Warner Archive Wednesday - The Unsuspected (1947)

The Unsuspected (1947) - Claude Rains (Victor Grandson), Joan Caulfield (Matilda Frazier), Audrey Totter (Althea Keane), Constance Bennett (Jane Moynihan), Hurd Hatfield (Oliver Keane), Ted North (Steven Francis Howard), Fred Clark (Richard Donovan)

Woman in the Window (1944) and Scarlet Street (1946)

Woman in the Window (1944) - Edward G. Robinson (Professor Richard Wanley), Joan Bennett (Alice Reed), Raymond Massey (Frank Lalor, District Attorney), Edmund Breon (Dr. Michael Barkstane), Dan Duryea

Lovely Lake

November 14th would have been Veronica Lake's 91st birthday.  Such a glamorous star.

Film Review - Impact

Impact (1949) stars Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn, Helen Walker, and Anna May Wong.  Donlevy's character, Walter Williams, is told by his wife, played by Helen Walker to pick up an alleged relative and give them a lift.  Unfortunately for Williams, the man is not a relative, but his wife's lover who attempts to kill him.

Impact 

The lover is killed instead, but everyone thinks Williams is the dead one.  Donlevy's character basically starts a new life - allowing everyone to think he's dead.  His wife is charged with his murder, he feels guilty, comes forward, and is then charged with the lover's murder.

Impact Lobby Card

Generally a good noir.  Donlevy was amazing and definitely carried the film.  There was twist after twist, so I think it could have had several different endings.  Ella Raines, as the love interest, wasn't that great.  I'm not sure why she gets such good press in the old mags I read.  She was decent, but I can imagine a lot of different actresses in that role.  Coburn was good as the detective and Helen Walker was great as the wife.  It was also cool to see a film with Anna May Wong in it.  I've seen stunning photos of her, but had yet to see her act.  She did a good job in this film.  Would probably have been a forgettable film without the amazing acting of Brian Donlevy.  Frankly, I have yet to see a film where Donlevy isn't amazing.



Flapper Scale - 7 out of 10 Bobs
Famous Line - "Impact, the force with which two lives come together. Sometimes for good, sometimes for evil." - Opening Lines of the Film - Narration.

Vintage Book of the Week - The Cutie by Donald E Westlake

Mavis St John is a mercenary, using men to get to the top of the entertainment world. When she ends up dead, Clay has a huge problem on his hands. You see, a junkie was framed for the killing and it's Clay's job to clear the junkie's name - and keep him alive. Another Hard Case treat from 1960 written by Donald E. Westlake. Total edge of your seat read as you follow Clay on his quest to find and clear the missing junkie's name. How you you go wrong with political corruptness, mob connections, and a dead body? Watch out for the Sopranos style ending. How do you think it ended?

Vintage Book of the Week - Night Walker by Donald Hamilton

I have been way into Hard Case Crime books lately. They're basically noir books, some new and some reprints of classic pulp books. This gem is by Donald Hamilton, creator of Matt Helm. Anyway, the story begins with a naval lieutenant hitchhiking his way back to his base. Lieutenant David Young suddenly finds himself in a hospital with his face bandaged and under a different name and basically kidnapped. There are so many twists and turns in this book I could never guess what was coming up next or who was on what side. I didn't know if I would like it, but it was a fabulous read. I've read about 5 of the Hard Case Crime books and they have all been fantastic. Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good noir or suspense book. And the covers are fantastic, too.

Vintage Book of the Week - Fright by Cornell Woolrich

Just finished this gem from one of my favorite book series, Hard Case Crime. They basically reprint old pulp novels as well as new books written in the pulp style. Fright was written by the fabulous Cornell Woolrich. Woolrich wrote fantastic mysteries. This gem was written in 1950.

Anyway, Fright is the tale of Prescott Marshall and his horrible mistake. A few days before his wedding, Marshall decides to have some fun with a prostitute. His indiscretion decides to blackmail him and basically stalks him wherever he goes. Not only that, but an hour before he gets married, he basically goes nuts and kills the prostitute.

This book was very disturbing and suspenseful. I was a little leery of it at first, but I really liked it. I loved the cover too. It was created by Arthur Sydam. To me, it totally looks like Marilyn Monroe.

Buy it at Amazon

Buy it at Barnes and Noble