Daily Archives: October 26, 2022

Cast a Dark Shadow
Directed by Lewis Gilbert
Written by Janet Green from a play by Green and John Creswell
1955/UK
Lewis Gilbert Productions/Angel Productions
IMDb page
First viewing/Amazon Prime Cohen Channel

Freda Jeffries: You may not be much of a catch, but, so help me, l love you.

It makes me so happy when I find a new film to love!

Dirk Bogarde is excellent, as usual, as Edward (‘Teddy’) Bare, an amoral fortune-hunting playboy who makes his living, or hopes to, by marrying wealthy women. Their age matters not to him. When an unknown will spoils his plans with regard to his elderly first wife Monica (Mona Washbourne), he must continue his quest.

This takes him to the seaside where he meets Freda Jeffries (Margaret Lockwood), who is not interested in being married for her money. But Teddy is also a facile liar and wedding bells are soon ringing. Unfortunately for him, Freda is in the relationship “pound for pound” and insists on keeping her money separate. The third woman he tries to catch in his web is Charlotte Young (Kay Walsh). It wouldn’t be fair to reveal more of the story.

This is a beautifully photographed late noir and the cast and script are both fantastic. Bogarde’s face is so wonderful. It is extremely expressive but also does the empty dead-eyed gaze of pure evil amazingly well. Recommended.

Restoration trailer

Lured
Directed by Douglas Sirk
Written by Leo Rosten from a story by Jacques Companez et al
1947/US
Hunt Stromberg Productions
IMDb page
First viewing/Amazon Prime Cohen Channel

Inspector Harley Temple: Miss Carpenter there will be danger… great danger. Are you afraid?
Sandra Carpenter: No, not yet!

Douglas Sirk and company turned out a very enjoyable film noir.

Girls are turning up missing and murdered all over London. Scotland Yard has tied the disappearances to personal ads and cryptic, creepy poems sent to the police. Taxi dancer Lucy Bernard (Tanis Chandler) is one of the victims. Her American colleague and friend Sandra Carpenter (Lucille Ball) is recruited by Inspector Harley Temple (Charles Coburn) to act as bait.

Suspects include crazy artist Charles Van Druten (Boris Karloff), suave nightclub owner Robert Fleming (George Sanders), and his secretary Julian Wilde (Cedric Hardwicke). Sandra is fearless in her pursuit knowing that guardian angel Officer H. R. Barrett (George Zucco) is never far away.

I really enjoyed this one. The acting is excellent and Ball is fantastic and looks beautiful in a dramatic role. Her gowns by Elois Jenssen are to die for. The film was recently restored by the Cohen Collection to reveal the stunning low-key cinematography by William H. Daniels.