TV and Movies

[Oznell]

I love Stanwyck in her fancy, lacy bed jacket in "Sorry, Wrong Number",  @Johnnyeager !    Interesting casting to have the young Burt Lancaster as hubby...

Ha, ha, @Judaline ,  agreed, so true about actors that are "not palatable" in real life, yet mesmerizing on screen!  I have a whole list of those, too.   The only ones I'd really have to rule out watching would be, like, proven, established murderers or child abusers, etc.  So many of them have world views I can't stand, that I'd end up watching almost none of them except Joel McCrea or something if I went by my personal approval of them....

[Judaline]

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@Oznell wrote:

"Witness to Murder"

Saturday/Sunday Midnight Eastern, and then repeated Sunday 10:00 a.m. Eastern--  "Witness to Murder"   Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders, Gary Merrill, Jesse White, Claire Carleton, Juanita Moore

"Noir Alley" scores again!  This isn't strictly a noir, more like a really good suspense film with my favorite, the peerless Barbara Stanwyck, that has "noir" elements.

This actually came out just before the similar "Rear Window", which TCM is airing earlier on Saturday, @ 4:00 p.m. Eastern.  It's not splashy like "Window", but very satisfying, especially for Stanwyck fans.

Stanwyck is a successful interior designer, "Cheryl",  who glances out her window one night and sees a woman apparently being killed in another apartment.  But the police, including rugged investigator Gary Merrill, and soon others, are not so convinced-- there's no evidence that anything untoward happened in the home of the neighbor in question, a very suave, plausible George Sanders....

Stanwyck is great as an initially confident, usually "in control" woman who starts to doubt her own sanity.  George Sanders also gives a typically well-thought out and polished performance as the enigmatic neighbor.

A word on Gary Merrill, the cop whose interest in Stanwyck goes beyond the "professional"--  I love him!  For a guy who was apparently fairly "turbulent" in his real life, onscreen he is so often a solid, reassuring presence, appealingly intelligent, masculine and "in charge".   No wonder Bette fell for him!  (And by the way, he was married to Bette Davis at the time that "Witness to Murder" was made.  I wonder if Bette was jealous of Merrill's and Stanwyck's chemistry in this?)

I found a candid, presumably off-screen photo of the two on set while the movie was being filmed.  They look so great together, and like they were probably getting along well!  Or am I just imagining that.  Wonder why Babs' hair looks blonder in the photo than in the film?  Maybe this 'still' was taken in pre-production or something, and she darkened her hair a little in the interim...

Other points to note--   A smart script by Nunnally Johnson, and great, I mean, GREAT cinematography in this-- that's where the shadowy, noir-ish atmosphere comes in.   There are so many still shots I love, but they'd give away too much of the plot, if you haven't seen this yet!

Oh, watch out for a small cameo by Juanita Moore, of later "Imitation of Life" fame.  She's in a hospital scene.

The sense of hectic, Fifties' Los Angeles is very well-evoked in this, another thing I love about the film...

 

This was really good-enjoyed it. 

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[drizzellla]

OK - I just have to say this. I did not care for the ending.

If someone is chasing me. I am not going to keep running UP several flights of OPEN stairs. But I must admit suspense movies like that ending scene.

She was too smart to do that. And then end up on a small rickety wooden ledge? Yes, it added suspense but I thought it was too predictable.

I said it - now you can let me have it.

[SharkE]

I'm afraid of heights LOL    I'd let him shoot me first. ROFL

[Oznell]

Ha, ha, @drizzellla ,  don't worry, all opinions welcome-- you are safe!   Hubs and I were also kind of hooting at that ending, with her running and the crowd barreling after her as she headed for that implausible "escape".

The movie had its histrionic aspects ("Cheryl" seeming to fall apart rather quickly),  yet I always enjoy it!

[Group 5 minus 1]

Did you all notice the Maytag repair man (Gary Merrils partner)?

Cattle Queen of Montana was film playing in the first Back to the Future film. She co-starred w/ Ron Reagan.

[Oznell]

Yes, @Group 5 minus 1 ,  I love Jesse White!   He was so good in "Harvey" too.  I think Stanwyck and Ronald Reagan were also friendly in real life...