Before, 7th December 2015:
I can't profess to know much about Henry Hathaway but he has pulled this film noir off really well, aided by superb photography from Joe MacDonald. I noticed the loud traffic noise in the office of Mark Stevens and Lucille Ball, then the piano practising at the apartment, finally realising there's no music score but all natural sound. Also liked the girl with the whistle.
Usual sardonic kind of screenplay by Jay Dratler and Bernard Schoenfeld from a story by Leo Rosten.
William Bendix is the man in the white suit, with Clifton Webb and Kurt Kruger, Cathy Downs as the femme fatale.
Today:
Yes, didn't recognise Cathy Downs, despite her starring role as Clementine in My Darling Clementine. She's a great femme fatale.
Great double-cross-y plot, and noirish dialogue:
"How I detest the dawn. The grass looks like it's been left out all night."
and
"Two yards for the powder room." (Two hundred dollars for me to disappear.)
But yes, the innovation, which predates Rear Window by eight years, is the use of diagetic sound and music, which works really well.
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| Note whistle-blowing eavesdropper |
Ball is fine, though her husband-grabbing is a bit OTT. Webb plays a baddie well. Kreuger's German / Swiss accent does come through. Good stuff with mirrors.
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