Twist of Fate (aka. Beautiful Stranger) (1954)"You're cruel and cynical about everything. Nothing's sacred to you.
Neither laws nor obligations."
"You're boring me." Now that I'm digging deep down into the pile of Noir titles, I wonder if this is what the month has in store for me. As directed by David Miller - Sudden Fear more and more looks like one great film by a not-so-great director - the story here is murky and the storytelling slows down often for no good reason. (Why do we need so much romance when everyone is more interesting when they're being vicious? Why spend so much time on a pottery lesson?) Ginger Rogers has delighted me this year with
Storm Warning, but here she's the lone star in a sea of less charismatic men. And yet...
There is something special here for fans of Noir, a hustler played by Herbert Lom (The Pink Panther films) who finds himself holding all the pieces. There are a number of scams, secrets and set-ups and the story drops all of it into Lom's lap. However, he's the least resourceful noir character, with a sweaty desperation and occasionally bulging eyes that reminded me of Peter Lorre. It was interesting to think about how he could've come out on top if he wasn't such a loser thru and thru.
Rating: * *