Cornered (1945 film)
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''Cornered'' is a 1945
film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...
starring
Dick Powell Richard Ewing Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American actor, musician, producer, director, and studio head. Though he came to stardom as a musical comedy performer, he showed versatility, and successfully transformed into ...
and directed by
Edward Dmytryk Edward Dmytryk (September 4, 1908 – July 1, 1999) was an American film director. He was known for his 1940s films noir, noir films and received an Academy Award for Best Director, Oscar nomination for Best Director for ''Crossfire (film), Cros ...
. This is the second teaming of Powell and Dmytryk (after ''
Murder, My Sweet ''Murder, My Sweet'' (released as ''Farewell, My Lovely'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1944 American film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley (in her final film before retirement). The fil ...
''). The screenplay was written by John Paxton with uncredited help from
Ben Hecht Ben Hecht (; February 28, 1894 – April 18, 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist, and novelist. A successful journalist in his youth, he went on to write 35 books and some of the most enjoyed screenplay ...
.


Plot

After the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
a former
P.O.W. A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...
, Canadian
RCAF The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environme ...
flyer Laurence Gerard, returns to France to discover who ordered the killing of his bride of only 20 days, a member of the
French Resistance The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...
. His father-in-law Étienne Rougon identifies
Vichy Vichy (, ; ; oc, Vichèi, link=no, ) is a city in the Allier Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of central France, in the historic province of Bourbonnais. It is a Spa town, spa and resort town and in World ...
collaborator Marcel Jarnac. He supposedly died in 1943, but Rougon has strong doubts. Jarnac was careful about maintaining his anonymity and the police have no description of him. But his own associate compiled a dossier on him; Gerard finds a burned fragment of it, and an envelope addressed to Madame Jarnac. From this he manages to track the widow to Buenos Aires. When he arrives Gerard is met by Melchior Incza, a stranger who appears to know all too much about him. The suspicious Canadian initially rejects Incza's offer of help, but cannot turn down his invitation to a party hosted by Mme Jarnac's associate, wealthy businessman Tomas Camargo for the opportunity to mingle with their social set. There he meets Camargo's uncle, lawyer Manuel Santana, and the widow herself. When Gerard later questions Mme Jarnac in her hotel room, she refuses to co-operate, so he starts openly following her. Santana asks him to desist, but will not say why. Later, Gerard finds a valet, Diego, tidying up his hotel room at an odd hour. Eventually, Mme Jarnac agrees to provide him with the information he desires. A note is delivered to Gerard informing him that Jarnac is leaving the country that night under the name of Ernest Dubois, and giving his address; but it is a forgery. Gerard is only stopped from shooting the wrong man in cold blood by the timely intervention of Santana and Diego. Dubois is actually their associate; it turns out that they are after not only Jarnac but his secret Nazi organisation as well. Mme Jarnac is an innocent woman paid to act as the wife of a man she has never seen. To stir things up, Gerard tricks Incza into believing he has the full dossier on Jarnac. Incza breaks into the hotel safe, but it is not there. Gerard is sent to Camargo's room, where Camargo's wife keeps him busy by trying to seduce him into her life of luxury and easy vice. Gerard kisses her, but rejects her advance; he still loves his wife, although "Her teeth were crooked and she was too thin". He tells the señora he is "bored" and cannot wait any longer for Camargo. Meanwhile, Incza has been searching Gerard's room and realises there is no dossier. When the "valet" Diego interrupts, Incza kills him. Gerard returns and is detained as a murder suspect, but a waiter confirms his alibi. Still, Gerard is given 48 hours to leave the country. When Incza tells him that Jarnac will be seeing Camargo at his "old office", Gerard decides to stake out a bar Mme Jarnac recalls was once their meeting place. It is a trap. Gerard is captured, and Jarnac finally makes his appearance. While they wait for Incza to arrive with the dossier, Jarnac makes a political speech on how America's failure to see that their injustice across the world and the resulting poverty of nations (as happened in Germany after World War I) means that there will always be people like him. Incza attempts to betray Jarnac to Camargo, before realising Jarnac is there. Hoping to regain Jarnac's trust, he reveals that there is no dossier. Jarnac kills him. Gerard is to die as well, with Camargo as a witness that the two men shot each other. Camargo objects, but Jarnac threatens him with a paper in his possession. Gerard seizes the distraction to overpower Jarnac. He punches Jarnac over and over until Santana and Dubois arrive. To their disappointment, Jarnac is dead, but Gerard shows them the paper detailing Jarnac's connection to Camargo. As Santana now tells the police, this should be sufficient to expose the entire organisation.


Cast

*
Dick Powell Richard Ewing Powell (November 14, 1904 – January 2, 1963) was an American actor, musician, producer, director, and studio head. Though he came to stardom as a musical comedy performer, he showed versatility, and successfully transformed into ...
as Laurence Gerard *
Walter Slezak Walter Slezak (; 3 May 1902 – 21 April 1983) was an Austrian-born film and stage actor active between 1922 and 1976. He mainly appeared in German films before migrating to the United States in 1930 and performing in numerous Hollywood producti ...
as Melchior Incza *
Micheline Cheirel Micheline Cheirel (born Micheline Truyen; 12 April 1917 – 25 October 2002) was a 20th-century French actress, active from 1934 to 1947. She was the niece of the actress Jeanne Cheirel. Personal life She married British actor John Loder (actor ...
as Mme. Madeleine Jarnac (Laurent) * Nina Vale as Señora Camargo *
Morris Carnovsky Morris Carnovsky (September 5, 1897 – September 1, 1992) was an American stage and film actor. He was one of the founders of the Group Theatre (1931-1940) in New York City and had a thriving acting career both on Broadway and in films un ...
as Manuel Santana *
Edgar Barrier Edgar Barrier (March 4, 1907 – June 20, 1964) was an American actor who appeared on radio, stage, and screen. In the 1930s he was a member of Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre and was one of several actors who played Simon Templar on ''The Saint'' ...
as DuBois, insurance agent *
Steven Geray Steven Geray (born István Gyergyai, 10 November 190426 December 1973) was a Hungarian-born American film actor who appeared in over 100 films and dozens of television programs. Geray appeared in numerous famed A-pictures, including Alfred H ...
as Señor Tomas Camargo *
Jack La Rue Jack La Rue (born Gaspare Biondolillo; May 3, 1902 – January 11, 1984) was an American film and stage actor. Early years The son of Sicilian immigrants Pasquale and Concetta Biondolillo, La Rue was born in New York City. His father sailed to ...
as Diego *
Gregory Gaye Gregory Gaye (born Grigoriy Grigoryevich Ge; October 10, 1900 – August 23, 1993) was a Russian-American character actor. The son of an actor, he was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was the uncle of actor George Gaynes. He was a cadet ...
as Perchon, Belgian banker and Jarnac's accomplice *
Luther Adler Luther Adler (born Lutha Adler; May 4, 1903 – December 8, 1984) was an American actor best known for his work in theatre, but who also worked in film and television. He also directed plays on Broadway. Early life and career Adler was born on ...
as Marcel Jarnac


Background

The film production involved four men associated with the film who would later be
blacklisted Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, t ...
in the 1950s: Edward Dmytryk, Adrian Scott, Morris Carnovsky, and Luther Adler. The political argument against
Fascism Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...
, which reflected the idealistic political views of the four blacklisted filmmakers, is an important part of the film.


Reception


Box office

The film made a profit of $413,000.Richard B. Jewell, ''Slow Fade to Black: The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures'', Uni of California, 2016


Critical

Film critic
Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...
lauded the film and the acting, writing,
''Cornered'' is a drama of smoldering vengeance and political scheming which builds purposefully and with graduating tension to a violent climax, a committing of murder that is as thrilling and brutal as any you are likely to encounter in a month of movie-going. The story, which wanders through England, France and Switzerland, eventually centers in Buenos Aires, where apparently all Europe's escaped Fascists are quietly plotting a return to power. Although the narrative is a bit too obviously contrived. Edward Dmytryk, the director, has squeezed every ounce of suspense and excitement out of the material at hand. All of the players are in there pitching with great zest, and Walter Slezak is especially noteworthy as the ruthless and unscrupulous gent around whose flabby bulk most of the intrigue is spun.
Micheline Cheirel Micheline Cheirel (born Micheline Truyen; 12 April 1917 – 25 October 2002) was a 20th-century French actress, active from 1934 to 1947. She was the niece of the actress Jeanne Cheirel. Personal life She married British actor John Loder (actor ...
brings a wistful charm to the role of the mysterious lady who poses as the supposedly deceased collaborationist's wife, and lesser roles are well done by Morris Carnovsky, Jack LaRue and Luther Adler. ''Cornered'' may not be perfect, but it still is a satisfying entertainment.
In a review of the film,
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
wrote, "Consolidating his transformation from soft tenor to hard-boiled private eye in Dmytryk's ''
Murder My Sweet ''Murder, My Sweet'' (released as ''Farewell, My Lovely'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1944 American film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley (in her final film before retirement). The fil ...
'' the year before, Powell is even more dour as a tough, cynical loner in search of the man who killed his French wife during the Second World War...The noir atmosphere is sustained well throughout." ''The Classic Film Guide'' calls the film a mess in their review, "The plot is so confusing, with so many twists and turns, you'll get whiplash trying to keep up, if you're even interested enough to try. Plus, if you've ever read a
Robert Ludlum Robert Ludlum (May 25, 1927 – March 12, 2001) was an American author of 27 thriller novels, best known as the creator of Jason Bourne from the original '' The Bourne Trilogy'' series. The number of copies of his books in print is estimated b ...
novel (particularly ''
The Rhinemann Exchange ''The Rhinemann Exchange'' is a novel of suspense by Robert Ludlum, set in the middle of the Second World War. Plot summary On the eve of the Second World War, David Spaulding, a radio voice actor, is recruited by Colonel Ed Pace to run a secret ...
''), you'll be sorely disappointed in the intelligence (and one-dimensional nature) of Powell's character, and the route he takes to enact his revenge."


DVD release

Warner Bros. released the film on DVD on July 13, 2010, in its ''Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 5''.Abrams,_Simon._"Film_Noir_Classic_Collection
:_Volume_5."_SlantMagazine.com._July_20,_2010..html" ;"title="Film Noir Classic Collection">Abrams, Simon. "Film Noir Classic Collection
: Volume 5." SlantMagazine.com. July 20, 2010.">Film Noir Classic Collection">Abrams, Simon. "Film Noir Classic Collection
: Volume 5." SlantMagazine.com. July 20, 2010.Accessed 2011-11-19.


References


External links

* * *
''Cornered''
film review at Turner Classic Movies by Scott McGee * * {{Edward Dmytryk 1945 films 1940s mystery thriller films American mystery thriller films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Film noir [ ategory:Films scored by Roy Webb Films directed by Edward Dmytryk RKO Pictures films Films set in France Films set in Buenos Aires Films scored by Paul Sawtell 1940s American films