Tonight's Movie: Chicago Deadline (1949) at the Noir City Film Festival

This year's Noir City Film Festival was a particularly great opportunity for fans of Alan Ladd to enjoy some of his movies.

The festival kicked off with Ladd in THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942) and a few days later featured a brand-new print of CALCUTTA (1947), both of which I enjoyed immensely.

Thursday's double bill included another Ladd film which was brand-new to me, CHICAGO DEADLINE (1949). It was screened in a great-looking 35mm print.

CHICAGO DEADLINE is "newspaper noir," with Ladd starring as Ed Adams, a reporter investigating the life of a young woman named Rosita (Donna Reed). As the movie begins, Rosita is found dead of tuberculosis in a rundown boarding house.

Ed is curious to find out how such a young woman came to a sad, lonely end. He snags Rosita's address book before the cops arrive and starts phoning people to ask about her. The more questions Ed asks, the more that powerful people around town start acting nervous...and bodies start to pile up.

Ladd and Reed had costarred the previous year in BEYOND GLORY (1948), but they don't have any scenes together in this film. Reed's screen time is quite limited, and her character remains enigmatic throughout, with little chance for Reed to establish her as a character. She's the woman everyone talks about, yet the viewer doesn't really know her or understand her motivations.

The larger plot, with many characters and multiple flashbacks, gets rather convoluted at times, but no matter, as Ladd is onscreen a majority of the time and the story keeps barreling forward, climaxing in a well-staged shootout in a garage. Despite the film's deficiencies, I found it quite an enjoyable 86 minutes.

Arthur Kennedy plays Rosita's brother, with June Havoc, Shepperd Strudwick, Irene Hervey, Gavin Muir, and John Beal a few of the people in Rosita's orbit.

The supporting cast includes Margaret Field, Kasey Rogers, Roy Roberts, Arthur Space, Marietta Canty, and Tom Powers.

CHICAGO DEADLINE was directed by Lewis Allen (THE UNINVITED) and filmed in black and white by John F. Seitz.

CHICAGO DEADLINE is not on VHS or DVD.

May 2018 Update: I had the chance to see this film again at the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival.

December 2023 Update: Great news, CHICAGO DEADLINE will be released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber in January 2024.  My review of the Blu-ray is here.

The 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival Schedule

The 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival opens in Hollywood this Thursday, April 6th!

The festival will run through Sunday, April 9th.

This year's theme is "Make "Em Laugh," with many comedies on the schedule.

The 2017 festival is dedicated to longtime TCM host Robert Osborne. A special "Remembering Robert" panel discussion will take place in the Chinese Multiplex on Thursday afternoon; actress Diane Baker is among those scheduled to participate. Additionally, all of the Thursday evening screenings will be preceded by a video tribute to Mr. Osborne.

Again this year I'm pleased to be covering the festival as a member of the credentialed media. I'll be attending a pre-festival press conference on Wednesday, April 5th. Then during the festival please follow me on Twitter for real time updates on my viewing choices, along with photos and other "as it happens" coverage. After the festival stay tuned for a comprehensive review, with a series of detailed daily recaps and film reviews.

I've been spending considerable time weighing the festival's many difficult choices -- all while bearing in mind that sometimes last minute-substitutions lead to great discoveries! For instance, last year when I couldn't get in to DOUBLE HARNESS (1933), I went with my backup choice, HE RAN ALL THE WAY (1951), which was a terrific experience. I typically stick fairly closely to my outlined schedule but there are usually at least a couple of changes made "on the run," and I've never been disappointed.

Here's my initial plan for this year's festival:

Thursday, April 6th:

LOVE CRAZY (1941) - I typically sit in the bleachers with friends watching some of the opening night red carpet arrivals before attending my first screening of the festival. I've spent the last 10 days at the Egyptian Theatre at the Noir City Film Festival, and it looks like I'll be heading right back to the Egyptian on Thursday evening! During the first block of movies my pick is the comedy LOVE CRAZY (1941) with William Powell and Myrna Loy. Interesting backups are the documentary DAWSON CITY: FROZEN IN TIME (2016), about the discovery of frozen nitrate movies, or JEZEBEL (1938) with Bette Davis and George Brent.

THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1934) - I've never seen this Hitchcock film, which is being screened in nitrate thanks to the Egyptian's new nitrate projection booth. This is not only a chance to see a new-to-me Hitchcock film, it's probably my best chance to see a nitrate film during the festival.

Friday, April 7th:

BEYOND THE MOUSE - A presentation of 1930s cartoons by Disney collaborator Ub Iwerks. Shorts will include Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in AFRICA BEFORE DARK (1928), Mickey Mouse in PLANE CRAZY (1928), and Flip the Frog in FIDDLESTICKS (1930). This will be my second chance to see a program of vintage cartoon shorts in a month's time, after watching a presentation of Classic Animated Shorts from Paramount at last month's UCLA Festival of Preservation.

BORN YESTERDAY (1950) - I've never seen this! It's one of the films I'm most looking forward to at this year's festival. Judy Holliday, William Holden, and Broderick Crawford star.

PANIQUE (1946) - I'm not sure I'll make it into the line in time for the French thriller PANIQUE (1946), but for me it's the most interesting film in the block, directed by Jules Duvivier, who had previously directed FLESH AND FANTASY (1943). If I can't get into that one, I'll probably go with BAREFOOT IN THE PARK (1967) half an hour later; I'm not a fan of either of the lead actors (Robert Redford and Jane Fonda), but I've never seen it and it's got Charles Boyer in the supporting cast. Time for a meal after this slot! My experience is there is usually time for just one meal after breakfast, supplemented by snacks.

VIGIL IN THE NIGHT (1940) - A film I've never seen starring Carole Lombard, Anne Shirley, and Brian Aherne. Sold!

CAT PEOPLE (1942) - A tough slot for me! A nitrate print of LAURA (1944) is going to be one of the hottest tickets at the festival in this time block, but it's unlikely I'd get out of VIGIL IN THE NIGHT in time to get down the street to the Egyptian, which is a large theater but will be packed, and I did at least see LAURA in 35mm in 2013. I'm thus thinking I'll stay put in the same theater and see CAT PEOPLE on a big screen for the very first time. THOSE REDHEADS FROM SEATTLE (1953) in 3D is another option, but I didn't think much of the movie when I streamed a flat version so it's not high up on my list. It's possible my great love for my namesake film could find me making a last-minute change and scrapping VIGIL IN THE NIGHT and CAT PEOPLE for LAURA, but I'm hopeful that the nitrate print would screen again in L.A. at a future date.

Saturday, April 8th:

RED RIVER (1948) - I've had some wonderful 9:00 a.m. Western screenings at past TCM festivals, including STAGECOACH (1939) and MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946). I've never seen RED RIVER on a big screen and am thrilled at the prospect of seeing it in 35mm at the Egyptian. It's been so many years since I saw the film I remember very little about it, so this is one of the top slots of the festival for me.

THE AWFUL TRUTH (1937) - I should have plenty of time to get back down the street to the big Chinese Theatre for this classic comedy with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, which I haven't seen for ages. Saturday's meal will be after this time slot.

BYE BYE BIRDIE (1963) - Love Dan Duryea and Gale Storm in THE UNDERWORLD STORY (1950), which is screening in 35mm at the Egyptian with an Eddie Muller introduction, but I was able to see it at the Noir City Film Festival two years ago so I'm leaning toward BYE BYE BIRDIE, which I've only seen once, many years ago, and never on a big screen.

THEODORA GOES WILD (1936) - The second Irene Dunne comedy of the day! Seeing it with a crowd should be a lot of fun. It's being introduced by costar Melvyn Douglas's granddaughter Illeana Douglas at the Eygptian Theatre. Incidentally, Illeana was on hand in the audience for the final night of the Noir City Film Festival, which I'll be writing more about here in due course.

UNFAITHFULLY YOURS (1948) - I wasn't wild about this Preston Sturges film when I first saw it over a decade ago, but I love leading lady Linda Darnell and it also has a good supporting cast with Barbara Lawrence and Rudy Vallee, so I want to give it a fresh look. It's screening in 35mm and introduced by Eddie Muller, two more good reasons to see it. My backup choice is BLACK NARCISSUS (1947), another film I wasn't enthused about, but its spectacular Technicolor should be even more stunning in a nitrate print.

Sunday, April 9th:

THE EGG AND I (1947) - I'm starting my Sunday with a Claudette Colbert double bill! First up, at the Egyptian Theatre, is THE EGG AND I. It's been eight years since I last saw it, and I love Colbert and her frequent costar Fred MacMurray. Fred's daughter Kate will be introducing the film. As a side note, I'd love see see LURED (1947) in this time slot, but happily presenter Sara Karloff will appear at the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival next month, which I plan to attend. An early meal after this movie might be my main chance to eat today, unless I can fit in a meal after THE PALM BEACH STORY.

THE PALM BEACH STORY (1942) - After THE EGG AND I, time to switch to the big Chinese Theatre for one of my all-time favorite comedies, starring Claudette, Joel McCrea, Rudy Vallee, and Mary Astor. It will be wonderful seeing this hilarious film with a crowd! THE PALM BEACH STORY will be introduced by film historian Cari Beauchamp and our pal Wyatt McCrea, Joel's grandson. I do regret having to miss the REPUBLIC PRESERVED (2014) presentation in this time slot!

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952) - There might be time after THE PALM BEACH STORY to catch a "TBA" film in this time slot, but otherwise I plan to head for the big Chinese Theatre to see SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952). This was one of the first MGM musicals I ever saw on a big screen. It will be wonderful to watch it with a crowd in a true movie palace, and it will also serve as a lovely memorial for Debbie Reynolds. It's being introduced by Reynolds' son Todd Fisher and her good friend Ruta Lee.

SPEEDY (1928) - I'd dearly love to see the nitrate screening of LADY IN THE DARK (1944), which has spectacular Technicolor, but since I saw LADY IN THE DARK in 35mm in 2012, a new-to-me Harold Lloyd film with a live orchestra wins out! CASABLANCA (1942) is the "official" farewell film in the big Chinese, but I just saw it in nitrate last November, an experience which can't be topped. Though CASABLANCA is, of course, greatly loved, I'm a little concerned that so many people have already seen it that competition to get into SPEEDY, in a theater which seats under 500, will be tough. I plan to get in line as soon as the previous movie ends!

It's always interesting to see how the final numbers shake out after the festival. I saw 11 movies at the 2013 festival, 14 in 2014, 16 films in 2015, and 15 in 2016.

It's hard to believe that in a week the 2017 festival will be a fond memory!

Big thanks to Kate Gabrielle at Silents and Talkies for sharing a printable copy of the schedule.

For looks at the schedules created by other bloggers, please visit these lists by my fellow classic film bloggers: Aurora at Once Upon a Screen and in a video with Annmarie for Classic Movies and More, Raquel at Out of the Past, Danny at Pre-Code.Com, Kim at I See a Dark Theater, Chris at Blog of the Darned, James at Thirty Hertz Rumble, Joel at Joel's Classic Film Passion, Kristen at Journeys in Classic Film, KC at A Classic Movie Blog, Angela at The Hollywood Revue, Nora at The Nitrate Diva, Lara at Backlots, Jocelyn at Classic Film Observations & Obsessions, Kate at Silents and Talkies, and Diana at Flickin' Out.

Anyone not included on the above list is welcome to post a link to their picks in the comments!

A review of the screening formats for this year's festival has been posted by Ariel. Last year roughly one-third of the screenings were 35mm; this year the number is closer to one-fourth.

Links to previous posts on the 2017 festival may be found at the end of this post.

Looking back: My post on the 2016 schedule is here. The 2015 schedule post is here, 2014 is here, and thoughts on the 2013 schedule are here.

Update: The 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review.

TCM in April: Highlights

It's time to take a look at the April schedule for Turner Classic Movies!

A big month is ahead for TCM, with the TCM Classic Film Festival kicking off in Hollywood this Thursday, April 6th.

As I've mentioned previously, I'm honored to be covering the festival as credentialed media again this year, so be looking for extensive festival information here throughout the month. I'll be presenting a look at the festival schedule and my top festival picks at the start of next week.

LIVE FROM THE TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL: FAYE DUNAWAY (2017), filmed at last year's festival, will debut on TCM on April 3rd. The 2017 festival interviewee, incidentally, will be Michael Douglas, so be looking for that special to air on TCM around a year from now!

Those who subscribe to the Now Playing guide, please note that the Frances Dee night listed in the guide for April 3rd has been rescheduled for May 17th.

April is a Star of the Month "theme month" on TCM, with the focus on character actors every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Robert Osborne wrote his final Now Playing column for this month, including sharing his memories of character actress Jane Darwell and her impact on his career.

As a side note, there will not be a separate Star of the Month post here for April.

The TCM Spotlight focuses on Postwar Romantic Melodramas on Friday evenings, including a night of four Douglas Sirk films on April 14th.

Below are just a few of this month's highlights. Please click on any hyperlinked title for the related review.

...I really appreciate that TCM is giving Eddie Muller plenty of time for his new Noir Alley intros, which make them feel akin to listening to him at a Noir City Film Festival. The April Noir Alley lineup kicks off on Sunday morning, April 2nd, with Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, and Raymond Burr in THE BLUE GARDENIA (1953).

...I really like the Ginger Rogers film 5TH AVENUE GIRL (1939), costarring Tim Holt and a terrific cast. When I saw the film at UCLA in 2013 I wrote that it "deserves to be better known, as it's an excellent '30s comedy which at times is quite touching." It's on TCM April 4th.

...Melvyn Douglas receives a nine-film birthday salute on Wednesday, April 5th, with the titles including the very enjoyable comedy GOOD GIRLS GO TO PARIS (1939), costarring Joan Blondell. Recommended.

...April 7th is the first evening of Post-war Melodramas, and the schedule includes the very entertaining EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE (1949) starring Barbara Stanwyck, James Mason, Ava Gardner, Van Heflin, and Cyd Charisse.

...Setsuko Hara stars in SOUND OF THE MOUNTAIN (1954), a Japanese film directed by Mikio Naruse, on April 9th.

...An evening of anthology films on April 10th includes Vincente Minnelli's THE STORY OF THREE LOVES (1953), with an all-star cast includes James Mason, Leslie Caron, Kirk Douglas, Farley Granger, and Moira Shearer, to name a few. The anthology films are the month's "Robert Osborne's Picks," and it's sad to think there likely won't be any more in the future.

...Virginia Mayo is celebrated on April 11th, with a lineup of eight films including a personal favorite, the Western FORT DOBBS (1958) with Clint Walker.

...Howard Keel's April 13th birthday will be honored with seven films, including my favorite, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954). It's a wonderful lineup filled with great music!

...Joan Crawford films on April 14th include GOODBYE, MY FANCY (1951) with Robert Young and Frank Lovejoy. It didn't entirely work for me when I saw it, but it was interesting and I'd like to take a fresh look at it.

...The day before Easter, April 15th, there's a "bunny" theme, which includes Jimmy Stewart in HARVEY (1950).

...Easter falls on April 16th, and the lineup includes, what else, Fred and Judy in EASTER PARADE (1948). A classic.

...I recently reviewed CASS TIMBERLANE (1947), an interesting marital drama starring Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, and Zachary Scott. It airs on April 17th.

...THE HUMAN COMEDY (1943) is classic MGM Americana which I feel contains Mickey Rooney's finest performance. It has a wonderful supporting cast including Donna Reed, Van Johnson, Frank Morgan, Marsha Hunt, and many more. This is a title I'm really overdue to review here! It's on the 18th.

...BLONDIE OF THE FOLLIES (1932) is an entertaining pre-Code starring Robert Montgomery and Marion Davies. Check it out on April 20th.

...There's a day of eight TORCHY BLANE films on Friday, April 21st. Torchy is played by Glenda Farrell in all but one of the films airing that day, with Lola Lane stepping in for TORCHY BLANE IN PANAMA (1938).

...Sunday night, April 23rd, there are two Harold Lloyd movies, GRANDMA'S BOY (1922) and DR. JACK (1922). Also airing that night, Jennifer Jones and Charles Boyer in Lubitsch's CLUNY BROWN (1946), which if memory serves was bumped from a recent schedule at the last minute.

...Ida Lupino leads a terrific cast in THE MAN I LOVE (1947), an imperfect but fascinating film in which Ida plays a nightclub singer with family and romantic problems. I love that it's set in the city where three generations of my family have been born, Long Beach, California. It's on April 24th.

...There's more Harold Lloyd on April 26th, when TCM shows SPEEDY (1928). I'm hoping to see this with a live orchestra on the closing night of the upcoming festival!

...One of my all-time favorite pre-Codes, MIDNIGHT MARY (1933), is on April 27th. Loretta Young stars along with Ricardo Cortez and Franchot Tone.

...A great cast stars in SPRING MADNESS (1938) on April 28th, including Lew Ayres, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Ruth Hussey. This is one of several interesting "collegiate" films from MGM in the late '30s, which also included THESE GLAMOUR GIRLS (1939) and DANCING CO-ED (1939).

...Those who haven't yet seen the FOUR DAUGHTERS (1938) series have a treat in store. The first film airs on April 29th. Priscilla, Rosemary, and Lola Lane plus Gale Page play the titular sisters; the men in their lives include John Garfield, Jeffrey Lynn, Eddie Albert, Frank McHugh, and Dick Foran. Two more films followed, along with a very similar spinoff featuring the same cast.

...The last Noir Alley film of the month is HE WALKED BY NIGHT (1948) on April 30th. As I wrote when I saw it at UCLA last month, I don't think I could ever tire of it! It's a terrific police procedural with Scott Brady, Jack Webb, Richard Basehart, and more.

For more on TCM in April, please review the complete online schedule.

Tonight's Movie: The Accused (1949) at the Noir City Film Festival

The Noir City Film Festival has made this a great -- if busy! -- week filled with new discoveries and old favorites.

Wednesday night's double bill paired THE ACCUSED (1949), starring Loretta Young, Robert Cummings, and Wendell Corey, with an old favorite, THE HUNTED (1948), starring Preston Foster and Belita.

I reviewed THE HUNTED after seeing it for the first time at Noir City in 2011, and I also reviewed the 2014 DVD. Please visit those posts to learn more about a terrific "B" film which I've now enjoyed on multiple occasions.

THE ACCUSED was screened in a beautiful 35mm print from the Library of Congress. It's an engrossing film about a psychology professor, Wilma Tuttle (Young), who is physically attacked by one of her students (Douglas Dick) in an isolated Malibu beach area. She fights him off by hitting him with a pipe, but accidentally kills him.

Panic-stricken Wilma pushes the body off a cliff into the ocean so it will hopefully look like a diving accident...then is so stressed out she promptly collapses with pneumonia and is hospitalized for several days. (This was one of a couple aspects which stretched credulity, but the movie's so interesting I just went along with it.) When she's released she gradually develops a romantic relationship with her late student's uncle (Cummings), a defense attorney. Meanwhile a police detective (Corey) keeps finding bits of evidence that don't quite add up...and, curiously, keep leading back to the professor.

Young is stuck playing the cliche of the repressed career woman who finally lets loose a little when she falls in love. (She also "lets her hair down" trying to put distance between the description of her in a paper written by the dead man, hoping the police won't connect it with her.) I might also criticize the abrupt ending, which seemed to wrap things up a little too neatly after the viewer has become so invested.

However, accepting the story as it is, it's quite well scripted and acted. Young is always very good, and while it would have been so much easier if her character just went to the police, she successfully puts across Wilma's fears -- of lack of understanding, notoriety, the loss of her career. One can also accept that, although a smart woman, she was so distraught she might not have counted on a truck driver or a carhop remembering seeing her the night of the death.

I found the two male leads especially well written. I liked the way it gradually dawns on Cummings that the woman he's come to love must have killed his nephew -- and the way he reacts when almost simultaneously he realizes that the detective is closing in.

Corey is excellent as the compassionate but dedicated cop who's attracted to Wilma himself but also has a job to do. (For a woman who's lived without love in her life, there's some irony in tragedy bringing not one but two very eligible and interested bachelors into her life.) The scene where he confronts her, as the attorney tries to fend him off, is gripping.

My quibbles with some of the plot choices didn't detract from my overall enjoyment, and all in all I thought this was an excellent 101 minutes spent with three terrific actors.

THE ACCUSED was directed by William Dieterle and filmed in black and white by Milton Krasner.

The supporting cast includes Sara Allgood, Sam Jaffe, Suzanne Dalbert, Mickey Knox, and Ann Doran. Look for Bess Flowers as a prison matron in the final courtroom scene. Henry Travers (IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE) has a small role as Jaffe's assistant; he made only one more film before retiring.

THE ACCUSED is available on DVD in the Universal Vault series. There's a review of the disc at DVD Beaver.

Coming soon: Reviews of CHICAGO DEADLINE (1949) and I WAS A SHOPLIFTER (1949)...along with a look at TCM in April and a preview of the TCM Classic Film Festival!

August 2021 Update: THE ACCUSED will be released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber Studio Classics in November 2021. Update: My review of the Blu-ray is here.

Tonight's Movie: Backlash (1947) at the Noir City Film Festival

I'm having a terrific time at the Noir City Film Festival, and tonight's double bill is a great example of why I'm enjoying it so much.

The evening kicked off with Alan Ladd and Gail Russell in a brand-new digital print of CALCUTTA (1947).

I enjoyed CALCUTTA when I saw it six years ago, but this was a film which definitely improved upon further acquaintance. Seeing it glowing on a big screen in a dark theater, in pristine condition, I was thoroughly entertained. And Alan Ladd...wow. As I wrote in 2011, he was really something to watch!

The evening's "B" movie was a 66-minute film from 20th Century-Fox, BACKLASH (1947). The large cast might not be household names, but they were familiar faces; the best-known cast member was probably Jean Rogers of the FLASH GORDON serial. It was nice knowing that Stephanie Shayne, the daughter of cast member Robert Shayne, was in the audience tonight.

A body found in a car wreck is believed to be criminal defense attorney John Morland (John Eldredge). The first interesting piece of news is that the crash didn't kill him; there's a bullet in his heart.

As a pair of detectives (Larry J. Blake and Richard Benedict) investigate, the story gets curiouser and curiouser; in flashbacks, we see various witnesses give their stories about Morland, which aren't always true. Morland's wife (Rogers) is a suspect... And then some x-rays turn up in the interesting news that the body isn't Morland at all!

The interplay between the detectives is fun, and the many plot twists and turns in a little over an hour keep things interesting. (And a sequence involving poison and a cat gets downright nutty.) All in all in was a fun hour.

Oddly, during both the opening credits and at "The End" there was no writing on the screen, just a plain background accompanied by music. It would be interesting to know where the printing disappeared to! (Update: It turns out the print had been intended for overseas exhibition and the backgrounds were plain in order for foreign language titles to be inserted. But the print was never sent overseas and has been sitting in the vault ever since.)

BACKLASH was directed by Eugene Forde and filmed in black and white by Benjamin Kline. The cast also includes Douglas Fowley, Leonard Strong, Louise Currie, Sara Berner, Frank Dae, Wynne Larke, Susan Klimist, Michael Chapin, and Gary and Billy Gray.

BACKLASH has no relationship to the 1956 Richard Widmark Western of the same name.

Incidentally, although the Egyptian Theatre website said BACKLASH has not been released on DVD, Amazon indicates it came out in the Fox Cinema Archives MOD line in 2013.

Tomorrow night I'm excited to finally see Loretta Young in THE ACCUSED (1947), costarring Bob Cummings and Wendell Corey, along with a favorite "B" film, THE HUNTED (1947) starring Preston Foster and Belita.

Tonight's Movie: Our Dancing Daughters (1928) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

Joan Crawford and Johnny Mack Brown star in the silent film OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS (1928), available on DVD from the Warner Archive.

This was the first of an informal OUR... trilogy starring Crawford and Anita Page; it continued with another silent, OUR MODERN MAIDENS (1929), and wrapped up with the talkie OUR BLUSHING BRIDES (1930). All three films are available from the Warner Archive.

OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS is a Jazz Age melodrama in which Joan stars as party-loving Diana, who crushes on Ben (Brown), a handsome millionaire newly arrived in town from Alabama.

Ben's pursued by gold-digger Ann (Page), who puts on an innocent act but only wants his money, planning to live a life of "freedom" after snaring a wedding ring.

Meanwhile quiet Beatrice (Dorothy Sebastian) loves Norman (Nils Asther), but she has a "past" which complicates her decision to marry him. Can he forgive and forget?

This was a highly entertaining depiction of the Roaring '20s society scene; early on there's an iconic shot of balloons in a party sequence which is a real "wow."

Crawford's wild child character is rather like Colleen Moore's in WHY BE GOOD? (1929); she puts on an act to draw attention and popularity but is a "good girl" at heart.

Ben, however, doesn't understand this and falls for Ann's lines about wanting to be "worthy" of a husband and their babies. He quickly regrets the marriage once his eyes are opened to Ann's true nature -- and Diana's. Having seen Brown in a number of Westerns from the late '40s and early '50s, it's fun to see him in this as young, handsome matinee idol. He and Crawford were reunited the following year in MONTANA MOON (1930).

Some of the film's attitudes may seem antiquated to modern viewers, yet looking at the issue honestly, one can understand the awkwardness Norman feels over his beloved having been intimate with other members of their "crowd." However, he knew that going into the marriage so his tantrums after that point make him seem churlish.

Also, Diana claims that she values living a life of truth and not lies, but wasn't her party girl behavior rather a lie in and of itself? Questions like this are part of what makes the film so entertaining, though; besides being a fast-moving, interesting, and eye-catching melodrama, the film raises some thought-provoking issues. I really enjoyed it.

OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS runs 84 minutes. It was directed by Harry Beaumont and filmed by George Barnes.

The supporting cast includes Kathlyn Williams, Edward J. Nugent, Dorothy Cumming, Huntley Gordon, and Mary Gordon.

The print is fairly rough at times, with some faded scenes and lots of scratches, but I suspect this is as good as it gets for this 1928 film, and it's entirely watchable despite not being a pristine picture. Happily the synchronized music and sound effects track sounds great.

There are no extras.

2023 Update: This film has now been released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive.  My review is here.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection at Amazon.

Tonight's Movie: Behind Green Lights (1946) at the Noir City Film Festival

Tonight's Noir City Film Festival double bill was a pair of films from 20th Century-Fox: THE DARK CORNER (1946) followed by BEHIND GREEN LIGHTS (1946).

It had been a few years since I last saw THE DARK CORNER, and it's simply a terrific film noir. What a delight to see it on a big screen for the first time, in a gorgeous print! There are so many aspects I enjoy, from Mark Stevens and Lucille Ball in the leads to spotting John Russell as a cop to the great background score, and much more besides. A really delightful experience.

The BEHIND GREEN LIGHTS print was also outstanding. The movie was an oddball 64-minute crime film, reminiscent at times of HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940), with a bunch of shenanigans in the police station press room.

Carole Landis plays Janet Bradley, a politician's daughter who lands in hot water when a man who was blackmailing her turns up dead...right in front of the police station!

Police detective Lt. Sam Carson (William Gargan) holds Janet in a conference room overnight at the police station while he tries to determine whether or not she's a serious suspect. He and Detective Oppenheimer (John Ireland) sift through various possibilities; meanwhile, their own medical examiner (Don Beddoe) is acting very strangely.

This 64-minute film was sort of hit and miss for me. I loved the setting in the wee hours at a police station and I enjoyed some of the cast, but Landis was sadly wasted being stuck behind closed doors for much of the movie, waiting out being cleared.

Some of the more absurd "comic" bits with reporters and a flower saleswoman (Mabel Paige) were tiresome, and the story with the medical examiner was fairly strange as mysteries go.

But then Gargan, Landis, or the young Ireland (recently seen in OPEN SECRET) would come on screen and my interest would perk up again. It was a treat to have John Ireland Jr. in the audience tonight watching with us!

The movie looked great, and all in all, it's a film I mildly enjoyed "hanging out with," but while I have a real love for "B" mysteries, I've seen many which were more interesting.

The supporting cast included Mary Anderson, Richard Crane, Charles Russell, Roy Roberts, Charles Tannen, Stanley Prager, Charles Arnt, J. Farrell MacDonald, Lane Chandler, and Larry J. Blake.

BEHIND GREEN LIGHTS was directed by Otto Brower and filmed in black and white by Joseph MacDonald.

Next up at Noir City: Alan Ladd and Gail Russell in CALCUTTA (1947) paired with Jean Rogers and Richard Travis in BACKLASH (1947).

Tonight's Movie: Escape in the Fog (1945) at the Noir City Film Festival

Sunday evening was another great night at the Noir City Film Festival!

Tonight was a double bill of films from 1945, starting off with LADY ON A TRAIN (1945) and concluding with ESCAPE IN THE FOG (1945).

Regular readers know how much I love Deanna Durbin, and LADY ON A TRAIN is one of my top favorites of her films; thanks to Christmastime viewings, I've seen it more than any of her other movies. This was my very first chance to see a Durbin film on the big screen. What a treat!

Before the movie, in response to a question from Eddie Muller, a significant number of people in the audience raised their hands to indicate they weren't familiar with Durbin (below right). LADY ON THE TRAIN is a great introduction! Deanna simply glows, and LADY ON A TRAIN gives her the chance to show off her comedic talents along with her singing ability.

The audience responded appreciatively to the film's many well-delivered lines and funny situations; granted, there were some giggles when she began singing "Silent Night," as I don't think the usual noir crowd was expecting her to sing it into the telephone, but they then settled down. And of course, who would blame anyone being amused who also noticed the speed with which Deanna makes hairstyle and costume changes, even when her life may be in danger! That's part of the movie's charm.

There was a very nice round of applause at the end of the movie, and I hope that more L.A. filmgoers now appreciate both Deanna and the film. Indeed, one Tweet after the film said "What a cast and what a fun movie!" while another said "I don't know why the movie is not more well known. Such an entertaining movie!"

ESCAPE IN THE FOG is a 65-minute Columbia programmer from fairly early in the directing career of Oscar "Budd" Boetticher. It's a wild story, but it's also entertaining.

As the movie begins, Eilene Carr (Nina Foch) screams as she sees an attempted murder taking place on the Golden Gate Bridge. It's soon revealed that it's a dream when she's awakened in her hotel room by guests and employees including a federal agent, Barry Malcolm (William Wright, who's reminiscent of James Craig).

Eilene is a military nurse recovering from a traumatic wartime experience. She and Barry fall for each other, but he's got to go off on a mission with an all-important top secret packet of information. Eilene realizes his life is in danger and goes to his boss (Otto Kruger), but when he won't admit to knowing Barry, Eilene does the only other thing possible...she goes for a walk on the foggy Golden Gate Bridge -- where the attempted murder of Barry replays in front of her just as it was in her dream, and she's able to stop it!

There's no explanation for this other than the dream must have been a premonition; it would have been nice if writer Aubrey Wisberg had done more with this unique plot point. Instead the story simply moves on, as the packet is lost in the scuffle at the Golden Gate, so Barry and Eilene must find it and bring those who tried to kill him to justice.

It's all a little bit silly, including an easily duped plainclothes officer; if the packet was as important as believed, why were the protections for it so weak? And why did someone running a spy ring allow an unvetted repairman into his home to work on his clock? And so on.

The film had various moments like that, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. What the movie lacks in logic, it makes up for in mood!

I enjoyed seeing the pretty Foch early in her career, the same year she made the "B" classic MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS (1945). I wasn't familiar with Wright, though I've seen him in a couple things, and was sorry to learn he died of cancer in 1949.

Fun moments included Shelley Winters popping up as a taxi driver. I'm so used to seeing Kruger as nasty bad guys that I kept expecting it to be revealed that he was a double agent, but he really was a good guy!

The movie was filmed in black and white by George Meehan.

ESCAPE IN THE FOG is available on DVD-R from Sony Choice.

Next up at Noir City: Mark Stevens and Lucille Ball in THE DARK CORNER (1946), paired with Carole Landis and William Gargan in BEHIND GREEN LIGHTS (1946). Can't wait!

May 2019 Update: This film is now available on Blu-ray in the Noir Archive 9-Film Collection.

Tonight's Movie: September Storm (1960) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Mark Stevens and Joanne Dru star in SEPTEMBER STORM (1960), released this week on Blu-ray and DVD by Kino Lorber.

SEPTEMBER STORM was a 3-D film released several years after the 3-D craze hit its peak and quickly died out in the mid '50s. It's been restored by the 3-D Film Archive. The Blu-ray includes the option of watching the film in 3-D or flat; I reviewed the flat version.

The movie has some very interesting names behind the scenes; director Byron Haskin also made the sci-fi classic THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953), while screenwriter W.R. Burnett was behind such crime film classics as HIGH SIERRA (1941) and THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950). The screenplay was based on a story by Steve Fisher, who had some interesting screenwriting credits himself, including LADY IN THE LAKE (1947) and WOMAN THEY ALMOST LYNCHED (1953).

The movie was shot in CinemaScope by Lamar Boren and Jorge Stahl. According to Kino Lorber, it was the first film to feature underwater color 3-D footage.

For an adventure film, SEPTEMBER STORM is quite a leisurely 99 minutes. Dru plays Anne, a model vacationing in Majorca. She's romanced by young Manuel (Asher Dann), who tries to impress her by claiming that the yacht he maintains for playboy businessman LeClerc (Jean-Pierre Kerien) is his.

Joe (Stevens) is an adventurer short on funds who quickly figures out that Manuel doesn't own the boat. He agrees not to tell Anne, but in return he wants to use the yacht to hunt for some gold treasure.

Accompanied by Joe's sidekick Ernie (Robert Strauss), the quartet set sail to go after the gold. They run into problems ranging from a violent storm to one of the group being attacked by a man o' war to Manuel and Ernie making heavy moves on Anne...and then there's the problem of LeClerc finding out what they've been up to with his yacht.

The film is a pleasant enough Sunday afternoon time-passer but there's really not much to the movie, which is rather disappointing with the likeable Dru and Stevens as leads, along with the credentials of those behind the camera.

Dru looks stunning and does a lot to make the movie watchable, keeping her character smart and sympathetic despite her willingness to hang out with what are, in essence, a trio of dubious characters.

As I've commented before, at this stage in his career the skinny Stevens, with his thinning hair, wasn't your typical leading man material, yet I find something quite compelling about his personality, and I'm always glad to see him. This week I'm looking forward to revisiting his excellent film noir THE DARK CORNER (1946) at the Noir City Film Festival.

Dann and Strauss aren't very interesting, with Strauss's character somewhat inexplicably shifting from comic relief to violent molester over the course of the film. Kerien's opening narration gets the movie off to a slow start but he's a little more interesting as the film goes on.

The Blu-ray picture looks stunning at times, particularly the opening credits and the Intermission card; Majorca looks beautiful, and I particularly enjoyed the underwater scenes. There are some problems with how the film was originally shot which do detract at times from the film's overall look; most egregiously, some fine flamenco dancers (Charito Leon and Ernesto Lapena) are frequently shown with their feet cut off.

The plentiful Blu-ray extras include a 2016 interview with costar Asher Dann; a trailer for the "flat" release and a TV ad for the 1960 3-D release; THE ADVENTURES OF SAM SPACE, a 3-D short originally released with September Storm; HARMONY LANE (1953), a British short once believed lost; and an interview with Lewis Gilbert, director of HARMONY LANE.

Kudos to Kino Lorber for bringing out this footnote in 3-D movie history in such a nice edition.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

Tonight's Movie: Address Unknown (1944) at the Noir City Film Festival

World War II collided with film noir in tonight's double bill of "A" and "B" films from 1944 at the Noir City Film Festival.

The evening began with director Fritz Lang's very entertaining MINISTRY OF FEAR (1944), starring Ray Milland. It had been half a dozen years since I last saw it, and I thoroughly enjoyed my return visit.

Though of course Lang was a notable director in his own right, for me MINISTRY OF FEAR has a strongly Hitchcockian feel -- and that's a compliment. Like so many Hitchcock films, it's a "man on the run" tale with a series of marvelous set pieces, beginning with a mysterious cake and a train trip with a blind man...who's not actually blind.

Dan Duryea has a brief but memorable role; I love the way he wields a pair of large scissors in his final scene. Another of my favorite bits comes in the final minutes, as Carla (Marjorie Reynolds) stands in a dark room and fires a gun through a door, with the small circle of light coming through the hole the only light on the screen.

All in all, a very enjoyable film which should be better known. For more information on MINISTRY OF FEAR, please visit my 2011 review.

ADDRESS UNKNOWN (1944) is the somber tale of Martin Schulz (Paul Lukas) who in 1930s Germany betrays family and close friends in order to ingratiate himself with the Nazis.

Martin's business partner Max (Morris Carnovsky) is a Jewish man living in San Francisco. When Max experiences the ultimate betrayal at the hands of Martin, he begins sending a series of letters to Martin in Germany designed to, shall we say, "complicate" Martin's life when the letters are read by censors.

ADDRESS UNKNOWN was directed by famed production designer William Cameron Menzies and filmed by the stylish Rudolph Mate, so it's no surprise that the film has many striking shots.

K.T. Stevens plays Max's daughter Griselle, who loves Martin's son Heinrich (Peter Van Eyck). Stevens was the daughter of the film's producer, Sam Wood; himself a director, Wood had worked with Menzies on parts of GONE WITH THE WIND (1939).

Stevens was born Gloria Wood and acted briefly under the name Katharine Stevens before adopting the name K.T. Stevens with this film. She's solid as a young woman who has misguided faith in 1930s German tolerance for artistic and religious freedom, and her confidence in her fiance's father is also sadly misplaced.

Stevens' last scene reminded me strongly of a sequence in Val Lewton and Jacques Tourner's LEOPARD MAN (1943), released the previous year.

This was a well made but rather depressing movie which fortunately ran only 75 minutes. It's thought-provoking, and viewing it also provided interesting insight into how the Nazis and anti-Semitism were handled in a film made during WWII, but because it was so sad I don't envision wanting to see it a second time.

Incidentally, the movie would make an interesting double bill with THE MAN I MARRIED (1940), a Joan Bennett film with similar themes. I liked THE MAN I MARRIED better, though, thanks to Bennett and Lloyd Nolan.

One of the things I enjoy about older films is being reminded of the ins and outs of daily living decades ago, comparing the similarities and differences with today. Given the speed at which we can communicate via the internet and cell phones, it was rather fascinating being taken back to a time when news traveled more slowly, by letter or perhaps a cablegram, and the daily arrival of the mailman was anxiously awaited. (And of course, back then it was a mailman, not a mail carrier...)

As an aside, I was mildly curious that the film has Lukas and Mady Christians become parents of their sixth child in the course of the story. Christians was in her early 50s and appears grandmotherly in the film, but it would have been possible if her character were meant to be a bit younger.

The cast also includes Carl Esmond, Emory Parnell, Mary Young, Gary Gray, Frank Faylen, and Charles Halton.

Sunday night I'll be return to Noir City for a pair of films from 1945, Deanna Durbin in LADY ON A TRAIN (1945) and Nina Foch in ESCAPE IN THE FOG (1945). LADY ON THE TRAIN is one of my favorite Durbin films, and I'm especially excited at the prospect of seeing a Durbin film on a big screen for the first time ever.

May 2019 Update: This film is now available on Blu-ray in the Noir Archive 9-Film Collection.