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Thursday, January 4, 2018

FLAMINGO ROAD (1949)

Five films & five years after her comeback @ Warners in MILDRED PIERCE, Joan Crawford got solo top-billing in what was effectively her last ‘A’ pic as a glamor queen . . . to decidedly mixed results. She’s an eager young thing from the wrong side of the tracks (a ‘Carny’ dancer!) who rises from waitress to society lady with help from sympathetic, but weak-willed, assistant sheriff Zachary Scott (excellent); then with political boss/shady contractor David Brian (thick & dull). It’s the very paradigm she thought she left behind @ M-G-M. Alas, the fancy life on Flamingo Road is more rocky than smooth as the entire political apparatus is controlled by fat, corrupt Sydney Greenstreet. And he’s nursing a grudge against Crawford, convinced she’s out to wreck his State Capital takeover . . . and all those kickbacks! Produced & directed by PIERCE alumni Jerry Wald & Michael Curtiz, the film has lots of momentum (too much for the shortchanged last act) and great noir atmosphere from lenser Ted McCord. But the story never recovers after Scott drinks his way out of romance and debuting David Brian takes over.* Naturally, the studio reteamed her & Brian on two more contract pics . . . to diminishing results.

DOUBLE-BILL: Just before this, Crawford was lent to 20th/Fox for the excellent, under-valued DAISY KENYON/’47, with Henry Fonda & Dana Andrews; Otto Preminger directing. OR: *To see David Brian in a more suitable role, try Clarence Brown’s Faulkner adaptation INTRUDER IN THE DUST/’49.

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