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

He Ran All the Way

  

                            

He Ran All the Way: John Garfield and Shelley Winters star in this hostage drama from 1951. Garfield, in his last movie before his untimely death at the age of 39, plays a hoodlum who takes a family hostage after a botched robbery.

Directed by John Berry, the film is more than a hostage drama. Garfield's young man lives in a loveless home with his nasty mother played by Gladys George, a leading lady in the 1930s who turned into a fine character actress toward the end of her career. His homelife is contrasted  with that of the loving family he takes hostage as he seeks refuge from the police. The family consists of a loving father and mother, their grown daughter, played by Winters, and a teen son. Veteran character actor Wallace Ford is excellent as the kind of father Garfield's character never knew. Inevitably, feelings grow between the hoodlum and the shy, backward daughter.

John Garfield and Shelley Winters

The film is shot in stark  black and white by the legendary cinematographer, James Wong Howe. The ending is especially well done. 78 minutes.

Eddie Muller, the creator of Noir Alley on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) usually provides introductions (intros) before each film as well as outros after the showing. Here is a link to his outro for this film with Garfield's real-life daughter. Or just watch the short video below.