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The Window

Posted: November 23rd, 2009, 9:13 pm
by ken123
Is a noir starring some of my favorite people Arthur Kennedy & Barbara Hale who are husband & wife in this film and Paul Stewart & Ruth Roman as another husband - wife team. Kennedy & Barbara have a son Bobby Driscoll who has a vivid imagination. The son witnesses a murder committed by the Stewart - Ruth combo and naturally no one believes Bobby. I wish TCM would show this film, which used to be on local ( Chicago ) channel 7 all the time, but thats when local TV showed older films.Mr Driscoll died at a very early age.

Re: The Window

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 1:41 pm
by Ollie
I should create a collection of smarmy, weasely bad guys. Hume Cronyn in BRUTE FORCE is a terrific example where he's matched against the powerful persona of Burt Lancaster. He turns in another strong characterization in PEOPLE WILL TALK (Cary Grant, Jeanne Crane).

But THE WINDOW has Paul Stewart turning in another superb example of this. This isn't his smarmiest role - he does that in 1955's CHICAGO SYNDICATE against Dennis O'Keefe. These two films, however, opened my eyes to Paul Stewart as a 'name' and made me start collecting his films. In THE WINDOW, he's so nonchalant at points, so matter-of-fact, 'leave 'im out there, he'll fall' kind of a murder.

I keep wanting to say, "He's not smarmy, he's ONLY a murderer here..." as if I hate him any less. This is a good performance. The great scene in the car - a couple and their son, the policeman turning away. What a terrific scene - a true nightmare scenario.

I'm always amazed to look thru Stewart's IMDB and see how deep is performance-resumé is, starting in 1937, working into a 1983 REMINGTON STEELE episode.

I end up enjoying these little films, and am thankful that TCM employees decided these are good enough for the rest of us.

Re: The Window

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 6:45 pm
by ken123
Mr Stewart's character in Citizen Kane is very slimy with a contempt for humanity thrown in, but he was a good guy as Kirk Douglas's manager in Champion which also starred Ruth Roman. OMG Kirk had Ruth, Marilyn Maxwell & Lola Albright in that one ! :)

Re: The Window

Posted: July 22nd, 2015, 10:43 am
by movieman1957
Terrific little film. A simple story told in a pretty exciting way. The ending is especially tense. Driscoll was quite good but I'm not sure anyone else was particularly taxed but they all did a fine job. Other than Driscoll the real star is the camera. Shadows, in true noir requirements, really set the tension and fear from the boy's view.

One thing that is hard to get past now is that the way the parents treat "Tommy" they would be in jail on multiple counts of child endangerment. He is either left alone in the apartment, allowed to play in a condemned building and then locked in his room, both by door and window, without food (except that he brought in an apple,) water or access to a bathroom. That place catches fire he is dead.

Set that aside you have a pretty tight short film. Another example of fine, compact story telling. Well done and visually interesting.

Re: The Window

Posted: July 22nd, 2015, 11:52 am
by RedRiver
Terrific little thriller. Exciting and personal. I love this type of story. Small and intimate; effective due to those virtues. Cornell Woolrich story? I'm not sure about that, but I believe I recall as much!

Re: The Window

Posted: July 22nd, 2015, 12:56 pm
by ChiO
You would be correct, RR. "The Boy Cried Murder."

See Talk About a Stranger (David Bradley 1952) for an interesting twist. Find it here.

Re: The Window

Posted: July 22nd, 2015, 2:16 pm
by movieman1957
Eddie Mueller even mentioned it in the intro. I don't know anything about Woolrich except that we have a thread on him but Mueller described as an alcoholic who wrote as if his life depended on it. Also said there were more noir films based on his stories than any other author.