Noir Alley

[Andree]

A fairly entertaining, fairly routine B movie. The comedy helps a bit and the plot is convoluted enough to
keep one watching, though you'd be a pretty bad detective to not figure out that Tom and Ann would get
together in the end. I was watching Bettejane Greet to figure out who she reminded me of. In some scenes
and at certain angles, she looks a little like Hedy Lamarr.

[Dargo]

Considering he did get third billing in this film, I was kind'a hoping Eddie would've mentioned a little about Richard Lane in his wraparounds, the actor who played the wisecraking newspaper reporter in this.

Or as I remember him from my youth, "Dick Lane", and who in his later years and after his movie career wound down, would become the television announcer for the Los Angeles T-Birds roller derby team of the 1950s and '60s, pro wrestling at L.A.'s old Olympic Auditorium and also announced some of the televised local car races as there were a number of race tracks in the L.A. area back then.

Lane's catchphrase of "Whoa, Nellie!" would end up being "borrowed" by famed ABC sports announcer Keith Jackson.

https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/201 ... ane-story/

[Hibi]

As soon as Eddie showed the clip of Jane Greer in the beginning I knew I'd seen the film before. Awful. Jane is one of the few good things in it. Ann Rutherford is so annoying as is the reporter. UGH! And the plot is incomprehensible. I gave up on following it. I almost bailed on the film, but Jane livened things up for a bit, so stuck with it. Too bad they dropped her soon after she appeared. Alley has been in the doldrums lately. I wonder if this will be it's last season? The offerings have been subpar. I enjoy B films up to a point, but not when they aren't entertaining.

[Hibi]

It has mystery, amnesia, an occasional interesting shadowy camera set-up, it's directed by Anthony Mann, but Two O'Clock Courage isn't very noirish. It's more in the Thin Man/Mr. & Mrs. North/Mad Miss Manton/Home Sweet Homicide zone.

YES. And it's NOT very good...........

[Hibi]

Considering he did get third billing in this film, I was kind'a hoping Eddie would've mentioned a little about Richard Lane in his wraparounds, the actor who played the wisecraking newspaper reporter in this.

Or as I remember him from my youth, "Dick Lane", and who in his later years and after his movie career wound down, become the television announcer for Los Angeles T-Birds roller derby team of the 1950s and '60s, pro wrestling at L.A.'s old Olympic Auditorium and also announced some of the televised local car races as there were a number of race tracks in the L.A. area back then.

Lane's catchphrase of "Whoa, Nellie!" would end up being "borrowed" by famed ABC sports announcer Keith Jackson.

https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/201 ... ane-story/

OH, BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL He had the delivery for it!

[Dargo]

Considering he did get third billing in this film, I was kind'a hoping Eddie would've mentioned a little about Richard Lane in his wraparounds, the actor who played the wisecraking newspaper reporter in this.

Or as I remember him from my youth, "Dick Lane", and who in his later years and after his movie career wound down, become the television announcer for Los Angeles T-Birds roller derby team of the 1950s and '60s, pro wrestling at L.A.'s old Olympic Auditorium and also announced some of the televised local car races as there were a number of race tracks in the L.A. area back then.

Lane's catchphrase of "Whoa, Nellie!" would end up being "borrowed" by famed ABC sports announcer Keith Jackson.

https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/201 ... ane-story/

OH, BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL He had the delivery for it!

Yep, true.

(...as his rapid-fire delivery of lines was probably on a par with Lee Tracy's)

[jamesjazzguitar]

As soon as Eddie showed the clip of Jane Greer in the beginning I knew I'd seen the film before. Awful. Jane is one of the few good things in it. Ann Rutherford is so annoying as is the reporter. UGH! And the plot is incomprehensible. I gave up on following it. I almost bailed on the film, but Jane livened things up for a bit, so stuck with it. Too bad they dropped her soon after she appeared. Alley has been in the doldrums lately. I wonder if this will be it's last season? The offerings have been subpar. I enjoy B films up to a point, but not when they aren't entertaining.

Two O'clock Courage was an RKO film. RKO signed Greer, they didn't drop her. Out of the Past, They Won't Believe Me, The Big Steel etc... are all RKO films.

[Hibi]

As soon as Eddie showed the clip of Jane Greer in the beginning I knew I'd seen the film before. Awful. Jane is one of the few good things in it. Ann Rutherford is so annoying as is the reporter. UGH! And the plot is incomprehensible. I gave up on following it. I almost bailed on the film, but Jane livened things up for a bit, so stuck with it. Too bad they dropped her soon after she appeared. Alley has been in the doldrums lately. I wonder if this will be it's last season? The offerings have been subpar. I enjoy B films up to a point, but not when they aren't entertaining.

Two O'clock Courage was an RKO film. RKO signed Greer, they didn't drop her. Out of the Past, They Won't Believe Me, The Big Steel etc... are all RKO films.

I meant dropped her in the film, not at the studio!

[Hibi]

As soon as Eddie showed the clip of Jane Greer in the beginning I knew I'd seen the film before. Awful. Jane is one of the few good things in it. Ann Rutherford is so annoying as is the reporter. UGH! And the plot is incomprehensible. I gave up on following it. I almost bailed on the film, but Jane livened things up for a bit, so stuck with it. Too bad they dropped her soon after she appeared. Alley has been in the doldrums lately. I wonder if this will be it's last season? The offerings have been subpar. I enjoy B films up to a point, but not when they aren't entertaining.

I thought Ann Rutherford needed some help from her director. She's cute, she's basically well cast, but she needed guidance on when to dial things back, how to set and vary a comic rhythm instead of coming on strong all the time. A teacher of mine had once done summer stock where all the director did was sit on the back row and call out "Louder, funnier, and faster!" Ann seemed to be working for that guy.

LOL. That's for sure!!!!

[jamesjazzguitar]

As soon as Eddie showed the clip of Jane Greer in the beginning I knew I'd seen the film before. Awful. Jane is one of the few good things in it. Ann Rutherford is so annoying as is the reporter. UGH! And the plot is incomprehensible. I gave up on following it. I almost bailed on the film, but Jane livened things up for a bit, so stuck with it. Too bad they dropped her soon after she appeared. Alley has been in the doldrums lately. I wonder if this will be it's last season? The offerings have been subpar. I enjoy B films up to a point, but not when they aren't entertaining.

Two O'clock Courage was an RKO film. RKO signed Greer, they didn't drop her. Out of the Past, They Won't Believe Me, The Big Steel etc... are all RKO films.

I meant dropped her in the film, not at the studio!

Oh, sorry. Yea, she after that initial scene Jane disappears and isn't seen again until the end. What a wasted opportunity. Funny but I just watched Ann Rutherford on Perry Mason (1959). Last week I saw her on Tells of Wells Fargo in a 1956 episode.

[ElCid]

Two O'clock Courage was an RKO film. RKO signed Greer, they didn't drop her. Out of the Past, They Won't Believe Me, The Big Steel etc... are all RKO films.

I meant dropped her in the film, not at the studio!

Oh, sorry. Yea, she after that initial scene Jane disappears and isn't seen again until the end. What a wasted opportunity. Funny but I just watched Ann Rutherford on Perry Mason (1959). Last week I saw her on Tells of Wells Fargo in a 1956 episode.

I think Ann Rutherford was on several Perry Masons. More of Jane Greer may have helped the movie, but I still enjoyed it anyway. As I understand it, Howard Hughes pretty much diminished Greer's career. She was great in Out of the Past and just as good in The Big Steal in a more humorous role.

[Dargo]

...As I understand it, Howard Hughes pretty much diminished Greer's career...

Yep, and which now makes me wonder what modern age actress Scorsese would've picked to play her if Greer would've been included in his "The Aviator" film.

(...and infact and now that I've thought of this, I'd say Kate Beckinsale would've made a better Jane Greer than she did an Ava Gardner in it...didn't buy her as Ava for a minute in it)

[Hibi]

I meant dropped her in the film, not at the studio!

Oh, sorry. Yea, she after that initial scene Jane disappears and isn't seen again until the end. What a wasted opportunity. Funny but I just watched Ann Rutherford on Perry Mason (1959). Last week I saw her on Tells of Wells Fargo in a 1956 episode.

I think Ann Rutherford was on several Perry Masons. More of Jane Greer may have helped the movie, but I still enjoyed it anyway. As I understand it, Howard Hughes pretty much diminished Greer's career. She was great in Out of the Past and just as good in The Big Steal in a more humorous role.

Yes. Greer wouldn't play footsie with Hughes so he lost interest in promoting her.

[nakanosunplaza]

Not interest.. revenge at a high level !