Friday 26 February 2016

Somewhere in the Night (1946 Joseph Mankiewicz)

John Hodiak is a war veteran haunted by his own lack of past, goes to LA to follow clues linking him to mysterious gentleman called Larry Cravat, mixes with hoods and gals. Halfway through you start wondering if he is Larry Cravat.

Marvin Borowsky story is adapted by Lee Strasberg (itself interesting) and apparently Somerset Maugham (also), screenplay by JM and Howard Dimsdale; quota of good lines, intriguing plot.

It's suitably, night-time nightmare noir, exemplified in scene in which Hodiak, breaking into a mental institute, spots a suited man climbing out of the window and running away, seen through Norbert Brodine's lens.

Cast also features Nancy Guild, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Conte, Margo Woode (a typical noir femme fatale) and Josephine Hutchinson and the music's by David Buttolph. Fox.

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