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The Lost Moment (1947)
The Lost Moment (1947)
Actor Martin Gabel's first (and only) directorial effort is rich with atmosphere and Gothic artiness. Based loosely on the Henry James novel, "The Aspern Papers," the film follows the efforts of an ambitious publisher, Lewis Venable (Robert Cummings) to locate the lost love letters of an 18th century poet named Jeffrey Ashton. He believes the letters to be in the possession of Ashton's aged former lover, Juliana Bordereau(Agnes Moorehead).
Under the pretense of being a writer in search of inspiration, he manages to rent a room in the ghostly Bordereau home in Venice, much to the dislike of a mysterious young woman (Susan Hayward) who is said to be Juliana's niece, Tina. Things become complicated when, one night, he is drawn by strange music to the opposite side of the house. There, he finds Tina at the piano. She believes she is Juliana and that Lewis is her lover, Jeffrey Ashton, taking the film in a somewhat otherworldly direction.
Those who make a habit of reading between the lines may suggest that Cummings' protagonist has opened an esoteric door to the past as he enters the room, finding what is perhaps a young Juliana in a dream-like state.
It's easy to say that Susan Hayward is excellent in this film, if for no other reason than the fact that her beauty is astounding. In addition, the camera angles and lighting pay immense flattery. Though, in fairness, her performance is more than adequate and the stark contrast between the character's two personalities is quite real.
Also worth a mention is Agnes Moorehead's eerie portrayal of the century-old lady of the house who never sleeps, and Daniele Amfitheatrof's moody, yet seemly musical score.
"The Lost Moment" deserves more than just a look.
Four Frightened People (1934)
Incredibly unknown - and even more engaging!
This bizarre, hideously ignored Cecil B. Demille comedy has a bit of everything! Sarcastic/ironic humor, adventurous action, sex, melodrama, romance and camp shift in and out of focus, giving way to each other throughout.
Without going into much plot detail, four passengers (Claudette Colbert, Herbert Marshall, Mary Boland and William Gargan) escape a plagued ship and come ashore only to find they must travel through miles and miles of jungle area in order to reach help. Gargan turns in a memorable performance as a determined journalist just dying to re-reach civilization to share the latest, greatest news story. Marshall and Boland are equally adept. However, this picture ultimately belongs to Demille's unique directional touches and the dynamic, versatile skill of Colbert. Fans of films fitting this description will likely find 'Four Frightened People' to be a delightful, forgotten treasure.