Other than some Satchmo numbers and a couple jazz instrumentals this movie is the veritable sine qua non of mediocrity. Let's go down the list, shall we? Cinematography: Undistinguished to the point of blandness. At no time does the viewer get a strong visual sense of Sunset Blvd. In the early 50s. Much of the movie, in fact, consists of interiors and car scenes with phony backdrops. Direction: Strictly glorified traffic cop with scenes that should be dramatic and suspenseful consistently falling flat. Dialogue: Let's just say there is not one line that sticks in the mind after watching. Acting: Merely okay, with Rooney actually managing to be less annoying than usual because he's relatively (and I use the word advisedly) restrained. My favorite performance came from Sturges stock company veteran Bill Demarest as a protective night club owner. Give it what most solidly mediocre movies get, a solid C.
PS...The first time I was ever in a night club was in 1961 when I was twelve. My parents took me to the Coconut Grove to see Vic Damone. I remember being awed by the locale and bored by the singer. Sixty one years later not much has changed.
PS...The first time I was ever in a night club was in 1961 when I was twelve. My parents took me to the Coconut Grove to see Vic Damone. I remember being awed by the locale and bored by the singer. Sixty one years later not much has changed.