Sat 9 Jan 2010
Movie Review: THE MAN WHO CHEATED HIMSELF (1950).
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[2] Comments
THE MAN WHO CHEATED HIMSELF. 20th Century-Fox, 1950. Lee J. Cobb, Jane Wyatt, John Dall, Lisa Howard. Co-screenwriters: Seton I. Miller & Philip MacDonald. Director: Felix E. Feist.
Not all of ladies in film noir movies were sultry sirens who manipulated men around their fingers with their come-hither eyes. As Lois Frazer in this small gem of a movie, Jane Wyatt is as petite and innocent-looking as they come, even as much, say, as Margaret Anderson in the long-running TV series Father Knows Best, except for one thing.
Well, make that several things. Margaret Anderson never smoked, or at least I don’t think she did. Nor did Margaret Anderson have a lover on the side – I’m sure she never did that!
Nor did she ever kill a man – in this case, her husband – before he had the chance to kill her.
Lee J. Cobb may be slightly miscast as Lois Frazer’s man on the side – for one thing, he’s several sizes larger – but he’s absolutely the right man to play a grizzled homicide detective who puts his career on the line to save his wealthy lover’s reputation, if not some time in the Big House, by dumping the body at the airport and covering up the crime.
Pure noir, all the way. He has an itch for her that just can’t be scratched. And do things go well? Two guesses, or on second thought, make it one. It’s always the cover-up that goes badly, and there’s no exception here.
Complicating matters is that Lt. Cullen’s partner is his brother Andy, a rookie cop just assigned to him, and brother Andy is nothing but persistent in following up leads and fretting over details and small things that just don’t fit.
There are, of course, coincidences galore, as there always are in movies like these, and stupid mistakes that are made that make the viewer simply cringe inside. If I were going to pull off a scam like this, I’d sure make a better job of it – wouldn’t I?
You may be wondering how it all comes out, and obviously for that you will have to watch the movie. I will tell you this, though. The final scene is about as perfect as they come, bar none.
[LATER.] I have now gone to read the comments left by viewers of this movie on IMBD, and more than usual, I am amazed.
Reaction to seeing Jane Wyatt in a noir movie was decidedly mixed, about half and half, I’d say, and I guess that’s understandable, but I thought she was perfect in the part.
A large number of people also did not understand many of the twists and turns of the plot, and at least one wanted the ending to be explained to him. My goodness.
January 9th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
I had a chance to see a terrific print of this at the Seattle International Film Festival a few years back. The movie makes great use of San Francisco’s Fort Point a few years before Vertigo made it famous.
As for Jane Wyman, she may be the least likely femme fatale in the annals of noir, but she acquits herself admirably.
January 10th, 2010 at 1:12 am
Steve
I think those of us who read mysteries are so attuned to looking for complexities that we sometimes catch things other viewers don’t. I’m always seeing some film that seems perfectly clear to me, but the reviewers all complain they didn’t understand what was going on. I think we’re more accustomed to looking at complex plots. That and we don’t expect everything to be handed to us on a platter.
Granted Jane Wyatt seems an unlikely femme fatale to those of us who grew up on FATHER KNOW’S BEST, but it’s hardly the only film she made. You have to wonder how they would react to her nude skinny dip in LOST HORIZON. I usually find it refreshing when an actor goes against type and like Wyatt here, does a good job of it.
This is a good little film and it’s nice to see Cobb get to play something like a leading man for once.