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Dead Reckoning
A 1947 movie from Columbia Pictures. Directed by John Cromwell. Script was by Stve Fisher and Oliver H.P. Garret from a story by Gerald Drayson Adams and Sidney Bidell.
Captain Warren "Rip" Murdock (played by Humphrey Bogart) and his bestie Sergeant Johnny Drake (played by William Prince) are enroute to Washington, D.C. from Paris under some mystery orders. Soon enough, though, they find out that Johnny will be awarded the Medal of Honor while Murdock will get the Distinguished Service Cross. Murdock is elated while Johnny is not quite vibing with all of that.
When their train makes a stop, Johnny uses the opportunity to run away. Murdock tells the army that he's gonna go after his BFF and bring him back. He decides to head on over to Gulf City, Johnny's hometown, and ends up getting a message from Johnny that they gotta talk. But Johnny never contacts him again . . .
Released a whole year after the triumph that was The Big Sleep, this is a pretty solid B-movie.
OFC, Bogart is THE star: he brings a realistic combination of world-weariness and hope for a better future that, combined with the superb dialogue, makes the film snap and crackle with energy. Most of the cast is really good as well.
The plot is convoluted enough to make it interesting w/o becoming too labyrinthine.
Do I have any criticisms?
Even though I think she's a good actress in most things, I couldn't quite rally behind Lizabeth Scott as Coral Chandler. Thing is, I'm not sure even Scott knew HOW to play her character. And so she was both femme fatale and heroine without making up her mind. Which makes me think that the role would've been a much better fit for someone else.
Interestingly enough, this seems to be the general sentiment as folks (even going back to 1947) felt, at best, lukewarm with her performance. *Hands*
Do I recommend it?
I do! Again, it's no The Big Sleep and Lizabeth Scott is no Lauren Baccall, but I was entertained. This movie is available for streaming on YouTube for FREE NINETY-NINE for the month of November. Also, IF you've got YT Premium, you'll be able to watch it w/o ads. I give it a 3.5 out of 5.
Queerness level:
There's a v. OJO line that Murdock tells another character abt his bond with Johnny that falls along the line of "he's the person I've loved the most."
Now, I wouldn't go as far as to say that the slash vibes are strong, BUT Murdock's devotion (in a manner of speaking) to Johnny does ring a little queer. IDK.
Le trailer
A 1947 movie from Columbia Pictures. Directed by John Cromwell. Script was by Stve Fisher and Oliver H.P. Garret from a story by Gerald Drayson Adams and Sidney Bidell.
Captain Warren "Rip" Murdock (played by Humphrey Bogart) and his bestie Sergeant Johnny Drake (played by William Prince) are enroute to Washington, D.C. from Paris under some mystery orders. Soon enough, though, they find out that Johnny will be awarded the Medal of Honor while Murdock will get the Distinguished Service Cross. Murdock is elated while Johnny is not quite vibing with all of that.
When their train makes a stop, Johnny uses the opportunity to run away. Murdock tells the army that he's gonna go after his BFF and bring him back. He decides to head on over to Gulf City, Johnny's hometown, and ends up getting a message from Johnny that they gotta talk. But Johnny never contacts him again . . .
Released a whole year after the triumph that was The Big Sleep, this is a pretty solid B-movie.
OFC, Bogart is THE star: he brings a realistic combination of world-weariness and hope for a better future that, combined with the superb dialogue, makes the film snap and crackle with energy. Most of the cast is really good as well.
The plot is convoluted enough to make it interesting w/o becoming too labyrinthine.
Do I have any criticisms?
Even though I think she's a good actress in most things, I couldn't quite rally behind Lizabeth Scott as Coral Chandler. Thing is, I'm not sure even Scott knew HOW to play her character. And so she was both femme fatale and heroine without making up her mind. Which makes me think that the role would've been a much better fit for someone else.
Interestingly enough, this seems to be the general sentiment as folks (even going back to 1947) felt, at best, lukewarm with her performance. *Hands*
Do I recommend it?
I do! Again, it's no The Big Sleep and Lizabeth Scott is no Lauren Baccall, but I was entertained. This movie is available for streaming on YouTube for FREE NINETY-NINE for the month of November. Also, IF you've got YT Premium, you'll be able to watch it w/o ads. I give it a 3.5 out of 5.
Queerness level:
There's a v. OJO line that Murdock tells another character abt his bond with Johnny that falls along the line of "he's the person I've loved the most."
Now, I wouldn't go as far as to say that the slash vibes are strong, BUT Murdock's devotion (in a manner of speaking) to Johnny does ring a little queer. IDK.
Le trailer
