Fallen Angel

When Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews) arrives in a small town after getting kicked off the bus (not enough money), he heads for the local diner, "Pop's Eats". Course, it ain't the food that draws customers to this joint. It's Stella (Linda Darnell), one of the most beautiful women you've ever laid your eyes on. She hates working there and longs for an escape, but it takes money. "Pop" (Percy Kilbride, yes "Pa Kettle" was in a film noir!) obviously can't supply her with the kind of dough she's after, so she cruelly strings along three "suckers," Eric (Dana Andrews), Dave Atkins (Bruce Cabot), and Mark Judd (Charles Bickford). She easily seduces each one, but waits to see which one can provide her with the most money.

Eric is wild about her, so much that he marries June Mills (Alice Faye) a wealthy woman, just so he can get the money Stella craves. But when he tells Stella about the marriage, she angrilly refuses to see him again, not wanting to "get involved with a married man". What, all of a sudden this tramp has morals?!? Anyway, later that night she's murdered, and of course Eric is the prime suspect of the police. Unfortunately, the chief police investigator of the case is Mark Judd (Charles Bickford), who also loved Stella and who is now determined to catch her killer. During the investigation, June finds out the truth about why Eric married her, but she still loves him deeply and continues to defend him.

Knowing that he doesn't stand a chance with the police, Eric flees the town with June and tries to figure out what to do. June tries again and again to convince Eric to talk to the police, because after all why should an innocent man be worried about talking to the police. When the cops spot June they pick her up for questioning. Finally, Eric figures out who the real killer is and promptly tells the police everything he knows, thus clearing himself and perhaps redeeming himself for his past crimes. Will June be able to forgive Eric and stay with him, and will Eric stop being a low-down, dirty cad and learn to love good-hearted June? Watch and find out!

At last, Otto Preminger's film noir classic from 1945 is officially available in the United States! Although released just one year after Preminger's classic "Laura," this classic isn't nearly as well-known as it deserves to be. Dana Andrews plays a selfish cad to perfection, while Linda Darnell commands atention with her stunning beauty and seductive looks. Of course, Alice Faye ends up looking better than Linda because Alice plays a girl with a heart of gold. And then there's the outstanding supporting cast: Charles Bickford, Anne Revere, Bruce Cabot, John Carradine, and Percy Kilbride. Sharp dialogue, wonderful cinematography, great acting, and clever plot twists make this a definite must for any film noir fanatic's collection!

One of the great benefits of the "Fox Noir" series, of which this film is a standout, is the remastering/release of the classic 1940's work of the great Otto Preminger. All the four Preminger titles in this series demonstrate what a concise, fluid director he was, easily managing crowd scenes as well as dramatic close-ups with his supple, effortless camera. Also, Preminger had a true talent for zeroing in on an actor, instantly revealing what made them different or unique and allowing them to play up their strengths. Under Preminger's care the star of this film, Dana Andrews, was allowed to fully flower. There was a very moving quality in Andrews, particularly when playing a heel as he does in this one, which always suggested that he had just enough soul and intelligence to dislike himself. This is why he was one of the great noir actors: without a lot of fuss, he could convey a deeply felt need to be a better man than was possible. He was, in short, a very graceful and subtle tough guy.

Briefly told, the theme of this film is sexual obsession. Every principal male player in the film desperately wants Stella, a hash-slinger in a local café, played by the all-too-soon gone Linda Darnell. This, of course, leads to men behaving very badly.

This clearly was a favorite theme of Preminger's, and he never had a better carnal female than Darnell as an object of desire (actually, the emotion all men in the film feel for Darnell transcends desire into the realm of critical need). Darnell is absolutely great and her appeal has held up very well over the 70 intervening years.

The other thing that makes these Fox Noir DVD's so good is the expert commentary that accompanies these discs in the Special Features sections. I know . . .sometimes these commentary tracks can be very hit or miss, but the folks at Fox seemed to take some care in their selection of experts, and I have enjoyed them all. The commentary track for this one is supplied by Noir historian, Eddie Muller, and I found his voiceover very, very good. In fact, things I might say in praise of this film are covered much better by Mr. Muller, so I will let you listen to him for yourself when you buy the DVD. Mr. Muller is a real treasure trove of interesting trivia and worthwhile insights.

This disc also has Dana Andrews' daughter, Susan Andrews, giving commentary. I have to admit with other DVD movies, I have been often disappointed by commentary from family members of famous stars. Not here. Susan Andrews comes across with an easy warmth and depth that really fleshed out her father, Dana Andrews, as both an actor and a man. I found myself hanging on the stories she told, remembering her father.

Lastly, with regard to the digital remastering, Fox has done it right. These classic Noirs never looked better.

Excellent all the way. --Mykal Banta

Oh yay. The Queen is absolutely THRILLED to see that Fallen Angel will finally be released on DVD in March of this year. I have managed to lay my hands on an American DVD version after struggling with an English-style DVD for the past years. Upon re-viewing, this excellent movie stands up!

This is the third of the Dana Andrews/Otto Preminger movies in my ken, the first two being Laura (swoon) and Where the Sidewalk Ends (yawn). This is hands down the best of the three. Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews) rolls into town one night after riding the bus as far as his ticket will take him. He almost immediately encounters Stella (Linda Darnell, and how!) the town sexpot. She works as a waitress and as a golddigger, dating every man in town and a few that just roll her way. But what she wants is to get married and settle down. I don't think she fully understands what it would mean to be married and settle down but that's what she says she wants. Eric is all Hustle and Flow before those words became trite and he makes a couple of bucks helping out a travelling clairvoyant and as an aside discovers the presence of a couple of wealthy sisters who can be and have been taken for a ride! So Eric hatches a scheme to marry the rich sister to get her money in order to marry Stella. Such audacity! Once he's married to the sister June (Played by the lovely Alice Faye) Stella wants nothing to do with HIM, because he's a married man! Oh, the frustration Eric has to endure! Stella ends up dead, a truly brutal cop investigates (be afraid! Holy cow!) and Eric takes it on the lam with his persistent wifey along for the ride. Excellent, excellent noir. Dana Andrews actually acts in this movie, as opposed to standing around looking glum (as in Laura and Where the Sidewalk Ends). This is Dana's best since The Ox-bow Incident.

The movie looks absolutely fabulous. Noir cinematography never looked better, even in the daylight scenes. The dialogue is great ("We were friends in the good old days" "How old?" "Old enough to be good"), the acting, especially Dana and Linda Darnell, is top notch. Linda Darnell... you could eat her with a spoon in this movie. The quintessential Femme Fatale. And then some.

Highly recommended.