I read somewhere that after the success of HUMORESQUE, Warner Brothers bosses were keen on the idea of putting Joan Crawford and John Garfield into a follow-up. They would have used a similar dramatic blueprint with Crawford once again playing a hardened dame who is slowly brought around by love, while Garfield played another artistic minded soul under her spell. WHIPLASH has just such a plot.
Guessing this was a script Crawford passed on, because she was off at Fox on a loan out making DAISY KENYON. We can assume that Alexis Smith, one of the studio's "backup" actresses, was then assigned to take over. Smith does a decent enough job conveying the icy aspects of the character, something she perfected in a previous role she had in THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS (made in 1945 but not released until 1947 when WHIPLASH was in production).
As for the male protagonist, Dane Clark often filled in when Garfield wasn't available. Clark portrays an artist (which he had already done in A STOLEN LIFE), who finds himself involved in the world of boxing (which Garfield did in BODY AND SOUL). In real life Clark had been a semi-pro boxer during his salad days as an actor on the east coast. As a result, I think his performance in the workout scenes and ring scenes is probably a bit more realistic than other stars pretending to play pugs on the big screen.
The storyline involves Clark working at a seaside tavern on the west coast owned by S. Z. Sakall (who was always cast as restauranteurs in WB flicks). Clark has a chance meeting with a vacationing Smith who buys one of his paintings. They get to know each other and a romance quickly ensues. But she is running from a hoodlum husband back east, and when one of her hubby's goons shows up, she must go back. She just vanishes one day, with Clark not knowing of her troubled marital status until Sakall gives Clark a loan to follow Smith back to New York.
The New York scenes bustle with more energy. We see Clark still working as a struggling painter, behind on the rent, befriended by humorous neighbor Eve Arden and her stereotypical beau from Texas. Arden and the Texan take Clark to a swank nightclub, since that is what any normal person who's behind on the rent should do. While eating dinner Clark glimpses Smith during a floor show. He has finally caught up with the gal who stole his heart.
The club is owned by Smith's husband (Zachary Scott in a menacing performance). There's a skirmish between Clark and some thugs, which impresses Scott who decides he's going to make Clark a boxer. Clark is more interested in art, but this is a chance to stay close to Smith so he agrees. From here a few more characters are added, such as Alan Hale Sr. In a good bit as a trainer; and Jeffrey Lynn, who is especially good as Smith's brother- a doctor who is psychologically tormented.
The main reason for Lynn's torment is because he unsuccessfully operated on Scott's legs several years earlier. Yes, Scott is paralyzed, running his underworld environment from a wheelchair; his crippling is what keeps Smith beholden to her since she was in the car fighting with him the day he had his terrible accident. We see Smith and Lynn suffer a lot in this story, both under Scott's thumb anxious to break free from their bondage.
I won't spoil the ending. But there is a Faustian bargain of sorts that occurs between Scott and Clark, with Clark trying to obtain Smith's freedom. This, of course, is complicated by Lynn's own plans to off Scott. Despite the contrivances, the screenwriters manage to provide a satisfying conclusion to all the angst that has gone before. Yes, Smith and Clark are no Crawford and Garfield, but they render strong enough performances to make this watchable.
Guessing this was a script Crawford passed on, because she was off at Fox on a loan out making DAISY KENYON. We can assume that Alexis Smith, one of the studio's "backup" actresses, was then assigned to take over. Smith does a decent enough job conveying the icy aspects of the character, something she perfected in a previous role she had in THE TWO MRS. CARROLLS (made in 1945 but not released until 1947 when WHIPLASH was in production).
As for the male protagonist, Dane Clark often filled in when Garfield wasn't available. Clark portrays an artist (which he had already done in A STOLEN LIFE), who finds himself involved in the world of boxing (which Garfield did in BODY AND SOUL). In real life Clark had been a semi-pro boxer during his salad days as an actor on the east coast. As a result, I think his performance in the workout scenes and ring scenes is probably a bit more realistic than other stars pretending to play pugs on the big screen.
The storyline involves Clark working at a seaside tavern on the west coast owned by S. Z. Sakall (who was always cast as restauranteurs in WB flicks). Clark has a chance meeting with a vacationing Smith who buys one of his paintings. They get to know each other and a romance quickly ensues. But she is running from a hoodlum husband back east, and when one of her hubby's goons shows up, she must go back. She just vanishes one day, with Clark not knowing of her troubled marital status until Sakall gives Clark a loan to follow Smith back to New York.
The New York scenes bustle with more energy. We see Clark still working as a struggling painter, behind on the rent, befriended by humorous neighbor Eve Arden and her stereotypical beau from Texas. Arden and the Texan take Clark to a swank nightclub, since that is what any normal person who's behind on the rent should do. While eating dinner Clark glimpses Smith during a floor show. He has finally caught up with the gal who stole his heart.
The club is owned by Smith's husband (Zachary Scott in a menacing performance). There's a skirmish between Clark and some thugs, which impresses Scott who decides he's going to make Clark a boxer. Clark is more interested in art, but this is a chance to stay close to Smith so he agrees. From here a few more characters are added, such as Alan Hale Sr. In a good bit as a trainer; and Jeffrey Lynn, who is especially good as Smith's brother- a doctor who is psychologically tormented.
The main reason for Lynn's torment is because he unsuccessfully operated on Scott's legs several years earlier. Yes, Scott is paralyzed, running his underworld environment from a wheelchair; his crippling is what keeps Smith beholden to her since she was in the car fighting with him the day he had his terrible accident. We see Smith and Lynn suffer a lot in this story, both under Scott's thumb anxious to break free from their bondage.
I won't spoil the ending. But there is a Faustian bargain of sorts that occurs between Scott and Clark, with Clark trying to obtain Smith's freedom. This, of course, is complicated by Lynn's own plans to off Scott. Despite the contrivances, the screenwriters manage to provide a satisfying conclusion to all the angst that has gone before. Yes, Smith and Clark are no Crawford and Garfield, but they render strong enough performances to make this watchable.