Runtime: 91 minutes
Directed by: Fritz Lang
Starring: Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford, Edgar Buchanan, Kathleen Case
From: Columbia
Yes, I would be happy to see Fritz Lang adapt the same story that was adapted for La Bete Humaine. Someone on a messageboard stated this fact and while it was something I learned right after viewing Humaine, it was this comment which inspired the YouTube viewing of the movie. I know, but there was no legal way for me to stream in the United States.
The general idea is the same (railroad conductors, an unhappy wife of an abusive stationmaster, a murder, a love affair) but probably because of Hollywood and the Hays Code, the details are different. Our lead-Glenn Ford in this case-is painted in a much more sympathetic light; unlike the dark character that Jean Gabin portrayed in Humaine, Ford was literally a soldier returning home from the Korean War and back in his old job, not to mention he has another love interest. Leading lady Gloria Grahame was more a femme fatale and her husband Broderick Crawford was even more a brute. Regrettably, the charge that this features misogyny is in fact true.
That duly noted, the overall product was still pretty good. Humaine-a great movie-was a proto-noir anyhow so modifying the story to be a traditional film noir was a natural. The cast, the director, the cinematography, the darkest moments, those were all part of my enjoyment. However, it was Grahame who was the highlight with her performance; she did elevate this material. Grahame in real life is a person who doesn’t have a great reputation (there are rumors of on-set behavior but for certain she married her former stepson! I have to note how weird that is no matter the gender of the older party) but she was quite the performer.
Shamefully, The Big Heat hasn’t been experienced by me yet; that will change one day as I hear both Ford and Grahame were better in that film. As long as expectations are in check and the controversial ending does not leave a sour note in your mouth, Human Desire was an interesting noir.
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