Tonight's Movies: Never Open That Door (1952) and If I Should Die Before I Wake (1952) - A Flicker Alley Blu-ray Review

One of the highlights of this year's Noir City Film Festival was the opening night film, NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR (1952).

The movie, known in its native Argentina as NO ABRAS NUNCA ESA PUERTA, was shown on a double bill with THE WINDOW (1949).

NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR was just released for home viewing in a dual-format Blu-ray/DVD edition by Flicker Alley. The disc also includes a rare archival scan of the related movie IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE (1952), also known as SI MUERO ANTES DE DESPERTAR; the Film Noir Foundation print of that film is believed to be the last one in existence.

NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR consists of two separate stories told over the course of 85 minutes; the 73-minute IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE was originally intended to be included as a third story in NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR but was released separately.

In this regard the two Argentinian films reminded me a bit of the Julien Duvivier movies FLESH AND FANTASY (1943) and DESTINY (1944), which I saw at the Noir City Festival in 2016.

FLESH AND FANTASY consisted of three separate stories; a fourth story, DESTINY, was filmed for FLESH AND FANTASY but was released separately. Curiously, DESTINY was about a blind girl (Gloria Jean) living in a remote rural area, and the same theme runs through the second story featured in NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR.

All three of the stories featured in NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR and IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE were written by Alejandro Casona based on Cornell Woolrich stories, published under the pen name William Irish. Woolrich's writing, as many of my readers are aware, was the inspiration for a great many American film noir and crime films, including the previously mentioned THE WINDOW.

NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR melds crime with a fantastical tone somewhat reminiscent of the later U.S. TV series THE TWILIGHT ZONE. The tone also reminded me a bit of the Argentinian film THE BITTER STEMS (1956) which was released by Flicker Alley a few years ago.

In the first story, "Somebody on the Phone," a young woman Luisa (Renee Dumas) agonizes over gambling debts. She's followed around town by Raul (Angel Magana), who we at first assume to be her husband, but he turns out to be her caring brother. Before Raul can help Luisa, she dies, and Raul embarks on a course of vengeance with a very unexpected ending.

The second story, "Hummingbird Comes Home," is the tale of a blind woman, Rosa (Ilde Pirovano), who lives with her niece (Norma Gimenez). When Rosa's long-absent son (Roberto Escalado) returns home, Rosa comes to realize he is a robber and murderer. What to do...

IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE is strongly reminiscent of the thriller M, filmed in 1931 and 1951, which was about a man who abducted and killed little girls. In IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE a young boy, Lucio (Nestor Zavarce), whose father (Floren Delbene) is a police inspector, promises a little girl he won't tell her secret about a man who gives her lollipops and promises to take her to his candy house.

The little girl ends up dead, and when a second girl disappears, Lucio must find a way to save her while also keeping his promise to his dead friend.

Needless to say, it's a very dark film, but it's well told and the short 73-minute running time makes it a bit easier to handle.

Both films are beautifully acted, staged, and shot; they remain in the viewer's memory long after they've ended.

The Blu-ray print of NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR is quite beautiful.

While the print of IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE is not of the same caliber, I thought it was very good, especially considering the rarity; the negative the Film Noir Foundation used to make its conservation print has since decayed to the point it is no longer usable, so we're lucky to have it at all.

NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR and IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE were both directed by Carlos Hugo Christensen and filmed by Pablo Tabernero.

The Flicker Alley set also includes a very good documentary, CORNELL WOOLRICH: FEAR HAS NO BORDERS (2024), which runs 26 minutes and was produced by Steven C. Smith and Alan K. Rode. The documentary includes some footage from the Noir City screening I referenced at the start of this review, including portions of Eddie Muller's introduction.

Additional disc extras include a commentary track for NEVER OPEN THAT DOOR by Guido Segal and a 16-minute featurette with Fernando Martin Pena reflecting on Argentine cinema. A beautifully produced 20-page souvenir booklet with glossy photographs is included in the case.

As usual for these Flicker Alley sets, the two discs were produced in attractive contrasting colors. The case includes reversible cover art.

This set is highly recommended.

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