could remember some of the great dialog between Bennett and Henreid in the second half of the film the script is stronger than the plot summary would indicate.
Alton's photography here is spectacular, really noteworthy, comparable to the best work in the style of the times. Note how he uses the shadows particularly to cover Henreid's face when he's coming up with his scheme, as if to say that the physical mutilation of the scar will simply fulfill or consummate the spiritual darkness that's already upon him. Another thing that really impressed me, and speaks to the skill of the director, is the odd "slice of life" vignettes thrown in, ostensibly perhaps for comic relief but generally letting the audience breathe and adding a weird touch to the drama. For example there's a great bit with Alvin Hammer as a garage worker who dreams of stardom as a ballroom dancer. This character's dream may be absurd (he looks all of about 5'8") but it throws into strong relief the fact that our "hero" really has no dreams at all and is in an even worse position all he can do is run in fear and hide like an animal.
Bennett takes no major steps forward in my esteem with this film (though she's fine, nothing wrong with her performance), but it sure does raise my opinion of Henreid, who I've seen to somewhat underwhelming effect in "Of Human Bondage," "Casablanca," and "Meet Me in Las Vegas." I've always felt like he's just eye candy for the ladies, but in this film he really carries the story with a lot of screen presence and authority. He's in a very different role from some of those milquetoasts here he's a daring, ruthless criminal who steals another man's identity after a botched casino robbery. There is so much delicious irony in the fallout first he accidentally puts the scar on the wrong cheek (one of those highly improbable plot twists I'm inclined to accept simply because it serves the story so well), and then he discovers that the man whose identity he stole has a mountain of gambling debts and the bill is due. The character isn't very appealing but Henreid does pull it off, carrying the improbable story with pretty much sheer charisma. In the past I always felt his roles were the type where I'm supposed to like him even though he's a bit of a stiff, but quite the opposite is true here.
I wish I could remember some of the great dialog between Bennett and Henreid in the second half of the film the script is stronger than the plot summary would indicate.
Alton's photography here is spectacular, really noteworthy, comparable to the best work in the style of the times. Note how he uses the shadows particularly to cover Henreid's face when he's coming up with his scheme, as if to say that the physical mutilation of the scar will simply fulfill or consummate the spiritual darkness that's already upon him. Another thing that really impressed me, and speaks to the skill of the director, is the odd "slice of life" vignettes thrown in, ostensibly perhaps for comic relief but generally letting the audience breathe and adding a weird touch to the drama. For example there's a great bit with Alvin Hammer as a garage worker who dreams of stardom as a ballroom dancer. This character's dream may be absurd (he looks all of about 5'8") but it throws into strong relief the fact that our "hero" really has no dreams at all and is in an even worse position all he can do is run in fear and hide like an animal.