silasmrner

This widely panned film, a precursor for what would come by the mid-30's, is a light-years transition from the amateurish films which marked the post-silent film period. The lead actors, Bette Davis and William Powell, were yet to become, literally, names synonymous with Hollywood itself. Camera movement, lighting, casting, first class fashion (earmarked by a fantastic Buzz Berkeley number) and a story script with some body to it, all coalesce to show how far motion pictures had come in five years from the awkward baby-steps of 'talkies'. It sets the stage for what would become an emerging American industry that would have a world-wild cultural impact.

One sure fire way to deliver a never miss noir is adapting a solid story (Build My Gallows High) by a renowned hard-boiled author (Geoffrey Homes) and sticking close to the source material. Of course it was helped by Homes being hired on to adapt his story for the screen. Much like the Maltese Falcon and The Asphalt Jungle, where the book's narrative fabric is saved word for word in the script, the story is lifted from the stilted dialogue in far too many noirs.

Any hint of this being run of the mill drama is further elevated by a stellar cast. Mitchum personifies a conflicted noir lead (as he does effortlessly in his other noir work.) Jane Greer may have been new to star billing, but she dishes out her devious femme fatale lines as she plays Mitchum for a sucker. At the same time she must also sidestep Kirk Douglas, her criminal boss. He is terrific despite this being one of his first meaningful roles. It's clear he's going to be an important piece of Hollywood's future. Rhonda Fleming has a small, but crucial role as another in Douglas's harem of conniving women. She shows her chops as a less prominent femme fatale in this story and it's a shame that she wasn't cast in a lead role in other noir of the period.

This film is the epitome of Noir and must be at the top of any such list.

The Searchers has so much wrong with it that it's amazing it has managed the garner such praise; that's solely on the basis of the Ford/Wayne/Monument Valley connection. The film is full of cliche, bad acting, over-acting and formula writing. Where to start? How about the Anglo Saxon casing of Henry Brandon as the feared Comanche Chief Scar? Blue eyes and all. How about the early chase scene where once Wayne and party are across a wide river, and they managed, with their sidearm pistols, to shot countless Indians off their horses at a 100-yard distance. Ford's use of the same old supporting actors finally runs out of steam here and they are often are played as foils. Their is all the freshness of a tenth film of the Three Stooges. And we have the typical Ford scenes between the young lovers which are played with slap-stick effect. The movie never reaches the quality peak that most reviewers give it; about the only praiseworthy element is the Monument Valley location, which though almost a given with Ford, never disappoints. And the other, the final shot finding Wayne walking away with a Harry Carey-like mannerism as a tribute to that GOAT actor.