Clocking in at nearly 80 minutes, Quicksand doesn't hang around, it's briskly paced and suspenseful into the bargain. Look out too for Red Nichols and His Five Pennies band during a club scene, it's a nice touch that adds a bit of period detail. It would come as no surprise to me to find that Bernard Herrmann had watched and listened to Quicksand prior to scoring the Mitchum & Peck classic. While Gruenberg's score is right in tone, especially the theme tune piece, which has a distinctly Cape Fear edge to it. We possibly could have done with some more noirish artistry from Lindon for his photography, but he does OK, with a parking lot/back alley pursuit well shot. The film, and tone, is also boosted by Lorre turning in one of his sleazy sloth like performances, while a mention is warranted for Art Smith as Dan's boss, Oren Mackay, the kind of boss you could easily punch for fun. There's a devilishly bitter irony hanging over proceedings, too, that Dan could have escaped all this if he had not spurned the attentions of the more homely, but loyal, Helen (an adorable Bates). That there's a blonde femme fatale (Cagney is sexy in a powerful way, with shifty glances telling so much) sat at his side as his life goes belly up still further fuels the darker edges of the film noir feel. The plot is in the classic noir tradition of having a male protagonist trapped in a downward spiral, no matter what he does, each decision he makes is a wrong one and only worsens his situation. Here he goes against type, and the public wasn't ready for it, even tho he arguably gives one of his best career performances. Quicksand was received coldly back on its release, a generation of film goers had grown accustomed to Rooney lighting up the screen as Andy Hardy and turning in frothy performances in musicals. Pretty soon Dan finds that his life is getting out of control as he gets in deep with robbery and maybe even murder?. However, with Vera comes baggage, not only in what she wants out of Dan, but in the form of her ex-boss Nick Dramoshag (Lorre), who has designs on Vera too. Intending to put it back tomorrow, Dan borrows $20 from the till of the garage where he works, the money to be used for the date with Vera. Auto mechanic Dan Brady (Rooney) fancies himself as a ladies man, so when he sets eyes on sultry looking blonde Vera Novak (Cagney), he just has to date her. Lionel Lindon photographs it around Santa Monica, California, and Louis Gruenberg scores the music. It stars Mickey Rooney, Jeanne Cagney, Barbara Bates & Peter Lorre. Quicksand is directed by Irving Pichel (The Most Dangerous Game/ Destination Moon) and written by Robert Smith. Definitely worth a look to see Rooney play this kind of role. Overall, it's an odd film of sorts and one that starts slowly but gets better and better as the story progresses. In other words, the three main characters are not evil people but they have major flaws. Barbara Bates is the wholesome good girl, but she really makes some stupid decisions late in the film, too. Jeanne Cagney is good as the typically-floozy blonde who is prevalent in so many of these film noirs. In fact, it's pretty amazing to watch this unfold as one small crime leads to one thing after another making things worse and worse as it goes along. Those mistakes compound into a major crime and Rooney winds up in major trouble. Rooney was a fine, fine actor and he does a good job here in this role as a man who makes one mistake after another. But, like a lot of comedians, singers and other non-dramatic actors, Rooney could surprise you with his dramatic talents. Here's an unusual film noir because it stars an actor that you wouldn't think would be in a crime film: Mickey Rooney.
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