This is another Film whose Basic Plot and Characters Fit Neatly in the Noir Genre, but Not Entirely, due to Common Ingredients and Intrusions that keep this from Pure Film-Noir.
Film-Noir was Truly an Inspired Zeitgeist of the Creative Filmmakers and this is an Example that included Scenes and Elements that would be Absent if it was a Conscious Crafting or a Beforehand Decision.
No One stood Around Hollywood and said, "Let's make a Film-Noir". The Genre was Defined After the Fact and was Created in a Spontaneous, Subconscious, and a Collective, Creative Style that Emerged Without Pretense.
The Sappy Ending, the awkward Comedy Relief, and other Conventional Mainstream Tropes are some of the Reasons that keep this in the Peripheral Noir. Although, Certain Actors, Cinematographers, and Directors seem Naturally at home in the Film-Noir Genre.
Here We have Zachary Scott, whose Oddly Handsome Looks have a Patina of Psychopathy. James Wong Howe behind the Camera was a Stylist of the First Order. Style is something that Noir Embellishes a lot More than its Studio System Sisters and here He Paints some Eerie Pictures.
Director Florey also Fits as some of His Films have Dark, Demented Elements and He is at His Best when He goes Off Beat from the Path of Safe used so Often and Tend to be Boring, Redundant, and Unremarkable.
Faye Emerson gets Top Billing and Passes as a Conflicted Wall Flower Who Undergoes a Change from Romantically Naive Working Girl, complete with big Horn Rimmed Glasses residing in Her Mom's Protective and Loving Home.
Mona Freeman is also Pretty and pretty Good as the Better Looking, but Young Girl Caught in the Killer's Charming but Lethal Web. Rosemary De Camp is quite Effective delivering Trendy Psychiatric Jargon with a Heavy Accent.
Overall, there are Enough Noir Ingredients to Qualify Inclusion in the Genre, but it's Not Purebred. Still Enjoyable for its Above Average Triangular Melodrama. It's a bit Short and could have used more Breathing Room to Expand the Things that Worked and would have Improved on its Noir Status Without the Audience Friendly Stuff.
Film-Noir was Truly an Inspired Zeitgeist of the Creative Filmmakers and this is an Example that included Scenes and Elements that would be Absent if it was a Conscious Crafting or a Beforehand Decision.
No One stood Around Hollywood and said, "Let's make a Film-Noir". The Genre was Defined After the Fact and was Created in a Spontaneous, Subconscious, and a Collective, Creative Style that Emerged Without Pretense.
The Sappy Ending, the awkward Comedy Relief, and other Conventional Mainstream Tropes are some of the Reasons that keep this in the Peripheral Noir. Although, Certain Actors, Cinematographers, and Directors seem Naturally at home in the Film-Noir Genre.
Here We have Zachary Scott, whose Oddly Handsome Looks have a Patina of Psychopathy. James Wong Howe behind the Camera was a Stylist of the First Order. Style is something that Noir Embellishes a lot More than its Studio System Sisters and here He Paints some Eerie Pictures.
Director Florey also Fits as some of His Films have Dark, Demented Elements and He is at His Best when He goes Off Beat from the Path of Safe used so Often and Tend to be Boring, Redundant, and Unremarkable.
Faye Emerson gets Top Billing and Passes as a Conflicted Wall Flower Who Undergoes a Change from Romantically Naive Working Girl, complete with big Horn Rimmed Glasses residing in Her Mom's Protective and Loving Home.
Mona Freeman is also Pretty and pretty Good as the Better Looking, but Young Girl Caught in the Killer's Charming but Lethal Web. Rosemary De Camp is quite Effective delivering Trendy Psychiatric Jargon with a Heavy Accent.
Overall, there are Enough Noir Ingredients to Qualify Inclusion in the Genre, but it's Not Purebred. Still Enjoyable for its Above Average Triangular Melodrama. It's a bit Short and could have used more Breathing Room to Expand the Things that Worked and would have Improved on its Noir Status Without the Audience Friendly Stuff.