Jaal (1952) :
Brief Review -
Bollywood's foray into Anti-hero crime noir is boosted by Guru Dutt's dark vision and Dev Anand's second most powerful role in the 50s. Do you remember those crime noirs Hollywood made in the 30s? That typical James Cagney style crime drama with a shades of film noir at the end? If yes, then Jaal is the perfect Indian version to relive those iconic films that Indian cinema has never been able to make. I have often noticed how inspired Guru Dutt was by the Hollywood noirs. Baazi was made out of "Gilda" (1946), which I believe is a highly overrated flick. Even 30s Hollywood crime noirs were far smarter than Gilda, but the Indian version came out as a sensation. Dev Anand got a big breakthrough with Baazi, and then came Jaal to boost and carry forward his emerging talent and fame. Set in the Catholic ghetto, the film is about a smuggler who falls in love with a Catholic girl, but has more on his wishlist than just her love. The supporting roles play very important parts here in building a decent narrative that ends with a noir touch of simple human and social theories. Dev Anand's Tony is quite sensational if we look at the early 50s heroes. Indian audiences had no idea that we could have an anti-hero to lead the film and make it a perfect commercial entertainer. Drama, romance and social values; everything fits well here, despite the regular plot, because everything was kind of new for our audiences in 1952. "Baksh do agar kare Khata koi," this dialogue has so much meaning and ultimately it defines the entire film. Dev's Tony is romantic, vibrant, yet dark and cruel. What a combination it was. His lover, Geeta Bali, is a very kind person who follows the path of forgiveness as taught by the almighty. Her kindness and wholehearted nature make her character so innocent and relatable. I mean, many girls were actually cheated by con men, and Geeta's character reflects their situation with a little bit of a soft corner. Overall, a good crispy entertainer by Dutt sahab.
RATING - 6.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Bollywood's foray into Anti-hero crime noir is boosted by Guru Dutt's dark vision and Dev Anand's second most powerful role in the 50s. Do you remember those crime noirs Hollywood made in the 30s? That typical James Cagney style crime drama with a shades of film noir at the end? If yes, then Jaal is the perfect Indian version to relive those iconic films that Indian cinema has never been able to make. I have often noticed how inspired Guru Dutt was by the Hollywood noirs. Baazi was made out of "Gilda" (1946), which I believe is a highly overrated flick. Even 30s Hollywood crime noirs were far smarter than Gilda, but the Indian version came out as a sensation. Dev Anand got a big breakthrough with Baazi, and then came Jaal to boost and carry forward his emerging talent and fame. Set in the Catholic ghetto, the film is about a smuggler who falls in love with a Catholic girl, but has more on his wishlist than just her love. The supporting roles play very important parts here in building a decent narrative that ends with a noir touch of simple human and social theories. Dev Anand's Tony is quite sensational if we look at the early 50s heroes. Indian audiences had no idea that we could have an anti-hero to lead the film and make it a perfect commercial entertainer. Drama, romance and social values; everything fits well here, despite the regular plot, because everything was kind of new for our audiences in 1952. "Baksh do agar kare Khata koi," this dialogue has so much meaning and ultimately it defines the entire film. Dev's Tony is romantic, vibrant, yet dark and cruel. What a combination it was. His lover, Geeta Bali, is a very kind person who follows the path of forgiveness as taught by the almighty. Her kindness and wholehearted nature make her character so innocent and relatable. I mean, many girls were actually cheated by con men, and Geeta's character reflects their situation with a little bit of a soft corner. Overall, a good crispy entertainer by Dutt sahab.
RATING - 6.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.