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Jun 05, 2017Nursebob rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
A study in Film Noir overkill, Delmer Daves’ film takes an already convoluted plot and peppers it with so many Hail Mary coincidences you get the impression the ending would have been the same had Parry simply sat in a coffeeshop and let the solution come to him instead. And the first person POV camerawork which dominates the first hour, obviously meant to show the world through Parry’s eyes without revealing his face, proves ultimately distracting as the cast self-consciously deliver their lines directly into the lens. But the wonderfully theatrical script manages to play it straight and there is no mistaking the screen chemistry between Bogart and Bacall as they slowly gravitate towards each other’s arms. However, it is Agnes Moorehead’s over-the-top portrayal of a screeching virago intent on making everyone’s life miserable that ultimately brings the house down. The scenes of 1940’s San Francisco are nice too.