In A Lonely Place (DVD)

...were made about characters operating in the Hollywood film industry in 1950. The first two, 'Sunset Boulevard' and 'All About Eve' went on to be both critically and commercially successful. The third, Nicolas Ray's 'In A Lonely Place' although less successful at the time is now regarded as a classic example of the film noir style which was first identified by Cahier du cinema magazine.

The movie follows screenwriter and war veteran ...
...However as Laurel falls in love with Dixon she begins to doubt his innocence. Meanwhile the police, in particular Dixon's ex army colleague Budd (Frank Lovejoy), continue to investigate him causing Dixon's violent nature to come to the fore.

'In A Lonely Place' continued Ray's interest in the marginalised characters which are found in many of his films such as 'On Dangerous Ground', 'Knock On Any Door' and 'Rebel Without A Cause.' ... more

THE FILM

Three movies were made about characters operating in the Hollywood film industry in 1950. The first two, 'Sunset Boulevard' and 'All About Eve' went on to be both critically and commercially successful. The third, Nicolas Ray's 'In A Lonely Place' although less successful at the time is now regarded as a classic example of the film noir style which was first identified by Cahier du cinema magazine.

The movie follows screenwriter and war veteran Dixon Steele (Bogart) who is suspected of murdering a coat check girl, but the testimony of a wannabe actress Laurel Gray (Gloria Grahame) keep the police from arresting him. However as Laurel falls in love with Dixon she begins to doubt his innocence. Meanwhile the police, in particular Dixon's ex army colleague Budd (Frank Lovejoy), continue to investigate him causing Dixon's violent nature to come to the fore.

'In A Lonely Place' continued Ray's interest in the marginalised characters which are found in many of his films such as 'On Dangerous Ground', 'Knock On Any Door' and 'Rebel Without A Cause.' It also highlights his interest with uncontrollable male anger illustrated by the characters of Jim Wilson in 'On Dangerous Ground' and Ed Avery in 'Bigger Than Life.'

Bogart gives one of his best performances in this thriller. The character of Dixon Steele features many aspects of his persona the toughness, the tortured intelligence and alcoholism. But in addition introduces a malevolent streak when he is under pressure. His production company Santana productions was responsible for the film.

Gloria Grahame gives a great performance as a woman who at first trusts Dixon, but in the course of the movie increasingly doubts her lover's virtue. This was a key film for her on a personal level. She and Nicolas Ray had separated before the filming started but in order to avoid either of them being taken off the film by the studio they maintained an illusion of matrimonial bliss. Ray even went as far as getting her to sign a contract agreeing to obey all his instructions during the production. The marriage finally broke down in 1952. Grahame ended her film career when she married Ray's son and her former stepson Anthony Ray in 1960.

Frank Lovejoy gives a good performance as the best friend who is investigating Dixon. Lovejoy also appeared in another Noir classic 'The Hitchhiker.'

The novel on which the film was based is one of the rare examples of Noir fiction that was written by a woman, Dorothy B Hughes. Ray and screenplay writer Andrew Solt made a number of changes to the story including Dixon Steel's character and the ending of the movie.

The film contains many elements of the noir style. Firstly Dixon, a washed up screenwriter is an alienated hero. Secondly in the films use of lighting effects, courtesy of Director of Photography Burnett Gaffey, for example the use of spotlight on Bogart's face in the scene where Budd and his wife to act out a murder following Dixon's direction. Thirdly, the violent outbursts that take place in the film are shot in a heightened style such as Dixon assaulting a student. Fourthly in its use of set design to reflect the character's mind set at that point in the narrative. Dixon's and Laurel's apartment block turns into a labyrinth as she loses trust in him. Finally in the themes of the movie with the loss of trust and therefore hope in the relationship between Dixon and Laurel.

The movie has a great score by George Antheil. Although not as memorable as Bernard Herrmann's score for Ray's 'On Dangerous Ground' it still perfectly captures the mood of the movie.

In conclusion this movie is a must for anyone who loves classic thrillers which don't follow the rules.

THE DVD

There are a number of features on this disc which include:

Languages:

English, Italian, Spanish and French.

Subtitles:

Film subtitles in English, French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Hindi and Arabic.
Special features are subtitled in French, Italian, and Spanish. There are no English subtitles.

Extras

The extras are good value for this movie. They include scene selection, the original trailer and the trailer for 'The Lady From Shanghai.' A photo montage of posters and lobby cards for the eight movies that Bogart made for Columbia pictures from 'Sahara' (1943) through to his final performance in 'The Harder They Fall' (1957).

There are two documentaries included on the DVD. Firstly a brief look at the restoration process and digitisation of 'In A Lonely Place.' Comparing pieces of the film in the original Library of Congress print with the film on this DVD shows what an amazing job Pro-tek and Sony pictures did.

The second 'In a Lonely Place Revisited' is an excellent documentary hosted by Curtis Hanson (Director of 'LA Confidential') from the building that inspired the main set from the movie. He discusses the relevance of the films title, the films story, Bogart's performance, Grahame's performance, Nicholas Ray's direction of the film, the differences between the film and its written source, the story themes and the film's ending. Hanson is a interesting choice as host as many of the themes that arise in this film also occur in his own work such as the backdrop of Hollywood in the 1950s ('LA Confidential'), the artist as protagonist ('Wonder Boys' and '8 Mile') and characters battling their own emotions (Bud White in 'LA Confidential' and Rabbit in '8 Mile'). This is one film that continues to influence him.

Final Analysis

An excellent film noir drama worthy of rediscovery. The extras add a wealth of background information which will enhance the enjoyment of the movie. A great package for anyone who loves classic Hollywood cinema. 

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