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Post by wmcclain on Feb 14, 2020 13:30:59 GMT
The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947), directed by Peter Godfrey. Humphrey Bogart is a grumpy painter showing signs of lunacy. When he meets Barbara Stanwyck he poisons his wife and remarries. Then he meets Alexis Smith and suddenly Stanwyck isn't feeling too well. During a dark and stormy night she discovers the awful truth. It's a women's thriller wrapped in film noir atmosphere. It's hard to know where to stand: we don't cheer Bogart as he becomes increasingly insane and kills off his wives, but on the other hand he is being blackmailed which makes him more sympathetic. And he sincerely loves his daughter, which makes us like him more. We've seen crazy Bogart before, as when infected with gold fever, and he really doesn't need to roll his eyes and clutch his forehead while strange chords clash on the soundtrack, but that's the story. This is the only screen meeting of the two stars. To Alexis Smith he says "I have a feeling this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful hatred." Special mention goes to Ann Carter, the intelligent and beautiful little girl last seen in The Curse of the Cat People (1944). Carter was a child actress for about ten years who contracted polio and recovered but did not return to acting. Franz Waxman score, lush but way too dramatic in spots. Edith Head costumes for Stanwyck. Warner Archive title, remastered, available for rent from ClassicFlix.
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Post by wmcclain on Feb 14, 2020 14:46:03 GMT
Not a great film by any means, but worth seeing for the Stanwyck/Bogart pairing. And glad you mentioned Ann Carter. She was very special, especially in The Curse of the Cat People. I always wondered what happened to her. She became a teacher and had a good life. I've heard her interviewed on commentary tracks.
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Post by marshamae on Feb 14, 2020 14:55:22 GMT
It’s my favorite completely crazy film
Bogart’s character is all over the place. No single action has a motivation that is consistant with any other action. He is sorry for his wife , and takes care of her, he is protective of little Anne Carter ( enchanting child and a reason to see the film) , he is tender with Sally , and flip with Alexis Smith. He is basically a different man with each lady.
He is all the same with the men, disdainful and dismissive.
Btw, “grumpy painter” is my new favorite understatement
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Post by politicidal on Feb 14, 2020 15:46:07 GMT
6/10.
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Post by teleadm on Feb 15, 2020 17:20:18 GMT
One of the few movies I had on VHS.
While not the best it's still an interesting story.
Bogart and Stanwyck has so much starpower, it's still a worthwhile watch.
Maybe with a better director than Peter Godfrey (who seems like the director of fill out movies between the better movies, with stars under contract)
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on Feb 16, 2020 17:53:18 GMT
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Post by movielover on Feb 16, 2020 18:17:36 GMT
7/10 - I liked it, it kept me interested.
By the way, was anyone else amused by the way Bogart burst through the curtains near the end of the movie, when Stanwyck was locked in her room? I like the shock of that moment, but Bogart looked like Dracula...lol.
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bess1971s
Sophomore
@bess1971s
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Post by bess1971s on Feb 16, 2020 18:21:12 GMT
Never liked this one because as good an actor as she was, I never bought Stanwyck as the victim. Victimizer, yes but never the damsel in distress. She could have rescued herself and then stepped over what was left of her attacker, even Bogart.
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