Above: Black Angel (1946) Dan Duryea, June Vincent, & Peter Lorre
Phantom Lady (1944) Universal
Directed by Robert Siodmak
Screenplay by Bernard C. Schoenfeld based on the Novel by Cornell Woolrich (as William Irish)
CAST: Franchot Tone (Jack Marlow), Ella Raines (Carol Richman), Alan Curtis (Scott Henderson), Aurora Miranda (Estela Monteiro), Thomas Gomez (Inspector Burgess, Elisha Cook Jr. (Cliff), Fay Helm (Ann Terry).
The writer that casts the longest shadow in Film Noir is Cornell Woolrich. Truly a master of dark fiction, Woolrich’s stories and novels were mined by film-makers as far back as 1934’s Manhattan Love Song, and most notably in Val Lewton’s 1943 production of The Leopard Man which was based on Woolrich’s novel, Black Alibi.
The following year, the first of the Woolrich based Film Noirs would be released, Phantom Lady (1944). The novel, published under the pseudonym William Irish, was adapted to the screen by Bernard C. Schoenfeld (The Dark Corner) and directed by Robert Siodmak who also directed the Noir classic, Criss Cross (1949). Phantom Lady begins innocently enough when Scott Henderson (Alan Curtis) goes out to get a breather from his shrewish wife and meets a woman in a bar. They innocently go for a night on the town, but he never learns her name. Unbeknownst to him, while he is out his wife is strangled with one of his ties. His only alibi is a woman he can only identify by her unusual hat. It is a simple plot that is brought to life by what should have been a star making performance by Ella Raines.
Carol Richman (Ella Raines) is Scott Henderson’s secretary who not only believes that he is innocent, but is also in love with him. She powers the story as she pushes to prove his innocence in a seemingly hopeless situation.
Also notable in the cast is Elisha Cook Jr. who gives a exceptional performance as a strung out musician. One of the best character actors of all time in a powerful role.
Phantom Lady begins like many of Woolrich’s stories, with common place events and no hint of the horror to come. Unlike most of the pulp writer’s whose stories found their way to the screen, the private eye was not always present in Woolrich’s tales. Ordinary people lost in the darkness of a shadowy turn of events that moved from the light of day into the blackness of a moonless night were at the heart of his fiction. His writing was always dark as was reflected in many of the titles: Black Alibi, The Bride Wore Black, The Black Curtain, Rendezvous in Black, and Night Has a Thousand Eyes.
Black Angel (1946) Universal
Directed by Roy William Neill
Screenplay by Roy Chanslor based on the Novel by Cornell Woolrich
CAST: Dan Duryea (Martin Blair), June Vincent (Catherine Bennett), Peter Lorre (Marko), Broderick Crawford (Police Captain Flood), Constance Dowling (Mavis Marlowe), John Phillips (Kirk Bennett).
June Vincent (Catherine) and Dan Duryea (Martin) are excellent together as they work very hard to try to prove the innocence of Catherine’s husband Kirk (John Phillips) in the murder of well known night club singer, Mavis Marlowe (Constance Dowling). Going to great lengths to track down evidence they end up working at a night club run by the unsavory Marko (Peter Lorre) as a singer and her pianist. One of Woolrich’s very intricate plots, it takes a while to get to the truth.
Martin (Dan Duryea) is seen entering the lobby of the Mavis Marlowe’s building. We see him get turned away by the doorman on Mavis’ orders. As Martin leaves, we see Marko (Peter Lorre) enter the building and gain access to the elevator that will take him to Mavis’ rooms.
Their plan is to get close enough to Marko to get evidence to prove that he is indeed the murderer. The entire cast pulls this noir conundrum together with stylish aplomb. Duryea is wonderful against type and June Vincent adds a wary innocence as she and Duryea can’t help but get too close for comfort making the ending even darker.
