Under the Radar: The Unseen Side of Film Noir – Part 3 – It Always Rains on Sunday (1947)

Darkness Without Escape: British Noir’s Bleak Horizons

It Always Rains on Sunday 1947

In director Robert Hamer’s masterful film It Always Rains on Sunday, the relentless downpour that drenches nearly every scene serves as both a symbol of psychological downpour as it is one of torrential weather. This persistent rain reflects the bleak, oppressive atmosphere of postwar London, mirroring the emotional turmoil and shattered dreams of its characters.

A bleak, numbing damp seeps through the air, a haunting echo of the shattered, bombed-out dreams of the various characters navigating a single gritty Sunday on the rain-drained streets of postwar East End London where Googie Withers offers a safe haven to her former lover, the escaped felon Tommy Swann (John McCallum).

In a commanding performance as Rose Sandigate, Googie Withers embodies the frustrations of a disillusioned housewife from Bethnal Green trapped in a monotonous marriage.

Boxed in by good-natured yet intrusive neighbors, she grapples with the bitter feelings of envy toward her stepdaughter’s vibrant social life. When her mundane existence is abruptly disrupted by her ex-lover resurfacing, it forces her to confront her longing for the past and the constraints of her current reality.

Susan Shaw as Googie Wither’s stepdaughter Vi.

Concealed in the sanctuary of her bedroom, Tommy stays out of sight while the ordinary rhythm of domesticity plays out just beyond the walls. Meanwhile, outside the house, the relentless threat of police and journalists at her door looking for him will disrupt their plans.

“ But with that desperate situation as its emotional and narrative core, It Always Rains on Sunday fans out into a sprawling, Altmanesque tapestry of East End life.” ( from Film at Lincoln Center)

Condensed into a gripping hour and a half, the film unfolds with relentless intensity, where every moment is imbued with meaning. As day gives way to the nighttime realm, the despair and alienation culminate in a surreal Stratford train-yard finale. Here, elongated shadows dance amidst swirling smoke and intricate rear projections, creating a fever-dream landscape where all narrative threads converge.

It Always Rains on Sunday is a 1947 British film adaptation of Arthur La Bern’s novel of the same name. Arthur La Bern also wrote the story that became Hitchcock’s psycho-sexual thriller Frenzy.

Robert Hamer, who directed the film, also helmed the irreverent Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Spider and the Fly (1949), Dead of Night (1945) sequence – the eerie and disturbing “The Haunted Mirror,” Pink String & Sealing Wax 1945, The Detective (1954) starring Frank Sinatra which dealt head-on with then considered deviant subject matter, To Paris with Love (1955), The Scapegoat (1959), and School for Scoundrels (1960).

The British writers Robert Murphy and Graham Fuller compared It Always Rains on Sunday to the poetic realism movement in French cinema a few years earlier.

The film features a screenplay By Angus Mcphail, Robert Hamer, and Henry Cornelius, with moody cinematography by Douglas Slocombe, who began his career as a photojournalist. Slocombe also shot Kind Hearts and Coronets 1949, The Lavender Hill Mob 1951, The Man in the White Suit 1951, The Servant 1963, and the taut psychological thriller starring Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, and Pamela Franklin The Third Secret 1964.

It Always Rains on Sunday marked the first significant success for Ealing Studios in Britain, one of the oldest film studios in existence. It opened its doors in 1905 and is still operating today.

Googie Withers and John McCallum met while filming It Always Rains on Sunday. They married the following year and remained together until McCallum’s passing in 2010 at the age of 91.

In a striking scene, Rose notices scars on Tommy’s back, remnants of the flogging he endured with cat-o’-nine-tails during his time in prison. This brutal form of punishment was a practice in British prisons dating back to the 19th century and was only abolished in 1948, the year after this film’s release.

Damian Murphy at The Sydney Morning Herald referred to Googie Withers as dubbed the Best British bad girl with a ‘haughty sexuality.’ Read this wonderful article here:

Googie Wither’s performance as the independent, hungry, and disillusioned Helen Nosteros in Jules Dassin’s masterpiece Night and the City was nothing short of extraordinary. This was Googie Withers’s last film for Ealing Studios, and thanks to her striking performance as a woman trapped in claustrophobic domesticity, it is perhaps one of her best.

31 Flavors of Noir on the Fringe to Lure you in! Part 2

 

Hermione Baddeley has a minor role as the proprietor of a flophouse. She is perhaps best remembered for her portrayal of Mrs. Naugatuck in the television series Maude or as the maid in Mary Poppins (1964).

British actress Hermione Baddeley as Mrs. Spry.

The film depicts events occurring on a Sunday, specifically March 23, 1947, as noted on a blackboard at the local underground station. The setting is Bethnal Green, an area in the East End of London that had endured significant devastation from bombings and the hardships of post-war life.

It Always Rains on Sunday unfolds over a single, dreary Sunday in post-war London’s East End. The story revolves around Rose Sandigate, whose mundane life is upended when her former lover, Tommy Swann, appears at her doorstep.

Rose Sandigate is a former barmaid who is now married to a middle-aged man with two teenage daughters from his previous marriage. Having stepped into the role of a housewife and stepmother, she navigates the challenges of post-war rationing and a bleak environment, supported by her kind husband (Edward Chapman) as she heals from past emotional wounds.

Googie Withers, Susan Shaw, and Edward Chapman.

Gladys Henson.

Edie Martin.

Alfie Bass, John Carol, Fred Griffiths, and Jimmy Hanley.

Meier Tzelniker.

Surrounding this central couple, Hamer crafts a richly intricate picture of the post-war East End. The community teems with a variety of characters, lively markets, and the story of a Jewish immigrant family.

Rose learns from the newspaper about her former lover, Tommy Swann, who has served four years of a seven-year sentence for robbery with violence, has escaped from Dartmoor prison and is on the run.

Tommy Swann, now an escaped convict, seeks shelter from the authorities, forcing Rose to conceal him from both the law and her unsuspecting family.

In noir fashion, there are a series of flashbacks reflecting on the time Rose and Tommy were engaged to be married. Tommy gets arrested for a robbery, and it is quite possible that he may actually be the father of Rose’s young son.

We also encounter the philandering saxophone player navigating his romantic entanglements, a small-time petty criminal, and his gangster brother, Lou (John Slater), who has eyes for Vi Sandgate (Susan Shaw) sister, Doris (Patricia Plunkett), and a group of hapless thieves and idlers whose recent warehouse robbery yielded nothing more than a bunch of children’s roller skates. All trying to make ends meet.

John Slater as Lou and Patricia Plunkett as Rose’s stepdaughter Doris.

These diverse storylines intertwine, creating a vivid portrait of working-class life in post-war Britain, all set against the backdrop of relentless rain that mirrors the characters’ gloomy circumstances. The film’s atmospheric sense of doom overshadows the characters’ lives with a palpable tinge of noir-fatalism as it offers an intimate glimpse into the gritty underbelly of London’s working-class existence.

The woman-driven narrative offers some unforgettable performances, richly layered and completely captivating. Among them is Rose’s beautiful daughter, Vi Sandigate (Susan Shaw), Rose’s elder stepdaughter; while stunning, she is also somewhat mercurial and entangled in an affair with occasional lover Morry Hyams (Sydney Taffler), the sax player who is very much married.

There’s also Doris, Vi’s younger sister, portrayed by Patricia Plunkett in her first film role. Despite her gentle demeanor and kind heart, Doris possesses quiet strength and is unafraid to voice her opinions or stand firm when the situation demands it. In contrast, we have Sadie, Morry’s wife, played by Betty Ann Davies. Sadie is no fool; she’s acutely aware of her husband’s infidelities.

Sidney Tafler as Morry and Betty Ann Davies as Sadie.

In a particularly poignant scene, she confronts Morry with a mix of resignation and defiance, declaring, “ I know all about you and your little shiksas. I’ve known a long time, even if I haven’t said anything. But I’m not going to have them come here into my house.”  

[Morry has just told off Sadie for buying retail]
Morry: Where are you going?
Sadie Hyams: To get some fresh air. Don’t worry; I’ll get it wholesale.

Rose’s stepdaughters Doris and Vi.

The film introduces us to Rose in a subtle yet intriguing manner. We first hear her voice through the wall, rousing her stepdaughters with a request for tea on their father’s behalf. This initial verbal introduction cleverly piques our curiosity about her identity and her role within the household. Soon after, we’re granted an intimate glimpse into Rose’s world as she begins her day. The camera follows her through a cramped bedroom shared with her husband, George. We observe her mundane morning rituals – reluctantly drawing the curtains to reveal yet another dreary, rain-soaked day, methodically unraveling the pin curls from her hair that give the impression of shadowy night.

All the while, George’s voice provides a backdrop of newspaper headlines, to which Rose responds with perfunctory interest. However, the mention of an escaped convict named Thomas Swann suddenly breaks through Rose’s apparent ennui. Though she quickly masks her reaction from George, her momentary lapse in composure speaks volumes. It’s a masterful bit of storytelling, instantly conveying to the audience that Rose’s connection to Swann runs far deeper than her outward indifference suggests, hinting at the hidden depths of her character and setting the stage for the drama to unfold.

A poignant flashback transports us to Rose’s past, revealing a vivacious young woman with hair the color of burnished gold, tending bar at a local pub. We witness pivotal moments: her first encounter with the charismatic Tommy Swann, his heartfelt proposal, and Rose eagerly packing for their wedding.

However, her dreams are shattered when news of Tommy’s arrest for robbery reaches her. The contrast between Rose’s former self, full of passion and life, and her present existence is striking. She now inhabits a world of quiet desperation. Her cramped sardine can of a house, shared with two grown women, a rowdy teenager, and a respectable yet uninspiring husband, stands as a testament to her diminished circumstances. The home’s dilapidated state, with rain seeping through broken windowpanes and taking baths in the kitchen next to the stove, further underscores the stark difference between the possibilities of her past life and the nihilism of her present one.

Throughout the day, Rose consistently proves herself to be resourceful, street-smart, and remarkably composed under pressure.

Consider the moments of Rose’s cunning: when her stepdaughter Doris unexpectedly returns home, Rose swiftly conceals Tommy’s drying trousers with a towel. Later, when the police arrive at her doorstep, she brazenly declares she would never assist a ” cheap crook like Tommy Swann.”

While the constable’s fleeting visit brings with it a stark warning: harboring a fugitive could result in a two-year sentence. It doesn’t deter Rose from continuing to conceal Tommy within her walls. But Rose is no fool; she doesn’t fancy herself running off with him. “It’s too late . . . ten years too late,” Rose tells Tommy with an expression tinged with regret. “Just send me a postcard, that’s all.”

Rose’s first shocking encounter with Tommy Swann is when she finds him hiding in her family’s air raid shelter. He asks her to help him hide out until nightfall. Though she suffers from an oppressive feeling in her life, despite her initial shock when he puts his hand over her mouth to silence her, Rose’s unresolved feelings and lasting affection for Tommy quickly surface. Her concern for his sodden state, “You’re soaking!” she says and fears that he might fall ill betray a deep-seated yearning for their past connection that persists despite the years apart.

Rose’s actions speak louder than words. Though Tommy merely requests food, she goes above and beyond, orchestrating a moment when the house is empty to smuggle him inside and feed him. Her insistence that he rest in her bedroom while she tends to his wet clothes illustrates the years of domesticity that have prepared her, though it cannot conceal the restlessness that plagues her.

Rose is a truly sympathetic and relatable character, as Tommy’s sudden reappearance has awakened a part of her that has been buried; this re-emergence of her former lover has reunited the old passions she hasn’t felt since he went away to prison. The scene subtly hints at unresolved feelings and yearning for her past that contrasts sharply with her current life.

She successfully keeps his presence hidden from the family, but it’s Sunday, and she must prepare lunch. She scolds the girls about their misbehavior from the previous night while the husband heads out to the pub as he typically does.

Rose’s most emotionally resonant moment—and Withers’s finest acting—occurs when Tommy confesses that he needs money to get away. Initially, she offers him the last of her housekeeping funds, a gesture that underscores her willingness to sacrifice for him.

When Tommy indicates that this amount won’t be enough, Rose fetches the engagement ring he once gave her, which she has stowed away in the back of the drawer, away from George’s eyes. She gives it to Tommy so he can either sell it or take it to a pawn shop.

However, as he admires the ring, he comments that it’s a “ Nice stone” and that he’ll get a good price for it. Rose realizes with a wave of sadness that he doesn’t remember it as the symbol of their past love. She says nothing to him about its meaning.

Withers masterfully shifts emotions. In the flash of a moment, her expression transforms from love to sadness, ultimately settling into a steely acceptance as she simply replies, ” Had it given,” revealing the profound emotional weight of their shared history.

Jack Warner as Lt. Fotherfill and Frederick Piper as Det. Sergt. Leech.

As the rainy Sunday moves on, the police drawer nearer. While Tommy is preparing to flee, a newspaper reporter acting on a tip shows up at the house, enquiring about her past relationship with Swann. When he catches wind of the situation, he tries to tip off the cops, but not before Tommy assaults him and escapes.

In a moment of sheer desperation, Rose finds herself engulfed in panic, contemplating a tragic way out; she tries to commit suicide by gassing herself.

Meanwhile, the police are hot on Tommy’s trail, pursuing him to the railway sidings. After a tense chase, Detective Inspector Fothergill (Jack Warner), who has been relentlessly tracking him down, finally apprehends him.

As the film draws to a close, we see Rose in a hospital bed, surrounded by her husband’s comforting presence. He eventually leaves the hospital alone, stepping out into a serene sky that contrasts sharply with the turmoil that was.

This is your EverLovin’ Joey sayin’ save a little bit of time to visit The Last Drive In for a rainy day!

Oops, there are gremlins in the works!

Hey gang, I know I announced a special feature to celebrate Halloween. I’m experiencing serious technical difficulties moving to a new server, so I’m unable to get my Scream Queens of the 1970s in time for that big day. I hope you’ll bear with me while we exorcise the gremlins mucking up the works!

I’ll be back soon to say “Heeeeere’s your EverLovin’ Joey!” Happy Halloween!

 

Enter Teresa Wright in The Little Foxes 1941 – Behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts"¦ and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field.

"I only ever wanted to be an actress, not a star."

Teresa Wright may seem lamblike at first glance, but don't let the soft smile fool you into thinking there isn't something gutsy within that charming glow. She is one of the most engaging actors, and she shows a resolute luster and independence to take on Hollywood with the same veracity she pursued wicked Uncle Charlie in Shadow of a Doubt.

Wright was not only endearing, but her acting and personal life lacked ceremony and authenticity. She was discovered by Samuel Goldwyn and gained early recognition for her exceptional performances in her first three films. She became the only actor to receive Oscar nominations for each of them. Wright earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and one for Mrs. Miniver.

Teresa Wright and Greer Garson in William Wyler’s Mrs. Miniver (1942).

It stands to reason that Times drama editor Edwin Schallert described Wright's burgeoning career as "one of the most remarkably brilliant for a young player in Hollywood.""¨Despite being a Hollywood star, she remained true to herself and rejected the pretentiousness that came along with being a star. She achieved Hollywood stardom on her own terms, without selling out for the sake of glamour.

Teresa Wright was resolute in her refusal to pose for photographs while wearing bathing suits and to subject herself to superficial interviews in gossipy fan magazines. At first, Goldwyn told her he was not of "the bathing suit school of Hollywood producers."

Muriel Teresa Wright was born in Harlem, New York City. She discovered a passion for acting while attending the exclusive Rosehaven School in Tenafly, New Jersey, after watching Helen Hayes in "Victoria Regina." While attending high school in Maplewood, N.J., Wright participated in theatrical productions. Although one teacher advised her to pursue typing instead, a public-speaking teacher mentored her and provided her with plays to read. He also arranged for her to spend two summers at the Wharf Theater in Provincetown.

After receiving a scholarship in the two summers preceding her graduation, she began apprenticing at the Wharf Theatre in Massachusetts, appearing in plays such as The Vinegar Tree and Susan and God.
She performed in school plays and graduated from Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey, in 1938. She then decided to pursue acting professionally and moved to New York.

Wright had to drop her first name when she discovered that another actress named Muriel Wright was already registered with Actors Equity.

In 1938, in her first play, she landed an understudy role in Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" on Broadway and then toured in the play.

It was a minor role, but it also served as a chance to understudy the lead ingénue character of Emily, actress Dorothy Maguire; however, when Maguire failed to return, Teresa continued in the same role under Martha Scott. Wright eventually replaced Martha Scott when the actress adapted the role of Emily in the film version.

Following her successful stage performances, Wright made her remarkable Broadway debut as Mary in Life With Father in 1939. This caught the attention of playwright Lillian Hellman, who recommended her to Goldwyn for the screen version of Hellman's The Little Foxes.

Teresa Wright as Alexandra (Zan) Gibbons in Lillian Hellman/William Wyler The Little Foxes (1941).

She gained recognition for her work alongside Bette Davis (who played the cold, calculating mother Regina) and Patricia Collinge who reprised her unparalleled Broadway role as the mercurial Aunt Birdie) in the film.

At that time, she had signed a contract with MGM but refused to do publicity stunts or cheese-cake shots that would turn her into a centerfold:

" The aforementioned Teresa Wright shall not be required to pose for photographs in a bathing suit unless she is in the water. Neither may she be photographed running on the beach with her hair flying in the wind. Nor may she pose in any of the following situations: In shorts, playing with a cocker spaniel; digging in a garden; whipping up a meal; attired in firecrackers and holding skyrockets for the Fourth of July; looking insinuatingly at a turkey for Thanksgiving; wearing a bunny cap with long ears for Easter; twinkling on prop snow in a skiing outfit while a fan blows her scarf; assuming an athletic stance while pretending to hit something with a bow and arrow."

Though she became the unwilling pin-up girl, Teresa Wright became Goldwyn's biggest overall star during the 1940s.

Teresa Wright and Gary Cooper in Pride of the Yankees (1942) image RKO via Getty Images.

Teresa received Oscar nominations for her roles in Mrs. Miniver (1942), the only movie she made for her studio MGM, and The Pride of the Yankees (1942), winning the Best Supporting Actress trophy for Mrs. Miniver.

In both roles, Teresa Wright gave heartwarming performances as the granddaughter in the sentimental war-era Mrs. Miniver and as baseball icon Lou Gehrig's kindhearted wife in Pride of the Yankees, starring opposite Gary Cooper. Wright, now one of the most appealing newcomers in Hollywood, garnered two Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress nods in the same year. She holds the record for receiving back-to-back Academy Award nominations in her first three film roles, which still stands today.

Teresa Wright received top billing for Shadow of a Doubt, a film that was her personal favorite and earned every bit of that limelight in Alfred Hitchcock's psychological thriller. The film places Wright as serial killer Joseph Cotten's unsuspecting niece, Charlie, at the story’s center. Unsuspecting at first"¦

When Young Charlie (Wright) is over the moon about her favorite Uncle Charlie coming to her sleeping California town for a visit, the whole family celebrates his arrival. Her mother, Emma, Charlie's older sister (Patricia Collings, who appeared with Wright in The Little Foxes and Casanova Brown), can't wait to dote on her baby brother. But soon, it comes to light that Charlie might have left strangled wealthy women in his wake, and in fact, maybe The Merry Widow killer.

Teresa Wright gives a nuanced performance as Charlie Newton, who daringly holds her own in a game of cat and mouse with Joseph Cotten. They are tangled up in danger as she carefully draws out his murderous impulses.

But in the shadows beyond the edges, the family is unaware of the two characters diverge "“ one set on self-preservation with a malignant disgust for fat lazy wives who live off their husbands and the other who seeks out the truth and bends toward humanity. Their same names are where it begins and ends. Wright is a glowing jewel in the blackness of Hitchcock's nightmare.

Continue reading “Enter Teresa Wright in The Little Foxes 1941 – Behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts"¦ and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field.”

Feature & Interview with Iconic Actress, Dancer, and Photographer, Barbara Parkins

The Raven-haired sylph who: "walks in beauty like the night"¦ Of cloudless climes and starry skies; And all that's best of dark and bright; Meet in her aspect and her eyes"¦" "” Lord Byron

Barbara Parkins is an icon of the 1960s, appearing in two of the decade's most popular and legendary film and television productions.

Barbara's exquisite beauty is undeniable, but her captivating performances in Peyton Place and Valley of the Dolls truly secured her legacy in Hollywood history and our collective consciousness. As beloved – Betty Anderson in the television series Peyton Place and as Anne Welles in the notorious adaptation of Jacqueline Susann's sensational novel Valley of the Dolls (1967). These memorable roles continue to resonate with audiences today.

But beyond any of it, the glamour, serious drama, pulp fiction, or even the camp, there is an actress who possesses an otherworldly beauty and a depth of character and quality. Not only has she touched our hearts with her performances as these two classic heroines, but she is also one of those recognizable actresses who project strength, confidence, and poise.

Barbara Parkins will undoubtedly be remembered for her portrayal of Betty Anderson Cord in the iconic 1960s prime-time operatic melodrama Peyton Place, which ran from 1964 to 1969.

Based on Grace Metalious's "˜dirty book,' Peyton Place blew the lid off of the hypocritical conformity of small-town America, capturing the complexities of American morality through high drama, showing the dark underbelly of a quaint community of "˜wholesome' families striving for normalcy amid controversial issues. That everything is not safe, it's not always comfortable, and it is without real struggle. And sometimes, life can be downright ugly. Her novel captures the "complexities of human existence"”the dramas, highs and lows, conflicts, and teenage sexuality"”depicting life’s un-romanticized, unvarnished reality. While the book offended some readers, it intrigued others, and despite being a popular show, critics often deem it shocking yet captivating." (The Baltimore Sun 1999 Laurie Kaplan article THE WOMEN OF PEYTON PLACE)

“Barbara Parkins has caught the public's eye, partly because of her beauty, partly because she is a capable little actress. But mostly because she seems to have an inner fire. She's a volcano in a tight dress.'' (From an article BARBARA PARKINS: MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER – Niagra Falls Gazette March, 1965 by Dick Kleiner)

 

Continue reading “Feature & Interview with Iconic Actress, Dancer, and Photographer, Barbara Parkins”

Coming soon to The Last Drive In! My interview with Iconic Raven-haired Actress: Barbara Parkins!

You’ll be able to read my in-depth conversation with the undeniable beauty, dancer/accomplished actress & photographer whose fascinating journey took her from Hollywood to aiming her lens as she travels the world.

Next… I’ll explore director Nicolas Roeg’s haunting meditation on grief – in his adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s Don’t Look Now (1973).

Donald Sutherland in Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now (1973)

And just around the corner, lurking like Mrs. Trafoil is my special project: Deconstructing the Myth of Hag Cinema!

Tallulah Bankhead as Mrs. Trafoil and Stephanie Powers in Die! Die! My Darling! (1965)

This is your EverLovin’ Joey saying: Stay tuned!

TAM LIN 1970 & BABA YAGA 1973 – Ava Gardner & Carroll Baker: THE FAERIE QUEEN"¦ & VALENTINA'S DREAM: Two Hollywood icons in search of mythology. Part 2

Baba Yaga or the Devil Witch the (United Kingdom) titles, or Kiss Me, Kill Me/Black Magic (1973) the (US) titles

“Weird {is} the operative word here. Though framed by a simple story, director Corrado Farina's approach to the film is every bit as avant-garde and surrealist as its source material. The plot had me scratching my head in bewilderment. Compelling visuals kept me watching.'' "” from Brian Lindsey’s Eccentric Cinema review.

☞ SPOILER ALERT:

READ PART 1 Tam Lin HERE

In Slavic/Russian folklore, the Baba Yaga is a strikingly revolting witch who flies around in a giant pestle – and steals and eats children. In the middle of a Russian forest, she lives in a shack built on top of giant chicken legs that can move at will. The folklore Baby Yaga is a sinister, macabre mythological presence, unlike the deviant sensual being that Carroll Baker portrays in Corrado Farina's Euro-horror film. This iteration of Baba Yaga is the seductive sorceress who manages to summon – with simmering antagonism, a world of pain – "˜symbolically' baring her predatory, wanting lips, which desire the heroine – Valentina.

According to the Monthly Film Bulletin review from 1974, critic Geoff Brown noted that he reviewed an 81-minute dubbed version of the film Baba Yaga. Brown stated that “due to 20 minutes of the film being cut and through the English-language dub, “the film had lost some of Farina’s socio-political arguments.” However, Brown also commented that most of these removed elements were reduced to “modish chit-chat” on topics ranging through various ideas.”

In the 70s, while exploring Giallo and Euro-exploitation films, I remember my first shudder and first impression of Baba Yaga. I had the feeling that something odd and erotic had taken place, and for me, it was like waking up from a hazy, surreal dream. Carroll Baker has always captivated me, and in the role of Baba Yaga, I felt she brought a level of Old World Hollywood class to a very provocative horror film.

An Italian/ French co-production, Baba Yaga is a delirious mixture of the supernatural, psychoanalysis, dream interpretation, vivid color schemes, pop art, eroticism, and fetishistic imagery. Baba Yaga, the film, revamps Russian folklore and transports the story into contemporary Milan.

As a stylish arthouse horror film from the 1970s, Baba Yaga explores the borderline between reality and imagination, embracing the sleazy allure of after-dark cinema"”fascinating and perhaps too challenging to define. There are striking elements that establish themselves with a clear sapphic element that already existed in Crepax’s work, creating an eroticized vision seen through the heterosexual ‘male gaze’ and driven by what Laura Mulvey termed "to be looked at-ness" that are kept in Farina’s film.

While I am still drawn to the film as an artifact of this decade's concentrated influence on an unmistakably hybrid genre (Horror, Euro-Exploitation, Giallo), Baba Yaga still manages to weaponize the straight male visual pleasure of actualizing their faulty version of lesbianism and bases the narrative around male sexual fantasies.

Farina and Crepax reveal the inherent bias fueled by a male-centric culture through a lens shaped by a male-centric point of view, which emphasizes the heteronormative expectation of female-female sexual exploitation.

Setting these critical observations aside"¦ The backdrop of Baba Yaga's 1970s fashion and Italian pop culture adds washes of a chic, mod, and bold cinematic experience.

Director Corrado Farina, who had previously envisioned another strange art-horror film, They Have Changed Their Faces (1971), now delivers this strange film with a mesmerizing array of visuals. The film seamlessly transitions from sharp pop design to muted Gothic hues and vents into full-fledged experimental cinema. Farina roams free with unrepentant visual skill frame by frame.

Baba Yaga, adapted from the risqué S&M erotic graphic novel series "˜Valentina' by Guido Crepax, thrives on its invocation and sense of a comic book world. Crepax, who earned his reputation as the world's most seductive cartoonist, stands as one of the eminent figures in the realm of adult comics and garnered greater recognition during the 1960s and 1970s.

Crepax's prominence stems not only from his introduction of erotic themes but also from his innovative approach to storytelling within the medium, incorporating nudity and daring themes.

Continue reading “TAM LIN 1970 & BABA YAGA 1973 – Ava Gardner & Carroll Baker: THE FAERIE QUEEN"¦ & VALENTINA'S DREAM: Two Hollywood icons in search of mythology. Part 2”

A Trailer a Day Keeps the Boogeyman Away! Halloween A-Z

V

The Vampire and the Ballerina 1960

BLOOD-LUSTING FIEND WHO PREYS ON GIRLS! VAMPIRE-QUEEN WHO FEEDS ON LIFEBLOOD OF MEN!

The Vampire and the Ballerina also known as “L’amante del vampiro,” is a 1960 Italian horror film directed by Renato Polselli. The film is notable for its blend of vampire lore and dance elements.

In a remote European village, a ballet troupe arrives at a doctor’s house that lies at the edge of a nearby castle to rehearse. The castle however is inhabited by vampires who seek to use the girl’s blood.

Among the dancers is a beautiful ballerina named Louisa played by Hélène Rémy. The village is rumored to be cursed by the vampires who live in the old ruins. As the ballet troupe rehearses for their performance, they become entangled in a series of gruesome murders.

The Vulture 1966

The Vulture 1966 is a British horror film directed by Lawrence Huntington. It’s an obscure offbeat horror film that has a strange vibe that to me almost feels like a strange fuzzy dream you don't want to bother resorting to Jung to figure out. It is set in The film stars Robert Hutton( Man Without a Body 1957, Invisible Invaders 1959, The Slime People 1963, Trog 1970).

Read my feature on Invisible Invaders HERE:

An American atomic researcher Eric Lutens escapes to Cornwall to take a break from work and visit with his wife Trudy's (Diane Clair) family.

In the heart of this chilling tale, a mythological creature emerges"” with the face and hands of a human but the imposing colossal body of a monstrous vulture that rises up from its grave having been buried alive centuries ago and moved to an old church cemetery, now seeks vengeance on the descendants on those who put it there.

A school teacher Annette Carrell as Ellen West cutting through the church graveyard during a stormy night is frightened beyond belief and the shock sends her hair ghostly white and leaves her in a mental hospital raving mad with her unreal story telling it to anyone who will listen. The livestock are inextricably going missing, one of the local sheep is found torn to bits in a cave.

The unearthing of a golden coin and the revelation of an open grave cast an eerie spotlight on an unusual local legend. Many centuries in the past, a man named Francis Real had fallen under suspicion of practicing witchcraft. He met a gruesome fate, being seized and buried alive alongside his peculiar companion"”a strange vulture-like bird along with a chest filled with valuable gold coins.

The ominous tale went on to recount that Francis Real had sworn an oath to exact revenge upon the descendants of the local squire who had supervised his burial. This unsettling revelation deeply troubles Eric, as it turns out that the cursed man had been an ancestor of Trudy’s, sending chills down their spines as they grapple with the implications of this ominous family connection.

A vigilant gamekeeper catches the faint echo of what appears to be a remarkably large bird flying over the estate owned by Trudy’s eldest surviving relative, Brian Stroud (Broderick Crawford). Intrigued he discovers a mysterious black feather on the ground.

Eric sends it to a renowned expert specializing in local avian species. His hope is that this expert can shed light on the identity of the bird, this feather belongs to. Enter Akim Tamiroff as Professor Koniglich, a local historian who needs to get around using two canes as a result of an accident. He has had dealings with Brian over the years.

Additionally, we meet Brian’s brother, Edward (Gordon Sterne) who resides in a nearby town. Koniglich listens intently to Eric’s story and hints at being intrigued by science. Eric, who works with research on atomic mutation theorizes that someone has been experimenting which ultimately created this giant monstrous bird that carries off Crawford in its gigantic vulture-like talons.

Eric panics and realizes that Trudy is the creature’s next victim. Without a moment to lose, he races back to the quiet Cornish town, but it’s a race against time as Trudy is suddenly snatched from a desolate road near the Professor’s house. The menacing beast with large claws descends from above and snatches her away.

When he gets to the Professor’s and uncovers the astonishing secret concealed within the basement"”an advanced nuclear-powered laboratory. There he finds a skeleton seated at a control panel, alongside a casket that has been broken open containing the gold coins. It appears that the Professor, driven by his obsession with his lust for gold, used his equipment to switch his matter with what lay inside the buried coffin.

But the Professor’s experiment backfired when his atoms mingled with the remains of the bird, resulting in the emergence of a grotesque composite creature that had broken free from its grave.

Making his way to the hidden cave nestled within the cliffs, he confronts the Professor who in a twist is unmasked as having a colossal bird-like body concealed beneath the cloak he had always worn. The reason for the canes. In a climactic showdown, Eric shoots the creature and stumbles into the sea below the cliffs.

Vampire Circus 1972

The Circus of Nights. A hundred delight!

Vampire Circus 1972 is an extraordinarily underrated atmospheric British horror film directed by Robert Young. A village in 19th-century Europe is more than happy to welcome a traveling circus who has broken through the quarantine to take the locals’ minds off the plague. But soon their children begin to disappear and the legacy of a long-ago massacre comes full circle. Vampire Circus stars Adrience Corri as the enigmatic Gypsy and Anthony Higgens as the equally beguiling Emil. John Moulder-Brown as Anton Kersh, Richard Owens as Dr. Kersh, Laurence Payne as Albert Mueller, Thorley Walters as the Burgermeister, Lynn Frederick as Dora Mueller, Domini Blyth as Anna and Mary Wimbush as Elvira.

The story is set in a small European village plagued by a deadly outbreak of the plague. The villagers, fearing for their lives, decide to quarantine the town and prevent anyone from entering or leaving. However, a mysterious and theatrical circus that create a fairytale atmosphere once it arrives in the village, seemingly out of nowhere.

The circus, led secretly by the enigmatic Count Mitterhaus, played by Robert Tayman, becomes a source of fascination and curiosity for the villagers. Little do they know that this circus is no ordinary one. It is a front for a group of vampires who have come to the village to satisfy their thirst for blood and revenge. It’s been 15 years since the village slain the evil Count Mitterhause, yet they have been living under his shadow ever since. A plague has left them cut off from the world and they believe the Count has cursed them.

The circus finally seems to bring a little joy into the lives of these tormented souls performing acrobatics, and feats of magic changing themselves into animals. But this traveling horror show has come to avenge their Count’s death and use of the blood of their victims to resurrect him from his tomb.

As the circus performances unfold, the vampires use their supernatural abilities to seduce and feed upon the villagers, leading to a series of gruesome deaths. Among the victims is the village teacher’s daughter, whose death prompts her father and a group of locals to confront the malevolent circus and its colorful performing vampires.

Alternatie versions:
The BBFC examiners originally required heavy cuts to the film but many of these were successfully waived after Hammer consulted BBFC head Stephen Murphy. Among the cuts were shots of Hauser’s burnt face (reduced from 2 to 1), a face stabbing during the opening skirmish in the castle (removed completely), some bloody shots during the climactic decapitation, the whipping of Gerta, erotic elements of the circus ‘whip’ dance, and shots of the mutilated panther victims in the forest. However the latter scenes seem to have been reduced rather than cut, leaving the results somewhat ambiguous. It is unlikely that the cut footage still survives, and all later video and DVD releases feature the UK cinema print.

 This is your EverLovin’ Joey Sayin’ V is for our Victory over that Boogeyman! Now wait a minute… I think I hear the soft and eerie Wailing of the letter W!

A Trailer a Day Keeps the Boogeyman Away! Halloween A-Z

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The Unknown 1927

LINK HERE: TO CHANEY BLOGATHON & my tribute to The Unknown

A glimpse at The Lon Chaney Blogathon and some fantastic submissions HERE:

The Unknown is a compelling 1927 silent horror film directed by Tod Browning, starring the great Lon Chaney in a memorable and transformative performance. It is based on the uncredited novel of Mary Roberts Rinehart, with visual poetry photographed by cinematographer Merritt B. Gerstad (The Man Who Reclaimed His Head 1934, Night at the Opera 1935, Watch on the Rhine 1943, noir Conflict 1945).

The film tells the story of Alonzo the Armless, a criminal on the run who disguises himself as a circus performer. Alonzo is a criminal on the run who pretends to be armless, hiding his double-thumb deformity so as not to be recognized by the authorities who know his unmistakable trademark. In the circus, he falls in love with the beautiful Nanon, played by Joan Crawford, a young woman with a fear of being touched by men’s hands and arms due to a traumatic experience in her past that is never touched upon. Alonzo goes to extreme lengths to win the love and loyalty of Nanon who feels safe in his presence and safe with his friendship. He gets an ironic kick in the thumbs after he journeys to secure her love when he learns she has fallen in love with Norman Kerry as Malabar the strong man.

Tod Browning knows how to shock the audience with his unorthodox narratives, (Freaks 1932). I will be delving into Browning’s fascinating work further down the road here at The Last Drive In.

Lon Chaney’s performance in The Unknown is nothing short of extraordinary. Known as the “Man of a Thousand Faces,” Chaney was renowned for his ability to physically transform himself for roles. In this film, he goes to great lengths, strapping his arms tightly to his body and contorting himself to create the illusion of armlessness. His physicality and expressions convey the torment and obsession of his character, making Alonzo a haunting and sympathetic figure.

As the story unfolds, Alonzo’s twisted obsession with Nanon and his desperation to win her love lead to a series of shocking and macabre events, culminating in a horrifying climax.

“The Unknown” is celebrated not only for Lon Chaney’s remarkable performance but also for its dark and disturbing narrative, which explores themes of obsession, identity, and psychological horror. The film is a classic of silent cinema and stands as a testament to Chaney’s unparalleled talent for bringing complex and tortured characters to life.

Lon Chaney’s performance as Alonzo the Armless in “The Unknown” is widely regarded as one of the highlights of his illustrious career. Chaney’s portrayal of this complex and tormented character is a testament to his extraordinary talent and dedication to his craft. Chaney’s commitment to his roles was legendary, and in “The Unknown,” he physically transformed himself to an astonishing degree. He bound his arms tightly to his body to create the illusion of armlessness, a feat that required incredible discipline and contortion. This dedication to authenticity is a hallmark of Chaney’s performances, and it adds a layer of realism to the character.

Despite the absence of dialogue in silent films, Chaney was a master of conveying emotions and intentions through his facial expressions and body language. As Alonzo, he effectively conveys the character’s inner torment, obsession, and desperation. His ability to emote without words is particularly striking and contributes to the depth of the character. Alonzo the Armless is a deeply complex character. He is a criminal on the run, but he also harbors a twisted obsession with the object of his affection, Nanon. Chaney’s performance brings out the character’s dark and multifaceted nature, making Alonzo simultaneously sympathetic and unsettling. This complexity adds layers to the film’s psychological horror elements.

The Undying Monster 1942

The Undying Monster is a 1942 Gothic horror film directed by John Brahm and based on the novel of the same name by Jessie Douglas Kerruish, originally published in 1922 and often hailed as one of the finest works in the werewolf genre. The screenplay was written by Lillie Hayward and Michael Jacoby.

Released by 20th Century Fox in 1942, The Undying Monster is a classic B-movie that stands out for its exceptional craftsmanship. Directed by John Brahm, who would later make a name for himself with a brief stint in A-list cinema (known for films like “The Lodger,” “Hangover Square,” and “The Brasher Doubloon”), showcases Brahm’s talent for infusing an A-level sensibility into a B-movie experience. He would eventually venture into the medium of television.

The Undying Monster distinguishes itself as a well-executed gem because of John Brahm’s eye for drawing out a plausible mystery on screen, combined with a talented cast including James Ellison, Heather Angel, John Howard, Bramwell Fletcher, Heather Thatcher, Aubrey Mather, and Halliwell Hobbes.

The film tells the story of the Hammond family, with Heather Angel as Helga and John Howard as Oliver who live in a remote English mansion that has been plagued by a mysterious and deadly curse for centuries.

John Hammond is the descendant of a fated lineage plagued by a malevolent curse, one that has long cast a shadow over his family, claiming the life of the eldest heir in each generation. Faced with the impending doom of this dark legacy, John enlists the assistance of a trusted friend to delve into the haunting mystery that has tormented the Hammonds for centuries.

Their relentless pursuit of the truth leads them down a winding path of discovery, unveiling an age-old Viking curse that dooms the Hammond men to transform into insatiable beasts once they reach a certain age.

The Hammonds are no strangers to tragedy, as each male member of the family has met a gruesome and untimely death. When the curse strikes again, killing the family’s patriarch, the authorities become involved.

John Howard, (renowned for his role as Paramount’s Bulldog Drummond) plays Oliver an unwitting “victim” of the ominous family curse when his beloved canine companion meets a tragic end at the hands of an unseen killer on fog-laden night, soon thereafter, a person is killed by the same unknown force prompting the intervention of Scotland Yard to delve into the sinister mysteries that shroud the Hammond family’s dark history. Hammond’s delicate sister Helga is the woman in peril, and Walter the butler (Halliwell Hobbes) is definitely hiding something. Dr. Jeff Colbert (Bramwell Fletcher) is a suspicious character too, perhaps he has his eye set on Heater Angel though her love interest is James

is he just jealous of Robert Curtis’s (James Ellison) attraction to Heather Angel, or is there something more going on? He is certainly hiding something.

The Undead 1957

The Undead is a 1957 American horror film directed by Roger Corman and written by Charles B. Griffith and Mark Hanna who wrote Attack of the 50ft Woman in 1958.

Pamela Duncan plays prostitute Diana Love, enlisted by two psychic researchers to undergo a hypnotic regression conducted by a psychologist, Dr. Pendragon (Richard Garland), Under hypnosis, Diana is transported back in time to the Middle Ages, where she assumes the identity of Helene, a condemned witch facing execution by beheading.

As Helene, Diana becomes embroiled in a complex and perilous plot involving witchcraft, sorcery, and a vengeful sorceress named Livia, played by 50s scream queen Allison Hayes. Throughout the film, Diana/Helene experiences a series of trials, facing both supernatural and human threats, as she tries to find a way to alter her fate and escape her impending execution.

Mel Welles plays Smolkin the Gravedigger, Dorothy Newman plays the witch, Meg Maude, Bruno VeSota plays Scroop the innkeeper, Billy Barty is an animated mischievous imp, Dick Miller is a leper, and Richard Devon is Satan himself.

Corman is known for his resourcefullness – filmed in 6 days, the sets for the film were all built inside a converted supermarket.

This was one of a handful of reincarnation films in the late 50s to be inspired by the book ‘The Search for Bridey Murphy’ by Morey Bernstein

The prop bats were left over from Corman’s It Conquered the World 1956.

 

This is your EverLovin Joey Sayin’ U are safe with me here at The Last Drive in! Now let’s veer off toward the letter V for voracious, villains and vampires! But no Voldemorts or Voorhees, Jason or his crazy ass mother Pamela!

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