Blazingly hot western noir

HEAT LIGHTNING (1934)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

In the first scene of "Heat Lightning," there is a slow pan shot across the desert that settles in on a lonely gas station/cafe. Right away we are in the throes of the atmospheric western noir trappings of "Heat Lightning," a true original and a precursor to films with central women characters in a remote setting like "Gas, Food Lodging" and "Bagdad Cafe."

"Heat Lightning" stars Aline MacMahon as Olga, a tough, possibly bitter woman who runs a service station where she is the lone fixer upper on servicing cars, and that includes fixing the engine! (Women did all kinds of jobs in this early period of Hollywood movies). Her younger sister, the ingenue Myra (Ann Dvorak, who may be best known as Scarface's sister in the original 1932 classic, "Scarface"), runs the cafe, handing out sandwiches and cold Coca-Cola bottles to weary travelers who want to get away from the intense heat. This is a lonely existence in the middle of the desert and, though Olga seems satisfied, Myra wants to escape, to get away. She wants to go to a dance but Olga disapproves, probably hoping she is not left alone to run the place (and she knows what the world of untrustworthy men is like beyond the desert). A quarrel ensues between them where Olga behaves more like a doting mother than a sister, and there is even a suggestion, possibly unmerited but you never know, of Olga having lesbian tendencies, or at least acting tomboyish to deflect any men from her direction (she wears a bandana, looking as unglamorous as possible).

For example, one day, an old flame of Olga's arrives at the cafe named George (Preston Foster), a thief and con man on the run from his latest heist with his partner (Lyle Talbot). George makes nice with Olga, trying to woo her back when in fact he is up to his old tricks. Olga resists yet she smiles, and even wears makeup and a dress to welcome back the former man in her life! There might be an intended or unintended subtext in there. Meanwhile, Myra persists and disobeys Olga by going to the dance while a boisterous Mexican family and two rich dames and their chauffeur from Reno find lodging, and there is the matter of some precious jewelry.

Based on a play by Leon Abrams and George Abbott, "Heat Lightning" has enough tension, atmosphere and hypnotic shots to merit a lasting impression, all in a little more than 64 minutes. Particularly effective are Aline MacMahon and Ann Dvorak, two sisters with opposite personalities and purpose, trying to live some semblance of a life in the middle of the desert. What is more remarkable is that this is possibly the first noir western we have ever had, especially one with such a remote setting. "The Petrified Forest" may have a similar setting but that was released 2 years later. Here, we have what starts as a character study that mixes in some noir characters, hence Olga's former bad boy lover, and other noirish aspects like sex, intrigue, jealousy betrayal with some comic relief thrown in.

"Heat Lightning" was later remade as "Highway West" in 1941, unseen by me. "Heat Lightning" deserves a wider audience and some context in its subversive combination of genres and its pre-code subject matter (and, again, with having two female protagonists). It has been shown on TCM but if you happen to catch it again, then you'll swear that 65 minutes have never induced such sweaty tension as this original.

Harry Steele and the Sunburst of the Incan Temple of Doom

THE SECRET OF THE INCAS (1954)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

 Movies like "Secret of the Incas" were a dime a dozen back in the 1950's. The idea that grave robbers or archaeologists were looking to unearth priceless golden treasures in forbidden countries and doubly forbidden tombs was a major commodity for Hollywood. 1954's "Secret of the Incas" is probably one of the better entries in this genre (not excluding "Valley of the Kings" which would make a great double feature) and with Charlton Heston at its center, it will rivet your attention and knock your socks off.

Heston is Harry Steele, a Cuzco, Peru tour guide who is out for a few bucks by taking tourists' money (he studies plane manifests so he can get tourists to ride with him and show them the local museum). Harry is also obsessed with the Incan Empire, specifically a lost Incan treasure known as the Sunburst (Not the Starburst which the cover art indicates). It is a golden disc that would restore life to the village of Machu Picchu. Naturally, Steele is more interested in fortune and glory and wants to steal the Sunburst, despite some greedy partners wanting it for themselves. Morgan (Thomas Mitchell) is one of those scheming partners - a tub of lard who seeks personal fortune rather than playing pool in seedy bars for the rest of his life. There is a catch - in order to get to Machu Pichuu, Harry needs a cargo plane and gets his chance when he escorts an illegal named Elena (Nicole Maurey) who is seeking safe passage to the United States.

So what we have are exotic locales, seedy bars, the late Yma Sumac singing in different pitches to the Incan people, archaeologists digging through a sacred tomb, double-crossing swindlers, beautiful damsels, inflatable rafts (Calling Dr. Jones), and a tough, arrogant, highly chauvinistic hero who exchanges double entendres at will and makes a moral choice by the end of the film. If any of this sounds familiar, it should. The Indiana Jones series borrowed liberally from similar films of this period, not to mention countless serials (and I am sure Spielberg took a good long look at "That Man From Rio" starring the great Jean Paul Belmondo). Indiana Jones most noticeable antecedent may be "Secret of the Incas," considering the Sunburst is not unlike some of the artifacts from Indiana Jones. Harry Steele's style of dress and demeanor (the way he constantly tilts his hat or lowers it when sleeping) is more than a passing resemblance to the archaeologist hero of the 1980's (sans bullwhip and army pouch). Of course, Ronald Reagan wore similar gear in "Hong Kong" and Alan Ladd as well in the 1930's film "China."

If I have any major qualms, it is that the character Elena is rather flatly characterized as someone whose only concern is making it to the United States (though I like when she fakes sobbing to Harry and how she always asks who cut down the cherry tree). Also, Robert Young plays Dr. Moorehead, an archaeologist who proposes marriage to Elena within a few hours of meeting her. It is one of the quickest proposals I've ever seen in a movie, but Dr. Moorehead remains one-dimensional and almost perfunctory to the plot.

"Secret of the Incas" is not full of derring do or the escapist mentality of Indiana Jones, but it is an exquisitely made and entertaining adventure movie that will more than please thrill-seekers and lovers of pulp adventure tales. Heston delivers as a rough and tumble hero and, yes, a lot of what transpires in the film is hokey and silly but never dull. And when Yma Sumac triumphantly sings "Ataypura" to the Incan village, her voice resonates as an echo throughout the entire region and reminds us of how glorious movies used to be. I would think that anyone who visits Machu Picchu can't help but hum Yma Sumac's music.

Depression, Shmepression

THE THIN MAN (1934)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

"The Thin Man" is a film that most will admire but few will think it is based on any given reality, hence, the beauty of most Hollywood movies of the 30's and 40's. Among my favorites of these periods were "His Girl Friday" (which no one can top for rapid-fire dialogue) and "The Philadelphia Story," one of my favorite romantic comedies. I would definitely add "The Thin Man," a 1934 classic that couldn't be set in any other time period yet it resolutely has little bearing on what went on during that period (no hint of the Depression here, for starters). And that is okay because I never met anyone like the characters shown in any of these films, mostly larger-than-life characters living a life of luxury and ostentatious parties. But I digress - "The Thin Man" is an exquisite marvel of a movie, completely dependent on one witty exchange after another.

Based on Dashiell Hammett's last novel, William Powell plays a boozing retired detective named Nick who is vacationing comfortably with his rich wife, Nora (elegantly played by Myrna Loy), in their quite decorous Manhattan apartment. Of course, neither partner is remotely interested in sleuthing - all they want is to drink, be merry and party. Naturally, the party stops briefly when an inventor scientist (Edward Ellis) disappears without a trace on some secret business trip. The inventor's daughter (Maureen O'Sullivan) is concerned, as is the inventor's unbearable wife, his mistress, a few criminals, and so on. Is the inventor dead? And what about the missing cash bonds? Who took them, and why? Only Nick knows, but the order of the day is to first be merry, gay, and don't interrupt his drinking.

"The Thin Man" is a seamless blend of detective mystery and screwball comedy, something so few writers and directors could ever accomplish so deftly. I can't say that I know how this genre mixing works, but it works incredibly well. The movie begins with a never-ending party of drinking and witticisms. All we discover at this party, related to the kidnapping, is that some members of the police and the press are interested in knowing what Nick might think of the kidnapping. And there is a moment, very brief yet sudden, punctuated with violence that is so perfectly realized and so unexpected that it stands almost head and shoulders above any noir picture of the 40's or 50's.

"The Thin Man" works primarily because of the lovely chemistry between Nick and Nora. His debonair attitude and brief nonchalance when it comes to solving a crime and her facial expressions where she makes funny faces and essentially keeps him and his drinking in line is what makes this film sparkle and sizzle. Had someone else been cast besides Myrna Loy and William Powell, it wouldn't have worked. Powell doesn't exactly look like a detective or a boozing gentleman (or an alcoholic, for that matter), yet you still believe he can see the truth and you see his detective mind at work (even when he plays with an air rifle). Myrna Loy fits as a rich wife type, yet she doesn't act as polished or as bitchy as say Bette Davis. By the end of "The Thin Man," you get the impression that Nick and Nora's relationship survives because they privately act goofy and silly.

As directed with exceptional skill and a terrific use of space in mostly a lavish apartment by W.S. Van Dyke, "The Thin Man" was amazingly shot in two weeks with a low budget of $231,000, and it became a huge box-office hit. Five more films in the series emerged, yet the original is the one that will remain on everyone's mind as one of the finest films of the 1930's. It is pure escapism and a complete, first-rate entertainment with more humor and suspense than almost any film I can think of. An absolute classic, and Powell and Loy will leave you with a silly grin on your face.

Joan could strangle Greenstreet

FLAMINGO ROAD (1949)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

It is odd to see Joan Crawford playing a carnival dancer who is stuck in a small Southern town. It is, however, sweet cinematic magic to watch Crawford combat the sinister Sydney Greenstreet in "Flamingo Road," an uneven yet fun little noir piece.

Crawford plays Lane Bellamy, the aforementioned carnival dancer who develops a liking to Fielding Carlisle (Zachary Scott), a mild-mannered deputy sheriff. Carlisle feels sorry for Lane who could do better financially, and gets her a job as a waitress at a local restaurant. Sheriff Titus Semple (Sydney Greenstreet), whose own girth drips with corruption, controls the town and dislikes Bellamy (actually, I think he dislikes everyone in town). Semple orchestrates a campaign to eject Lane from this peaceful town, mostly by making sure no one in town hires her. He also has her falsely accused of soliciting for sex. Semple merely fears that Lane can limit the political ambitions he has bestowed on Carlisle. Unfortunately for the sheriff, after serving a 30-day jail sentence, Lane finds work as a hostess at a road house, and is smitten with Dan Reynolds (David Brian), a high-powered political boss who gets drunk frequently and is a ruthless match for Semple. Lane sobers him up a little and they move to Flamingo Road, the place of dreams and, presumably, rich white people. Then more trouble brews between Lane and Semple when Carlisle comes back into town.

Stunningly photographed, "Flamingo Road" is an occasionally highly charged noir piece yet Joan Crawford, as equally tough and innocent as the character she plays is, feels older and more mature than the role requires. Crawford never struck me as vulnerable in any of the roles she has played ("Johnny Guitar" might be my favorite) and she looks ready to pounce as Lane Bellamy. When she threatens the odious Semple with the fantastic line, "You just wouldn't believe how much trouble it is to dispose of a dead elephant," you know Joan really means it. This is not sweet-tempered Joan Fontaine here, this is freakin' Joan Crawford, a madwoman of epic proportions who can ensnare, envelop, and threaten with nothing more than a stare.

The plot eventually derails a bit with the reappearance of a drunk Carlisle (the men in this movie drink and swear more than the women) and an ending that feels tacked-on by studio pressure. I don't want to give it away but let me say, I expected a less tawdry and sexist finale. Overall, "Flamingo Road" is worth seeing for Crawford and Greenstreet - their scenes are priceless, unnerving and intense. The bulk of the movie doesn't quite match up to them but it will not disappoint for fans of these two titanic actors.   

When the rivers of blood followed the sinner...

THE WORLD'S GREATEST SINNER (1962)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

I don't think I have seen or will see anything remotely like "The World's Greatest Sinner" again in my lifetime. This is one zonked-out, hyperactive, jumbled though very effective film that is hard to forget, and should be harder to resist. I don't know how else to describe it except if Elvis Presley had ever done a movie where he played a cult leader, it might have looked something like this.

The late Timothy Carey ("The Killing," "Paths of Glory") plays Clarence, an insurance agent who is sick of his job, gets fired and doesn't seem to care. He has a family to support but he gets a vision of being something more - a messiah for the masses where he can speak the truth, though what that truth is escapes me (something about how life is hell and how to become a superhuman being). He recruits anyone who is willing to join, regardless of race, creed or color, and goes so far as to call himself God! Sacrilege! Clarence goes even further by seducing an elderly woman to finance his group! All the great leaders must have some facial hair, so he adopts a fake goatee (and eventually grows his own). He sings rock' roll tunes (all written by the late Frank Zappa before he became famous) wearing a silver, glittery suit while he gyrates like Elvis and James Brown and screams, "Please, please, please!" He alienates his family when his developing cult group begin wearing arm bands with the letter "G" on them (uh, oh). And eventually, Clarence makes a deal with the Devil himself to break into politics and run for President of the United States. Things can only get worse in this Faustian tale.

I have heard of "The World's Greatest Sinner" for years - some have declared it awful and overly theatrical, while others see it as some sort of work of inspired genius. I agree with the latter. Timothy Carey's strange performance of histrionic body language, hypnotic drawl, and occasional trademark of closing his eyes while speaking and listening echoes an erratic energy that is tantalizing to witness (all I can say is that he is the precursor to Nicolas Cage). He is the star of this movie, and is about as berserk on screen as any actor can humanly be.

"World's Greatest Sinner" is haphazardly edited and directed by Timothy himself, but that is acceptable since the bizarre nature of the material go hand in hand with the filmmaking. If nothing else, this movie serves as an indictment of cultish leaders (we have seen our fair share since 1962 which is when this was filmed) and the corruption of the human soul where one thinks they can test God's will (that is the actual Almighty and not the main character). Love it or hate it, "World's Greatest Sinner" is unforgettable, riveting underground cinema.