The Silver Screen Oasis

I was intrigued to watch this Fritz Lang movie tonight, I was gripped from the first moment, the thought of this middle aged professor who was dazzled by a picture in the window then saw the ladies reflection whilst gazing on the picture in the window. What followed was gripping, it felt like it was heading for catastrophe for the two likeable leads, I think it was half way through when I felt that these two should be allowed to go free, after all they hadn't planned it. It just shows the power of film. The only duff moment in the whole film was the ending, I liked the way the ending was going and then it changed. I won't say more because I don't want to spoil it and I'm sure that for those of us who have seen it will know exactly what I'm talking about.

It was a lovely copy I got to see, Edward G Robinson being equally good as a good guy or a bad guy and when he plays a good guy he has the audience rooting for him. Joan Bennett is perhaps at her most elegant in this movie, a femme fatale in a film noir who is a nice person with no ulterior motive. I think this is my favorite of Lang's American movies but I can't claim to have seen them all.

In a few of the movies I've seen lately, the depiction of mother's of youngish children, well frankly, I can't tell whether they are meant to be the children's mothers or grandmothers, they look old enough to be the grandmothers but usually turn out to be their Mums. The way they dress doesn't help.

This film along with "Scarlet Street" (1945) and "The Macomber Affair" (1947) are my favorite Joan Bennett films.....yes, I have yet to see "The Reckless Moment" (1949) hailed by some critics as her very best .

I saw this one last year fro the first time and I feel much the same way you do about the ending. It's a terrific film with some fine performances. The story gets a little complex and I wondered why Robinson as going to all the trouble he was. I kept thinking if he doesn't then there isn't a film but the ending sure explained it.

One thing I did like about the ending was how the people in the drama reappeared again. Very neat I thought.