Slightly Scarlet
Directed by Allan Dwan
Written by Robert Bleese from a novel by J.M. Cain
1956/USA
Benjamin Bogeaus Production/RKO Radio Pictures
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] “No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, our media, and our religious & charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful.” ― Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country[/box]
The main reason to watch this Technicolor film noir is for Arlene Dahl’s delicious performance as a nymphomaniac shoplifter.
June Lyons (Rhonda Fleming) is secretary to the reform candidate for mayor, Frank Jansen, who is in love with her and has set her up in posh digs. She keeps dodging and weaving on his marriage proposals though. June has been obsessed for years with caring for her nut-job sister Dorothy (Dahl). As the movie opens, June is picking Dorothy up after her release from prison. A man is taking photos from his car. He turns out to be Ben Grace (John Payne).
The opportunistic Ben is staging a war of wills with gangster and kingmaker Solly Caspar. Solly will be out of business if Frank Jansen is elected and Ben starts feeding incriminating info to Jansen through June. Then things start getting hot and heavy between Ben and June and Dorothy wants in on the action.
The story betrays its origins in a James M. Cain novel with its bleak view of human nature and its larger-than-life characters. Dahl is a kick in the pants! Payne is definitely the weak link here. The great John Alton did the cinematography. I enjoyed this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_XvPv0dNnM
Trailer
