In a Lonely Place: Deep Dark Bogey

April 27, 2006

Just renewed my ZIP.CA membership and yes, I'm in film nerd heaven. I got four envelopes today with DVDs...I opened the one that was on top and said I'm watching this one first. Such a fucking nerd. So I sat and watched IN A LONELY PLACE (1950) starring Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Graeme (I always loved her in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE) and directed by Nicholas Ray (most known for directing REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE).
OK, so this movie is fabulous and if you like old noirs you should really rent this one. Humphrey Bogart's production company produced this film. Funny, in those days, actors didn't put their names in the credits even in they had a hand in producing the movie. That is much more of a current phenomenon. But anyway, he obviously wanted to play this part and for good reason.
He plays screenwriter Dixon Steele with some usual Bogey notes of dark sarcasm and sexy riffs off the dames...but Dixon is more tortured than most of Bogey's other roles. He's a man with some serious demons who's really in need of some good therapy or anger management.
The movie really lets him show some deep dark shit we haven't seen from him before. He's really fucked up at times but he's also super vulnerable and even desperate. There are some serious layers and it's great that he's not just doing melodramatic acting 101 for film noir. I loved it!



In a nutshell, Bogey plays this screenwriter who is suspected of murdering this coat check girl because he was the last to see her alive (in his Hollywood apartment no less) but just when things look pretty hopeless for this guy's alibi, in comes Gloria Graeme, the sexy neighbour, to tell the cops she saw the girl leave the apartment without him.
Soon enough, these two smart asses fall for each other. But no sooner than they're in domestic bliss, Dixon starts showing this paranoid side of himself that is prone to irrational rages (haven't we all been there, sister). And Gloria...oh her name is Laurel Gray...So Laurel starts to think maybe she's wrong about Dix...maybe he's a bit of a crazy nut and maybe he DID kill that coat check girl...
And there's twists and turns and scary shit and moody lighting...oh it really is a fun ride...and keeps you guessing til the end. Or at least it keeps you very very tense. Which is fabulous.
Next up I think I'll be watching KING OF MARVIN GARDENS...hallelujah I'm in film nerd heaven...I wonder how many I can watch in a month's time? I'll keep you posted!