Now this is film
noir! The opening sequence shows a man bleeding from a gunshot wound stumbling down
a dark alley. As he steps out into the street a pair of headlights speeds
towards him, and he’s run down. As the title splashes across the screen and the music
reaches a crescendo, we are utterly on the edge of our seats wanting to learn
about this man and why someone wanted to kill him! Co-Director Sam Newfield is
a veteran of the American B-movies and it’s most likely his influence that
infuses this story with a gritty noir style.
The plot is
rather interesting especially for a Film Noir: it’s about American gangster Jim
Forrester seeking to quit his life of crime and be accepted in British
High-Society. Of course, this will lead to his downfall when he sells his small
gambling empire and is himself defrauded by a rich man’s racket. One of the
underlying themes of the story is that the wealthy are as crooked (maybe more
so) than the hard-working gangsters who pulled themselves out of the gutter.
Forrester is
dating the dancer in one of his nightclubs who becomes jealous when he falls
for a Socialite. Lady Susan Wells turns out to be a decent loving person and is
the one who rescues Forrester at the end while it’s the dancer who runs him
down in a rage! But the plot turns on a fired henchman who is hired by the
competition after Forrester loses his temper and beats him up because he didn’t
follow orders. This guy’s vendetta leads to a nasty shootout in the final act.
This causes Forrester’s wounds and his trek down a dark alley which brings the
story full circle.
Once again, the
British perspective transforms the genre into something unique: Forrester,
though a man who operates outside of the law is the protagonist and is
presented as a flawed but honest and loyal boss. One scene shows him being
tutored in British table manners and dinner etiquette and his clumsiness and
American accent makes it both funny and a bit embarrassing. Another scene at
his nightclub shows Forrester trying to “speak the language” of the Socialites
who are celebrating a birthday and it’s uncomfortable to watch him struggle to
fit in and be patronized by these elitists. Lady Susan admonishes her friends
and brother for their condescending behavior, and she soon becomes the love
interest. The entire cast is excellent from American actor Dane Clark to the
sniveling henchman who betrays his boss (focusing Peter Lorre). The final scene
of Forrester’s loyal friend carrying his unconscious body carries some
emotional weight.
Shootouts and
barroom brawls to learning which is the proper glass to pour champagne, THE
GAMBLER AND THE LADY is an entertaining marriage of British mores and American
morbidities.
Final Grade:
(B-)
