PLOT
In an ordinary town live an ordinary man and an ordinary woman. They are, of course, in love. But then comes a stranger, someone from the man’s past. Turns out the man is not so ordinary after all.
Jeff Bailey (Mitchum) once was a private investigator in New York. But he fell for the woman (Greer) he had been hired to find and bring back. They lived together for a while, then she disappeared after killing a man.
Now, the man who had hired him (Douglas) wants to hire him again for another job. Bailey is startled to see his old flame is there too. And as events unfold, the plot thickens, and Bailey starts to suspect foul play.
COMMENTS
I’ve seen quite a few films noir in my life, so I knew what to expect. However, I’d read that this was considered one of the best in the genre, so my expectations were high—perhaps too much so.
That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy the film—I did, quite a bit. But something was bothering me throughout. And then came a point where I realized both what was bothering me and what made the film exceptional. The irony is that the two are connected.
But let’s start at the beginning.
The film’s first setting is unusual for the genre, as the plot begins in a small village—a gas station, to be more specific. You wouldn’t expect a film noir to go there.
Then you get a long flashback (close to half the film) which better matches expectations, but it didn’t feel like anything I hadn’t seen before. Worse, the whole thing felt pretty straight-forward. No unexpected twists and turns.
When the story returned to the present, it went back to this mundane setting—at least for a little while—and I asked myself what I was doing watching this movie.
Still, the actors are great, and they keep you hooked and wanting to know what’s going to happen next, even if you kind of can guess.
Let me take a moment here to make things clear: there never was a moment in the entire film where I went “aha!” The plot never surprised me once. And yet...
There is a line in the film that made things click for me. It’s when Mitchum’s character says: “I think I’m in a frame.”
And that’s it, folks. That’s what’s amazing about this movie.
The character knows.
Usually, in these types of films, the main character gets played from the beginning and never sees it coming. This guy, Bailey, is different.
The screenplay lets you know this early on, too, when Kirk Douglas (in the flashback) tells Mitchum: “I know a lot of smart guys, and a few honest ones, but you’re both.” So that sets the stage for what is to come. Note that the ‘honest’ bit is important too, as it helps understand the way the story ends (which I will not talk about to avoid spoilers).
So the character is smart and he shows it by understanding right away that he is being framed. And he acts accordingly. Of course, it doesn’t stop him from getting caught in the gears, though it does help him contain the extent of the damage—more than once, too.
Aside from this, you’ll find all the usual trademarks of a film noir—from well-written dialogues to artsy shadow work. In fact, let me just say that, visually, this film is stunning. But then, I’ve always enjoyed quite a bit Tourneur’s directing style.
So there you have it folks. I don’t know if I’d call this the best movie in the genre, but it’s definitely an interesting one and well worth the viewing.
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Have you watched this movie? What did you think of it? What is your favorite film noir?
Share your thoughts in the comments! I would love to hear them.
TRIVIA NOTES
This was Kirk Douglas’ third credited film part. He plays a supporting role, but a vital one.
Mitchum and Douglas would play together again two decades later in the 1967 western “The way West.”
The film was remade in 1984 as “Against all odds”; directed by Taylor Hackford; starring Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward, James Woods, and Richard Widmark.
CREDITS
Directed by Jacques Tourneur
Written by Geoffrey Homes (really Daniel Mainwaring)
Based on his own novel
Produced by Warren Duff
Music by Roy Webb
Cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca
Edited by Samuel E. Beetley
Starring Robert Mitchum as Jeff Bailey, Jane Greer as Kathie Moffat, Kirk Douglas as Whit Sterling, Rhonda Fleming as Meta Carson, Richard Webb as Jim, Steve Brodie as Jack Fisher, Virginia Huston as Ann Miller, Paul Valentine as Joe Stefanos, Dickie Moore as the kid, Ken Niles as Leonard Eels.
Produced by RKO Radio Pictures
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Released on November 25, 1947
Running time: 97 minutes.
Genre: Crime drama / Film noir.
Film poster by William Rose.
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Text (c) 2023 by Alex S. Garcia.
Header: screenshot of the film’s title card.
One of my all-time favorites.
This is a very good review. Though I think it would be better for you to put the credits at the end of the post instead of the beginning, that way your reader can read your review right away.