Side Street (1950)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

To me, this movie is perfection.

How sad is this?

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

Anthony Mann directed this film noir that stars Farley Granger as a struggling letter carrier with a pregnant wife(played by Cathy O'Donnell) who is worried about how he will support them on his salary. Fate intervenes when he is tempted to steal money from ruthless racketeers. He thinks its only a few hundred dollars, but turns out to be several thousands. Now guilt-stricken, he is also being pursued by the racketeers who want their money back, and will gladly kill him in the process. Well-directed and acted film effectively portrays the pitfalls of giving in to temptation and theft, which results in near-fatal consequences for Granger, who wishes he had never taken the money.

Can't tell you how much I enjoy Film Noir movies. And just when I think I've seen all the good ones, I find a sleeper like "Side Street". I almost passed on it because Farley Granger was not one of my favorites - I always found him too wishy-washy and sappy, that whatever fate befell him in his films served him right.And so, I was not expecting the taut script and character development that ensued, although I should have; the Director was Anthony Mann and 4 time Academy Award winner Joseph Ruttenberg was his cameraman. The picture moves at breakneck speed as average schlep Granger gets in over his head with the odds stacked against him and nobody on his side except his devoted schlep-wife, played by (who else) Kathy O'Donnell.I didn't even pause it to go the bathroom - it wouldn't let me, so frenetic was the films' pace. Along the way many noir character actors appeared; Edmon Ryan, Charles McGraw, Adele Jergens, to name a few. I am breaking precedent here, as there are too many long-winded reviews already. Just do yourself a favor and watch this B-almost-A picture from MGM, Farley Granger notwithstanding.

Everything about this movie is good, especially the cinematography, which is visually stunning with great camera angles and beautifully composed shots reminiscent of Citizen Kane. This is one of the best noirs ever made, fast paced with strong direction and tight editing. Of special mention are the helicopter shots of New York, which create the feeling that the city is a board game or crossword puzzle.Granger delivers an excellent performance -- perhaps the best of his movie career -- as a delivery boy who falls victim to temptation and foolishly steals $30K from a couple of nasty villains. Of course, he is in over his head and the plot twists and turns as he desperately tries to extricate himself.The rest of the cast also deliver good performances, making this a tense, stylish crime drama. The only criticism is that the dialog lacks sharp, memorable lines although the omniscient stentorian narrator in the opening scene gives the movie an interesting fascist undertone. Nevertheless, the movie is classic noir and not to be missed.

Superbly-handled noir, from one of its absolute masters; despite their reputation for wholesomeness, MGM were really into the groove during this time (one of the genre's finest and most influential offerings, John Huston's THE ASPHALT JUNGLE came from them the same year). Apart from reuniting the hounded young couple from Nicholas Ray's THEY LIVE BY NIGHT (1948), Farley Granger and Cathy O'Donnell, the film also follows the 'story of a city' format laid down by Jules Dassin's THE NAKED CITY (1948).The narrative (written by genre expert Sydney Boehm) may be implausible at face value, but the snowballing of events – with the perplexed Granger at their centre – carries a genuine social resonance (though, thankfully, straying from sentimentality for the most part) and an undeniable charge of excitement (particularly towards the end, when the bodies start piling up and the police are closing in). O'Donnell's role doesn't allow her much range – though her instinctive appeal in the presence of the police for Granger to run away (with the camera suddenly zooming-in to her face) is beautifully done. Paul Kelly is the compassionate police captain on the case who also narrates the tale; one of his assistants is noir regular Charles McGraw.The rogues' gallery includes the thuggish James Craig (it was surprising to find the hero of THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER [1941] on the opposite side of the tracks), a corrupt lawyer, another lackey who conveniently uses his cab for kidnapping/body-disposal purposes and, of course, a couple of dames (Jean Hagen is a particular stand-out here: she was also in THE ASPHALT JUNGLE, as a good girl this time). As I said, the climactic car chase along New York streets (shot on location) is terrific – though the ensuing happy ending feels tagged-on (MGM may have ultimately vetoed a downbeat finale) - if still leading to a memorable final shot.