Noir Films

[ChiO]

20 Mysterious Clues...Plus 2 Beautiful Women!

With a leap faith because of my affection for 711 OCEAN DRIVE (1950) and DEATH IN SMALL DOSES (1957), I watched TWENTY PLUS TWO (Joseph M. Newman 1961).

Great opening: Daylight shots of a Hollywood and Vine sign, Capitol Records, the Brown Derby and Grauman's with a swingin' jazz score (I guess we're in Hollywood, Toto.) - then night and a shot of a door ("Julia Joliet's Fan Mail Service"), inside are the pictures of an actor seen due to a disembodied flashlight, a gloved hand opens a file drawer, rifling the file until a letter is withdrawn, and his legs step over a dead woman.

A detective who specializes in finding missing heirs senses a connection between this murder and an heiress who became missing 12 years ago when she was 16. A reunion with his former love (she gave him the ol' "Dear John" while he was in Korea, got married, and is now engaged - but wouldn't mind hooking up), his introduction to her beautiful blonde and well-to-do girlfriend (who somehow looks familiar to him, but he can't quite put his finger on it), the actor, a mysterious man who wants to engage the detective to find his missing brother, a washed-up alcoholic newsman who reveals that the heiress was pregnant when she disappeared (but never reported it at the time due to the threats of her father), the heiress' mother who believes her daughter is still alive and had just run away, and the detective's deus ex machina flashback to a dancehall in Korea where he falls for a beautiful brunette dancehall girl (who looks suspiciously like his former love's beautiful blonde and well-to-do girlfriend) all lead to the inevitable conclusion that....

For all of the convolution, it is tightly directed. Carl Guthrie (CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (Peter Godfrey 1945); FLAXY MARTIN (Richard Bare 1949); CAGED! (John Cromwell 1950); ALL I DESIRE (Douglas Sirk 1953)) shot it in that early-'60s crisp TV style. The swingin' sounds are provided by Gerald Fried, who early in his career scored Stanley Kubrick's first four feature films and the great Timothy Carey dance-and-musical vehicle, BAYOU (Harold Daniels 1957). And whatta cast!

Detective (looking for an heiress, not a one-armed man): David Janssen
Former Love: Jeanne Crain
Her Girlfriend: Dina Merrill (better as a blonde)
Actor: Brad Dexter
Mysterious Man: Jacques Aubuchon
Washed-Up Alcoholic Newsman: William Demarest
Heiress' Mother: Agnes Moorehead

In smaller roles: Robert Strauss, Carleton Young, Will Wright and...as a young man in the dancehall with a string of tickets, just trying to get a dance, any dance, with someone, anyone, a fellow by the name of Robert Osborne.

[knitwit45]

Ooooo, where do I sign up? This one sounds delicious!!!

[moira finnie]

Ooooo, where do I sign up? This one sounds delicious!!!

Twenty Plus Two is on DVD, and TCM ran this several months ago. It is the only thing prior to The Fugitive that impressed me with Janssen as a screen presence. Loved the whole Hollywood-Gone-To-Seed atmosphere too.

[knitwit45]

Thanks, Miss M. My bank account is almost on its deathbed, so I'll have to wait for TCM to run this one again.

[JackFavell]

More and more mad at myself for missing this one on Jeanne Crain day. Hopefully RO won't be too embarrassed to show this one again soon!

[ChiO]

Never heard of the movie or director. According to IMDb, this is the first thing he directed...and it turned out to be the only movie he directed (but a bit of TV work followed). And the cinematographer has quite an impressive resume.

Nice cast - Leon Ames always makes me smile (even when it's inappropriate).

[moira finnie]

What a great account of the oddly compelling The Velvet Touch. You're so right about the clothes and the sets--I really loved that library where so much of the action unfolds. Leo Genn, who is supposed to be cream to all the cats around was also Mr. Passive-Aggressive. Roz and she may chew the scenery, but Claire Trevor's luncheon scene was one of the best. It's been awhile, but wasn't the great character man Irving Bacon a waiter in this one?

I like the way that the story sidestepped some of the more formulaic elements by allowing Roz's character to be self-serving but to feel a twinge or three of conscience. It was also interesting that Greenstreet's policeman was an astute fan of the theater as well as a man unraveling a puzzle with enjoyment.

[RedRiver]

It is oddly compelling, Moira. It's one of those thrillers that lack greatness, but are perfectly enjoyable. In that sense, it reminds me of the much maligned BLACK WIDOW. Melodramatic, glamorous, disliked by some people. OK with me!

[Vienna]

I much prefer Black Widow though Gene Tierney had little to do in it.
I didn't feel Rosalind was suited to Velvet Touch - Claire Trevor's character was more interesting. And I didn't see any chemistry between Rosalind and Leo Genn.

[ChiO]

Now here's a fine film series. Hitting it, Ms. Cutter?

[CineMaven]

I haven't seen this movie in years. Thanx for the reminder. I've always liked. Rosalind whether she!'s Serious or Comedic. But it does seem like she tries too hard When she's serious.

[ChiO]

Monogram Pictures. 1945. William "You mean someone out there is actually waiting to see THIS?" Beaudine.

EXPOSED! The Inhuman Racket Of Babies For Sale!

BLACK MARKET BABIES is a movie of all expose and little action. But fine Poverty Row fare.

Eddie Condon is a young, handsome, brash, big talking hood with an "I'm going to take this gang over and make something of myself" look in his eye. An ersatz Steve Cochran, if you will. He's dead. And Dr. Jordon is on the witness stand, on trial for his murder. He doesn't remember much of anything, but still provides about 70 minutes of flashback.

Eddie meets the drunk Doc at the hideout when the Doc has to take a bullet out of the Big Guy's arm. Learning that the Doc recently made some big bucks by facilitating a private adoption, and learning from the Big Guy's slimy lawyer that doing so is not against the law in this State, Eddie opens a maternity hospital with Doc doing the deliveries. For a mere donation to the hospital, couples deemed unfit by the State to adopt from a State institution (you know, too old, second marriage, those kind of things) can adopt through Eddie. Eddie and his lovely wife can now live in the style that they deserve.

The wife's baby sister visits. She's pregnant. Her husband is overseas in the military, so she needs help. Not to worry, Eddie will handle it gratis at the hospital.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, an older couple want to adopt...adopt a specific baby. Their daughter, you know, met this fellow in the Army and, you know how kids are today, they had a moment of weakness and, well, she's going to have a baby and, even though the kids were planning to get married when he returns from his tour in Europe, he was killed in battle and they want to adopt their grandchild so she can get her life together. Their daughter, of course, is unaware that they know any of this and she (they learned) is already registered to deliver at the hospital. They give Eddie a $5,000 check.

Eddie's sister-in-law and the daughter check in to deliver. Doc tells the sister-in-law that she has a husky boy, and she hears the baby cry. The other baby is stillborn, but the mother is not told. Eddie doesn't want to give back the $5,000 so.... (see where this is going?).

The Doc has pangs of guilt over the concocted story. While drunk, he and Eddie get into a tussle. Eddie pulls a gun. It goes off.

Doc is found "Not Guilty". Happy Hollywood Ending? No way. As Doc is being congratulated for not being guilty of murder, he's told -- as he's being led to a cell -- he probably won't be as fortunate at the trial for fraud.

The cast is all a Poverty Row gang. The cinematography occasionally shows some flair courtesy of Harry Neumann, who had over 300 B- and other Poverty Row credits, including two gems -- THE PHENIX CITY STORY (Phil Karlson 1955) and, his last movie, THE WASP WOMAN (Roger Corman/Jack Hill 1959).

[CineMaven]

Tuesdays in New York will be on the dark side.