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redeeming film noir

Customer Rating:
this little gem could easily be dismissed with myriad other film noirs upon initial viewing. however, it manages to redeem itself when viewed in it's entirety. upon personal research, i discovered it to be part of a trilogy of film noir murder mysteries directed by Otto Preminger. the other 2 being 'Laura' and 'Where The Sidewalk Ends'. despite a rather plodding beginning, the film is a rewarding experience if the viewer has enough patience and appreciation to endure until the end. personally, of the trilogy, i would rate 'Where The Sidewalk Ends' over this one and 'Laura', but this rates a close 2nd. i realize 'Laura' is a favorite with film noir lovers but i still place it last in the trilogy. incidentally though, i own all three.

as for the dvd. excellent transfer and sound. recommended.

PACKED WITH POWER, PASSION AND SEX

Customer Rating:
This great and newly appreciated Noir from Otto Preminger is packed with power, passion and sex. The cast is outstanding with the lead Dana Andrews as a shady guy on the make willing to do almost anything to get what he wants. Alice Faye turns in a subtle and deeply colored portrait of a spinster about to be taken for a ride along with Anne Revere who shines as always as Faye's uptight doubting sister. The wonderful Percy Kilbride shows that there is much more to him than Pa Kettle. He is brilliant as a hash house burger slinger in love with the hard edged tough as nails local femme fatale.
And what a fatal femme she is! Lush, gorgeous and much underrated Linda Darnell makes an unforgettable entrance in the film and then proceeds to give us a modern no nonsense dame who knows there is only one way for her to get up and out of Nowheresville California. She cashes in on her looks and sex appeal with a bitting glee and desperation that lights up the screen and nearly ignites the sets. She plays this role with ease and a great command of the screen and shows that she was more than just a beauty in the movies. She was a movie star with great screen talent.
This is a wonderful film with a twist that will leave you gasping. Great movie and a star making performance by Miss Darnell.

Alice Fay's Self-Imposed Early Screen Retirement

Customer Rating:
A forgettable film with a very leaky pot-boiler (make that sieve-boiler) of a script that frequency self destructs from too many rewrites. Alice Faye seriously miscast herself (she was no longer working at Fox and had the option of saying "no" to Darryl Zanuck and the role!) as a small-town, rich Miss Goody Two-Shoes youngish spinster protected from men by an older sister spinster with bad vibes about men (there are hints of a possible incestuous relationship to boot). If you can see a vivacious, stunning, singing/dancing glamour girl in such a role, then you're ready to enjoy this movie. Cinematography is excellent. So are camera placements and movements. Referred to by some as a film noir, it does indeed have dark and gloomy scenes--because, well, it can be dark and gloomy at night. Especially during the opening credits. Male lead Dana Andrews (a great but mostly forgotten actor) holds his own (barely) against Faye, and become road kill when sparing with the other female star, a chubby Linda Darnell (who may have been inebriated during most of the production).

Even the film's title doesn't seem to hold water. Who is this FALLEN ANGEL anyway? The Darnell character (beautiful, brunette, and the town's good-time girl) or the Faye character (stunningly beautiful, blonde, and the town's here-to-for most-protected virgin)? Hard to believe that this is the same Producer/Director (Otto Preminger) and film-score Composer (David Raksin) who turned out LAURA (1944)!

Bottom line. Turn off the audio, skip to the Faye scenes, and just enjoy her radiate persona (abundantly present even when filmed in black and white).

WILLIAM FLANIGAN, Ph.D.

Angel- My A-bleep!

Customer Rating:
This is good movie because it is a time capsule of the post WWII morality. There was no drug problem - people drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes. The waitress (Linda Darnell) was single and dated lots of men who became crazy about her, so she must have been doing something right. In those days she was not a slut, she was a fallen angel; something to be pitied rather than loathed. In today's films that is called a lead actress. Dana Andrews played the role of a lying conman. In modern movies, Dana would be cast as a Wall Street banker or politician. You get the picture. The variation in the portrayal of stereotypes reflects the evolution of our culture. So much for the script!

The movie went quickly and I thought that Alice Faye's sister did it - but I was wrong. You will have to watch the movie to know who done it! There were some great background shots of coastal California without surfers or oil slicks. The investment in this movie is at your own risk.

Dana Andrews films

Customer Rating:
My review of "Fallen Angel" is biased, of course, since I'm a big Dana Andrews fan. He's an actor from a time of the big time actors, such as Bogart, Spencer, Stewart, etc..., who really had his own niche in Hollywood. This film is the perfect setting for his subtle and understated style. It is well written and directed, showcasing Otto Preminger's unique camera angle set-ups and lighting. Every acting performance is top notch, a movie that "owns" the film noir genre.