Ian C. Jarvie

B grade noir, Jan 25 2013

Crack-Up is not all it is cracked up to be. The stressed out hero/veteran is fine, but casting Pat O'Brien is a stretch. He does not have the eyes of an art expert. The art forgery plot js not a McGuffin after all, but the whole enchilada. Herbert Marshall limps on and off to no real purpose. His excuse, that he is seconded from Scotland Yard, is idiotic. Claire Trevor looks distracted and out of place. As soon as one saw the secretary, in black, and much more beautiful than the heroine, there was no surprise left. That "Sergeant Trask" apparently had her in his thrall was also a lot to accept. There was lots of good noir photography and merely efficient direction by Irving… Read more