“Anybody ever tell you about murder? It’s against the law.”
Another Noirvember, another Kino film noir box set, another theme linking three little-seen genre gems for fans to sink their teeth into. For this collection, the folks over at Kino Lorber have brought out a trio of tales where vengeance is the prevailing force driving each film and the desperate protagonists at the center. Among the films are a fierce hunt for the murderer of a city employee, a WWII soldier trying to make right what was done wrong, and a woman trying to outrun her dangerous past. The varied locales, including the Italian countryside, small-town Indiana, and the cultural landscape of New Mexico, provide great backdrops for each of the noir-soaked stories, while the committed performances (including two powerhouse ones from Alan Ladd) make this one of Kino’s most dynamic noir sets to date.
Captain Carey, USA
Featuring one of Alan Ladd’s most underrated performances, a former WWII soldier named Webster returns to the Italian town of Orta near Milan to uncover the traitor who sold out his fallen comrades while they were all stationed there. Despite being shot on a Hollywood soundstage, Captain Carey, USA opens with an interesting depiction of WW2 life in Italy, both during the war and after. Director Mitchell Leisen manages to give a portrayal of Italian life through a lens that is not intrusive or assuming but is instead filled with great humanity. But it’s Webster’s quest as the lone survivor of the original team tasked with protecting the small town from the Germans that draws him back and makes him as determined as can be to avenge those who perished. The film became notable for being the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Song Oscar for a track that was not in the English language for the classic “Mona Lisa.” However, it also stands as a noir-tinged document about the neverending influence of America on other countries.
Appointment with Danger
Ladd makes a second appearance in this box set in Appointment with Danger. In the film, Ladd plays Al Goddard, a postal inspector charged with trying to solve the murder of one of his fellow officers with only a nun named Sister Augustine (Phyllis Calvert) as a witness. Regardless of what may think of law officials today, it’s hard not to feel admiration for the reverence shown towards the institution of the postal service as shown in the film. Needless to say, Appointment with Danger is a very patriotic offering and succeeds mainly because it doesn’t shy away from showing the dark side of patriotism. The beauty of the film, however, is Ladd. The actor is at his best playing a closed-off anti-hero who is lacking in warmth but brimming over with determination, making him an excellent noir protagonist who is unscrupulous in his quest for justice. While the look of the film goes from traditional noir to a neo-realistic look, it’s still another great tale of people trying to not get swallowed up by the darkness of the genre.
Make Haste to Live
The underrated Dorothy Maguire leads Make Haste to Live starring as Crystal Benson, a newspaper publisher in New Mexico who finds her idyllic way of life and her actual life threatened when her mobster ex-husband Steve (Stephen McNally) is released from prison. Make Haste to Live is definitely one of those titles that straddles the line between melodrama and noir, with the former winning out in the areas of plot and the overall look of the film. Yet the movie’s themes fit squarely in the realm of the genre, especially when it comes to the theme of trying to run away from the past and not letting the person you were before define your future. There’s great tension and thrills in Crystal coming face to face with her past (aka Steve) and doing everything she can to conquer it. The challenge of overcoming regret and owning up to the choices she made are handled with a mix of tension and thoughtfulness. If the actual suspense of the film doesn’t quite show itself until its finale, Make Haste to Live still does right by its heroine, and noir in general, by having Crystal look her past straight in the eye and not flinch.
Please don’t forget to check out the Film Noir Foundation, the San Francisco-based organization dedicated to rescuing and restoring little-seen noir titles. Through their efforts, many noir titles once thought lost are now being made available to be enjoyed by the fans who love everything noir. Check out their many efforts and learn about how to donate here.
Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema XX is now available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber.
