Lady in the Lake

Robert Montgomery stars as private eye Philip Marlowe in this 1946 film adaptation of a classic LA crime novel by writer Raymond Chandler. Famed femme-fatale Audrey Totter co-stars. Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, and Jayne Meadows are featured. Meadows was the sister of Audrey Meadows, Ralph Kramdon's wife in TV's The Honeymooners. 105m. CC.

Montgomery also directed this film in an innovative style that puts the viewer into the action. We see everything through Marlowe's eyes, and despite his star status, Montgomery only is seen in a brief intro and outro, and in some mirror images.

Since he is rarely seen, it is difficult to rate Montgomery's performance. But Totter and the others, faced with the difficult task of playing off the camera and not other actors, are especially good. ###  

Audrey Totter and Robert Montgomery

 

Tension

 

Richard Basehart and Audrey Totter star in this 1949 film about a mild-mannered druggist whose wife is two-timing him. With his dreams for a home and family shattered, he plots revenge. Directed by John Berry. CC. 91 minutes. 

 Richard Basehart is probably best remembered for his role as Ishmael in John Huston's Moby Dick. Audrey Totter's portrayal of the nasty unfaithful wife ranks her with Hollywood's top femme fatales. The supporting cast includes Barry Sullivan, William Conrad, Tom D'Andrea, and the beautiful Cyd Charisse in a rare non-dancing role.

I like this film but I have to admit that the police tactics depicted are hard to imagine even back in 1949. I'm not referring to harsh interrogation or brutality. To entrap the prime suspect the detective makes love to her, and even invites her to spend a weekend with him in Acapulco. Here is a link to Eddie Muller's intro that provides informative background on the participants. 

Audrey Totter and Richard Basehart

The Set Up

                                 

The Set-Up. Robert Ryan and Audrey Totter star in this gritty 1949 boxing drama. Ryan is at his best as an aging fighter at the end of his career, and Totter plays his steadfast wife. Famed director Robert Wise presents a real-time look at the stale-air boxing venue, the bloodthirsty fans, the ring savagery, and the delusional dreams of the boxing world. 72 minutes.

It is hard to believe that Robert Wise who directed The Set-Up  would go on to make movies like West Side Story and The Sound of Music.

Eddie Muller of Turner Classic Movies Film Noir Alley has a very good intro to this film in which he claims that it is the best boxing movie ever made. 

Audrey Totter and Robert Ryan