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Post by Fading Fast on Jan 12, 2023 10:33:30 GMT
The Sniper from 1952 with Arthur Franz, Adolphe Menjou, Marie Windsor and Richard Kiley
The Sniper packs a lot into this crime-drama look at a male serial killer of young women that, while dated in ways, still has something to say to us today about mental illness, the law and shooters.
Arthur Franz plays a "sex offender," an ex-con who was locked up for hitting women. As the movie opens, we see he is driven to kill women - as a sniper from rooftops with a stolen military rifle - owing to perceived slights from women that he's unable to endure like normal men.
Franz's interpretation of a serial killer is nuanced and reserved. Other than a few angry outbursts, Franz portrays the killer as a man who goes quickly to a controlled boil at small offenses as he is carrying a lot of unresolved emotional baggage.
His interpretation shows us how a highly unstable person can still function in society and look normal to others almost all the time. Franz also portrays his killer as a man crying out for help - and man who wants someone to stop him - as he nearly, but doesn't turn himself in.
After the second killing, the police and community realize they are dealing with a serial killer and we see all the cogs of society kick into gear.
The police begin an extensive investigation and search as the newspapers sensationalize the story, making the police the fall guys for not catching the sniper quickly, while the politicians try to frame the story to deflect criticism.
The debate, that we see mainly within the police force, is between those who see this as just another crime to be addressed - arrest or kill the killer - and those, like the police psychiatrist, played by Richard Kiley, who see a need to address "sex offenders" differently.
His progressive-for-the-day argument is that we must have a new law that allows the sex offender to be put in a mental institution after their first, even minor, offense so that they can be either cured and released or kept locked up permanently to prevent them from becoming the next serial killer as he argues there is a pattern and progression in these disturbed individuals.
Knowing what mental institutions were like back in the 1950s, one shudders at his plan, but there is a common thread running from that approach to the argument made by many today for early intervention and forced treatment.
Director Edward Dmytryk, after a slow start, keeps the movie moving along, as he shifts back and forth between Franz, who becomes more unhinged as he kills more woman, and the police, led by Adolphe Menjou, playing an old-school police lieutenant, but one open to the new ideas proffered by psychiatrist Kiley.
It's a solid cast, with noir queen Marie Windsor in a brief but impactful role playing a woman who very modestly toys with Franz's emotions leading to her being his first victim (not a spoiler as it happens early on). But it is Menjou who stands just a bit above the rest of the cast, which argues this leading man of the 1930s was a true acting talent.
The Sniper, because it is shot in black and white, on location in San Francisco and with a modest but not shoestring budget, has a street-level verisimilitude that feels documentary-like in spots.
The killing scenes, themselves, shot from Franz' perspective on the rooftop looking down at his victims, are brief and frighteningly believable with none of the excesses that modern Hollywood would employ. The police investigation is handled in the same way, as it has a Dragnet-like methodicalness and realism that also avoids modern movie-making histrionics.
That investigation, though, which is often professional and thoughtful, veers into crazy town, at one point, when we see the police heckle, in a stupidly abusive way, the suspects. It's not physical abuse and, thankfully, it's not good-cop-bad-cop intimidation in a locked room, but it is an odd sort of ridicule without purpose. Every era does its dumb things.
To see director Dmytryk's and, probably, producer Stanley Kramer's talents on display, look for, first, the impressive last sniper scene where a painter on a smokestack plays a pivotal role and, then, the closing scene which is effective in its chilling simplicity.
The Sniper is uneven and preachy, but still effective and engaging. Its views, overall, appear dated and simplistic to us today, but our present-day "solutions" will probably not look impressive in seventy years either. Especially when you notice the aforenoted common thread running from that period to modern day, which tells us we still haven't found the solution to preventing mental illness from leading to horrific crimes. |
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Post by jamesjazzguitar on Jan 12, 2023 19:51:07 GMT
Adolphe Menjou was a very versatile actor as well as a very good one, making films over 6 decades. While mostly a supporting player he often play the lead male character in a female driven film (e.g. Forbidden with Barbara Stanwyck). Comedy, drama, noirs, he was in many memorable films. He could be a nasty skirt chasing guy, a sweet overly protective father, a swindler, a cop, etc...
If my records are right Menjou has never been TCM's Star of the Month; I think he deserves it.
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Post by topbilled on Jan 20, 2023 16:06:45 GMT
This neglected film is from 1943.
Poaching more than eggs
I’m not saying you should go into this one with low expectations. But definitely do not go into it expecting it to be something it’s not.
What it is not– it’s not an all-star rom com with Cary Grant as the leading man. It features Bill Carter, an unknown real-life war hero turned actor. It is also not a film with hilarious antics or rapid fire dialogue. Though there are some very amusing episodes and some witty one-liners, delivered by Charles Coburn, when he’s not busy eating.
This brings me to what it definitely is. It is a star turn for Mr. Coburn, a much-loved character actor. He had appeared in another Columbia crowd pleaser in 1943 (THE MORE THE MERRIER) and earned an Oscar. If anyone deserved to headline his own modestly budgeted programmer at this time, it was certainly Charles Coburn.
Coburn is cast as a somewhat disagreeable English author who comes to the U.S. on a goodwill tour. He is not supposed to just promote his latest book, but help boost morale between two allied nations. Of course, his arrogance gets the better of him and while visiting a sleepy New England hamlet, he experiences a bad case of foot-in-mouth disease, alienating the locals including one who is an author in her own right (Isobel Elsom).
Along for the trip is Coburn’s beautiful daughter (Marguerite Chapman) whom he treats more like a secretary than his own flesh and blood.
The daughter falls in love with an American soldier (Carter) who turns out to be the son of the other author (Elsom). Yes, things get a bit complicated.
I found this a very charming way to spend 81 minutes. Coburn is great as always. Elsom and a few other character actresses also shine– pros like Norma Varden, Mary Wickes, Kathleen Howard and Almira Sessions. I particularly enjoy the silliness that occurs when Coburn poaches Elsom’s cook (Sessions).
There is a nice effective speech at the end, recited by Coburn at a town gathering. It describes countries cooperating with each other, so everyone can live in a better world. A world that includes good friends and good food.
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Post by topbilled on Jan 26, 2023 15:22:31 GMT
This neglected film is from 1956.
Best laid plans
This nifty B-noir is directed by William Castle and features Barbara Hale completely against type as a femme fatale who seems to have the market cornered on sin. She is so heartless that she doesn’t even shed a single tear when Gene Barry shows up at her nightclub with the news that her husband is dead.
It’s just ‘oh really’…’no big loss’…then back to her next Rita Hayworth-inspired performance of ‘Don’t Put the Blame on Mame.’
Such callous behavior quickly earns her a slap in the face. But she is not phased by any demonstration of brute strength…why should she be? It’s clear that he wants her, even though he has a more faithful gal on the sidelines, a waitress at a country diner played by Jeanne Cooper. But he can’t stay away, and this will be part of his downfall. They soon begin a relationship, and it’s as far from a typical romance as you might expect.
In the next part of the story, we’re told about a plan he has to swindle millions from investors in a Texas oil deal. But to get that scheme off the ground, he will need a bit of financial backing and support from a syndicate that operates in Houston.
One of the leaders of the organized crime unit is played by Edward Arnold. Mr. Arnold gives a magnificent performance as an aging mob figure who has seen and done it all. He realizes Barry might have a new spin on things and introduces him to some higher-ups. Of course, this will jeopardize Arnold’s plans to push his own protege (Paul Richards) up the ranks. So there is a bit of a rivalry that develops, as both sides intend to usurp the throne but have their best laid plans foiled.
Meanwhile Barry’s torrid affair with Hale continues. They share loads of chemistry and are fun to watch. In a way Hale’s character seems inspired by the oil baron’s daughter portrayed by Dorothy Malone in WRITTEN ON THE WIND. There is no flicker of a conscience, just an interest in dirty deals and dirty sex.
These two lost souls derive an intense satisfaction in knowing each other, even though their future is doomed. The scenes that play out on screen ooze a great deal of excess and sordid drama. There is a fatalism that permeates the action, in much the same way we would find in a Shakespearean tragedy. Inertia sends them forward like a runaway train, until that inevitable crash.
By the time we reach the 81 minute mark and the end of this film, a lot of lives have been ruined and lost. You can substitute the oil with gold or diamonds, any big ticket commodity…but the results will still be the same. Why? Because THE HOUSTON STORY is a morality tale about the ill effects of hedonism and indecency. And that makes it a guilty pleasure.
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Post by topbilled on Jan 31, 2023 15:26:19 GMT
This neglected film is from 1934.
Mother's Day with Lombard & Robson
Carole Lombard was under contract with Paramount Pictures in the early to mid-1930s, and she occasionally balked at the roles her home studio offered her. Whenever she turned down scripts, she ran the risk of being suspended without pay.
To get around that, she struck up a friendship with Columbia boss Harry Cohn. He was hoping to elevate the status of his company, which at that period, was still turning out poverty row type productions. Having someone like Carole Lombard in one of his cheap pictures would boost his reputation.
Of course, it meant giving her control over scripts as well as hiring crew that she brought with her from Paramount. This worked in the actress’s favor, since she could avoid being cast in films she didn’t want to do at Paramount, and Paramount would still make money because of what Cohn was paying to use her services.
During this period the actress would make several films on loan out to Cohn. Some of them were lachrymose romance dramas like VIRTUE (1932), and some were screwball comedies like TWENTIETH CENTURY (1934). Then there were offerings like LADY BY CHOICE, which combined drama and comedy.
In this film, Lombard plays a fan dancer inspired by Sally Rand. She is hauled into court on charges of public indecency, which generates a lot of press. As she appears before the judge (Walter Connolly), she meets May Robson who has been arrested for vagrancy. Miss Robson is doing a variation of her Apple Annie character from LADY FOR A DAY, made at Columbia a year earlier. The ladies forge an unusual bond.
The plot has Lombard deciding to adopt Robson to improve both their images. Though the premise is rather improbable, the two actresses work so well together that any doubt about the story succeeding is quickly dismissed.
The relationship depicted between their two characters seems real, and it is played for laughs as well as tears. They are affectionate and they bicker, just like family.
The film moves at a quick pace, and none of it seems belabored. At one point, it switches gears to include a love interest (played by Roger Pryor). However, this subplot does not bog down in sentimentality.
Despite the new man in her life, Lombard’s character still feels a strong connection to Robson. And as the story reaches its logical conclusion, the plot continues to focus on the two ladies. They are women of the world. Different generations who look out for one another, the way a real mother and daughter would.
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Post by marysara1 on Jan 31, 2023 21:44:50 GMT
This neglected film is from 1934.
Mother's Day with Lombard & Robson
Carole Lombard was under contract with Paramount Pictures in the early to mid-1930s, and she occasionally balked at the roles her home studio offered her. Whenever she turned down scripts, she ran the risk of being suspended without pay.
To get around that, she struck up a friendship with Columbia boss Harry Cohn. He was hoping to elevate the status of his company, which at that period, was still turning out poverty row type productions. Having someone like Carole Lombard in one of his cheap pictures would boost his reputation.
Of course, it meant giving her control over scripts as well as hiring crew that she brought with her from Paramount. This worked in the actress’s favor, since she could avoid being cast in films she didn’t want to do at Paramount, and Paramount would still make money because of what Cohn was paying to use her services.
During this period the actress would make several films on loan out to Cohn. Some of them were lachrymose romance dramas like VIRTUE (1932), and some were screwball comedies like TWENTIETH CENTURY (1934). Then there were offerings like LADY BY CHOICE, which combined drama and comedy.
In this film, Lombard plays a fan dancer inspired by Sally Rand. She is hauled into court on charges of public indecency, which generates a lot of press. As she appears before the judge (Walter Connolly), she meets May Robson who has been arrested for vagrancy. Miss Robson is doing a variation of her Apple Annie character from LADY FOR A DAY, made at Columbia a year earlier. The ladies forge an unusual bond.
The plot has Lombard deciding to adopt Robson to improve both their images. Though the premise is rather improbable, the two actresses work so well together that any doubt about the story succeeding is quickly dismissed.
The relationship depicted between their two characters seems real, and it is played for laughs as well as tears. They are affectionate and they bicker, just like family.
The film moves at a quick pace, and none of it seems belabored. At one point, it switches gears to include a love interest (played by Roger Pryor). However, this subplot does not bog down in sentimentality.
Despite the new man in her life, Lombard’s character still feels a strong connection to Robson. And as the story reaches its logical conclusion, the plot continues to focus on the two ladies. They are women of the world. Different generations who look out for one another, the way a real mother and daughter would.
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Post by marysara1 on Jan 31, 2023 21:50:47 GMT
I think Robson's character was more famous than Lombard's. Lombard's love interest helped May's character because his father or somebody he knew had great affection for her. I kept thinking that what might have happened to Hepburn's character in Morning Glory. (Choosing the stage over a personal life.)
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Post by sagebrush on Feb 1, 2023 14:31:17 GMT
This neglected film is from 1934.
Mother's Day with Lombard & Robson
My favorite Carole Lombard performances were always the ones in which she combined comedy and drama. She had the rare ability to move between the two so fluidly. |
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Post by jamesjazzguitar on Feb 2, 2023 0:37:56 GMT
This neglected film is from 1934.
Mother's Day with Lombard & Robson
My favorite Carole Lombard performances were always the ones in which she combined comedy and drama. She had the rare ability to move between the two so fluidly. So true. The above is why my favorite comedic actresses are Jean Arthur and then Carole Lombard. Both had that rare ability; they were funny as can be but also moving in a way I can emotionally connect to, when the scene required it. |
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Post by topbilled on Feb 6, 2023 14:45:16 GMT
This neglected film is from 1951.
Interesting re M ake
I realize that ‘M’ is the 13th letter of the English alphabet. And I suppose M in this case stands for ‘Murderer.’
The Hollywood remake of the well-known German original was undertaken by Columbia Pictures. The lead character is now played by David Wayne and his name is changed to the more American-sounding Martin W. Meaning that our thirteenth letter could also signify his first initial. (In the 1931 version his name was Hans.)
David Wayne was a stage-trained performer, having already earned a Tony in the late 1940s. He would earn a second Tony award a short time after this film was produced. I mention Wayne’s theatrical roots, because I think you can detect that in his performance. Though I must say he does manage to give a somewhat natural performance, even if the script doesn’t lend itself to that.
Some costars in this picture give less natural performances. For instance, Martin Gabel plays a crime boss whose business is affected by M’s killings. Ironically, the crime boss and his thugs end up doing the ‘right thing’ by helping the cops nail M. Gabel presents a highly stylized interpretation of his character.
The campiness found in some of these performances makes the entire affair even more of a guilty pleasure. Probably Luther Adler, as a booze-addicted mob mouthpiece, gives the campiest portrayal which I am sure was intentional. He barely reins in the excesses of the character he’s been assigned, which sort of makes his on-screen death near the end much more of a relief!
I have to single out one of my favorite actresses of the 1930s: Karen Morley. She was an MGM contractee back in the day and starred in several notable motion pictures for the Lion.
By this point in her career she was reduced to minor supporting roles, but she is nonetheless quite effective. The scenes with her playing the mother of a little girl who may become M’s next victim are nail-biting. In a series of emotionally tense moments, she desperately tries to track down her missing child. In a way I wish her role had been expanded because more than anyone else, she conveys the pathos of the situation at hand.
Today of course we have Amber Alerts, so when a child is abducted law enforcement agencies are much more organized to deal with these types of situations. But back in 1931 and back in 1951, the police (and psychiatrists) were less equipped to deal with child kidnappings and child homicides; and though this is a straight-forward drama it easily veers into the realm of horror. Martin W, our M, is a monster.
One thing both films neglects to show is why the guy became obsessed with kids. Is it because he was still childlike himself? Or had he been abused as a child when he was younger, and he was now acting out bits and pieces of what might have happened to him? There is even the unexplored idea of what shoes mean to him.
The writers don’t exactly tell us why M is the way he is psychologically. I guess if we knew more about him, he might become less monstrous and more sympathetic?
Director Joseph Losey and many members of the cast were blacklisted. That definitely hovers over this picture, and the hideousness of M’s situation is transferred to the screen as an allegory of sorts about the hideousness of the McCarthy era, where progressives are hunted down and treated like criminals. The final sequence in the movie which includes a dramatic confrontation in a parking lot seems to be a form of therapy for this particular troupe.
One final thing I want to mention here is the on-location filming. An extended sequence in the middle of the story takes place at the Bradbury Building in downtown Los Angeles.
When I lived in the L.A. area from 1991 to 2004 I would sometimes go downtown shopping and walk around the historic Bunker Hill district. There is a subway stop near the Bradbury Building. I would amble over and step into the courtyard of the Bradbury because it was so grand, I just wanted to be part of the place for a few moments. Nobody was hunting me down. My first initial is J, not M.
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Post by topbilled on Feb 12, 2023 15:39:34 GMT
This neglected film is from 1957.
Unfinished business after the war
Rory Calhoun had already established himself as a veritable presence in the western genre by the time he made this modestly budgeted oater for Columbia Pictures. Mostly it is an unremarkable picture, thought it does contain some good moments. It feels like an extended episode of a western television program, which isn’t a bad thing, and indicates the actor’s career was transitioning. Especially since he would soon star as The Texan at Desilu, in a weekly series.
The opening sequence certainly pulls us into the story. Mr. Calhoun plays an ex-Confederate soldier who recently returned home after the war. Instead of being greeted by his father, he learned the old man was senselessly killed by five men– rustlers who took off with the cattle from the Domino Ranch. When we meet Calhoun at the beginning of the movie, he is on a quest to avenge his father’s death by hunting down the five culprits.
Calhoun is known as Domino Kid, a reference to the family ranch, and in quick succession he tracks down four of the five killers and takes care of them. However, the fifth assailant is unknown. Because Calhoun has been on the warpath, he has made himself vulnerable to a reprisal from the mystery killer who would know all about him without revealing one aspect of his own identity.
Meanwhile there is a bit of a love story that occurs, because after Calhoun returns to his ranch, he catches up with a former girlfriend (Kristine Miller). She hopes his need for revenge is over, but he says it won’t be over until he gets the last man. At the same time, she is being courted by a land baron (Andrew Duggan) who is fighting over water rights with Calhoun. Duggan offers Calhoun a deal to sell the Domino Ranch and leave, but of course things won’t be settled so easily.
For awhile I thought the film would go the predictable route and have Duggan turn out to be the mystery killer. A few red herrings occur to suggest this, especially when Duggan has conversations with the local sheriff about Calhoun’s mission. But surprisingly Duggan turns out to be just a rival for Miss Miller’s affections, and nothing more. The fifth killer is revealed to be a drifter that has come to the area to get rid of Calhoun.
There is an interesting final sequence, where Calhoun is supposed to have a duel with Duggan about the water rights, but this is interrupted by the presence of the fifth killer. As a result, we have a three-way confrontation that takes place on main street, with Calhoun battling both his enemies. Duggan ends up helping Calhoun defeat the killer, and he graciously steps aside to let Calhoun have a romantic reunion with Miller.
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Post by topbilled on Feb 17, 2023 15:22:57 GMT
This neglected film is from 1934.
Who gets the girl?
Though she became more known for the Maisie films she did in the 1940s at MGM as well as her television sitcoms of the 1950s, Ann Sothern started as a precode ingenue. In 1933, she signed a contract with Harry Cohn at Columbia Pictures and would spend the next few years at his studio starring in modest romance dramas.
Some of these pictures allowed Miss Sothern the chance to sing, but more importantly, they gave her the chance to refine her skills as a serious actress. BLIND DATE, released in mid-’34, is one such offering. In this picture, she plays a working class gal torn between two suitors who are about as dissimilar as they come.
The first guy is played by Paul Kelly, and he’s a real charmer. Not only does he have Sothern eating out of the palm of his hand, he has a fan in her ma (Jane Darwell). Not to mention Sothern’s kid brother (Mickey Rooney) and sister (Joan Gale).
He is so well-liked by this family that it seems to be taken for granted he will marry Sothern and become one of them. The downside, because all romance dramas play up the downside, is that Kelly is a workaholic mechanic who often puts his customers’ needs ahead of Sothern. A huge turning point happens when he stands her up for an important date on the night of her birthday.
Sothern feels second best, practically unwanted and unloved. When a female pal calls to invite her out to dinner with some upper class friends at a posh restaurant, she decides to join them and forget about Kelly. She ends up having a blind date with a wealthy playboy (Neil Hamilton), and they have a good time together.
Of course this leads to other dates with Hamilton, since she has now ended things with Kelly. There’s an interesting scene where Hamilton takes her for a ride in his fancy car, which breaks down (naturally!) and they have to call a mechanic. Guess who shows up? You got it. We’ve reached the point of the story where it’s a full-fledged triangle, since Sothern and Kelly still have unresolved feelings while she’s begun to genuinely fall for Hamilton.
More problems occur, when Hamilton’s rich relatives conspire to break them up. And Hamilton, who usually flits from woman to woman, isn’t sure he’d ever marry Sothern. Since Kelly still wants to marry Sothern, it seems like a no-brainer for her to end things with Hamilton and go back to Kelly, which is what her ma and pa want for her.
Meanwhile Sothern is fired from her job as a model. As the primary means of support for her family, there is no income now and they fall on hard times. Kelly offers a job to Sothern’s father (Spencer Charters) who has spent the last year and a half unemployed. Though this feels like charity, they won’t have to face eviction.
In the next part, we see Charters assisting Kelly at the auto garage. Everything seems to be going fine, until a freak accident causes Kelly to get pinned under a car. This results in a broken leg and a stay at the hospital. Sothern remains at his side during this time, even though she still thinks about Hamilton.
With the garage now closed while Kelly recuperates, money is tight once again. This leads to Sothern entering a dancing marathon to earn two grand. The dance sequence is kind of interesting, though I did wonder how plausible it was. Could people really dance for 740 consecutive hours? That comes to 30.833 days.
I researched this red-hot fad of the 1920s and 1930s and found out that, yes, people did dance this long…the longest dance-a-thon in the Depression took place in Chicago in 1930 and lasted 145 days!
Sothern and her dance partner do not win the contest, because she collapses just as Hamilton returns. He has realized on a trip with his mother that he loves Sothern enough to marry her. But she still feels that she owes Kelly for all he’s done for her family. Hamilton graciously steps aside and even helps Kelly in a lucrative business deal.
There’s a nice twist at the end, where Kelly realizes that Sothern belongs with Hamilton and tricks her into going after him. If this film had been made a decade later, where working class characters were held in much higher esteem, we probably would have Sothern staying with Kelly and this being considered the right thing. The rich guy would be a villain and would not get the girl.
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Post by topbilled on Feb 23, 2023 15:10:36 GMT
This neglected film is from 1955.
The Ricos
Except for some studio publicity shots, the three Rico brothers do not appear together. About eighty percent of the scenes feature Richard Conte as the oldest brother. His domestic life is depicted with a wife (Dianne Foster) who’s eager to adopt a child; his work life is shown so that we know he runs a clean business, literally since he owns a laundry company; and his connections to an avuncular mob boss (Larry Gates) are downplayed, because he hasn’t worked for the guy in ages.
However, his two brothers are still working for Gates. Both are now in trouble with the law as well as the syndicate. When Conte gets a call that something is up, he begins to worry.
Soon he meets up with the middle brother (Paul Picerni) who admits to killing someone and that their kid brother (James Darren) drove the getaway car. Darren scrammed to parts unknown, while Picerni has become a punching bag for some goons since Gates the kingpin is no longer happy with him.
Conte flies to Miami to meet with Gates to try and solve his brothers’ problems. But this only creates problems for Conte. He is told that he needs to track down Darren, whom Gates fears will take a deal with the feds. Gates acts as if he just wants Conte to talk some sense into the younger brother. But he’s really using Conte to hunt Darren down, so he can get rid of the kid.
In the next part Conte heads to New York and meets a man (Lamont Johnson) whose sister (Kathryn Grant) recently married the youngest brother and is now pregnant. Conte also stops by a candy shop run by his mother (Argentina Brunetti) who lives above the place with grandma (Mimi Aguglia, Brunetti’s real-life mother).
Conte is told by mama that Darren contacted her awhile ago from California. Conte decides to hop a plane to Phoenix, where he will get a connector flight to El Camino.
The New York-based scenes reveal how close the Ricos are, even though they are in different regions of the country. There’s a moment when mama realizes the extreme danger her boys are in and begs Conte to be careful. She prays before a statue of the Virgin Mary and tears seem to effortlessly stream down her face. Conte’s interactions with her are very genuine.
This is followed by the sequence where Conte arrives in the southwest. He quickly drives to a remote area and locates his little brother.
They talk about the syndicate and how much trouble Darren has gotten himself into with Gates. At this point in the story Conte is still a bit naive, thinking he can fix everything…not quite figuring out that his brother is going to die soon.
Their discussion is interrupted by the wife (Grant) who has taken an instant dislike towards Conte. She becomes hysterical and goes into labor. Conte is forced to return to a local motel to wait for news. When he gets back to the motel, Conte has to deal with two of Gates’ men (Harry Bellaver and Rudy Bond) who reveal that it’s time for Darren to face the music. And if he doesn’t, then Conte’s days will also be numbered.
There’s a powerful scene where Conte calls Darren and learns the baby was just born– a boy that will be named after their late father. Only Darren’s joy will be short lived. He must leave the house and walk out to meet some men who are going to kill him. If he doesn’t go, then the wife and the baby, and the other people they are staying with, will also be murdered.
Mercifully, this death scene occurs off-camera. Though I think if it were remade today, we would definitely have it included where he walks off to his doom. We’d probably see his brutal killing play out on screen. Since the story is filmed without the death happening on camera, we have to rely on Conte’s emotional reactions to fill the void.
There is a follow-up scene with Conte and Bond on their way back east, where Bond tells Conte that the other brother, played by Paul Picerni, was also killed. In that case, it was because he tried to double-cross the mob. This information is a turning point for Conte who decides that with both his brothers now dead, he has to take matters into his own hands to defeat Gates.
Instead of returning to Florida, Conte calls his wife and says he plans to head back to New York. He is going to meet with Grant’s brother and cooperate with the feds. Conte’s wife is now in danger and she must fly to New York as well. They meet up in a hotel room, where Conte outlines his plans to get money from the bank for her, his mother and his infant nephew.
While this is occurring, Gates gets wind of what’s going on by a mob informant. He rushes to New York to confront Conte inside the mother’s candy shop. There is a violent shoot-out which leaves no doubt that Gates has now been brought down.
Director Phil Karlson makes the most of these scenes, and there is not one wasted moment in this film. We get the requisite happy ending with Conte and Foster arriving at an orphanage to pick up the child they’re adopting. As they step forward, they leave behind the old life they knew.
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Post by Fading Fast on Feb 23, 2023 15:34:40 GMT
I have to say it again, if you are only going to read one review of The Brothers Rico, read Tobilled's one above ⇧.
The Brothers Rico from 1957 with Richard Conte, Dianne Foster and Larry Gates
"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."
- Michael Corleone in The Godfather: Part III
Long before Al Pacino uttered that famous mob-movie phrase, Richard Conte (Barzini from The Godfather) found out just how hard it is to stay out in 1957's The Brothers Rico.
Having "retired" from the mob, married and now running a successful wholesale dry cleaning business in Florida, Conte, is "asked" by the big mob boss to find one of Conte's brothers (there are three brothers Rico in all - and all were/are in the mob) who is rumored to be ready to turn state's evidence.
The big boss tells Conte that he just wants to get his brother safely out of the country so that he can't testify. Conte doesn't really want to get involved, but agrees to do this one last job to help his former boss and his brother. Plus, he really couldn't say no since you're never really "out."
Conte's search for his brother brings him back to his old NYC neighborhood where we meet his traditional Italian immigrant mother and grandmother and learn that the Rico boys started in the mob as young kids. Conte, though, was only a mob accountant, never in on the rough stuff - which, we'll learn, is tomayto-tomahto to the mob.
From New York, Conti flies to California where his brother is hiding out on a farm. On a stopover in Phoenix on the way, he meets the West Coast mob boss, wonderfully played by Harry Bellaver, and his second in command, Rudy Bond.
These two laid-back mob guys are the gem tucked inside this excellent movie. Wearing cowboy hats and bolo ties, they are a fantastic blend of New York mob tough and West Coast chill. You can't help almost liking them even though they are killers.
When Conte learns, what the viewer knew all along, the mob has no intention of letting his brother get away, the West Coast boys deliver the message to him with a cold equanimity that boils down to another Godfather quote: "It's not personal Sonny, it's strictly business."
With his brother dead, Conte goes rogue from the mob trying to escape the country with his wife and money. After a classic showdown between Conte and his old boss, the Motion Picture Production Code slaps a reasonably happy ending on the movie. One doubts audiences were buying that ending then anymore than they would today.
The Brothers Rico is an outstanding inside-baseball mob picture. It's so inside there are almost no police or government officials involved. All the conflict is mob versus mob as the big boss struggles to enforce discipline.
The most-famous mob movie of them all, 1972's The Godfather, wasn't an immaculate conception; it was, as we see here, the culmination of decades of impressive mob movies like The Brothers Rico.
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Post by topbilled on Feb 23, 2023 15:49:57 GMT
Great review Fading Fast. And I agree, it's not about the mob versus the police. It's about factions within the mob pitted against each other, and how this reverberates through one family. Though the story's focus is on the brothers, specifically the one played by Conte, I thought the women of the family were just as fascinating to watch, even if they had significantly less screen time and character development.
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