Sick Product of a Sick System

Good concept, poorly executed.

A Major Disappointment

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Copyright 29 July 1947 by Hal Wallis Productions, Inc. Released through Paramount Pictures. New York opening at the Paramount: 21 January 1948. U.S. release: 16 January 1948. U.K. release: 19 January 1948. Australian release: 18 March 1948. Sydney opening at the Prince Edward: 5 March 1948 (ran three weeks). 8,771 feet. 97 minutes.SYNOPSIS: After serving time in jail, Frankie Madison demands a half-share in a nightclub from his old partner, Noll Turner.NOTES: The stage play opened on Broadway at the Coronet on 27 October 1945, closing after only 25 performances. Paul Kelly had the Burt Lancaster part, while Luther Adler played the heavy. Also cast: Dorothy Comingore, Adrienne Ames, Herbert Berghof, Tom Pedi, George Mathews, E.G. Marshall and Arthur Hunnicutt. Oscar Serlin produced, Harold Clurman directed. COMMENT: The writers have come up with a few fascinating new angles on the classic convict-seeks-revenge plot, turning what could have been merely another gangster story into an engrossing film noir that rivets the attention from start to finish. The sharp dialogue and zesty characterizations of the play have been fleshed out by superlative performances all around. Lancaster is exactly right as the bitter ex-con, an innocent in a now-too-sophisticated world of shady finance. His nemesis is powerfully represented by Kirk Douglas, here reprising his ruthless heavy from Out of the Past. Although she has unjustly copped a fair amount of downgrading from jealous critics, sultry Lizabeth Scott is at her most stylishly convincing best as the put-upon heroine. Also compelling are wonderfully glum-faced Wendell Corey as the harassed accountant who cooks Douglas's books, and George Rigaud as the schemer's confidant. Good to see George in a decent-sized role for once.Other appealing contributors include Kristine Miller as a socialite with a yen for low life; Marc Lawrence as Burt's sympathetic pal (for a switch, Marc is operating on the right side here, even if still on the shady ledger of the law); Mike Mazurki as the doorman-bouncer, also sympathetic to the hero's plight, but nonetheless loyal to his current employer. Mike, in his best role since Moose Malloy, enjoys some of the script's best lines: "Did you see that right hook he caught me with? I always liked the guy. Fifteen years ago, he was the greatest!" The movie is nothing if not superbly lit. The visuals are often quite excitingly photographed and composed. In fact, as usual with Hal Wallis productions, production values are first-class, with really outstanding technical credits, including the appealing seats, attractive costumes, and one of Victor Young's most lovely scores.OTHER VIEWS: This one was written by "George Addison", a pseudonym I used years ago for various newspapers and magazines. My opinions may have changed in the meantime, but the review was valid when it was written and deserves to be reprinted. In fact, I've had people write to me that they preferred George Addison's insights to my own! Like Casablanca, here's another excellent example of an unsuccessful stage play translated into an outstanding movie. And like Casablanca, the credit belongs mainly to producer Hal Wallis who saw potential in the original property and then oversaw its repackaging as a film. In this case, he even persuaded Byron Haskin to resume directing after a break of twenty years in special effects. Haskin has induced solid performances not only from the principals and co-stars but even from minor players like Mickey Knox as the abrasive Skinner and Olin Howlin in a brief bit as a night-watchman. (And is that former cowboy star Jack Perrin in a silent walk-on as the cop who looks over the parked taxi?)The screenplay incorporates several unusual elements for a film noir. Involved corporate structures, designed to freeze out the Lancaster character, successfully defeat his quest for vengeance. But the ex-con is also sidetracked by a heavy romantic entanglement with a voluptuous but increasingly sympathetic siren. The conventional roles of vulnerably innocent heroine and sexy femme fatale are here skillfully rolled into one. It says much for Lizabeth Scott's utterly convincing portrayal that her playing of this difficult, complicated role never once falters or strikes a single wrong note.In addition to its proud ensemble acting, I Walk Alone also benefits from masterfully realized sets, costumes, lighting and music scoring. This is a film with atmosphere. In spades.

I Walk Alone (1948) ** 1/2 (out of 4)Frankie Madison (Burt Lancaster) gets out of prison after fourteen years and heads to see his old partner Dink Turner (Kirk Douglas). The two men made an agreement when Frankie took the wrap that they'd split everything down the middle while he was in prison but once on the outside he realizes that Turner has double crossed him. Broke and without any hopes for the future, Frankie must get his revenge. There are some terrific performances to be found here but sadly the end results aren't nearly as good as one would hope for thanks in large part to a screenplay that is just way too predictable for its own good. The story itself really isn't anything original and it doesn't take long for you to realize that Lancaster isn't going to be getting what's coming to him and the film takes way too long for this obvious set-up to take place. Once the double cross actually happens things start to pick up but once again you're one step ahead of the characters as none of them ever really see what's going to happen and after a while you start to realize that they're all rather stupid. This is especially true during the ending, which I won't ruin. I will say there's something Douglas does, which is just so silly that you can't help believe the two characters he does it to would be that dumb. With that said, the film is still worth seeing thanks in large part to the terrific cast. There are many legendary actor-actor combos throughout film history but one of my favorites has always been Lancaster and Douglas. It's somewhat shocking to me that their films aren't better respected than they are but this was the first of seven films they made together and that terrific chemistry is on display here. It's rather amazing to see how well they play off one another in their film film but Lancaster was always terrific at playing the wronged tough guy and Douglas is just so snake like that you can't help but love to hate him. Lizabeth Scott is good in her role as the woman in love with Douglas but who quickly starts to fall for Lancaster. There's no question that the director wanted her to "act" like Lauren Bacall but it works well. Wendell Corey is also very good in his role. I WALK ALONE is part noir and part thriller and fans of those two genres will probably want to check it out. The terrific performances make it a film worth watching but it's a shame the screenplay didn't do a better job with the characters.

Frankie (Burt Lancaster) is released after 14 years in prison and is met by old friend Dave (Wendell Corey) who sets him up with a place to stay. He senses that Dave is uneasy with him and discovers that Dave is working for his old partner in crime, Noll (Kirk Douglas), who is now running a successful nightclub. Frankie visits the club and Noll is curious to find out what he wants. He instructs his mistress Kay (Lizabeth Scott), who is a singer at the club, to pump Frankie for information over a dinner. It is soon clear to Frankie that everyone around him is under the influence of Noll and so confronts him with a demand of a half share in the business. Noll refuses and Frankie plans to take what he believes is rightfully his - they agreed to split things 50-50 if either of them went to prison. It is interesting to see the two different characters pitted against each other, ie, Frankie (straight forward and uneducated) vs Noll (deceitful and intelligent). Kay switches allegiance when she hears of Noll's intention to marry Mrs Richardson (Kristine Miller) and Dave also has 2nd thoughts about Noll....The film is well-acted but Lizabeth Scott seems slightly out of place as a world-weary nightclub singer. She's too young to be believable as someone who has been "around the block", and I also found her voice slightly irritating. The acting honours go to Kirk Douglas and Wendell Corey. Burt Lancaster tends to overact his part. My favourite part of the film is the sequence where Frankie confronts Noll with a team of heavies in order to get what he feels is his share of the nightclub. We have a very amusing scene where Noll and Dave confuse him with legal speak to the point where even his gang of thugs give up with the whole idea. It's an entertaining film although I was expecting slightly more from it. There is also a melodramatic piece of music that is played throughout the WHOLE film. I can't remember when the music wasn't playing!

The screenplay and the directing may seem a bit hackneyed to some,but Lancaster's problems,trapped in the mystery of economics and club management are rather intriguing.The essential lies elsewhere:watching the Lancaster/Douglas team is enough to satisfy the cine buff;they are so good than even when they work with inferior material,they are still better than most of the rest. Douglas is icily suave,treating his old pal to a meal of canard à l'orange with vintage Champagne.But if looks could kill,his certainly would.Lancaster is a mistreated,thrown into jail (14 years!),cheated good guy ,but who will play fair game till the end.Between these two men ,there's of course a woman:unlike today's female parts,this one is not sacrificed .Lizabeth Scott's performance is first-class and on a par with the two male parts.Too bad her career should have ended so prematurely.She easily equals Laureen Bacall,she's even more human.It's strange how Douglas 's first parts were often villains (this movie,the loves of Martha Ivers) which culminated with Billy Wilder's highly superior "the big carnival".This movie proves that three good leads can give a banal plot substance.