Viewing 1951's "The Detective Story" I could not help but see the yet to be fleshed out bones of Director William Wyler's 1958 film "The Big Country".
Both feature the juxtaposition of vast scale (in this case an opening aerial sequence of the city streets) with characters in close physical association. Both feature an observer (in this case Lee Grant's shoplifter) who is the placid but nonplussed normalcy around which the frenzied action spins. And both feature two characters who are unaware that they have fallen in love with each other.
Of course "The Detective Story" is a noir film that is obligated to include some perverse twists just as the viewer begins to think that this collection of stereotypes and story tropes could not get more unoriginal.
Great casting with a collection of actors well matched with Wyler's obsessive but strangely hands-off acting for the camera style of directing as he challenges his cast to pull their character out of themselves. While this is second nature to naturals like Grant, Kirk Douglas, Joseph Wiseman, Michael Strong, and probably Cathy O'Donnell (who had worked with Wyler five years early in "The Best Years of Our Lives"); it was likely quite a learning experience for most of the other cast members who were used to more explicit direction.
Like the play the pacing is surprisingly engaging and viewing it is a very entertaining experience. It seems much shorter that it is and the final roller-coaster 15 minutes may leave you feeling like you have been duped by a sort of Hitchcock Macguffin into focusing on the wrong things.
Both feature the juxtaposition of vast scale (in this case an opening aerial sequence of the city streets) with characters in close physical association. Both feature an observer (in this case Lee Grant's shoplifter) who is the placid but nonplussed normalcy around which the frenzied action spins. And both feature two characters who are unaware that they have fallen in love with each other.
Of course "The Detective Story" is a noir film that is obligated to include some perverse twists just as the viewer begins to think that this collection of stereotypes and story tropes could not get more unoriginal.
Great casting with a collection of actors well matched with Wyler's obsessive but strangely hands-off acting for the camera style of directing as he challenges his cast to pull their character out of themselves. While this is second nature to naturals like Grant, Kirk Douglas, Joseph Wiseman, Michael Strong, and probably Cathy O'Donnell (who had worked with Wyler five years early in "The Best Years of Our Lives"); it was likely quite a learning experience for most of the other cast members who were used to more explicit direction.
Like the play the pacing is surprisingly engaging and viewing it is a very entertaining experience. It seems much shorter that it is and the final roller-coaster 15 minutes may leave you feeling like you have been duped by a sort of Hitchcock Macguffin into focusing on the wrong things.