gross-6

(2012-04-29 13:03:55)

An intriguing and highly evocative film that defies easy categorization

Although the story could have easily been adapted into a gritty film noir,director Frank Borzage turns it into a dreamlike, and even romantic, sagaofguilt and expiation. The plot is simple and uncomplicated. No cynical,wisecracking dialogue; no hard-boiled detectives or double-crossing femmefatales. The small town setting with frequent rural scenes creates a worldfar removed from the unusual noir cityscape. The love story unfolds withboth strong sexual attraction and delicacy. Imbued with a strong atmosphereand vision all its own, MOONRISE resists easy classification. Like THENIGHTOF THE HUNTER, it succeeds in creating a drama of mythic resonance in anAmerican rural setting.

Kalaman

(2012-04-28 17:38:32)

Borzage's last great masterpiece

"Moonrise" is director Frank Borzage's most astonishingly beautifulfilms;his best known work, his last great film, and yet it is also veryatypicalof his work. The story is film noirish and deliberately departs from thekind of soft-focus, tender love stories Borzage specialized in (e.g."Man'sCastle", "Little Man,What Now?"). As some critics have pointed out, thefilm's formal, experimental blend of neo-Expressionism and rural lyricismanticipates Charles Laughton's "The Night of the Hunter", but unlikeLaughton's film, "Moonrise" strangely retains Borzage's sense ofromanticismand transcendence. "Moonrise" concerns Danny Hawkins (Dane Clark), thesonof a convicted murderer, who unexpectedly kills one of his tormenters(LloydBridges). Not wanting to relive his father's fate, he has to confront theconsequences of his crime as he is chased by the authority. He flees fromthe police and falls in love with Gilly Johnson (the beautiful GailRussell)and their love both relieves and transcends the problems that are keepingthem apart.

movingpicturegal

(2012-04-28 00:12:53)

Atmospheric, Bad Dreamlike, Emotional Mood Piece

Really interesting photography and moody music sets the tone in thisvery stylish, excellent film noir about a troubled, bitter man who hasa rather bad temper caused by the treatment he has received over theyears based on the hanging of his father for murder. One youth whotaunted him in childhood has now become a rival for a young lady headmires and in an act of violence and anger, he ends up killing thisbully with a rock. But - during the crime he drops his pocket knifewhich is picked up by a local man who is deaf and mute.This film is very dark and atmospheric, full of facial close-ups,shadowy rooms, and an interestingly photographed ferris wheel ride withcop and panicky murderer in separate seats as the wheel goes round andround. Well done performances by all, I thought Dane Clark veryconvincing in his role - he really comes across as broody and bitter.Ethel Barrymore really good in her small, but effective part as hisgrandmother and Harry Morgan very memorable as the deaf-mute young man.I saw this film on the big screen and the print looked really great,with very sharp black and white contrast. A first-rate film.

bob the moo

(2012-04-27 14:46:43)

Surprisingly dark and effective story told with atmospheric direction and a great performance from Dane Clark

Danny Hawkins is still suffering from a traumatic childhood where hewas teased and bullied relentlessly because his father had killed a manand been executed. Decades after leaving school Danny is throw into astate of temporary rage when another man (Jerry Sykes) makes fun of himfor this very reason and from the resulting struggle he kills Jerry.Instantly regretting it, he is placed under suspicion and tries toescape but only finds himself trapped in more than one way by his crimeand that of his father.From the title alone I had no specific hopes for this film other thanjust using it to fill a bit of time while I did some ironing. However,once it opens with a well-directed and atmospheric moment of madnesscrossed with flashbacks I was taken by it and held with it even if itnever consistently reached that height again. The plot isstraightforward but has some surprisingly dark elements within it thatmake it worth seeing. The haunted character of Danny is the main reasonthat it is interesting, whether it be in the dialogue or in the visualtouches (such as Danny and the raccoon coming face to face with muchshared emotion).Of course a big part of this working was a great performance from Clarkwho really gets into his character and dominates the film in animpressive manner. His performance is also helped by the good directionthat frames interesting shots throughout the film, is imaginative whenit needs to be and uses shadows really well; only in the final fewminutes did I feel it lost this tone and delivered a morally satisfyingthat was required by the period. Support playing from Russell,Barrymore and others is OK but nobody really gets close to Clark; thatsaid, it is amusing to see early appearances from Bridges and Morgan insmall roles.Overall this is an enjoyable film that feels quite imaginative despiteits rather straightforward narrative on the surface. The directionproduces a good atmosphere and clever shots while the material has amoral darkness and complexity to it that works well even if it doestend to chicken out near the end. All this is delivered really well byClark who eats up the scenery in some scenes while also being able tointernalise a lot of stuff surprisingly well for what came across as arather low budget affair. Worth seeing for what it does well.

dougdoepke

(2012-04-19 17:53:32)

Worth a Closer Look

Plagued by his father's crime and ridiculed by others, Danny Hawkins(Clark) confronts an outcast's life in a small southern town.When old Mose addresses the dog as Mr. Dog or the guitar as Mr. Guitar,we realize a long suppressed desire for human dignity and respect. Ifthe black man Mose (Ingram) can't get that from the larger community,at least he can create his own little world where all worthy things getrespect. I think that's why he lives alone. But despite hisestrangement, he hasn't lost perspective. As he says, he wants torejoin the human race, and it's easy to suppose the larger communityneeds to change by rising to his level, rather than vice-versa. Thentoo, when he says dogs should not be used to hunt humans, there's aveiled echo of Jim Crow, covert Hollywood style.It's only natural that another outcast Danny Hawkins would be drawn toMose, his only friend. Their scenes together are beautifully performedand sensitively scripted. Note how the subject of "bad blood" and freewill comes up elliptically. Danny is haunted by his father's crime andfears it has become his own destiny (the Sykes murder). In Danny'seyes, it's as if he's fated by the blood he's inherited. But Mose knowssomething about the racial aspect of "bad blood", and insists thatblood is no more than "red" and doesn't tell you "what you have to do".This means Danny must overcome the spectre of genetic determinism bybecoming his own person and taking responsibility for his own actions.It's only then, by acknowledging a sense of free will, that Danny canescape the burden of inherited guilt.Of course, it's through Gilly's (Russell) unconditional love that Dannyfinds the redemption he needs. By releasing himself to that bond, heexperiences an emotion strong enough to overcome the haunting sense ofinherited fate. At the same time, he can only overcome the anguish ofpersonal guilt for the crime he has committed by owning up to thecrime, and confronting the inevitable I-told-you-so's". In Mose'sterms, there's a heavy price he must pay for rejoining the human race. The character of Billy Scripture (Morgan) is often overlooked, butremains a mysterious and profound presence. A simple-minded mute, he'sanother outcast and frequent figure of ridicule. However, unlike Danny,he remains sweet-tempered and forgiving despite the provocations. Evenwhen nearly strangled by a desperate Danny, he responds with adifficult yet forgiving smile, a touching and unforgettable moment. Inhis own mute way, he appears to understand an underlying theme—thatanger and alienation are symptoms and not causes. His name, I believe,is no accident.In terms of the movie itself, the cast is superb. Clark may not havebeen director Borzage's first choice; nevertheless he comes up with avivid and nuanced performance. Catch his many anguished expressions.Just as importantly, he doesn't look like a Hollywood leading man, nordoes he bring the associations of a big-name star to the role. Inshort, he's perfect. Also, the famously edgy Russell shows none of thathere. In fact, she projects one of the rarest qualities found in anylove story, namely, genuine warmth. Her ethereal good looks also fitperfectly into the plot, and it's no stretch to see Danny changing hislife for her sake. Then there's the quiet dignity of Ingram's Mose. Hissterling character now looks like evolution from the caricatures of the1930's to the assertive civil rights movement of the 50's. Too bad, theactor is largely forgotten. I guess my only reservation is withBarrymore. Her grandma strikes me as too stagey and "grand" (an aptterm from another reviewer). Still and all, it's a fine, colorful cast,even down to bit players.Now, as good as these elements are, it's because of director Borzagethat they're lifted into the realm of cinematic art. From hypnoticopening to pastoral close, the visual enchantment wraps around like anenveloping dreamscape— (the eerie sets are also a testament to lowlyRepublic's art department, the glittering impressionist photography toJohn Russell). Borzage's enclosed world is a world of artisticimagination that's at once both mesmerizing and compelling. But just asimportantly, he's a filmmaker who clearly believes in the material. Asothers point out, he's that rarest of the breed, a director whogenuinely believes in romantic love and its redemptive power, and notmerely as a movie cliché. At the same time, it's the power of thatvision that merges the movie's elements into a single dynamic whole.There are so many memorable moments and characters—the "hep-cat" sodajerk, the Methuslah old man, the gallery lined-up for arriving trains.But, I guess the high point for me is when Danny must shake the raccoonfrom the safety of the tree, seeing his own fate in the hapless animaland knowing that if he doesn't he may betray his own guilt. Here,script, acting, and direction come together brilliantly to create atruly shattering moment. All in all, the film may not rise to the levelof a masterpiece, but it does stand as a work of considerable artisticachievement, and one that's stayed with me since I first saw it as aboy. And I'm glad the internet provides an opportunity for me to sharethat appreciation in a public way.

antcol8

(2012-04-19 07:27:51)

One of the most beautiful American films

Moonrise is made with such care. It is visually both expressive andrestrained. It exhibits a remarkable feel for nuance in language (thewords of the soda jerk who constantly speaks in late '30's hipsterslang being the most obvious sign of this). The film is morally complexand avoids any easy resolutions. For example, Dane Clark as DannyHawkins seems genuinely disturbed and doesn't turn this into some kindof Ray Milland/James Dean tour de force. Probably he didn't have thechops. But still, this is one of the most affecting things about thefilm: his hurt goes so deep, neither friendship nor love nor pleasurenor any sense of purpose can really sway it. His emotional violenceseems so chimerical that it barely feels like "acting". Rex Ingram asMose plays his role with an enormous sense of gravitas and dignity,something one rarely sees in Black characters in films of this period.He enables, sure, but he also speaks in his own voice. This isconsistent with the film's palpably Southern, swampy atmosphere - it isamazing how Borzage can make studio sets speak like that.The brilliantexpressionist opening is often remarked upon, but I also love theelegant, understated crane shot that privileges the couple's ghostly,beautiful dance in the abandoned mansion. And Moonrise (like Murnau'sSunrise, Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train, Sirk's Tarnished Angels,Lewis' Gun Crazy, Siegel's The Lineup etc.) makes use of the belovedGerman Expressionist trope which counterpoises the calculated massentertainment of Carnivals with the particularity of an individual'scrisis or tragedy. I wish there was a whole study written on thistheme. While on this subject, I just want to say a little more aboutthe traces of other films I perceive here. Moonrise's connection toNight of the Hunter has often been noted, and the debt to Murnau andSunrise seems obvious, although Borzage was making a couple of hisgreatest films at the same moment Murnau was making his masterpiece(both were using Janet Gaynor as their star). One small caveat: I findthe ending of this film perhaps a little abrupt, but it is consistentwith the film's "moral universe". Which is not too high - faluting aterm to use while speaking of this film. Moonrise is a minormasterpiece - why isn't it better known?

imogensara_smith

(2012-04-08 06:15:18)

Southern Gothic Noir about the persistence of hate and—this is Borzage—the redemptive power of love

Of all the directors who made both silent and sound films, FrankBorzage may have been the most successful at carrying over the silentstyle: he never abandoned his sublime romanticism, and he continued totell stories visually. Moonrise is not just beautifully filmed, notjust atmospheric, it actually uses imagery with the expressive andcommunicative power I associate with late silent movies. A hand pursuesa fly across a tablecloth as a sheriff questions a suspect; a knifewhittles a stick almost to the breaking point; goldfish swim in a bowlbehind the head of a man who feels trapped in a conversation. Suchobvious symbolism may sound hokey, but Borzage knows how to use it tocreate a heightened, evocative film that makes us feel we are insidethe characters' heads. Other Borzage talkies that I've seen have beenflawed, and I thought his style didn't translate very well from thesilent era, but despite several over-the-top moments, everything inMoonrise works. The love story is as touching and convincing as thosein his great silents, and even the comedy relief from a jive-talkingsoda jerk and an ancient Civil War vet succeeds.The movie opens with an expressionistic sequence, using only shadowsand striking visual details, that lays out the story's premise: a manis hanged for murder, and his son is tormented and bullied throughouthis childhood because of his "shameful" parentage. Danny Hawkins (DaneClark) grows into a tortured adult, lonely and gentle, but also prey touncontrollable rage and the fear that his "bad blood" destines him torepeat his father's crime. The first scene, set at an outdoor danceheld near the swamps, introduces a nasty Southern small town communityin which young people laughingly taunt a retarded deaf-mute. Danny getsin a fight in the woods with his lifelong nemesis, and in an ambiguouscombination of self-defense and revenge, crushes his skull with a rock.The remainder of the film follows the gradual unraveling of this crime,and Danny's growing relationship with Gilly Johnson (Gail Russell), abeautiful and civilized schoolteacher who is initially put off by, thenirresistibly drawn to, this rough and troubled man.Dane Clark never quite made it out of the B-list, but in Moonrise hegot the role of a lifetime, and no one could have played it better. Hehas a fist-clenched fighter's stance and dark wounded-animal eyes, arugged face softened by long, thick eyelashes, and a deep, husky,sorrowful voice. Though we identify with him completely, Danny oftenbehaves irrationally and badly; in one wrenching scene, he nearlystrangles the deaf man he has always protected, and is horrified athimself. Gail Russell, an actress famously crippled by stage-fright anddependent on alcohol, makes the loveliest of Noir's "good angels," herdark beauty lit by an intense, melancholy stillness. In the latter partof the film she looks like a heavenly messenger of mercy in her whitetrench coat, but she is also a believable and fully-rounded character,especially charming in the exquisite scene where the lovers meet in aderelict plantation mansion. Gilly pretends they are attending an oldSouthern soiree, and they waltz without music in the dark, cobwebbedparlor.Danny's only friend is Mose, one of those saintly African Americancharacters who often turn up in films of the forties. Rex Ingram'sstrong performance transcends stereotype; though all-wise, he is also alonely, somewhat embittered character, who says he has "resigned fromthe human race," and who addresses his hunting dogs as "Mister,"because, "There's not enough dignity in the world." Harry Morgan isflawless in the mute role of another outcast, the retarded man wholooks up to Danny. And Lloyd Bridges, though he is only on screen forabout five minutes, makes an indelible addition to his collection ofloathsome, cowardly bullies.Did Borzage ever make a film that wasn't about the redemptive power oflove? If so, I haven't seen it. But Moonrise is also about thepersistence of hate and the way people can be robbed of their humanityby degrading treatment. It demonstrates as well as any film Borzage'stwo great gifts: his expressive and dynamic visual sense, and hisability to draw intensely heartfelt performances from his actors. In alove scene shot in silhouette against lace-curtained windows, Borzageproves that the transcendent romanticism of the silent screen isn'tincompatible with sound. And with help from Dane Clark, he creates aportrait of a mind haunted by the past and at war with itself, theessential Noir predicament.

sol1218

(2012-04-07 18:16:49)

Lunar Cycles

***SPOILERS*** Eerie and haunting film that has to do with a man whohad the "Mark of Cain" stamped on his forehead almost as soon as he wasborn. It was Danny Hawkin's, Dane Clark, misfortune to have his dadcompletely lose it and blow away the doctor who delivered him after hismom died in childbirth! With the senior Hawkins tried convicted andexecuted, by hanging, for murder Danny had to live with that fact aswell as taunts from his schoolmates that his father, a convictedmurderer, died swinging at the end of a rope.Now all grown up Danny is confronted by one of his many antagonistsback from grade school Jerry Sykes, Lloyd Bridges, who picks a fightwith him not over what happened to his dad but because he suspects thathis girls at the dance Gilly Johnson, Gail Russell, made eyes at Danny.In a bruising knock down and drag out slug-fest Danny gets the betterof Jerry by smashing his head in with the rock that he intended to dothe same thing to Danny with! Hiding Jerry's body deep in the woodsDanny is now confronted with the fact that he like his dad will end uppaying for his crime, which in fact was a clear case of self-defense,with his life! Filled with guilt over Jerry's death Danny slowly startsto unravel and subconsciously tries to turn himself into the police, orlocal sheriff, in what he did. But the memory of his dad being a bothconvicted and executed murderer kept him from doing that! In fact itmade him more violent and unstable then he ever was before!Overlooked film noir classic that hasn't been shown on TV since atleast the early 1970's or as of yet not released on video or DVD. Inthe film Danny struggles with his conscience in what to do in the caseof Jerry's death that he was the cause of. Confused and violent proneDanny risks his life in almost driving his car, carrying his friends,off the road in a blinding rain storm just to get the dead Jerry, whokeeps popping up in front of his headlights, out of his mind!Danny gets so deranged that he even attacks and almost strangles deftmute Billy Scripture, Harry Morgan, whom he was always protecting, fromthe local bullies who made fun of him, over a jackknife that he droppedat scene of Jerry's death. That even when Billy was about to hand itover to him! It was the combination of Danny's Grandma, EthelBarrymore, and the kindly and philosophical local dog handler Moses,Rex Ingram, who made Danny see the light in what he did, kill in selfdefense, and not end up the way his dad did.***SPOILERS*** Being new in town Gilly, the towns new school teacher,could see what was driving her now, after Jerry left the scene, newboyfriend Danny Hawkins to the brink of self-destruction even thoughshe had no idea what was behind it: Danny's father being executed formurder. Gilly together with Moses and the understanding and kindhearted Sheriff Clem Otis, Allyn Joslyn, had Danny finally came to hissenses and instead of being hunted down like an animal in the WestVirginia woods turned himself into the arms of the law, sheriff Otis,to face his punishment. And do it with his head up high and not havingto be handcuffed.

Michael Neumann

(2012-04-05 20:46:35)

crime and punishment in the backwoods

The claustrophobic atmosphere of a studio bayou provides the visualattraction in this subdued but stylish melodrama, a parable of guiltand redemption set in a small, backwoods Southern town. The hero is apathetic young man unable to cope with the memory of his dead father,who was executed for murder while his son was still an infant. Drivenby the tainting and teasing of his peers, he commits a similar crime ofhis own, disposing the body in the local swamp. A fondness for hisvictim's girlfriend further disrupts his already fragile emotionalequilibrium, but up until the final scenes the film is distinguished bya welcome lack of clichГѓВ©s or histrionics.

dbdumonteil

(2012-04-05 14:08:02)

The shadow on the cradle.

During all his childhood ,Danny had only known ragging.Being the son ofa hanged man was not easy when your school pals kept laughing at you.Wecan comprehend Danny's hate for Jerry Snykes ,the boy born silver spoonin hand ,whose father is a banker .The resentment had been building up for years.Not only Danny was aninnocent victim ,but he also showed compassion for the half-wit,thetown youth's punching bag.As grandma says,he is a good guy ,and so washis father,another unfortunate victim of fate .When Danny tries to join the human race,that is to say when he falls inlove with Gilly ,it's too late: "why do you always take me far from theothers?" she complains.The scene at the fair could be a respite : thisis a place dear to Borzage;you may remember Margaret Sullavan on acarousel in "little man what now? " and there's a similar scene in"Liliom" .But the big wheel is also a trap.Filmed in black and white ,often in the dark,in a desperate atmosphere,"Moonrise" is an extraordinary film noir.It nearly matched thebrilliance of Borzage's precedent decade.

(2012-04-03 12:57:13)

Watch your back!

Moonrise is a dark mystery in the old film noir sense. A little slow moving but with a surprising ending. Lovely Linda Lombard (one of the dancers)is a friend, still beautiful and living in Florida.

grubstaker58

(2012-04-03 09:43:26)

fatally flawed would be classic

Moonrise -a beautifully produced vision of a Southern Gothic tale by amaster veteran director -Frank Borzage .Very much like "Night of theHunter" , "Moonrise" blends Film Noir into a rural dream scape.Theshadow of F.W. Murnau looms large across both films. Moonrise displayssumptuous looking cinematography by John Russell (who tries out theswinging ceiling light in one violent scene that he would later employin Hitchcock's "Psycho").Kudos to set designer(s) for the fine looking"Deep South" look, from the shabby shack to main street to the theCounty Fair and the old abandoned mansion. The Cast- Gail Russell who'sethereal beauty is perfect for this film(or any other film for thatmatter) plays the town school teacher "Gilly Johnson". Allyn Joslyn isexceptional as the fair minded understated town Sheriff "Clem Otis".RexIngram equally fine as a wise coon hunter on the edge of town"Mose".Lloyd Bridges has a very short stay in the film as the richbully "Jerry Sykes". Now who is the lead actor of this much praisedfilm? Uh..would you believe Dane Clark? I didn't. Not all his fault.The part, as written, is the most unlikeable and incredulous aspect ofthe film. If there already wasn't a village idiot(Harry Morgan'scharacter) Clark's "Danny Hawkins would be front runner for that tag.Heseems more than borderline psychotic and wanders through most of thefilm as if brain damaged- displaying behavior and blurting utterancesthat left this viewer shaking his head .(You have got to bekidding!)His scenes with Gail Russel(Romance??) are none too believableand a more than a bit creepy. Maybe a Farley Granger or John Derekmight have lent more credibility to the love angle .Moonrise -a goodmovie-coulda been great.

Wayne Malin

(2012-03-30 23:15:21)

Good but not great

Danny Hawkins (Dane Clark) is a very angry young man. His father washung for murder and he was taunted about it for years by otherchildren. Now he's in his 20s and angry. He accidentally kills a manduring a fight over a girl they both love (Gail Russell). He getsscared and hides the body...but the guilt eats away at him.The first part of this is great. The direction is assured and there aresome incredibly beautiful shots. It has an appropriately gloomyatmosphere and Clark is very good in his role. It all leads up to atruly incredible scene on a Ferris wheel...then the movie falls topieces. It comes to a screeching halt with people talking again andagain and AGAIN about the same subject. The acting, direction andcinematography remain good but the script just gets repetitious. So,all in all, it IS a good movie but drags towards the end. I can onlygive this a 5.

Steve Eifert

(2012-03-30 12:09:39)

Excellent Film Noir

Dream-like dark film about a man driven to murder. Aside from thesoundtrack and the lack of southern accents, this movie shines. A greatb-movie with great visuals. Check out star Dane Clark goes eye to eye witha racoon, realizing they're both trapped with no escape. The film's notforeveryone, but if you like b&w film noir you should dig this oneup.

(2012-03-22 02:06:02)

MOODY FILM NOIR

A grim but effective crime melodrama, MOONRISE stars the pensive, expansive Clark as the son of a murderer who was hanged for his crimes. Clark is haunted by his father's past and tormented by his peers in a small southern town where his only friend is the incredibly beautiful Russell, (I thought Gail Russell had the loveliest eyes of any actress in films!) who's in love with him. A somewhat lethargic film, director Borzage nevertheless carefully develops his characters and fine performances are rendered by all. John L.Russell's photography is exceptional and that opening shot is astonishing!

edwagreen

(2012-03-21 18:33:54)

Moonrise-The Sun Shines on this Film ***1/2

Dane Clark shines in the part made for Montgomery Clift or JohnGarfield.When his father killed the town doctor for misdiagnosing his wife'sillness and was hung for it, his young son was taunted about thekilling in a small southern town for years and years later followingthe tragedy.He is finally literally driven to murder when the taunting continues asa young adult. Of course, he kills the guy who loved the girl he wasafter.Allyn Joslyn shines as the law officer with a heart. You really feel atpicture's end that Clark will beat the rap.As his loving grandmother, Ethel Barrymore is her usual terrific selfwith that esteemed craggy voice.Conservatives will bristle at this picture since a killing is akilling. However, the film is done with heart and vivid emotion.

lora64

(2012-03-19 07:49:39)

Story-telling at its best

I was 11 years old when I first saw this film and, being so young, I onlyrecalled that it was a haunting tale of misdeeds, guilt, and romance. And ofcourse I developed a crush on Dane Clark at an early age!After 50 years I've had the privilege of seeing it again and was very muchabsorbed into the atmosphere of this fine drama which takes you through manylevels of emotion.What impressed me most was the gradual unfolding, or dissolving, of thetumultuous emotional grip which anger and revenge had wrought on Danny (DaneClark) throughout his life, who seemed overwhelmingly burdened by the pastguilt of his father, and some would not let him forget it. No doubt livingin a small town only added to the difficulties since everyone knew theirneighbour, not like city life would be.The actors are first-rate here and do justice to every phase of the story.Ethel Barrymore as Grandma has a way of bringing so much authenticity to thestory. Gail Russell as Gilly is superb and exquisite in the romantic leadalthough she too is troubled by Danny's behaviour for much of the film andtries to help him. Henry Morgan in this film was my first encounter with himand of course he went on to greater fame in later life as anactor.Since this film is based on a novel, I think I just might get out there andbuy the book! When a movie is that intriguing it's interesting to trace itto its source.

seymourblack-1

(2012-03-18 17:00:02)

Cursed, Stigmatised & Abused

Two strengths of this movie are seen at a very early stage as it startsparticularly strongly and also conveys a great deal of importantinformation about the main character's history by using visual means.The opening montage is very effective as it sets the foundation for thestory and also establishes the visual style of the piece.Appropriately, some impressive low key lighting is used which istotally compatible with the rather grim and troubling nature of thedrama that follows.Danny Hawkins (Dane Clark) is the son of a man who was hanged formurder and during his childhood had regularly been taunted and bulliedby his contemporaries. Some years later, as a young man, Danny getsinvolved in a fight with one of his childhood tormentors called JerrySykes (Lloyd Bridges) and unintentionally kills him in self defence anddumps his body in a swamp. He doesn't realise that he's left his pocketknife behind at the scene of the fight and goes on to the local dancehall where he dances with Gilly Johnson (Gail Russell), a schoolteacher who's engaged to be married to Jerry.Danny has a close friend, an older man called Mose Johnson (Rex Ingram)who like himself is an ex-railroad employee. Mose lives in a shackclose to a swamp and keeps a number of dogs which he uses on hunts forraccoons. On one such hunt, the dogs find Jerry's body which is dulyremoved and taken to the coroner's office.Danny and Gilly's growing relationship is noticed by the local sheriffClem Otis (Allyn Joslyn) and when the couple are on a Ferris wheel rideat a fairground at the same time as Clem and his wife, Danny becomesoverwhelmed with guilt, panics and jumps off the structure injuringhimself in the process.A little time later, when he sees that Billy Scripture (Henry Morgan)who's a mentally retarded deaf mute has found his knife, Danny againpanics and attacks his friend and almost strangles him to death. Hethen starts to feel that time is running out and that he'll soon bearrested and so goes to his grandmother's home where some informationthat she provides leads him to re-evaluate many of the issues which hadaffected him so profoundly over the years."Moonrise" looks as if it was made on a modest budget and verysuccessfully evokes the sense of confinement that can pervade life in asmall community. The acting is of a consistently good standard and thescreenplay is entertaining with lines such as "sometimes murder is likelove, it takes two to commit". This remark is typical of some of themore sagacious and philosophical outpourings which emanate from bothClem and Mose. These two men are colourful characters whose style iswell fitted to the rather laid back pace of the environment in whichthey live.Danny is a genuinely tragic character who was unfairly stigmatised andabused because of something which was completely outside of hiscontrol. His torment and emotional turmoil ate away at him until hebecame convinced that he had "bad blood" in his veins and his outburstsof uncontrollable anger nearly led to Billy's death and also to threeof his friends almost being killed in a car accident which he caused.Dane Clark portrayed the full range of his tortured character'semotions with great skill and authenticity in what was unquestionably,a very commendable performance.

(2012-03-15 21:38:19)

Grandma Saves Her Boy

I just couldn't buy Dane Clark as the Virginian hillbilly. Clark was born in Brooklyn and educated at Cornell; I'd say miscast!Allyn Joslyn is convincing in a strong performance as the philosophical sheriff.Rex Ingram is solid and almost steals the film as the wise old Negro.Lloyd Bridges is excellent in a small role.However, the ending is just too lame and kills the movie for me with Grandma, played by Ethel Barrymore, convincing Clark to do the right thing. PLEASE.But, it is entertaining enough to warrant a look and the photography of John L Russell hits a home run.

cairnsdavid

(2012-03-15 08:49:47)

An Astonishment

MOONRISE shines. Borzage brings expressionist silent movie technique tobearon what is really more a melodrama than a film noir, a tale of guilt andredemption ultimately close to his romantic concerns. The difference isthedegree of psychological angst we have to go through with the protagonistinorder to reach it. Borzage's technique brings us into the hero's mind,fromthe stunning opening (flashbacks within flashbacks) to the hero's guiltyvisions.That opening is one of the finest I've ever seen, building up anunbelievable pressure in the first couple of minutes of the picture,leadingto a thirst for revenge which the hero, and the audience, can spend therestof the film regretting.