1940s – Page 2 – PopCult Reviews

Movie Review – The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep (1946)
Written by William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, and Jules Furthman
Directed by Howard Hawks

Much about The Big Sleep makes it an American film of immense historical importance. It was one of many fantastic films directed by the great Howard Hawks. It has that snappy, punchy energy all his films embody while still staying to the ideas of the noir. It was co-written by American writing legend William Faulkner. Additionally, the criminally underrated writer Leigh Brackett co-wrote it with Faulkner. She would work on an early draft of The Empire Strikes Back and penned my favorite Robert Altman film, The Long Goodbye. In front of the camera, we have Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall. Despite being made in 1944, the film was delayed with plans to release once World War II was officially concluded, and in the interim, these two acting legends got married. With all of these potent elements, how’s the movie?

Movie Review – Detour

Detour (1945)
Written by Martin Goldsmith
Directed by Edgar G. Ulmer

Noir is not exclusively the realm of detective stories. Detective pictures are under its broad umbrella, but some of my favorite noir films focus on people who get into trouble and can’t escape it. There might be a crime they can commit that would fix their financial situation, or they may be convinced to join in a conspiracy to murder with promises of sex & money. These are the genre at its best, exploring the deep flaws in humanity and how we so often sabotage ourselves. Detour is one of these, possibly one of the bleakest noir films from this period. It was released by the Producers Releasing Corporation, which at the time was the smallest and least prestigious studio in Hollywood. Gower Street in Hollywood made up “Poverty Row,” a low-rent stretch where the lowest-budget studios operated. They made money, but it was often by chasing trends or simply making movies quick & cheap. Detour never feels like that; it’s a masterpiece from a filmmaking system that rarely produced such work.

Movie Review – Laura

Laura (1944)
Written by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, Elizabeth Reinhardt, and Ring Lardner Jr.
Directed by Otto Preminger

I’m currently reading Hollywood: An Oral History by Sam Wasson & Jeanine Basinger. It uses transcripts from people who worked in every aspect of the film industry going back to the early silent era. These transcripts are cut apart and grouped chronologically and by subject. For instance, the chapter I’m in now goes through the departments formed when the studio system was dominant. So we get these figures’ takes on everything from costuming to cinematography to studio personnel. There are chapters on the major studio heads, what each filmmaking house was known for in their heyday, and how the whole profession went from a disposable trend to dominating the planet.

Movie Review – The Little Foxes

The Little Foxes (1941)
Written by Lillian Hellman
Directed by William Wyler

The art of performance was born from the theater. People got up in front of a crowd and acted out stories. There were no screens. It was often by the light of a fire. Or, in more developed regions, an amphitheater. When the film first became a popular trend among “the kids,” there were many adaptions of stageplays. They weren’t shot with much emphasis on style as the aesthetics of the film medium were being figured out at the time. However, after several decades movies became their own way of telling stories, with the elements of cinematography and editing helping to shape things.

Movie Review – Kind Hearts and Coronets

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
Written by Robert Hamer and John Dighton
Directed by Robert Hamer

“Ealing comedies” was an informal name for the comedy films released by Ealing Studios in the United Kingdom from 1947 to 1957. They were often associated with the post-War spirit of Britain, cheery & upbeat movies about simple misunderstandings without cynicism. Of course, that type of movie sounds dreadfully dull, but woven into the catalog was some darker fare. These comedies fit right in with the rest of the company’s work. The best of these films was Kind Hearts and Coronets, based on the novel Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal and centered on the story of an affable & witty serial killer.

Movie Review – Bicycle Thieves

Bicycle Thieves (1948)
Written by Oreste Biancoli, Suso D’Amico, Vittorio De Sica, Adolfo Franci, Gherardo Gherardi, Gerardo Guerrieri, and Cesare Zavattini
Directed by Vittorio De Sica

The world is hell. But it didn’t just become hell. It’s been that way for a long, long, long time. Right now, the world is experiencing a significant shift in the world order, and when that happens, it is a harrowing experience. There are a lot of unknowns as a result. That uncertainty isn’t unfounded. When we don’t have guarantees about day-to-day life or even year to year, the opportunity for suffering is increased. The privileged pockets of the Western world finally feel this, while the developing world has been perpetually crushed under the boot. Nothing new for them, though they will likely be harmed more by the fallout of this changing of the order. The last time we had such a big shift was the collapse of the Soviet Union, but places like the United States didn’t really miss a beat, and Western Europe was definitely okay. The last time Western Europe went through “hell” was the aftermath of World War II, as large swaths of the region had been absolutely decimated by bombings. This is the world we enter into with Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves.

Movie Review – Mildred Pierce (1945)

Mildred Pierce (1945)
Written by Ranald MacDougall
Directed by Michael Curtiz

I’ve come to realize Joan Crawford is a far more complicated person than pop culture has made her out to be. Most people think of “No wire hangers!” or some other element of Mommie Dearest. I wouldn’t doubt Crawford wasn’t a great mother, but she certainly feels like someone ahead of her time as an actress. The role of Mildred Pierce is not a glamorous one. She’s an older woman whose daughter steals the spotlight, but Pierce is also so complex and layered, making choices that can’t be seen as operating inside your standard binary thinking. It’s the rich nuance and texture you’d expect from a story written by James M. Cain, a predominately noir-leaning author.

Movie Review – Casablanca

Casablanca (1942)
Written by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch
Directed by Michael Curtiz

Few American films have ever been held in such universally high regard as Casablanca. I have to admit that the movie was a blind spot in my education on cinema until this viewing. I have certainly been hearing about Casablanca my whole life as it has been referenced, parodied, and paid homage to across film & television. It’s full of witty, memorable lines (“Here’s looking at you kid,” “Of all the gin joints in all the world…”) and a brilliant cast who are perfect for their parts. Humphrey Bogart was cemented as a film icon with this picture, and he will always be remembered for the role of Rick Blaine. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the picture after watching it, a bit worried it had been overhyped since its release, but I was pleasantly surprised with what a fantastic film is it.

Movie Review – Nightmare Alley

Nightmare Alley (1947)
Written by Jules Furthman
Directed by Edmund Goulding

When I sat down to watch the original Nightmare Alley, I wasn’t prepared to be hit with such a spectacular film. I expected it would be a decent, pulpy sort of tale but the performances, cinematography, and music were far beyond the bar I’d set in my head. I turned to Ariana during our viewing to make sure I didn’t imagine how amazing this movie is, and she confirmed that she, too, was blown away. For just two years post-WWII, this movie looks ahead of its time. The plot is incredibly complex and can’t simply be boiled down to a single sentence. There are so many supporting characters who are given the type of nuance and complexity we often associate with modern cinema. But here it is, punching far above the weight of most movies and delivering one of the darkest endings I’ve seen from a film of this era.

Movie Review – The Wolf Man (1941)

The Wolf Man (1941)
Written by Curt Siodmak
Directed by George Waggner

Universal tried their hand at a werewolf movie in 1935 with Werewolf of London. The film was moderately critically successful but didn’t garner the acclaim Dracula, Frankenstein, and others had just a few years prior. The premise was seen as a little too similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, while the box office returns were poor. Universal didn’t see an immediate sequel in the property, so they went on with Dracula and Frankenstein sequels and a surprising number of follow-ups to The Invisible Man. When the 1940s came, it seemed like a time to revisit the werewolf, so we got The Wolf Man.