John Garfield stars in "Force of Evil"

Force of Evil (1948) is an American film noir directed by Abraham Polonsky and starring John Garfield. The film is based on the novel Tucker's People, which was adapted by Polonsky and Ira Wolfert from a novel by Wolfert. The music is by David Raskin (Laura, Fallen Angel, The Bad and the Beautiful).

Garfield stars as lawyer Joe Morse who works for a big-time gangster Ben Tucker (Roy Roberts) who runs the numbers racket in New York City. Things get complicated when the gangster Joe works for eats up all the smaller rackets, including Joe's brother Leo (Thomas Gomez).

Will Joe be able to protect his brother and still be effective as the lawyer for Tucker?

Abraham Polonsky (1910 - 1999) was an American film director, screenwriter, and novelist. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Body and Soul (1947) starring John Garfield. Polonsky earned a law degree from Columbia Law School but after a few years of practicing law and teaching, he decided to be a writer. Other films Polonsky directed include Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969) and Romance of a Horse Thief (1971). Polonsky was a member of the Communist Party and a Marxist. These affiliations hindered his career in Hollywood after he directed Force of Evil.

Marie Windsor and John Garfield

John Garfield (1913 - 1952) was an American actor who specialized in brooding, rebellious characters. Garfield was a popular stage actor with the Group Theater in New York when Hollywood came calling. Garfield's first film was Four Daughters (1938). The movie was a big success and Garfield's performance was praised. He received a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination for his role as troubled musician Mickey Borden. His success in his first film led to a long-term contract with Warner Brothers. Other films Garfield starred in include They Made Me a Criminal (1938), Juarez (1939), Castle on the Hudson (1940), Out of the Fog (1941), Destination Tokyo (1943), and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), and Body and Soul (1947) for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Garfield had long-term heart problems. Against the advice of his doctor, he played tennis the day he passed away.

To watch the film on YouTube, click on the link below.

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Force of Evil trivia

• The director gave cinematographer George Barnes a copy of a book of Edward Hopper's Third Avenue paintings to give him an idea of the look he wanted on film.
• The lighthouse at the end of the film is under the George Washington Bridge.
• Supposedly, this film had an impact on director Martin Scorsese as it was the first film he remembers seeing.
• Garfield stood on an apple box in his scenes with Marie Windsor since she was taller than he was.

Discussion questions

1. What did you think of John Garfield's performance?
2. Was the relationship between Garfield and Gomez (Leo Morse) believable?
3. Do you think film noir is the correct category for this film?
4. The was Beatrice Pearson's (Doris Lowry) first film (she made only one more). What did you think of her performance?
5. A lot of the movie was filmed on location. Did that add anything to the film for you?
6. Who is more dishonest, Joe or Leo Morse?
7. What about the relationship between Joe and Doris?
8. Was the ending believable?

Robert Young, Maureen O'Hara, and Clifton Webb are "Sitting Pretty"

Sitting Pretty (1948) is an American comedy directed by Walter Lang and starring Robert Young, Maureen O'Hara, and Clifton Webb. Other members of the cast include Richard Haydn, Betty Lynn, and Ed Begley.

Harry King (Young) and his wife Tacey (O'Hara) have gone through several nannies for their three boys and are desperate. So desperate in fact that Lacey hires a Lynn Belvedere (Webb) sight unseen only to find out that Lynn is a man. A man with many talents and abilities that he puts to good use in the King household. 

But is Lynn too good at his job? He may have tamed the three boys but has he won over their parents?

Clifton Webb in Sitting Pretty

Walter Lang (1896 - 1972) was an American film director who is most identified with Twentieth Century-Fox studio where he directed some of their most popular films. At Fox, he directed all their top stars including Tyrone Power, Loretta Young, Shirley Temple, Alice Faye, Betty Grable, Don Ameche, John Payne, Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, and Jeanne Crain. Some of the films Lang directed at Fox include The Little Princess (1939), Moon Over Miami (1941), State Fair (1945), Mother Wore Tights (1947), Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), With a Song in My Heart (1952), The King and I (1956), and Desk Set (1957). Lang was married to Madalynne Field who was an actress at the Mack Sennett studio. Field acted with Carole Lombard at Sennett where they became great friends and was Lombard's secretary until her marriage to Lang in 1937.

Robert Young (1907 - 1998) was an American actor. He was a radio, movie, and television actor. In spite of the fact that Young made over 100 films, he is best remembered for his starring roles in the television series Father Knows Best (1954 -1960) and Marcus Welby MD (1969 - 1976). Young was under contract with MGM early in his career. At Metro, he costarred with some of the most famous leading ladies from that studio including Katharine Hepburn, Margaret Sullavan, Joan Crawford, and Hedy Lamarr. Young received some of his best film roles once he left MGM. As a freelance artist, he starred in The Enchanted Cottage (1945), Claudia and David (1946), They Won't Believe Me (1947), and Crossfire (1947). Young's last theatrical film was Secret of the Incas (1954) co-starring Charlton Heston. Supposedly, this was the film that inspired Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

Maureen O’Hara (1920 - 2015) was an Irish-American actress and singer. In her native Ireland, O’Hara trained with the Abbey Theatre at age 14. She screen-tested for the role of Mary Yellan in Jamaica Inn at age 19. Director Hitchcock wasn't impressed with O’Hara’s test but Laughton persuaded him to cast her. After finishing the film, O’Hara moved to Hollywood where she was signed to a contract at RKO. In 1941 she starred in How Green Was My Valley, her first collaboration with director John Ford. She starred alongside Tyrone Power in The Black Swan (1942), The Spanish Main (1945) with Paul Henreid, and Sinbad the Sailor (1947) with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. That same year she starred in the Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street with John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, and a young Natalie Wood. Other popular films include The Quiet Man (1952), The Parent Trap (1961), and McLintock! (1963).

Clifton Webb (1889 - 1966) was an American stage and film actor. Webb was a successful Broadway star and had made several silent films before he appeared in Laura (1944). As the acerbic Waldo Lydecker, Webb established himself as a character actor and eventually a leading actor in films like Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), Dreamboat (1952), and Titanic (1953). Working exclusively for Twentieth Century-Fox, Webb's last film was Satan Never Sleeps (1962) co-starring William Holden and directed by Leo McCarey.

Maureen O'Hara and Robert Young

Sitting Pretty trivia

• John Payne was set to play the role of Harry King before Robert Young was cast.
• Although third billed, Webb was nominated for Best Actor for his role as Lynn Belvedere.
• Film debut of Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou in The Andy Griffith Show).
• The movie produced two sequels all starring Clifton Webb repeating his role as Belvedere.

To watch the film on YouTube, click on the link below.

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Discussion questions

1. Was the premise of the film believable?
2. Sitting Pretty was one of the most popular comedies of the late-1940s. Does it hold up in 2022?
3. Clifton Webb's performance in this film earned him a Best Actor Academy Award nomination. Did he deserve it? Was his performance Oscar-worthy?
4. Were Robert Young and Maureen O'Hara believable as a married couple having trouble raising their children?
5. Did you have a favorite scene from this film?
6. Was this film like any other family comedy you've seen?

 

Betty Grable, Victor Mature, and Carole Landis star in "I Wake Up Screaming"

I Wake Up Screaming (1941) is an American film noir directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring Betty Grable, Victor Mature, and Carole Landis. Other cast members include Laird Cregar, Alan Mowbray, Allyn Joslyn, Elisha Cook Jr., and Charles Lane.

Told mostly in flashbacks, the film explores the murder of a young starlet, Vicky Lynn (Landis). Vick's manager, Frankie Christopher (Mature) is the prime suspect, however, the case against him isn't that clear cut. Jill Lynn (Grable), Vicky's older sister is determined to find out who murdered her sister and why. In the meantime, detective Ed Cornell is convinced that Frankie is the murderer and works overtime trying to convince the police that this is so.

Did Frankie Christopher murder Vicky Lynn? If so, what was his motive? Was Frankie the only one who had a motive to murder Vicky?

Laird Cregar (far left) and Victor Mature (middle)

H. Bruce Humberstone (1901 - 1984) was an American film director and former child actor. A founding member of the Directors Guild of America, Humberstone worked in a variety of genres including comedies, dramas, and musicals. Some of the popular and classic films directed by Humberstone include Street Scene (1931), Sun Valley Serenade (1941), Hello, Frisco, Hello (1943), Wonder Man (1945), and The Desert Song (1953).

Betty Grable (1916 - 1973) was an American actress, dancer, and singer. She was the most popular pin-up girl during World War II. She was also a top box office star from 1942 to 1951. In 1946 and 1947, she was the highest-paid woman in America. Grable starred mostly in musicals and light comedies. Grable made two non-musicals,  A Yank in the R. A. F. (1941), and I Wake Up Screaming. Both films were extremely popular, but Grable felt most comfortable in musicals. Other popular Grable films include Down Argentine Way (1940), Moon Over Miami (1941), Sweet Rosie O'Grady (1943), The Dolly Sisters (1945), Mother Wore Tights (1947), and How to Marry a Millionaire (1953). 

Victor Mature (1913 – 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who became a major movie star during the 1940s under contract to 20th Century-Fox. Before his film career took off, Mature starred in Lady in the Dark (1941) on Broadway opposite Gertrude Lawrence. Some of Mature’s notable films include I Wake Up Screaming (1941) with Betty Grable, The Shanghai Gesture (1941) with Gene Tierney. In 1942, he starred opposite Rita Hayworth in the musical My Gal Sal. Other notable films include Samson and Delilah (1949), and The Robe (1952), the first film released in the Cinemascope widescreen process. Mature was self-deprecating when it came to his acting. He said, “I’m no actor, and I’ve got 64 pictures to prove it.”

Carole Landis (1919 - 1948) was an American actress and singer. She was under contract to Twentieth Century-Fox in the 1940s. Her breakout performance was in One Million B.C.I (1940) for United Artists costarring Victor Mature. It was her success in this film that lead to her contract with Fox. During World War II, Landis toured and entertained troops. She wrote about her experiences which were published in several magazines. Eventually, her experiences became the basis for the film Four Jills in a Jeep (1944). Landis's career declined somewhat in the late 1940s. She had an affair with Rex Harrison during this time. When he refused to divorce his wife and marry her, Landis committed suicide.

Laird Cregar (1913 - 1944) was an American film and stage actor. Cregar came to Hollywood due to his success with the play Oscar Wilde in Los Angeles in 1940. Cregar signed a contract with 20th Century Fox and quickly became a popular character actor. Due to his large size (he weighed 300 pounds), he was often cast as the bad guy. In an effort to become a leading man in the movies, Cregar went on a crash diet during the productions of The Lodger and Hangover Square. To aid in his dieting, Cregar was prescribed amphetamines which had a negative effect on his system, causing abdominal problems. These problems lead to surgery and eventually a heart attack. He died shortly after at age 31.

I Wake Up Screaming trivia

• This was the first film noir produced by Twentieth Century-Fox.
• Alice Faye was set to play the role that eventually went to Betty Grable.
• Grable originally was to have a musical number in the film but that idea was ultimately rejected.
• Carole Landis did her own singing in the film.
• This was the first film Victor Mature made under his Fox contract.
• Grable and the film were a big success but she never made another film noir.

To watch the film on YouTube, click the link below.

To join the discussion on June 20, 2022, at 6 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Does this film fit your understanding of what makes a film noir?
2. Betty Grable said she never received a good review; what did you think of her performance?
3. Carole Landis had a tough task playing the wildly popular Grable's younger sister. What did you make of her performance?
4. We have another moody and odd performance by Laird Cregar, although this was one of his earlier character roles at Fox. Was he believable as the obsessed detective?
5. Were you surprised by the film's conclusion? Would you have written a different ending?

Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett in "Hollow Triumph"

Hollow Triumph (1948) is an American film noir directed by Steve Sekely and starring Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett. The screenplay was by Daniel Fuchs and based on the novel Hollow Triumph (1946). The cinematography is by John Alton. Henreid also produced the film for the newly formed Eagle-Lion Films.

John Muller (Henreid) just released from prison plans a holdup at an illegal casino. Things go wrong so he takes a job in an office to hide out for a while. 

By accident, Muller runs into Dr. Swangron (John Qualen), a dentist who mistook him for Dr. Bartok. The dentist's office is in the same building as Dr. Bartok. When Muller discovers that he really does look like Dr. Bartok, except for a facial scar, he hatches a plan to impersonate him. Along the way, he falls in love with Dr. Bartok's secretary Evelyn Hahn (Bennett).

Will Muller be successful in impersonating Bartok and start a new life with Evelyn or will his past catch up with him?

Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett

Steve Sekely (1899 - 1979) was a Hungarian film director who directed films in Hungarian, German, and English. He mostly directed B movies in the United States and Europe. His most famous film is the science fiction classic The Day of the Triffids (1962) starring Howard Keel.

Paul Henreid (1909 - 1992) was an Austrian-British-American actor, producer, writer, and director. Henreid is probably best known for two films released in 1942: Casablanca and Now, Voyager. Henreid was under contract with Warner Bros. where he was a popular leading man starring opposite the studio's top actresses including Bette Davis, Ida Lupino, and Eleanor Parker. After he left Warner Bros. Henreid made a series of adventure films. He later directed films and television shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Maverick, and The Big Valley.

Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett

Joan Bennett (1910–1990) began her film career during the early sound era. A natural blonde, Bennett dyed her hair as a plot device in the film Trade Winds (1938). As a brunette, Bennett projected a sultry persona that had her compared to the brunette beauty, Hedy Lamarr. During this period she starred in two costume epics. She played Princess Maria Theresa in The Man in the Iron Mask (1939) and Grand Duchess Zona of Lichtenburg in The Son of Monte Cristo (1940). Bennett was one of two finalists for the role of Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939), along with Paulette Goddard. She had a very successful collaboration with the director Fritz Lang. With Lang, she starred in the classics Man Hunt (1940), The Woman in the Window (1944), and Scarlet Street (1945). Bennett acted on stage and on television where she became a pop culture icon playing Elizabeth Collins Stoddard on the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows (1966-1971).

John Qualen and Paul Henreid

Hollow Triumph trivia

• Steve Sekely was removed as director early in production; Paul Henreid took over as director but Sekely retained director credit due to his contract.
• Paul Henreid produced the film so he could play a bad guy.
• Jack Webb's film debut.
• Gasoline was 25.5 cents per gallon.

To watch the film on YouTube, click on the link below.

Discussion questions:

1. What did you think of the film's premise?
2. Was Paul Henreid believable in two roles?
3. Joan Bennett wasn't a femme fatale in this film noir but was she effective in her role?
4. Were there any character actor performances that were memorable?
5. Did this film remind you of any other films you've seen?
6. Was the ending a surprise? Was it what you expected?

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