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The shadow of World War II falls over this stateside film noir thriller about a GI paratrooper (Humphrey Bogart) who trails his AWOL war buddy to a treacherous city populated by gamblers, goons, pug cops, and the smoky, suspicious Lizabeth Scott, a seductive femme who may be fatale. Bogie's tight lipped, war hardened intensity dominates the B roster of supporting actors (Morris Carnovsky as a finicky nightclub owner with a gambling sideline, Marvin Miller as his brutal baby-faced thug) and the plot echoes with elements of earlier Bogie classics The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon recast on a low budget. Scott is, for all her fog-voiced sultriness, no Lauren Bacall, but her mannered performance is appropriately ambiguous and the film's cynical edge, ruthless desperation, and tarnished view of small-time hoodlums with big dreams casts a darker shadow unique to Hollywood's postwar funk. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape
A lot of reviewers are prejudiced against this film because it stars beautiful and sultry Lizabeth Scott instead of the familiar Bacall. They are wrong. Scott is terrific and this is one of Bogarts best films, full of atmosphere and crisp dialog. Bogart comes to Gulf City to clear his Army buddy's name and gets tangeled up with the beautiful Lizabeth Scott in a town where nothing is on the up and up.
There is some truly origional banter between Bogart and Scott. A wonderful scene has Bogart explaining to Scott how women should be kept in a mans pocket, taken out only when needed. They are driving in a convertible with the wind blowing Scott's long blonde hair and when she laughs at this idea we can tell something is going on inside for both of them.
There is a subtle noir atmosphere all the way through this film. Scott wears perfume that smells like night blooming jasmine. Bogart is sitting next to the window of his hotel room deep into the mystery and catches the scent drifting in the wind, not sure if Scott is around or if it's just the bushes outside. The whole film is like that.
There are other great scenes, like Scott standing in the rain at night, her fate being decided in that moment. This is a marvelous film and it doesn't lessen the Bogart & Bacall films to say that Bogart & Scott made a great team also. It is a shame they did not get a chance to make another one together. I strongly suggest a trip to Gulf City to find out just how spectacular they were together on the big screen.....
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape
Alright so it does not seem as if Bogart is in the same trance as when he did Maltese Falcon. However, even when giving 75% or even coasting through a few scenes, Bogart is far supperior to many actors that try to act, i.e., Kenau Reeves. The story is fairly interesting but could have been extremely drab it if had not been for Mr. Bogart whom lifts this movie from the depths of mediocrity into a very good flick. The guy whom plays the ganster seems a bit lost at times, but overall he does a comendable job. Highly Recommended.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Yes indeed, this is fine Bogey mister. Narration, exactly what you want in 40's noir, great acting by all (save Liz Scott), but you don't care because everything else comes off. Note the cab drivers' rearview mirror, or the night scene in the rain toward the end. Scott never looked better than she did with wet hair! The best scenes may be in the Casino hotel room where Bogie leaves his radio on the police call band, "ya know like you do sometimes". The dialogue in the car before the dame caused the crack-up was taken nearly verbatem from the "Falcon". Pick this one up, a keeper for sure.
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Go to Amazon.com to see all 40 reviews
3.8 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
With a name like Rip Murdoch how can you go wrong?
I watched this flick back to back with "The Maltese Falcon", and I must say, "Dead Reckoning" was MUCH more enjoyable. Read more
Published on Jan 21 2004 by The Raven
1.0 out of 5 stars
Dead Quality
It pains me to see quality classics destroyed by garbage studios such as Columbia Tristar. They release horrible reproductions of your favorite classics only to re-release them one... Read more
Published on Oct 30 2003 by "rccr6"
3.0 out of 5 stars
Cheap ...
As a Humphrey Bogart fan, it pains me to say this movie was horrible. It is missing something throughtout the film, and it's hard to say what. Read more
Published on Aug 7 2003 by Chris D
2.0 out of 5 stars
Why can't I trust Columbia DVD:s?
Having just finished watching two new Columbia releases on DVD, I feel both pleased and angry! First out was "The Devil at 4 O'Clock. Read more
Published on Jan 15 2003
4.0 out of 5 stars
B level Bogey
Humphrey Bogart, at his tough guy best, adds his usual flair to what otherwise would have been standard fare. Read more
Published on Jan 2 2002 by Cory D. Slipman
4.0 out of 5 stars
#2 of the lost Bogart classics, behind Across the Pacific
Quite good, actually really good. The only real problem is the lack of decent vhs transfers and a good dvd recording. One version of the vhs copies is good, the other terrible. Read more
Published on April 5 2001 by Michael B.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Gulf City noir not quite steamy enough
Lizabeth Scott, whose brief candle of a career flared all but exclusively in film noir, was obviously being groomed as the B-list Betty Bacall. Read more
Published on Jun 12 2000
3.0 out of 5 stars
A "B" Rated Maltese Falcon
By 1946 Humphrey Bogart had become one of the most commanding screen stars in Hollywood. Having been featured in a string of critically acclaimed films such as: Casablanca, To... Read more
Published on Jun 3 2000 by Vincent Tesi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic suspense-thriller that doesn't disappoint!
Bogart at his best. Edge-of-your-seat script. Superbly written and directed with frequent subtle humor, the likes of "Casablanca."
Published on Aug 24 1999
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bogie really shines in classic film noir mystery.
Bogie and Lizabeth Scott give outstanding performances in this film noir classic. Murder, romance, dead bodies everywhere - you really need to stay glued to follow the clues. Read more
Published on July 20 1999
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