Hedy Lamarr: Dishonored Lady/Strange Woman [Import]

This is another of those fabulous bargain-priced ACME dvds, and in this one you get two awesome Hedy Lamarr classics. Lamarr was one of the most beautiful and underated actresses of her time and she never gave a bad performance.

First we have Robert Stevenson's classic semi-noir "Dishonored Lady", which has Lamarr playing a troubled woman who's drawn to men in the same way they're drawn to her: lust. But when she meets Dennis O'Keefe she finds out what true love is like, and she tries to change her ways. When an old "flame" of hers turns up murdered, however, she is the only suspect. Lamarr is then on trial for 1st degree murder, while O'Keefe is heartbroken learning about her troubled past and affairs with men. Will they find the real murderer, and will O'Keefe forgive Lamarr for decieving him? Watch and find out! By the way, Lamarr was married to co-star John Loder at the time this movie was made.

Next, we have Edgar G. Ulmer's classic "Strange Woman", which has one of Lamarr's greatest (if not THE greatest) performances of her entire career. She plays a seductive woman (to perfection) who goes after one man after another in a small, 19th-century Maine town. After she makes the mistake of marrying an old man, she even seduces the man's son (that's right, her step-son!). When she finally meets the right man (George Sanders), her troubled past comes back to haunt her. The best way I can describe this awesome classic is a 19th-century version of Peyton Place! Edgar G. Ulmer was legendary for making great movies on shoestring budgets, but this was a rare chance for him to have a grade "A" cast, and he used it to perfection. Aside from George Sanders and sexy Hedy Lamarr, this classic also has Louis Hayward, Gene Lockhart, and Hillary Brooke (who later became a regular on the Abbott and Costello Show).

The bonus feature on this dvd is a brief vintage Paramount preview of coming attractions from the studio, with footage of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and even a brief glimpse of the classic film noir "I Walk Alone", with Lizabeth Scott and Burt Lancaster. This is one of the great noirs that has never been released on vhs or dvd, so this is a rare chance to see a couple clips from that great movie. The sound quality was mostly excellent in both movies, but the picture quality of "Dishonored Lady" left a lot to be desired. For most of the movie the picture shaked slightly, making it look like a cheap EP vhs copy. However, it isn't too distracting after a while. The picture quality of "Strange Woman" was fantastic. This is my second ACME double feature dvd I've purchased and I'm very pleased. If you're a Hedy Lamarr fan at all then this dvd is an absolute must!

"Acme" is the Double Feature division of "VCI/fi" and I've always had good luck with VCI releases so I took a chance.

DISHONORED LADY: This is a wonderful film in which Hedy displays a range of emotions including tipsy. She is a good actress and is totally gorgeous as a NYC "modern woman" with a promiscuity problem, she's a "user" and hangs out with other "users", she becomes despondent. Through the provedential intervention of a wise shrink, one wonders if she will overcome it and find true happiness as a simple doctor's wife -- or revert to life as a well-paid, hi-fashion magazine editor. She is also involved in a murder investigation and suspicions turn her way. Watch for Margaret Hamilton. The Story is a "5" Picture quality is about a "4" its not perfect but completely watchable and enjoyable, the night scenes are a little dark, but all others have good contrast with no noticable artifacts or blotches. The sound is very good, its even & steady and when you turn the volume up it does'nt hiss. The VCI Double Feature disc is a real bargain just for this movie alone, BUT look you also have---

STRANGE WOMAN: This stars Hedy Lamarr as well as George Sanders, Louis Hayward, Gene Lockhart, Hillary Brooke, Rhys Williams, June Story, Moroni Olsen, Olive Blakeney, Kathleen Lockhart, Alan Napier, Dennis Hoey. The plot begins in Bangor Main in 1824 with Jennie Hagar as a child of about 8 at a swimming hole with some other childern all speaking with California accents. Then the next scene is of Jennie played by Hedy with a foreign accent, noticably missing in the whole town is Main accents, but then this is the charm of old movies. Hedy plays a manipulative temptress who marries a much older man out of need. She plays a range of emotions in this drama. Its an enjoyable film for any Hedy Lamarr fan. The DVD quality on this film is quite good about the same as the previous film, it does a little better in the dark scenes. And the sound is clear and steady with no hiss when the volume is turned way up.

This disc has scene selections and an extra.

EXTRA FEATURE: "Made In America" a newsreel style advertisement/documentary about Hollywood and all the movies "in the can" and soon to be released, showing some behind the scene looks inorder to stir up interest in future releases.

Hope this helps......

Hedy Lamarr is frequently referred to as the most beautiful movie star of her era, and I'll certainly go along with that assessment. Yet she has rarely been given enough credit for her acting ability, and is usually dismissed as a limited actress. True, Hedy can't exactly be ranked alongside Bette Davis or Ida Lupino, but she still had a magnetic screen presence and could turn in a fine performance when given the opportunity. Many claim she gave one of her finest performances in THE STRANGE WOMAN (1946). I'd go so far as to say it's her all-time best.

In this melodrama set in 19th century Maine, Hedy (with an accent that hardly sounds like anyone from Maine) plays Jenny Hager, a self-aborbed young woman whose outward beauty belies a background of poverty and abuse. Jenny uses her alluring charms to attract the attention of Isaiah Poster (Gene Lockhart), an elderly merchant. After marrying Isaiah, Jenny seduces her weak-willed stepson Ephraim (Louis Hayward), which sets the stage for a tragic turn of events between father and son. Jenny later sets her sights on John Evered (George Sanders), who is engaged to one of Jenny's so-called close friends (Hillary Brooke). But even the cunning Jenny can't escape the cumulative effects of her past deeds.

While Hedy was excellent in films like H. M. PULHAM, ESQ. (1941), EXPERIMENT PERILOUS (1944), and SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949), I don't think she ever had a better showcase than THE STRANGE WOMAN. Her portrayal of Jenny Hager is more complex than a simple plot synopsis would indicate. Jenny is heartless in her manipulation of men, and ruthless in her drive to acquire wealth and prestige. And yet she can't shake the memories of her impoverished childhood; once she becomes rich, she uses her influence to help the downtrodden. Hedy often complained that the studios saddled her substandard assignments, but here she was able to exert control: she co-produced THE STRANGE WOMAN (based on a novel by Ben Ames Williams) and was responsible for hiring its director, Edgar G. Ulmer. Hedy's active participation in this production no doubt accounts for her strong, vibrant performance in the film. (Hedy wasn't always able to hide her disgust with other studio assignments; in some films, her boredom is palpable.)

THE STRANGE WOMAN is also one of the best efforts of its aforementioned director, Edgar G. Ulmer, who has attracted a cult following thanks to films like THE BLACK CAT (1934), BLUEBEARD (1944), DETOUR (1945), STRANGE ILLUSION (1945), and THE MAN FROM PLANET X (1951). THE STRANGE WOMAN touches upon several Ulmer themes: lust, greed, deception, ruthless ambition, the emptiness of material gain, and the inescapable hand of fate. THE STRANGE WOMAN would make a great double-bill with RUTHLESS (1948; currently unavailable on DVD), another top-notch Ulmer film dealing with a lead character (Zachary Scott this time) who schemes his way to the top. Ulmer also knew how to squeeze the most production value out of every dollar, and brings a far glossier look to THE STRANGE WOMAN than its moderate budget would normally allow.

THE STRANGE WOMAN features a powerhouse supporting cast that includes the always-reliable George Sanders (ALL ABOUT EVE), Louis Hayward (THE HOUSE BY THE RIVER), Gene Lockhart (who was adept at playing everything from mousy clerks to oily blackmailers), and Hillary Brooke (THE WOMAN IN GREEN, THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW). Yet, with no disrespect to these fine players, it's Hedy's show all the way.

The print quality of this Alpha Video release is very good, although there's an abrupt scene change around the 81-minute mark. This is evident in other circulating copies of the film, and I don't know if this is the result of a missing transitional fade or if some footage is missing. (Most sources list the running time as 100 minutes; this print runs 99.) Nevertheless, there's no harm done to the storyline, and it shouldn't deter anyone from purchasing a copy of this disc.

If you've never seen Hedy Lamarr, THE STRANGE WOMAN will be the perfect introduction to this lovely and underrated actress. If you've seen Hedy Lamarr and haven't been terribly impressed, THE STRANGE WOMAN will be a revelation.