Van Johnson in Hitchcock-Style ‘23 Paces to Baker Street’ 1956

 

Van Johnson plays a blind man who overs the kidnap plan of a child,
in 1956's "23 Paces to Baker Street."

I had never heard of 1956's 23 Paces to Baker Street, but read that it was considered Hitchcock-esque, which always gets my attention.

This Henry Hathaway-directed film was indeed Hitch-esque, in a good way. 23 Paces to Baker Street is the story of a blind playwright that overhears a plot to kidnap a child, only to become a target himself. The suspense flick has elements of Alfred Hitchcock classics Rear Window and The Man Who Knew Too Much, and 1967’s Hitch-like Wait Until Dark.

"23 Paces to Baker Street," a solid 1956 suspense film, in the Hitchcock style.

23 Paces to Baker Street stands on its own, despite Hitchcock comparisons, derived from Philip McDonald’s Warrant for X in1938. The popular British novelist also wrote The List of Adrian Messenger. Yet, the film does shape the story in the Hitchcock mold. The result is a solid and stylish suspense film.

A 20th Century Fox film in Cinemascope, 23 Paces to Baker Street is beautifully lensed, with a fair amount of eye-catching post-war London location shooting. Milton R. Krasner, one of Fox’s top cinematographers, does a fine job here. Henry Hathaway, perhaps Fox's best studio director, tells the story with some style and with a sure hand. These old pros were in the last hurrah of their studio tenure.

Van Johnson is a blind and bitter playwright in the 1956 mystery,
"23 Paces to Baker Street."

Van Johnson, whose stardom had peaked at this point, was doing some latter day dramatic roles. They seemed to tap into Van’s bitter and petulant off-camera side, as his star was fading at 40, post-MGM glory years. It works for the role as the blinded playwright, Phillip Hannon. Van’s acting is natural and not overdone, as he could be at times in his Metro heyday. Phillip now uses his other senses to compensate, and hence uses his playwright's listening skills to get a bead on the kidnappers.

Vera Miles got the closest to playing a glamorous Hitchcock blonde
in 1956's "23 Paces to Baker Street." Note the gray suit!

Vera Miles plays Van's ex-fiancee, Jean Lennox, who the playwright spurned in self-pity after his accident. Vera is quite pretty and does a good approximation of the game Hitchcock blonde, right down to the fitted gray suits. A shame Miles’ character wasn’t as carefree as Grace Kelly’s Lisa in Rear Window, instead of a long-suffering ex. Miles was 26 here, a promising starlet. As of April 2026, Vera is still with us, and turns 96 August 23!

Vera Miles was 26 the year "23 Paces to Baker Street" was released. 

Cecil Parker is a scene-stealer as man servant Bob Matthews to Van’s tense playwright; Patricia Laffan (Quo Vadis villainess) is a shady lady governess from the employment agency; Estelle Winwood is the good egg bar maid from the pub: Natalie Norwick is sought-after Janet Murch; and Isobel Elsom is charming fun as Lady Syrett. A excellent supporting cast round out the various cops, bystanders, and bad guys in this tense mystery. 

Estelle Winwood offers fun character flavor, in "23 Paces to Baker Street."

Once the unknown villains are on to the playwright's being on to them, the stakes become much higher, leading to some precarious moments for the blind man. The scene where Van's amateur detective is lured into a condemned building is a nail biter. The finale is very reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's Wait Until Dark, but this movie came out a decade before, and it’s also exciting.

The villain, who's been stalking the blind playwright, about to be revealed, 
in 1956's "23 Paces to Baker Street."

As Van's playwright, his manservant, and ex-girlfriend aid the police investigation, there are a few quirky surprises along the way. Alfred Hitchcock was so often imitated on film that the better examples are often called "Could Have Been Hitchcock." The main difference is that the imitations usually lack Hitch's twisted subtext. All in all, 23 Paces to Baker Street is a nifty little nail-biter!

Van Johnson, the blind playwright who puts himself on the edge of danger,
in 1956's "23 Paces to Baker Street."

Rear Window remains one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best Technicolor blockbusters. My look at Rear Window here:

"Rear Window," 1954

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2017/06/hitchcocks-rear-window-still-thrills.html

 

Crawford's Latter Day Best: ‘Autumn Leaves’ 1956

 

A young Cliff Robertson and mature Joan Crawford have a believable chemistry
in the May-September romance, "Autumn Leaves."

Autumn Leaves offered a rare sympathetic role for Joan Crawford in the 1950s, the autumn of the great star’s career. This was also Crawford’s first collaboration with director Robert Aldrich, usually known for his tough take in storytelling. In this adult soap opera, their team work is subtle and sympathetic.

Joan Crawford's Milly is a typist and you better believe she's the best!

Crawford plays Milly Wetherby, a work at home typist, who meets a younger man on a rare evening out. Burt Hanson, played by film newcomer Cliff Robertson, is a returning veteran. They strike up a friendship, which leads to romance. Initially resistant because of their age difference, Milly comes to realize that she really loves Burt. They marry and the honeymoon period is idyllic. Reality intrudes when Burt’s past catches up to him in the form of an ex-wife and estranged father. The young man’s stories don’t add up, and his family’s version doesn’t speak well for him. And their claim that he is unstable is indisputable, as Burt begins to fall apart. Still, there is more than meets the eye, as Milly is determined to not only help Burt, but get to the truth of the matter.

Crawford's Milly eventually realizes that she's ready to take a chance on love with
 Robertson's Burt Hanson in "Autumn Leaves."

Kudos goes to both director Aldrich and star Crawford.  They were known to go over the top and both the film’s direction and lead performance are surprisingly restrained and effective. Yes, there are moments when Robertson's troubled young man’s downfall is a bit voyeuristic. But Aldrich is empathetic to character Burt Hanson’s plight and makes him neither a weakling nor a bad guy. The director gives this "woman's picture" a noir-ish take, with camera work that heightens the tension. Best of all, Aldrich's look at the May-December romance between the typist and the tie salesman is treated seriously. 

Burt Hanson's mental illness is handled sensitively in "Autumn Leaves,"
without sentimentality or sensationalism.

As for Joan Crawford, she rarely got to play a sympathetic character so warmly in the '50s—an era of tough cookies, control freaks, or flat-out neurotic bitches: The Damned Don't Cry; Harriet Craig; This Woman is Dangerous; Torch Song; Johnny Guitar; Queen Bee; Female on the Beach; and The Best of Everything. 

Joan Crawford's Milly, having a night on the town, in "Autumn Leaves."

Joan's spinster typist Milly Wetherby is practical, confident, yet warm and caring; Crawford’s scenes depicting her loneliness certainly resonate. When Millie finally takes a chance on love, she gives her all, and you care for Crawford’s character. Along with Baby Jane, this is Joan's best latter day role and performance. Except for a few trademark Crawford poses in some of the big scenes, Joan is at her most genuine and straightforward here.

At nearly 50, Joan was in fine form in "Autumn Leaves," here with
co-star Cliff Robertson and director Robert Aldrich. 

The only criticism I have is that it's a shame someone couldn't get Joan to tone down her visual style in Autumn Leaves. At nearly 50, a swimsuit scene shows Joan in fine form and her huge eyes and bone structure were eternal. While the infamous Crawford shadows are ever-present, along with some heavy duty makeup contouring from the jaw line down, this was pretty typical of the era. But Joan's makeup of her eyes, eyebrows, and lips are truly startling, especially when she's in scenes with younger cast members, who are made up to look like merely attractive mortals. Joan’s severe cropped hair was unfortunate for most of her '50s.This called more attention to her age, along with some ill-advised extreme close-ups. 

Not sure who thought extreme close-ups like these of Joan Crawford were a good idea.

As Burt Hanson, this was Cliff Robertson's first leading man role. Robertson would play another mentally challenged man a dozen years later, as Charly, for which Cliff won an Oscar. Robertson uses his boyish charm to an almost Jimmy Stewart-like degree. He's very winning and it’s startling when he turns on a dime into a rage. When his character is hauled away, Burt has a male Blanche DuBois moment. 

Robertson's Burt depends on the kindness of strangers and Crawford's Milly
in "Autumn Leaves."

The 1956 film featured a great supporting cast, with Vera Miles looking every inch the Hitchcock blonde as the scheming ex-wife. This year was a break out for Miles as well as Cliff Robertson. Along with this showy role, Miles worked with John Ford in The Searchers and Alfred Hitchcock for the first time in The Wrong Man. Smoothly villainous Lorne Greene is memorable as Burt’s father, before he became saintly patriarch Ben Cartwright three years later. Ruth Donnelly is a scene stealer as outspoken but big-hearted Liz, Milly’s apartment complex manager. Also, future Baby Jane cast member Marjorie Bennett has a great bit as the waitress with an attitude.

A striking shot of Burt's loving family, as played by Lorne Greene and Vera Miles.

There's a number of lovely scenes in Autumn Leaves: the banter between landlady Liz and Joan's work-at-home typist; lonely Joan determined to have a nice night out solo; the first meeting of Burt and Milly at the restaurant; their courtship and the navigation of trust into love; the scenes where Milly battles Burt's selfish father and ex-wife that give Joan a chance to breathe some fire; the breakdown scenes, which are realistic; and the ending is hopeful, but not corny.

The two Mrs. Hansons: Joan Crawford as the current Mrs.; Vera Miles is the ex!

For a ‘50s film soap opera, Autumn Leaves feels authentic. It’s a Crawford fan favorite, and even those who aren’t one of Joan’s fans may be pleasantly surprised.

"Autumn Leaves" seems to be copying the love scene from another Columbia film,
 "From Here to Eternity." Legend has it that Joan Crawford turned the Deborah Kerr role down!

Also, here’s my look at Joan’s signature role, Mildred Pierce: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/03/how-joan-crawford-became-mildred-pierce.html

Milly gets her happy ending, though warned Burt might have changed once cured,
at the finale of "Autumn Leaves."

'Back Street' 1961

 

Susan Hayward & John Gavin in "Back Street." Susie's vehicle all the way!

John Gavin's unhappy hubby oughtn't have let Vera Miles' virago wife take the wheel!

The ’61 remake of Fanny Hurst’s Back Street is the third retelling of the teary tale and a favorite of Susan Hayward fans. The first two starred Irene Dunne (’32) and Margaret Sullivan (‘41), so a case could be made for any of the three, as to who was the most noble Fanny Hurst film mistress.

This big screen soap is one of a string of glossy remakes created by glamour fan/producer Ross Hunter: Magnificent Obsession, Imitation of Life, Back Street, and Madame X. The first two were directed by Douglas Sirk, who gave his mainstream soaps subversive subtext. Back Street was directed by David Miller, who was skillful at directing veteran actors to best advantage, but was a straightforward studio director.

Susan Hayward dominates the third version of "Back Street" like a true movie diva.

Backstreet is the tale of a promising young woman with dreams of being a fashion designer, but whose life is altered by falling in love with a married man. In the original story, the woman is compromised by giving her life over as the other woman, and literally living a “back street” life as his mistress. In this update, Susan Hayward’s Rae Smith has her own flourishing career, but eventually agrees to be on call as the married man’s lover. John Gavin’s Paul Saxon is trapped in a loveless marriage to drunken shrew Liz, who wants to remain a rich wife to this department store heir. The main premise here is the film’s major weak point. The two illicit lovers are gaga for each other at first sight, yet he won’t divorce the wife for his children’s sake and the independent career woman runs to his beck and call at the drop of a hat. Even in this early ‘60s era, a rich couple no longer in love would just discreetly live separate lives and not upset the apple cart.

Susan Hayward & John Gavin's characters love is picture perfect in "Back Street."

But this is a Ross Hunter production, so suspension of disbelief is mandatory for his “suffering in mink” sagas. Such coincidences as the main characters running into each other at the most dramatically opportune times (like Hayward’s helping up Miles’ drunken character just as her husband runs over to assist). Or staring into department store windows just as the other lover happens to walk up, reflection in the glass. There are also lovers’ dramatic phone calls, with phones that conveniently match the color scheme of their costumes and décor! And the usual missed opportunities of lovers who can’t seem to get together, soap opera style.

This Back Street was a moderate hit and Susan Hayward’s most successful latter day starring role—though her guest role as Broadway barracuda Helen Lawson in Valley of the Dolls in ‘67 was her biggest all-time hit movie.

John Gavin & Susan Hayward make a handsome couple in "Back Street."

As Rae Smith, Susan is sympathetic and warm as the designing woman with big dreams. Hayward was 43 when Back Street was filmed and she looks lovely, as photographed by Stanley Cortez. Unlike her later ‘60s outings, Hayward’s hairstyles are simpler and look softer, and Susan looks sensational in Jean Louis’ clothes. As the wife from hell, Vera Miles gets to be glamorous, after her drab turn in Psycho. Jean Louis’ costumes for the two women are chic. Also interesting is that both women were cast against type: Susan made a career out playing tough cookies, whereas Vera Miles almost always played warmly classy in her career. Here they play opposites, and both are just as good at it.

Vera Miles, as the rich bitch wife, gets to look glam in Jean Louis outfits.

Susan Hayward sure looks much more subtle in Back Street than Lana Turner did in Imitation of Life. Both films are rags to riches tales, told over a number of years, But Susan doesn’t have that fuzzy-focused and shellacked look that Lana required. Both also shared a co-star in their respective Ross Hunter sagas—John Gavin. Gavin was a decade younger than Lana and 14 years younger than Susie. Tall, dark, and handsome, Gavin looked good opposite both of them. Both actresses were “playing young” in the early sections, and Gavin was given a spray of silver in his hair for the later scenes. Though the age difference was noticeable, it was far more common for aging male actors of the day—especially Gable, Cooper, and Astaire—to co-star opposite women often 25 years younger!

Susan Hayward, a rare chance to play glam, as a designing woman, in "Back Street."

In Where Love Has Gone three years later, Hayward would replay the playing younger bit, again as a WWII era woman in love, growing unhappier up to current day… and age! And that would co-star another young actor, Mike Connors.

If you’ve watched enough Universal TV shows and movies from the ‘60s and ‘70s, you’ll notice the back lot sets look familiar. Also, the huge picture window in Susie’s “country cottage” reminded me of Rock Hudson’s DIY mill dream home in All That Heaven Allows. The recreating of far flung locales, mixing location shooting with artificial back lot exteriors and soundstage interiors, was quickly becoming passé. Still, Hunter’s productions look fabulous, no matter how fake. The sets, costumes, furs, the jewels, hair and makeup, all are total glam.

John Gavin & Susan Hayward bump into each other, over drunken Vera Miles, in "Back Street."

Ross Hunter always gives his leading ladies great support with his favorite familiar faces. Though she’s the same age as Hayward, Virginia Grey plays Susie’s big sister in Back Street. Ross called Grey his “good luck charm,” and she appeared in many Hunter productions. One of MGM’s most beautiful starlets, Virginia never got to the next level, and I don’t know why. I will say, by the ‘50s, Grey’s bone thin appearance and heavy makeup made her appear much older. Note the scene where Virginia’s reading/writing letters to sister Susie, and her eyelashes look like awnings!

John Gavin & Susan Hayward have a most discreet moonlit dip in "Back Street."

John Gavin confirmed what seemed apparent in Imitation of Life. The “next Rock Hudson,” while pleasant enough in the lighter or romantic scenes, turned to stone in dramatic moments. As Paul’s life hits the crisis stage, with a crazy wife, Gavin goes deadpan. While Rock Hudson was no Brando in the emotional department, Hudson grew into a warm leading man. I’ve read that Gavin was resistant to appearing shirtless and uneasy in love scenes. Perhaps Gavin didn’t want the “Baron of Beefcake” label that Rock Hudson had to live down, or perhaps he was just inhibited. He certainly seemed that way emotionally too, on screen.

Director David Miller was no Douglas Sirk, but he does borrow his reflective imagery.

Other Hunter favorites are Charles Drake as Mr. Nice Guy who wants to marry Susie’s Rae, but she falls head over heels for a married stranger! Reginald Gardiner is her “acerbic” designer boss. Natalie Schafer plays a gossipy client. Hayden Rorke is a big client of Rae’s. They all play their parts well, within the stereotypes of this soap.

But it’s Vera Miles who gets to bust out and let loose in Back Street. As Liz Saxon, Vera gets to snap, snarl, screech, and wreak havoc as Gavin’s virago of a wife. Liz is a lush and also adulterous, too, but makes it clear that she’s in it for the long haul, and doesn’t want to be another ex-wife with a payout. A cardinal sin in any mid-century soap is a mother who hardly notices her children. And though she seems to play fast and loose herself, the minute she finds out that Paul is seeking comfort elsewhere, Liz is on the warpath. This gives Vera several big moments, sparring with her unhappy hubby, and later, Rae herself. After her drab role as Janet Leigh’s sister in Psycho, Miles makes the most of her flashy role.

Vera Miles, as John Gavin's drunken wife in "Back Street," is ready to rumble!

Back Street’s ending seems like a dead end to me, and probably seemed so in its day. But that finale, with Rae’s comfort derived from nobly sacrificing, was standard studio-era Hollywood, which was swiftly coming to an end. Hunter found that out later when the sentiments of Madame X didn’t make the grade

Today, Back Street can be viewed as “feel sad” fun or camp, or both. Either way, this movie is an exercise in mid-century Hollywood style.

Back Street fans! This movie finally comes out on Blu-Ray on 8/10/21.

For more: https://www.kinolorber.com/product/back-street-blu-ray

Like I said, "Back Street" is Susan Hayward's vehicle all the way!

Here’s my take on Susan Hayward’s further descent into swanky soap operas, Where Love Has Gone:

https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2020/08/where-love-has-gone-1964.html

FYI: I put all the movie overflow on my public FB movie page. 

Check it out & join!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/178488909366865/