Hi all
-
MsELLERYqueen2 — 9 years ago(January 06, 2017 06:37 PM)
By the way, when I first heard that Lee J. Cobb is the star of this film, I wondered how he would have pulled off playing an older cop who has what it takes with the ladies. He sure didn't have the appearance for it! Yet he was very convincing. Great job here by a terrific actor.
Jim Hutton (1934-79) & Ellery Queen = -
Manton29 — 9 years ago(February 07, 2017 02:12 PM)
Nobody makes scenery chewing more compelling and dignified than Cobb. Love the guy in Thieves' Highway, 12 Angry Men etc. Also playing an Italian pappy at a young age in that boxing flick with Bill Holden, Golden Boy - Joe love-a music-a - ha ha. Fantastic performance as far as I'm concerned. He must have been great on stage?
If to stand pat means to resist evil then, yes, neighbour, we wish to stand pat. -
MsELLERYqueen2 — 9 years ago(February 08, 2017 11:45 AM)
I watched this film again last night, and honestly, his character was a bit sloppy. For one thing,
why was he meeting his girlfriend so quickly after the murder? And once he was seen entering the bridge, why didn't he make up a reason for being there? Didn't he think that people might ask him? He should have also found another place to dispose of the gun, once he'd been seen.Proud to be Canadian! -
morrison-dylan-fan — 9 years ago(January 08, 2017 03:50 PM)
I hope you are having a good 2017 Spike,and it looks like you set the Noir fireworks off with these two. For Denning, Alec Coppel was well placed to work with Hitchcock later on the script for Vertigo,some doctoring work on To Catch A Thief and also write some Present eps. With only having seen some bits from a rough TV print,how did you find the new Network version?
-
Jessica_Rabbit69 — 9 years ago(January 21, 2017 07:59 AM)
Spike, after your nice review I watched it on youtube. I pretty much agree with your take on it. Best thing about is Lee J. Cobb who could save any movie just by his presence. John Dall was good in a nice guy role and obviously the San Francisco locations were beautiful.
Wyatt is just about convincing enough as a femme fatale
I actually thought she was completely miscast. Casting against type can work beautifully, here it doesn't. She is extremely histrionic in her scenes with both brothers when they come to investigate. With a different actress this film could have been a little gem.
The only time I thought she was convincing was in the last scene. A nice ending btw. Cobb has to realize he's been played for a sucker, his self-ironic smile says it all. His lady-love is already vamping her attorney to get off. For a second we wonder if she hadn't planned it like that from the beginning.
The picture would be a good candidate for a restoration.
Jessica Rabbit
"I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way." -
Spikeopath — 9 years ago(January 25, 2017 05:51 AM)
Yeah.
Cobb
is from the
Steiger
school of acting, scenery chewers for sure but they sure could inhabit roles.
Glad you saw it and listen mate, I wouldn't be putting up a fight about
Wyatt
, she gets by in my book but I would much have preferred a whole host of noir lady actors to have done it instead.
The
SpikeopathHospital Number
217 -
MsELLERYqueen2 — 9 years ago(February 07, 2017 11:04 PM)
Regarding
The Man Who Cheated Himself- I'll be watching this tonight.
I just finished
Pushover
and I watched
Double Indemnity
yesterday. Somehow, I end up watching these three together.
Proud to be Canadian! - I'll be watching this tonight.
-
Spikeopath — 9 years ago(January 03, 2017 12:51 PM)
Mr. Denning Drives North (1951)
The Denning Desperation.
Mr. Denning Drives North is directed by Anthony Kimmins and adapted to screenplay from his own novel by Alec Coppel. It stars John Mills, Phyliss Calvert, Eileen Moore, Sam Wannamaker and Herbert Lom. Music is by Benjamin Frankel and cinematography by John Wilcox.
A splendid collage of murder mystery, noir and thriller - with a slice of Hitchcockian black humour thrown in for good measure, Kimmins' film deserves to be better known. Plot finds Mills as the Mr. Denning of the title, who after accidentally killing his what he believes to be his daughter's unscrupulous boyfriend, dumps the body and then finds himself in a whirl of stricken conscience and panic.
To say more would be to spoil the fun for there are plenty of interesting roads on which the story travels, but it's safe to say the investigation of the missing body is gripping and has a delicious slice of ironic fate about it. Cast are excellent, particularly Mills, with the leads boosted by a roll call of British greats in supporting roles. Frankel provides a very lively musical score and Wilcox's photography has the requisite tonal accompaniments for the unfolding plot. Hats off also to Kimmins, who keeps a tight hold on things to let the drama flow naturally without histrionics.
From a nifty expressionistic opening to a very cheeky and fulfilling finale, this very much is one for murder mystery, noir, thriller fans to seek out. 7.5/10
The
SpikeopathHospital Number
217