




Quote from: lester1/2jr on June 26, 2024, 02:58:34 PMThe Long Night (1947) - Henry Fonda is a working class shlub who gets involved in a battle of wits with evil stage magician Vincent Price over a girl. I really liked Vincent Price here. It's earlier than most of his more well known stuff and the character is more noir-ishly sinister. On the whole, it's more of a noir-tinged drama though. Fonda is a great actor but he isn't really "of the night". decent budget, memorable cinematography it's just a little slower than, say, Ace in the Hole (1951). I don't think I'd watch it again
4.25 /5
Ann Dvorack as his magician's assistant is not really my jawn. The love triangle girl is much cuter
I guess she was pretty lucky to even pull a role this good in a semi-serious flick where she's in a bizarre love quadrangle with big star Henry Fonda, popular 40s character actor Vincent Price, and young thang Barbara Bel Geddes.
If that romantic scenario doesn't make much sense to you - well - this entire movie doesn't make any sense. It's ridonkulously overwritten and stanky with melodrama, presumably calculated to capitalize on Fonda's profile as an all-American underdog hero. Really though the entire film hinges on Fonda being a smart and decent guy that nonetheless simply cannot control his urge to murder...!!!
I dunno.
Sigh!
Hollywood only had 5 more years of work for her. I hope she enjoyed three decades of peaceful retirement...
