I've recorded several films from TCM over the past few days. Rainy weather has helped me sit down and watch a few.
First up--Shockproof (1949)--the Noir Alley selection. Cornel Wilde stars as Griff Marat a parole officer who falls for his client Jenny Marsh (Patricia Knight)--a beautiful convicted murderess. Griff believes in Jenny if she can only stay away from her loser boyfriend Harry Wesson.
This movie didn't work for me. I don't care for Cornel Wilde's acting, I didn't buy the urgency for Griff and Jenny's wedding. Most importantly, I didn't buy them as lovers on the run. The unrealistic "happy ending" that the Studio insisted on--was the final straw.
Gaslight (1949)--I've known about the concept of gaslighting and its literal use in this film for a long time. But I'm not sure I ever saw this film in its entirety. Charles Boyer as Gregory Anton exudes charm until he suddenly sneers in viciousness as Ingrid Bergman--as his wife Paula--shrinks away in confusion. I wish the maid Elizabeth had been more pro-active in helping Paula. Elizabeth recognized early on that Gregory was trying to convince Paula she was sick when she wasn't.
This film will be forever enshrined in my heart because of its use in a classic Car 54 Where Are You? episode, "What Happened to Thursday?"
Dial M for Murder (1954)--I've seen this film more times than I can count. Ray Milland is excellent as Tony Wendice--a former tennis pro whose gotten used to living on his wife's money. Worried that her affair may put an end to his easy life, he concocts a scheme to have her killed by an old schoolmate he is blackmailing. It doesn't go as planned--instead his wife kills her attacker and is tried and sentenced to death. It looks like Tony will get away with it, but will he?
The Penguin Pool Murder (1932)--This is the first of the Hildegarde Withers/Inspector Oscar Piper film series that I wrote about recently. We first see Hildegarde (Edna May Oliver) as she thwarts a pickpocket with her umbrella. Soon, she and the class she took to the aquarium, find a body in the titular penguin pool.
I was glad to see this movie again--I like Oliver in the part more than I remembered. I also liked the mystery.
Four films down and three more to go. Thanks TCM.
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