Bury Me Dead

B-movie fans are constantly filtering amid the dross in search of hidden gems and eccentric oddities in which verve and creativity peek through the routine cracks of low-budget filmmaking. Here's one really obscure title that fits the bill.

With a great premise reminiscent of DOA, this could have been a stunning noir. Unfortunately, some skeptic decided to play it mainly for laughs, not unlike many B thrillers of the 30's and 40s. Nonetheless, below the surface hides the bizarre interlocking relationships of lust among the characters across class lines, with Cathy O'Donnell's scheming nympho teenager a standout (reminiscent of the Martha Vickers character in the Big Sleep). There's also a more exotic temptress in a smaller role, as well as a muscular deadhead boxer to lure the posh ladies of the cast.

Of course, the giveaway is the presence of John Alton, whose luminous expressionist photography is again highly experimental and at times breathtaking. He combined with director Vorhaus for another hidden gem, The Amazing Dr X (aka the Spiritualist).

This film could not make up its mind whether it wanted to be a light comedy or a serious mystery. It tried to be both and failed at that attempt. The actresses in this film were a bit better than their male counterparts, but it still felt like it was a filmed version of Clue, without the various rooms. It also had a strange connection to Mel Brooks and his film "Young Frankenstein". When you watched Young Frankenstein, a great film, you knew it was a spoof right from the beginning. In this film, you are not sure if the writer and/or the director want you to consider the film to be a light-hearted romp, or if they intended it to be a serious thriller. I thought it was a bit funny; but not funny enough. And it certainly was not serious enough to be a good mystery. Watch at your own discretion.

A case of mistaken identity over charred, human remains (necklace i.d.) precipitates a declaration of death for a wealthy young woman (Lockhart) who then secretly attends her own funeral, revealing herself to selected people in attendance that include her husband (Daniels), step sister (O'Donnell) & lawyer (Beaumont), all coming under suspicion for trying to hasten Barbara's end. Bernie Vorhaus (B) directs on a screenplay by Karen DeWolf (B) & Dwight Babcock, based on Irene Watson's radio mystery of the same title. Bury offers a rare leading role to June who plays it cool as a cucumber in this nifty little noir, co-star Mark, aka Stan Barton, reminding of popular at the time Den OKeefe, coincidentally to utter in dialogue the title of DO's soon to be released Tony Mann vehicle ("raw deal") but sans the cigarette, Mr Carlin instead tossing back a brandy whenever the noose tightens (gulp). Watch for top billed Cathy O'Donnell as Rusty, Hugh Beaumont of TV's Leave It to Beaver, John Dehner in an early reporter role, the ubiquitous Charles Lane whose characters put the rank in crank & Sonia "Do so!" Darrin as hard luck schemer, Helen. One of the brevity beauties of post-war, Sonia's stunning looks, sharp features & thin frame had her typecast the femme fatale, best remembered as AG Geiger's Agnes Lowzier, aka, the "grapefruit" gal who does battle with bookworm Bogie in Hawks The Big Sleep (46), all of it is captured by the creative camera of John Alton (Raw Deal, American Paris). Movie ratings, like lab values, will look to trends and rest within a range. I call Bury Me Dead a variant of good (2.5/4).

June Lockhart returns home and goes to a funeral. It's her own. When she presents herself to husband Mark Stevens, adopted sister Cathy O'Donnell, everyone has mild hysterics in turn. Even butler Milton Parsons faints on the stairs after he backs out of his employer's' presence. That leaves two questions: who was the woman they buried, the woman whose body was burned beyond recognition in a fire at the stables? And was it murder?

This movie is a very rare example of film noir: one with a sense of humor. Even as it fulfills all the tropes of the genre -- the characters flooded in striped shadows from Venetian blinds, the flashbacks, the two woman, one of whom is borderline psychotic -- it is filled with comedy bits. Even the scene where they are sweating the suspect, the head cop is Charles Lane, going on about criminology textbooks. Neither do the gags interrupt the story. Instead, they form the characters, make them individuals and point out the little things which can endear one individual to another.... or drive one to murder. It's a fine little movie.

Ambitious director Bernard Vorhaus never got out of the Bs, and the Blacklist put an end to his directing career. by 1952 He came back a few years later as an assistant director for Miss O'Donnell's husband, William Wyler under a pseudonym. He retired from credited participation in the industry in 1960, moved to England where he had directed in the 1930s, and died in 2000, aged 95.

Sort of a comedy and sort of a drama.

June Lockhart is a dead woman resurrected in "Bury Me Dead," a 1947 B movie also starring Cathy O'Donnell and Hugh Beaumont.

Barbara Carlin (Lockhart) is believed dead from a fire in her stable, but she shows up after her funeral in her attorney's Beaumont) car. Obviously someone else burned in the fire.

Barbara thinks her sister Rusty (O'Donnell) might be the dead woman, but Rusty is home. She makes it clear that she's disappointed to see Barbara alive.

Barbara believes her estranged husband Rod (Mark Daniels) might have tried to kill her. They have a bizarre setup. He actually has a girlfriend, Helen (Sonia Darrin) who works for a prize fighter, George (George Mandley). Barbara is feigning interest in George to keep him away from the naive and vulnerable Rusty.

There are both funny and sinister parts of this film, which can't decide what it is. Despite this, it's entertaining since both the humor and drama are well done. Enjoyable.