The Bribe (1949)
The Bribe is a famous film noir, but when you watch it now, you won’t be able to stop laughing. It was featured in Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid, but even if you haven’t seen the fabulous spoof, it’s still comical. There’s the classic, needless narration (I like to call it, “It was a warm day in June; I stepped on a piece of gum…”), the femme fatale in a black dress, a Latin backdrop, a catchy nightclub song, and enough calculated quips to make the screenwriter seem conceited and the characters unbelievable.
Robert Taylor is the head honcho in this one, and he travels to Central America to find out who’s been stealing military secrets. Ava Gardner is the mysterious, sultry nightclub singer, already involved with the volatile John Hodiak. Two men try to befriend Bob, Vincent Price and Charles Laughton, but can they be trusted? Vincent and Charles are two pros, and this really is a classic piece if you’re studying the genre. Paired with Double Indemnity, you can probably learn all you need to know about film noir. I have a very soft spot in my heart for Charles Laughton, though, and I took particular offense to him being constantly referred to as the “pie-shaped man”. It just wasn’t nice, and it wasn’t nice of Hollywood to place someone so talented in a small role with very little to do. If you’re a fan of Bob or Ava, though, you won’t want to miss this one.
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are some canted angles and some window-blinds shadows, and some ceiling fans that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Ava Gardner movies here!
More Charles Laughton movies here!
Robert Taylor is the head honcho in this one, and he travels to Central America to find out who’s been stealing military secrets. Ava Gardner is the mysterious, sultry nightclub singer, already involved with the volatile John Hodiak. Two men try to befriend Bob, Vincent Price and Charles Laughton, but can they be trusted? Vincent and Charles are two pros, and this really is a classic piece if you’re studying the genre. Paired with Double Indemnity, you can probably learn all you need to know about film noir. I have a very soft spot in my heart for Charles Laughton, though, and I took particular offense to him being constantly referred to as the “pie-shaped man”. It just wasn’t nice, and it wasn’t nice of Hollywood to place someone so talented in a small role with very little to do. If you’re a fan of Bob or Ava, though, you won’t want to miss this one.
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are some canted angles and some window-blinds shadows, and some ceiling fans that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Classic Movies Kristine Rose" for posting!
More Ava Gardner movies here!
More Charles Laughton movies here!