This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Original half-sheet.


Standing around talking are the stuffy, pipe-smoking Fred (Erik Rolf), who’s a kind of alternate romantic claim for Ann (except he’s not allowed to be), and Winson’s partner in medicine, Dr. Vance (Jim Bannon), who’s a kind of alternate romantic claim for George (except ditto). In the most absurd moment, Fred leads street kids in a chorus of “Ave Maria,” seemingly for kicks. At least they’re paid for their services.


The talky, clumsy script re- peats everything three times, and the senseless ending expires in a cliché so crazy, it’s almost brilliant. Clearly brilliant are the moody and lovely visuals, thanks to Burnett Guffey’s amazing photography and several bold compositions by director Will Jason. Uncanny


68


atmosphere abounds, such as a lightning-struck performance of the Mephisto Waltz.


This is the feature debut of songwriter Jason, who’d done many shorts and would end up in TV. The one who went stellar was future Oscar winner Guffey. After shooting a couple more of Jason’s B’s, he worked with Jo- seph H. Lewis, Max Ophüls, Robert Rossen, Nicholas Ray, Fred Zinneman, Fritz Lang, Don Siegel, Rudolph Maté, Jacques Tourneur, Phil Karlson, Budd Boetticher, Gerd Oswald, William Castle (HOMICIDAL and MR. SARDONICUS, if you must know), John Frankenheimer, Arthur Penn, and Gordon Parks. To rattle off the dazzling titles would become tedious; the point


is that this film easily forecasts his future glories.


Writer Edward Dein came up


with JUNGLE WOMAN the same year and later directed THE LEECH WOMAN; he couldn’t get over his


fascination with cruel femmes. He wrote another Hobart item, THE CAT CREEPS (1946) and co- wrote THE LEOPARD MAN. Pro- ducer Ted Richmond’s prolific career led through THE STRANGE DOOR to SOLOMON AND SHEBA and PAPILLON.


So what we have here is a partially stunning little exercise that points in many directions, and it’s all over in an hour. The 1.33:1 print is as impressively clean and sharp as possible in DVD-R resolution, with minor marks and scratches. Give it a spin.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87