The File on Thelma Jordon

There have frequently been two main reasons for seeing any film etc. One is the cast, so many films have a cast full of very talented actors that promises already so much. The other is if the story/premise itself sounds very interesting on paper. 'The File on Thelma Jordan' is another one of many examples to have both those things. Am also a great admirer of Barbara Stanwyck, and saw it also to see as many of her films not yet seen as possible.

On the most part, 'The File on Thelma Jordan' is pretty impressive with a lot of great things going for it. If it had a better male lead and had a tighter pace to begin with, there was a lot of potential for it to be great. It just falls short of that but the good things are many and those good things are actually excellent. It really helps that we have such a great actress excelling in a role that plays to her considerable strengths and that we have a director that was experienced in this type of film.

Am going to start with those good things. First and foremost, Stanwyck. She is absolutely marvellous here, she has a real allure and at times vulnerability but is also very steely and evokes chills. The supporting cast play their parts very well, even if none are quite on the same level as Stanwyck. Stanley Ridges especially comes over well. As does Robert Siodmak (who has done quite a lot of good films, especially 1946's 'The Killers'), showing a lot of flair and eye for detail and atmosphere.

Visually, 'The File on Thelma Jordan' looks great. The photography is both gorgeous and atmosphere-filled. The lighting is suitably moody and the production design is suitably elaborate. Victor Young's score looms ominously in all the right places. The script is sharp and thought probing and the story has suspense and surprising grit. It is also not hard to follow without being simplistic.

Wendell Corey was less good though in my view. Found him a bit too meek and anaemic in a role that too often goes overboard on the passiveness. He has a little more chemistry with Stanwyck than what was seen in 'The Furies', but it doesn't quite fire enough on all cylinders. It's competent but under-explored.

Pace wise, it could have been tighter in the early stages and takes too long to get going. While the ending is a surprise, it could have been handled with more subtlety.

Overall though, it is worth watching. 7/10

.... What is a pretty lady doing here in the middle of nowhere all alone, interested in a married man with middling prospects?

Assistant DA Cleve Marshall (Wendell Corey) feels misunderstood and unappreciated. His wealthy father-in-law keeps interfering and showing up on important and rather private occasions such as wedding anniversaries and doing things that indicate that Cleve is held in only medium esteem by said father-in-law. So one night he is getting drunk at his office over this situation when previously mentioned pretty lady (Barbara Stanwyck as Thelma Jordan) comes into the office and asks for the other assistant DA, Miles Scott (Paul Kelly), but he isn't there, so Thelma tells her problems to Marshall.

Marshall acts disinterested in the reason she came in - break-ins at her wealthy aunt's secluded home. He flirts with her. He gets even more drunk and obnoxious, then kisses her. And yet the next day she returns and gets even friendlier with him. But Cleve never asks that question - Why unavailable me who did not exactly put my best foot forward last night? They start seeing each other when they can and then something happens that makes it awfully convenient for Thelma to know somebody in the DA's office - Her aunt is murdered and her safe robbed one night, and she looks like a suspect.

Stanwyck and Corey made one other film together - "The Furies", and I thought they had good screen chemistry, which I would have never believed until I watched this. Paul Kelly gives a good supporting performance as the other assistant DA. He goes hard on a murder suspect when doing the questioning, shooting out sarcastic remarks. That's rather ironic when you realize Kelly served two years in prison for manslaughter during the late 1920s, something that apparently had no impact on his acting career. Also note that the two kids playing Wendell Corey's children actually are Wendell Corey's children.

Last but not least, kudos to Victor Young for his wonderful score. He really made looking for a pencil in the dark seem suspenseful.

The File On Thelma Jordon turns out to be an extensive one indeed. Had Wendell Corey examined it more fully he might never have gotten into the jackpot he did.

A lot of critics compare this film with that other Stanwyck classic, Double Indemnity. There are certainly elements of that story in The File On Thelma Jordon. But I also see a lot of resemblance as well to the Dick Powell-Lizabeth Scott-Jane Wyatt noir film, Pitfall. If you've seen that one it involves a married, but bored Dick Powell casually drifting into an affair with Lizabeth Scott and getting sucked into some criminal enterprise. Joan Tetzel steps into the role of the wronged wife and was every bit as good as Jane Wyatt was in Pitfall.

One desultory night as Wendell Corey is working late and getting helped along with a little libation, in pops Barbara Stanwyck to the District Attorney's office to complain about the lack of action the police have been giving to her complaints about someone trying to break into her house where she and her elderly aunt live. Corey's state of inebriation seems to be loosening any moral restraints and Barbara leaves him hooked and begging for more.

So when the elderly aunt is in fact murdered, Corey doesn't think like an officer of the court, but instead he's using the gray cells in his male member to make decisions. He winds up prosecuting Stanwyck and paying for high priced defense attorney Stanley Ridges on the side. By the way Ridges is one shrewd article and suspects what's up, but keeps his mouth shut.

Paul Kelly is in the Edward G. Robinson role as another member of the District Attorney's office who realizes this case has far more layers to this than originally thought.

The film is definitely one that should satisfy Barbara's legion of fans.

From her first entrance, Stanwyck kept me captivated by her performance in this film. There is something about her that draws you in and holds you. You know there is more to her than meets the eye - but you're not sure what exactly.

I have always admired Stanwyck. She was born Ruby Stevens, a Brooklyn girl that worked for a phone company and then became a chorus girl, before finally going to Hollywood to chase her dreams. She was nominated 4 times for an Oscar for Best Actress ("Stella Davis", "Ball of Fire", "Double Indemnity", "Sorry ,Wrong Number") but never won - except for an Honorary Oscar near the end of her life. She was considered a gem to work with for her serious but easy going attitude on the set (unlike many of her contemporary peers). This makes me like her even more!

I thought the cinematography in this film was outstanding. I loved the elaborate sets and and set decorating.

The plot kept me intrigued as well. Corey plays the perfect fall guy for Stanwyck. His average looks and dull exterior tend to make you feel sympathetic for this guy. Some have commented that they didn't have much chemistry together. I agree that they are an unlikely couple, but it helps you see how he could get so caught up in her and be willing to sacrifice so much. She was obviously outside his league.

There are some nice twists and turns in the plot that will keep you interested - especially at the end. It's worth a watch.

Perfectly decent noirish outing with excellent performance from Barbara Stanwyck, even if she has done much the same before. Small argument in my house where both my son and wife reckoned that the only problem was that they couldn't see the attraction of the femme fatale herself! I certainly beg to differ and feel most drawn to the feline duplicity of her sinister assuredness, but there we go. Even so a great tale that keeps twisting nicely so that even though you know she must be a baddie, the ever turning tale, especially when we get to court keeps you guessing. Wendell Corey is impressive as the assistant DA if not as a lover, but that's just me.