Lured

I was 'lured' into this one by its cast - Lucille Ball in a dramatic role, opposite George Sanders, and with Charles Coburn and Boris Karloff in supporting roles. I wasn't disappointed. It's a nice mystery/drama where a serial killer in London finds his victims through personal ads, and then boasts about it to the police with poetry reminiscent of Charles Baudelaire. Ball plays an American working in a dancehall who begins working undercover for the police when one of her friends becomes a victim. That bit is a little contrived, but I liked her pluckiness and how she stands up to a variety of creepy male behavior (in the dancehall, various ogling, and with some of the men she meets via the personal ads). There are some standard tropes - Ball's extraordinary powers of observation, Coburn being the distinguished sleuth who engages in a cat and mouse game with the criminal, etc - but the script is intelligent and has some interesting turns. Just don't go into it with the expectation that it's film noir, and enjoy the performances.

Great, atmospheric tale of a struggling chorus girl (Lucille Ball)who is used as bait by London police to catch a serial killer who preys on women through newspaper personal advertisements.

Douglas Sirk is the Director of the Moment due to the release of the superb Far from Heaven -a remake of Sirk's All That Heaven Allows- and his films are now being rented and talked about as if they never existed. This film is a beautiful showcase for the almost larger-than-life characters, incredibly detailed sets, and use of lighting that would become trademarks for his later films.

Lucille Ball makes a great 'dame' and her dramatic abilities were sensational. Boris Karloff takes his one scene and plays it to the creepy hilt while George Sanders was a rather cool and sexy guy before he sealed his film fate as Addison DeWitt in All About Eve.

Lured maybe hard to find in most video stores but give it a chance if you come across it.

For those of you who only know Ms. Ball as the "dizzy redhead" in the 50's sitcoms, you're in for a TREAT!

Before making the above, she was in many films -- Marx Brothers, The "Annabel" series, and this great film.

Backed by a solid cast (Zucco, Sanders, Karloff, Napier, Coburn), she acts as the "bait" to lure a London killer out of hiding.

Even tho (at least to ME) it was obvious who the killer is, it is fascinating watching her in a non-comedy role! And, she certainly was lovely!

If you get a chance to see this, DO SO! You won't be disappointed! It's a shame that she didn't make more films in this genre.

Another noir film starring of all people Lucille Ball. A serial killer is on the loose in England who uses the personals column to lure his victims. Ball, who is an ex-pat in Blighty working as a dancehall companion, has a friend who goes missing so while giving her account to the local constabulary, the chief investigator strikes upon an idea to have Ball go undercover to see if the killer can be caught. Directed by the future king of the 50's melodramas Douglas Sirk, he manages to make a light noir feel fun & engaging w/o the prerequisite baggage which usually comes w/this sort of material. Aiding Ball admirably are the supporting cast of actors which includes George Sanders, Charles Coburn, Cedric Hardwicke & a scene stealer from Frankenstein himself, Boris Karloff.

As an user has pointed out,"lured" is the remake of Robert Siodmak's movie "Pièges" (1939) starring Marie Dea (Lucille Ball's part),Maurice Chevalier (Sanders' part) ,Erich Von Stroheim (Karloff's) and Pierre Renoir (Cedric Hardwicke's) Both versions are good.If ,like me,you've seen Siodmak's version first ,you'll probably find Sirk's work less interesting and vice versa . The differences between the treatments are minimal.

-George Sanders is a better choice than Maurice Chevalier ,cause we do believe he might be a serial killer,which is difficult with the French chanteur.

-On the other hand the scene featuring Boris Karloff is weaker than its French equivalent where Stroheim was more disturbing.

-In both movies,the weakest link is the part of the story where the heroine is a servant in a shady house.