The Dark Corner 
Directed by Henry Hathaway
Written by Jay Dratler and Bernard C. Schoenfeld; story by Leo Rosten
1946/USA
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
First viewing/Netflix rental
Hardy Cathcart: Lovers of beauty never haggle over price, Tony.
Pretty nifty film noir with a haunted private eye hero. Lucille Ball fills the gap left by the missing femme fatal with her fine portrayal of his loyal secretary.
P.I. Brad Galt (Mark Stevens) is trying to start anew in New York City after mysterious circumstances caused him to leave San Francisco. His secretary Kathleen (Ball) clearly has a big crush on him, motivated in part by the urge to mother his troubled soul.
But soon Mark is being followed by a man in a white suit (William Bendix). When caught, the man tells him he was hired by Mark’s former associate Anthony Jardine (Kurt Krueger). Mark had to fire Jardine for his womanizing, blackmailing ways back in San Francisco. Mark’s life is apparently in danger from this quarter.
In the meantime, we follow the story of art collector Hardy Cathcart (Clifton Webb). He dotes on his trophy wife, the much younger Mari (Cathy Downs), who reminded him of the woman in his most treasured portrait. Mari is in love with the slimey Jardine. Push comes to shove and Brad finds himself neatly framed for Jardine’s murder. He knows far less than the audience at this point and must scramble to discover the murderer and the motive.
This thing is supposed to be a Raphael!
Here we have another sterling performance by Clifton Webb in a part that is not so different from his role in Laura, perhaps a bit more restrained. Though Lucille Ball reportedly hated everything about making this movie (MGM loaned her out as “punishment”) for trying to get out of her contract), none of that shows in her performance. She is very appealing as the smart, practical secretary that bosses dream of. The writers gave her and the other actors the snappy dialogue worthy of them and the story. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA1llnyRTsA
Trailer
