L'homme que j'ai choisi

John H Auer was a major director at Republic Pictures and gave some good films, with the major star of the studio, John Carroll, who also served under Allan Dwann's direction. In this film noir, he is not brilliant but good enough to face Broderick Crawford, whom I did not expect in a Republic film. A classic story for a film noir, with a tepid Vera Ralston performance. Only the ending is very interesting, dark, gloomy and reminds me the end of LE DOULOS, from film maker Jean-Pierre Melville.

So dull I spent the middle part of the action re-casting the lead roles to James Stewart as Barry, Ingrid Bergman as Carlotta and Clark Gable as George, Broderick Crawford escaped the cull. The plot starts brightly, the house, the amazing staircase and the uninspiring Barry's organ playing are so 'Dracula's Castle' but the middle thirty or so minutes is so heavily padded with superficial and insincere romantic interludes it becomes mind numbingly dull. How do the characters manage to afford an appartment with designer furniture, modern lighting and curtains (if they bother to ever draw them) when they are scraping around for ten bucks ?

John Carroll has spent all his inherited money and lives on what his brother, Robert Paige gives him. He's a good egg, and when Carroll fell ill, Paige hired nurse Vera Ralston for him. They fell in love and were going to be married, until she changed her mind and married Paige. Now here's Broderick Crawford, blackmailing Carroll lest he Tell All.

Under director John Auer, this one hits almost all the Film Noir tags: movie told mostly in flashback, femme fatale -- although Mrs. Herbert Yates, as she was known when the credits weren't rolling, is one of those inadvertent types who changes her mind more or less honestly, perhaps -- quirky angles, dark lighting...... except no Venetian blinds, for some reason. It's also well acted, except for Mrs. Yates, who is typically wooden and whining in her performance. Republic was quite capable of footing the bill on a pretty good movie, and did so, except for the female lead. Her husband wanted to make her a star, despite a lack of interest in anyone not on his payroll. THe result is pretty good anyway.

Surprisingly interesting and fascinating for being branded as a B-feature, this is a fascinating web of relationships and how they get disturbed. John Carroll is a better actor than his reputation, and here he smears his part with a suavity which greatly enhances the general intriguing character of the plot. Robert Paige is his half brother, who apparently suffers from some incurable and mortal disease and constantly plays the organ in his rich millionaire's mansion by the sea - the settings here are extremely romantic and luxurious, like in "Rebecca". It appears that the brothers are in love with the same girl, Vera Ralston, who is engaged as a nurse for Paige, who falls in love with her and wants to marry her, strongly against his aunt's wishes, who rules the house. The fact that Carroll hasn't given up on Ralston is observed by a blackmailer, Broderick Crawford, as nasty as ever, which complicates things. He on his side has another girl, Constance Dowling, who makes a spectacular performance in a night club - this film is made in the "Gilda" year - which could be seen as the highlight of the film. The rhythm of the film is dead slow, you don't understand much of the intrigue to begin with, until gradually the skies are clearing and the clouds lifting, and the plot appears as gloomy and fatal as you could well wish for any classical noir. This is definitely underrated and should deserve a place in the canon of the best noirs.

One of Martin Scorsesse's Picks, while Combing the "Republic" Archives, Destined for Restoration, and Therefore Reconsideration.

The Film Impresses with Luscious Visuals, a Proven Stalwart Plot of Brother Against Brother (Cain & Able) and a Jump-Starting Broderick Crawford in Act II.

A Good Sleazy and Slimy Lead with John Carrol and a Spunky Slippery "Tramp-Singer" Constance Dowling Add the Dark-Side Duo to the Mix of Good v Evil Melodrama.

There's a Heavy-Handedness to some Religiosity like a Church-Beam of Light Announcing a Revelation and a Prayer Redemption Asked of the Cross.

Dirges on the Hammond from the "Diagnosed a Death Sentence" Good -Guy Accompanies the Doomed Situation of a Dying Man.

Soon to be Dead-Guy is the Victim of a Plot to Inherit His Millions by His Brother in Cahoots with His Lover to Collect the Dough.

His Lover is Played by Vera Ralston, Once Rumored to be the "Worst Actress in Hollywood", but She's Not All That, just Burdened with a Heavy Czech Accent.

The Movie is Better than Average of its Type with a Sumptuous Visual Palette and some Good, if Cliched Characters.

Note...Constance Dowling's night-club Rip-Off, complete with a black satin clinging dress, of Rita Hayworth in "Gilda" (1946) is a high-light.