Desperate (1947)
Desperate (1947)
(Anthony Mann, US 1947, 73 min., 16mm)
Director Anthony Mann is probably best known for his 1950s westerns, often starring James Stewart, that explore themes found in film noir. In the 1940s, however, he worked within the genre itself and played with the idea of the hero who inadvertently becomes involved in a crime. In Desperate, Steve Brodie plays trucker Steve Randall, who is tricked into transporting stolen goods by ruthless gangster Walt Radak (Raymond Burr). When things go wrong and Walt’s brother kills a police officer, Radak attempts to force Steve to take the fall for his brother. Steve escapes, but he and his wife find themselves on the run from both the gangsters and the police. Mann’s flair for dramatic lighting brings menace to the film, particularly in conjunction with Burr’s vile crime lord.
Post-screening discussion with Curator of Film Exhibitions Jared Case.