The Silver Screen Oasis

DEADLINE AT DAWN is fun, if light. Kind of cute and frolicking for noir, it nonetheless delivers the suspense, and it does so at a galloping pace. The characters are simple and clearly drawn. The plot, though by now I've forgotten it, is thrilling. It's what carries this otherwise, marginal production. Odets was a challenging and ponderous playwright. But this straightforward material reflects little of his trademark social statement. Like you, King Rat, I wonder how much of the story is the product of Woolrich's wild imagination and what came from Odets. We don't need to know. The result is a fast, exciting popcorn feature!

As a teenager, I called movies like this "Bill Williams Movies"! I didn't know many directors. Didn't think about terms and categories. It seemed this hard-working contract player was in a lot of them. I'd say to my brother, "There's a Bill Williams Movie on. Want to watch it?"

RedRiver wrote:DEADLINE AT DAWN is fun, if light. Kind of cute and frolicking for noir, it nonetheless delivers the suspense, and it does so at a galloping pace. The characters are simple and clearly drawn. The plot, though by now I've forgotten it, is thrilling. It's what carries this otherwise, marginal production. Odets was a challenging and ponderous playwright. But this straightforward material reflects little of his trademark social statement. Like you, King Rat, I wonder how much of the story is the product of Woolrich's wild imagination and what came from Odets. We don't need to know. The result is a fast, exciting popcorn feature!

As a teenager, I called movies like this "Bill Williams Movies"! I didn't know many directors. Didn't think about terms and categories. It seemed this hard-working contract player was in a lot of them. I'd say to my brother, "There's a Bill Williams Movie on. Want to watch it?"

Nicely Written about Deadline at Dawn ... Red.

Odets changed Woolrich's plot a bit, but retains the theme and some motifs (pretty standard operating procedure -- see, for example, BLACK ANGEL).

For my eyes, it is more faithful to Woolrich than REAR WINDOW, which keeps the plot, but changes the tone.

And here I thought this thread was going to be about art direction and fashion in period films.

Very interesting ideas about Deadline at Dawn and League of Gentlemen. I haven't seen Dead Heat yet.

I LOVE Deadline at Dawn. The quirky characters, the gorgeous lighting and slightly perverse nighttime atmosphere all blend to make this one of my favorite movies, much less noir films. I think the emphasis on Woolrich's words, themes and motifs and Nick Musuraca's beautiful cinematography make D at D a real hidden gem. Not really sure how good a director Clurman is, but he doesn't get in the way of what's worth watching here, which is a relief. Great acting by all. Susan Hayward and Lola Lane really stand out for me, but no one is a slouch.

I definitely see that realism you are talking about in League of Gents and I think you're review was spot on. I just would have liked a couple of those thrills you talked about it sacrificing. I think the film could have added moments of surprise but still made it's point and retained the suspense it built up, which was considerable.

[u][color=#4000BF]JACK FAVELL[/color][/u] wrote:And here I thought this thread was going to be about art direction and fashion in period films.

Ha...Naaaaah. That would be this, Wendy:

http://moviestarmakeover.com/2012/02/27 ... yle-watch/

Nice! That black dress on Rose whoeversheis was my favorite of the night. It's perfect.

I haven't seen BLOW UP in about 40 years. I wasn't crazy for it at the time, but what did I know? Your comments remind me vaguely of my own feelings so long ago.

What is really happening in the park?

I'm sorry, I've seen the movie, it was a favorite of mine as well when I first saw it. I wasn't really asking for a play by play, I was trying to be funny... which failed miserably! I was trying to say that we don't know what happened in the park at all since we are looking at everything from a subjective viewpoint.

I'm sure you all know this, but Brian DePalma did a fair homage to this film with his BLOW-OUT. The pivotal concept being sound, rather than photography. It's not a classic thriller, but it has its moments.