Mon 22 Aug 2011
Dan Stumpf Reviews: REPEAT PERFORMANCE , Book and Film (1947).
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[7] Comments
â— REPEAT PERFORMANCE. Eagle-Lion Films, 1947. Louis Hayward, Joan Leslie, Virginia Field, Tom Conway, Richard Basehart, Natalie Schafer, Benay Venuta. Based on the novel by William O’Farrell. Director: Alfred L. Werker.
â— WILLIAM O’FARRELL – Repeat Performance. Houghton Mifflin, hardcover, 1942. Pennant P55, paperback, revised edition, May 1954; IPL, paperback, 1987. Films: See above, plus: Turn Back the Clock, TV movie, NBC, 1989, with Connie Sellecca & David Dukes (and Joan Leslie in a small role).
So we came to the end of 2010 and I watched the old year out with two of my favorite New Year’s movies, Chimes at Midnight and Repeat Performance with Joan Leslie as stage actress Sheila Page, who rings in 1947 by killing husband Barney (Louis Hayward).
Suitably distraught, she wanders out into the clamoring night, runs into some old friends (including Richard Basehart as a mad poet, poetically named William Williams) who commiserate with her on what a lousy year it’s been, then goes to see her producer (Tom Conway).
But on her way up to Conway’s apartment, her clothes and hair change, the lights flicker, and suddenly it’s a year earlier, and Joan will get a chance to undo all the mistakes that led to infidelity, insanity and murder.
Or will she? What follows is a neatly ironic tale of predestined ends, a bit over-the-top at times, but kept mostly teetering right at the edge of melodrama, thanks to adroit direction from Alfred Werker (a director with an odd career, who really should be better known) and low-key playing from all concerned, particularly Louis Hayward, who had a long and mostly undistinguished career, but now and again suggested something kind of interesting. His role here as Joan Leslie’s ill-starred spouse sports a lethal fecklessness that’s fun to watch.
I also ferreted out the novel this was based on, Repeat Performance by William O’Farrell for comparison, and I’m glad I did, as the story seems to have been considerably re-jiggered for the movie.
O’Farrell starts off with Barney Page, once a prominent stage actor, now a skid-row drunk, waking up in a flop house to find he has just murdered a one-time girlfriend, in a fit of alcoholic remorse following the suicide of his wife Sheila.
Page is resigned to his fate, but on his way to turn himself in, he keeps running into old friends (including a gay poet affectionately nick-named William and Mary) who try to help him, and ends up fleeing from the cops, getting shot as he jumps onto a departing subway car and — and suddenly it’s a year ago, Barney is still a successful actor, married to Sheila, and he’s going to get to undo all the mistakes he made last year.
O’Farrell can write. He can put across a bitchy theatrical milieu and a seedy flophouse with equal aplomb, evoke a desperate chase and a disparate seduction with commensurate suspense, and weave a tale of murder and melodrama (verging on Soap Opera at times, but teetering skillfully on the edge) with prose that keeps the pages turning very nicely.
He also wraps things up with a fine sense of dramatic irony that had me closing the book with that satisfaction you get from finishing a well-crafted tale.
August 22nd, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Louis Hayward came into this film at the last moment. His career was long and in the fist half, quite distinguised with three of his films opening at Radio City, when that was a big deal. A Feather in Her Hat. Man In The Iron Mask. Duke Of West Point. His other really interesting titles include, Ladies In Retirement. And Then There Were None, for Rene Clair in 1945. As well as work for Fritz Lang, and Edgar Ulmer on his bigger projects. Ulmer and Hayward were best friends. The seond part of Louis’ career, from about 1950 on, was indeed less distinguised, but he might argue with you as his fees increased by quite a margin. I know about these things personally. I was Hayward’s personal manager during the 1960’s, a fan, and a friend.
August 22nd, 2011 at 10:20 pm
Wonderful surprises like this, Barry, is what makes doing this blog so rewarding. I had no idea, obviously!
If ever you’re so inclined, please tell us more about Louis Hayward, an actor I know very little about — either his movies, unfortunately, or personally.
August 22nd, 2011 at 10:47 pm
I will do what I can. What would you like to know…? He was a member of the USMC force that fought at Tarawa. Married three times. One son. Came to the United States from England with Noel Coward for Point Valaine. Also featured, Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Osgood Perkins (Tony’s father.) The play closed after six weeks, one of Coward and the Lunts few failures, but Louis B. Mayer liked Louis Hayward. Then, briefly on to Universal, and finally independent deals. With RKO, Columbia and producer Edward Small. There are several Louis Hayward pages on the net, most of which I’ve had some input. My goal is to keep Louis alive. Let me know if you want to talk about The Pursuers, which I do not have, and The Lone Wolf. Louis did think in retrospect that he made a mistake going into television.
August 22nd, 2011 at 11:49 pm
This movie sounds so interesting that I’ll order a copy on a dvd bootleg. It’s not out yet as an official dvd release but there are bootlegs available.
August 23rd, 2011 at 12:42 am
I knew I’d seen this movie when I posted Dan’s review, but what I didn’t remember was that I’d posted my own review of it quite while ago on this blog. (Over three years ago, in fact. Can you remember that far back?)
You can find it here at https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=488
My emphasis seems to have been O’Farrell’s writing career, and whether or not this is a fantasy film, a crime film, noir, or even frothy soap opera.
I must have taped it from TCM, but as Walker says, it’s easily available on DVD, even without an official release.
August 29th, 2011 at 6:48 am
Steve,
LOVED your review and Walker’s comments!
Hayward’s early work showed real promise. He could suggest an undertone of madness/depravity even when playing straight parts like THE SAINT IN NEW YORK. His later swashbucklers were built along the lines of the b-westerns of the times, and I’m afraid he often seemed to be walking through them.. which may have been understandable.
September 23rd, 2011 at 11:19 pm
My favorite New Year’s movies are I MARRIED A WITCH and THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT, but I’ll have to add REPEAT PERFORMANCE.
I finally received the bootleg dvd I ordered and watched the movie which I found to be an interesting combination of film noir and fantasy. My rating is 7 out of 10.