La strada buia (1950) Poster

User Reviews

Review this title
2 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
7/10
rare italian noir
happytrigger-64-3905179 September 2019
"La strada buia" is a rare italian and american coproduction in typical noir movie with an incredible number of flashbacks, when you watch the movie, you think it's endless. And for this coproduction, there are two directors, Girolami maybe for the italian team and Salkow maybe for directing the beautiful but not too wellknown Janis Paige who had played 2 noirs directed by Richard L Bare, "This side of the law" and "The house across the street". Janis Paige had a wonderful and hypnotizing face in these noirs, pity she didn't became a noir icon female. And she still has a wonderful face these last years, 97 in a few days.
3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
2/10
Cliff Notes
writers_reign15 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This is so far beyond dire we're talking Here Be Dragons. It was the first title in a mini season of films screened in Nitrate prints at the NFT and in their brochure the BFI 'sold' it - along with the other Nitrate movies - on the 'enhanced' image that obtains when shooting on nitrate. I'm here to tell you that I was completely unable to detect anything other than dullness in either the print or the plot. For the record it begins when local gotrocks businessman Eduardo Cianelli mistakes a turn off and drives off a cliff. 90 per cent of interested parties are happy to accept it as kosher but one insurance investigator (let's face it, there's always one) isn't convinced and requests 48 hours to look into it cueing our old friend the flashback during which we learn how singer Janis Paige latched onto Cianelli and wound up as a trophy wife to the chagrin of his stepsister Binnie Barnes. Much is made of the fact that it was shot entirely on location in Italy - explained by the fact that producer Mike Frankovich and his wife, Binnie Barnes, lived there and made ample use of cheap labour in the shape of fifth rate Italian actors. It's ironic that a film that boasts of authentic location work should feature a road sign in perfect English. Danger Dead End. They sure got that one right. For the brain-dead only.
2 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed