Angel Face [Import]

Otto Preminger's "Angel Face" has always had a special place in my heart. Preminger, as a filmmaker, is certainly noteworthy--but aside from a few films (including "Laura" and "Anatomy of a Murder"), he isn't one of my particular favorites. I don't know--to me, he was more of a technician than an artist. He made good films, in general, but doesn't have the appeal of some of the other "big name" directors. I love "Angel Face," however, pretty much for one reason--Jean Simmons. Simmons, I believe, is one of our most underrated actresses. She has played the lead in some very high profile and versatile films, including the scathing "Elmer Gantry," the epic "Spartacus," the terrific musical "Guys and Dolls," and Olivier's "Hamlet." Relegated to mostly TV roles for the last few decades, I wish her film legacy was more widely appreciated. "Angel Face" is particularly noteworthy in her film oeuvre because it gives her the rare opportunity to play a femme fatale type.

Robert Mitchum, playing an ambulance driver, responds to call involving a wealthy matriarch. It seems as if Mrs. Tremayne has been mysteriously poisoned by gas. Upon his visit, he meets Mrs. Tremayne's freeloading husband and her stepdaughter--played with haughty playfulness by Simmons. Infatuated with the young beauty, he soon falls under her spell and actually starts to work for the estate as the chauffeur. Relinquishing a former relationship and financial independence, he becomes more and more involved in the family dynamic playing out in the mansion. It soon becomes apparent that not all is as it seems and a psychological thriller, of sorts, starts to develop.

Essentially, while "Angel Face" is structured as a conventional noir--it can also be judged as an effective character study. From the haunting music, the shadowy stretches of mansion, the wistful stares from rain-streaked windows--the mood and atmosphere establish a familiar ambiance. But pitting the tough guy persona of Mitchum against the emotional aloofness of Simmons, we see two distinct and intriguing personalities. Simmons, with her doll-like features and regal manner, is really what distinguishes this picture. With a more typical noir leading lady, "Angel Face" would not be nearly as effective. Simmons' playing against type adds to the suspense and mystery--it's almost as if we are lured (along with Mitchum) deeper into the story due to our expectations connected to Simmons as an actress.

I highly recommend "Angel Face." While not Preminger's best film, it certainly ranks in the top. And while not necessarily the best or most original noir, it certainly is effective and creepy. This is the case of a lot of talented individuals making a very solid and entertaining film. KGHarris, 01/07.

Angel Face was directed in 1952 by: Otto Preminger (Laura, 1944; Anatomy Of A Murder, 1959). Otto Preminger's `Laura' is now rightly regarded as one of great film noir masterpieces, however he made some less appreciated noirs like Fallen Angel (1945); Whirlpool (1949); Where The Sidewalk Ends (1950) and this film Angel Face. Upon it's release critics and public alike had seen perhaps far too many of this type of film hence the negative reviews. However I feel that this film is deserving of some rehabilitation. The theme is a familiar one of the Femme Fatale attempting to get some chump to assist in a murder. Angel Face is slightly different in that the Femme Fatale's (performed by Jean Simmons (Great Expectations, 1946; Hamlet, 1948; The Black Narcissus, 1947)) motivation is not the standard killing for money but for love. This makes it similar to the Ellen Berent character played by Gene Tierney in `Leave Her To Heaven' (1946, John M. Stahl). Generally in noir's guys kill for the girl and girls for the money. Robert Mitchum (Out Of The Past, 1947; Crossfire, 1947; Night Of The Hunter, 1955) gives a wonderful performance of a guy who is not so stupid as to get suck into her trap. He also has some great dialogue that one wish's they could always have at hand to deliver in those situations. Along with Humphrey Bogart and Burt Lancaster, Mitchum has to rank as one of the great noir actors. Cinematography was by Harry Stradling (A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951; Johnny Guitar, 1954; A Face In The Crowd, 1957)

This DVD comes with a wonderful audio commentary by Eddie Muller and is well worth a listen. In 1964 Jean-Luc Godard placed this film at no. 8 in his list of the greatest American films of the sound era. That alone should be good enough reason to investigate this film. It also has one of the great endings.

Produced and directed by Otto Preminger, with the unlikely casting of Jean Simmons as a manipulative, deceitful, and dangerous vixen, this little-known noir is vastly entertaining, and well acted throughout. It has a fabulous score by Dimitri Tiomkin that sounds often like a classical piano concerto, a tight script by Ben Hecht, and wonderful b&w cinematography by Harry Stradling of the mansion on a hill, where most of the action takes place.

The film starts out with the near-death of wealthy Mrs. Tremayne (Barbara O'Neil), that has the earmarks of being an attempted murder or suicide, but is deemed "an accident." One suspects that either her neer-do-well husband (Herbert Marshall), or her stepdaughter Diane (Simmons) had something to do with it. One of the ambulance attendants is tough-guy Frank (Robert Mitchum, perfectly cast), who gets immediately entangled with the seductive Diane, despite having a beautiful and sensible girlfriend (Mona Freeman).

Jean Simmons, usually cast in gentler parts, is gorgeous as Diane, and manages to get a hard glint in her huge, liquid eyes, making her very believable as the wicked wench, who becomes obsessively in love with Frank, and involves him in her equally obsessive hatred of her stepmother. Also in the cast is Jim Backus, remembered for his humor as Thurston Howell III in "Gilligan's Island," and as the voice of Mr. Magoo, but here quite serious as District Attorney Judson. A nifty noir with a great cast, this film is one not to miss if one has the opportunity to see it on a classic movie channel, or locate a DVD of it. Total running time is 91 minutes.