What classics did you see last week ? (22 Dec - 28 Dec 2019)

The Mask Of Dimitrios / Jean Negulesco (1944). Warner Bros. Cinematography by Arthur Edeson (The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca). The fifth of nine movies with both Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet and the film debut of Zachery Scott. Mystery writer Cornelius Leyden (Lorre) is vacationing in Istanbul when a body washes on shore. A clothing label identifies the corpse as the international criminal Dimitrios Makropoulos. The local police chief tells Leyden a little about how Makropoulos (Scott) got his start in criminality. Leyden becomes obsessed with finding out more about this mysterious character. He says he is researching for a book but acts more like a man with a mania. Slowly, he realizes that he is being followed by a “portly gentleman.” This is confirmed when Mr. Peters (Greenstreet) barges into his hotel room and pulls a gun. Soon, the two men form a fragile alliance although Mr. Peters will not reveal his interest in Dimitrios. This great, possibly underrated and underseen, noir is filled with a sense of mystery and danger. We know no good can come of it. Noir cinematography of contrasts of light and deep shadow pervade every frame. Faye Emerson is also very good in one scene as a cabaret owner who loved and aided Dimitrios in her youth. I will watch just about anything that Peter Lorre appears in, but I have to say, it is Sidney Greenstreet who really stands out, especially as he and Lorre get closer and closer to solving the puzzle of Dimitrios Makropoulos. My highest recommendation.






Crime By Night / William Clemens (1944). Warner Bros-First National. You remember Miles Archer, played by Jerome Cowan? Of course you do. Miles was Sam Spade’s partner in the Spade and Archer Detective Agency in “The Maltese Falcon.” Miles gets bumped off six minutes into the picture. Well, now Cowen gets the chance to play his own private eye lead role, Sam Campbell who, along with his wisecracking assistant Robbie No-Relation-To-Philo Vance (Jane Wyman) gets to solve his own case (and survive the movie). Sam and Robbie are called away to a resort town for a client who wants to retain custody of his child. He ex-wife now wants the child because he has become the heir to a rich aunt. But when Sam arrives, the rich industrialist father of his client’s ex has been murdered and the client is likely to be blamed. Sheriff Ambers (Cy Kendall), only interested in his re-election, is easily led by Sam. The ex-wife is played by future song and dance star Eleanor Parker in an early role. Also with Faye Emerson.



Left, Eleanor Parker (seated), Jane Wyman (standing). Right, Cy Kendall and Jerome Cowen



Night Editor / Henry Levin (1946). Cinematography by Burnett Guffey (From Here To Eternity, Birdman Of Alcatraz, Bonnie And Clyde) and Philip Tannura. This film was based on a popular radio program which ran from 1934 to 1948 (sponsored by Edwards Coffee). The premise of the program was that every week, a newspaper editor will tell the inside story of an investigation which would flashback to the actual events. After the movie, there was a TV series produced by the early broadcast network Dupont. It ran for only one season in 1954 and was unusual for a TV drama – even for the time – for being only 15 minutes long per episode. The story the editor has for us here is about Police Lt. Tony Cochrane (William Gargan) who lives with his beloved son and with loving wife Martha (cute-as-a-button Jeff Donnell). He is disturbed because he has been having an affair with rich-bitch Jill Merrill (Janis Carter). When he tries to break it off, she tells him how beneath her he is and then kisses him hard making him give in. While they are parked at night on a secluded beach, another car with another couple arrives. The man in the other car brutally beats the woman passenger to death with a tire iron and then runs away. Tony does nothing for fear that his relationship with Jill would be exposed. Tony has seen the face of the killer, but when the police arrest a homeless drifter for the crime who is ultimately sentenced to death, Cochrane knows he has to do something fast. Both Gargan and Carter are impressive in this somewhat routine plot (see also The File On Thelma Jordan & The Man Who Cheated Himself), elevating the proceedings. Carter’s Jill Merrill is a true film noir Bad Girl to be remembered. Watched on YouTube.



Left, Janis Carter.    Right, Carter and William Gargan. Uh Oh, what’s that in her hand?