Tonight's Movie: Hell's Half Acre (1954) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

These are happy days for film noir fans, as Kino Lorber Studio Classics has released several more great Dark Side of Cinema sets over the last couple months! In the coming weeks I'll be taking a look at movies from Volumes XXIII, XXIV, and XXV.

I'm going to start by discussing HELL'S HALF ACRE (1954), a film from the most recent set, Volume XXV. This new set was released just a few days ago.

Volume XXV also contains a new-to-me title, THE FLAME (1947), and an enjoyable '50s title I've seen multiple times, CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS (1953).

I first saw HELL'S HALF ACRE at the 2019 Noir City Hollywood Festival and coincidentally I recently saw it again at this year's Noir City Fest. The 2019 festival screening was via a digital print, and this year it was shown in 35mm.

It's an imperfect, somewhat strange yet highly watchable film which I've enjoyed revisiting multiple times now, and it looks great on Kino Lorber's new Blu-ray.

The interesting cast is headed by Evelyn Keyes as Donna, who has reason to believe that her husband (Wendell Corey), killed at Pearl Harbor a decade previously, is actually still alive. She travels from Hollywood to Honolulu in search of answers.

It's clear early on that Donna's late husband is still alive, going by a different name, Chet Chester. He's a nightclub owner with a shady background, currently under arrest for the murder of a blackmailer which was actually committed by his devoted girlfriend, Sally (Nancy Gates)...and when Sally herself is killed he escapes jail, intent on avenging her death.

Donna is helped by a kind police chief (Keye Luke) as well as a friendly cabbie (Elsa Lanchester) as the search for her husband takes her into some of the most sordid parts of Honolulu. She runs into dangerous types played by Philip Ahn, Marie Windsor, and Jesse White while untangling the mystery of "Chet Chester" and his past.

It's a moody film which doesn't always go in the expected directions, particularly with regard to the outcome of Chet and Donna's storylines. The unusual storyline and unique Honolulu setting also make the film rather memorable.

Corey is on target here as the taciturn Chet, with Keyes his opposite, registering an energetic performance as the determined Donna. Lanchester provides needed comic relief, Gates is striking as an unexpectedly steely butterfly, and Luke provides a reassuring and classy presence.

One wonders how on earth glamorous Marie Windsor ended up married to the drunken slob played by Jesse White; she carries on behind hubby's back with the more handsome, more dangerous Ahn.

The movie was written by Steve Fisher, the screenwriter behind a number of notable film noir titles. It was directed by John H. Auer, with black and white filming by John L. Russell Jr. Some of the film was shot on location in Honolulu.

Kino Lorber's good-looking Blu-ray print is from a Paramount Pictures HD master from a 4K scan.

Disc extras consist of a commentary track by Heath Holland (Cereal at Midnight) and a gallery of three trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber.

This is a movie which has proven to have considerable "rewatch value" over the years, and I'm also looking forward to seeing CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS again, as well as checking out John Carroll and Vera Ralston in THE FLAME. Like the other Dark Side of Cinema collections, genre fans will want to be sure to add it to the film noir shelf.

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

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