MarieGabrielle

(2012-04-24 23:40:51)

Excellent, original and unique

Unlike many of the other film-noir films; the setting is a "sinister"bowling alley, which is more and more suspenseful, as you don't knowwhat Richard Widmark will do next.Ida Lupino, Celeste Holm and Cornel Wilde are the perfect foils,setting off Widmark in this film; the settings alone are original; theacting superb, and I wish they still made them like this!!!!.You will enjoy the mystery, the cast of characters, and the finaloutcome of this movie. You definitely will not be able to predict whathappens.Rent it as soon as you can for a dark, rainy night!.

Calvin

(2012-04-24 17:27:13)

Classic Noir !

A road house near the Canadian border serves as the setting for this classic noir flic. Wilde, Widmark, and Lupino form the romantic triangle gone very, very wrong. Widmark is quite effective as the psycho out to destroy anything in the way of his obsessive desires. Lupino is a real spitfire and does her own singing a la Marlene Dietrich. The story moves quickly building to a rousing climax. The northwestern scenery and the road house itself are used to full advantage and add to the cinematic experience. This is such a tight movie which will delight all noir fans and is worthy of its cult status as a true classic of the genre. Very watchable and highly recommended.

(2012-04-19 02:01:07)

One of Lupino's Best

This is by far one of Ida Lupino's finest films. She looks terrific and she sings too. This is one actor and director who is sadly missed.

Michael O'Keefe

(2012-04-18 16:19:32)

A fractured love triangle.

Very good Film-Noir from 20th Century Fox. Richard Widmark is Jefty,the owner of a combination road house and bowling alley along theU.S.-Canadian border. His manager Pete(Cornel Wilde)worries about theprofit-loss ratio and really gets upset with talent Jefty hires for thebar. But Lily Stevens(Ida Lupino)is no doubt different from theprevious entertainment. She is a sultry, smoky voiced torch singer thatis hard to ignore. The independent no-nonsense Lily has Pete falling inlove with her and when borderline-psycho Jefty also has romantic ideasof her, he frames Pete on a robbery charge to flaunt his control inattempts to separate the two.Lupino sings four tunes with the better being "One For My Baby" and"Again". I never realized she could sing; more than likely one of herbest performances. Widmark is almost sinister, while Wilde is wooden.Also in the cast: Celeste Holm, O.Z. Whitehead and Ian Beranger.

jotix100

(2012-04-17 09:32:30)

"Again, this couldn't happen again..."

The main attraction here are the amazing performances by Ida Lupino,and Richard Widmark. Jean Negulesco was able to capture it all in thistale of passion gone wrong.Lily Stevens arrives at Jefty's Road House to entertain in the loungearea. Jefty, has offered her 250 a week, a sum that in Pete Morgan'sestimation is a lot more than the place can afford. Pete offers moneyto send Lily back to Chicago because he senses she will bring chaosbetween him and Jefty, the man who has been generous to him and who, hefeels, will fall again for this chanteuse of mysterious origins.Thus begins one of the best films of that era. It's a noir because ofthe elements, but actually it might be considered a semi-noir sinceit's not an obvious one. Ida Lupino had a way for 'talking' her songs at the Road House. She hada style that got to the lounge patrons that heard her sing. Herinterpretation of "It's a quarter to three" is done faultlessly. Hervoice, a combination of alcohol and the cigarettes she positions at thepiano's lid while singing, contribute to create a portrait of thesultry woman she is. She sings "Again" twice; her rendition of thatsong makes it impossible for anyone else to sing it without comparingit to what Ms. Lupino did with it, much better!Richard Widmark was the favorite looney in the 40s. His acting wasalways an exercise on intensity. He always played the weird roles onthe screen. In "Road House" he appears almost normal until he realizesthat Lily will never love him. He has to get his revenge on Pete whohas stolen Lily's affection away from him. Jefty will stop at nothingin order to get her back. Thus he accuses Pete Morgan, his loyalfriend, of stealing the week's receipts.Cornel Wilde plays a passive role as Pete. He too falls for the charmsof Lily, but at the same time, Lily wants him because she sees in himher own salvation from joints and a ticket to a normal life. CelesteHolm is the other principal. Her role is not as well defined. Sheshould be resentful of Lily, but she is a kind soul who accepts thefact that Pete never loved her. Ultimately, she is the one who solvesthe puzzle of the missing money."Road House" should be seen more often.

Neil Doyle

(2012-04-16 16:18:34)

Lurid backwoods melodrama gives Widmark another chance to giggle...

What stands out in ROAD HOUSE, despite the lurid melodramatics of theplot, is RICHARD WIDMARK doing his standard psychopathic job once hediscovers his love life has been compromised when IDA LUPINO and CORNELWILDE fall in love with each other. Widmark takes full advantage of hischaracter's sudden turn from nice guy to a man consumed by cunningjealousy, trapping Wilde into a charge of theft that almost puts thevictimized man into prison.Widmark gets the judge to suspend sentence and has Wilde's paroleplaced under his management. At this point, the plot becomes wildlymelodramatic and churns up the heat for the last twenty minutes ofexplosive emotional fireworks. The fight scenes between Widmark andWilde are artfully staged and look painfully realistic.Widmark and Lupino dominate the film with forceful work, full ofintensity. Wilde is impressively quiet but determined and looks likehe'd make a good bouncer at any bar. CELESTE HOLM has more of anonlooker role that does nothing for her career but does about as wellas she can with a nothing part.Jean Negulesco has done much better work in other melodramas (notablyJOHNNY BELINDA). Here, he directs the film well but lets the melodramaget a bit too overwrought by the time the film winds toward aconclusion. It's not one of his best films.Ida Lupino's husky voice is barely able to wobble through a few goodsong numbers, which makes her nightclub scenes a little ludicrous. It'sone thing to have a throaty voice for standard pop tunes sung in ahusky manner, but Lupino's vocals suffer from her one-note monotonedelivery.

(2012-04-11 21:25:18)

This film sizzles with emotion -- desire, jealousy, hatred..

The plot is basically a triangle -- Cornel Wilde and Richard Widmark are both in love with lounge singer Ida Lupino. Widmark's character is well-off and owns the road house that his old pal Cornel Wilde manages for him. If Widmark can't win Lupino's heart, he's going to make sure Wilde doesn't get to have her. Just to add to the complications, another road house employee yearns for Wilde, but unlike Widmark, she's basically a good person.Somehow black and white is the right medium for this film -- I think color would have detracted from the brooding atmosphere.All in all, this movie stands the test of time well. Widmark puts in a great performance.

(2012-04-11 02:48:08)

Gorgeous movie, but the worst audio commentary ever

This review is from: Road House (Fox Film Noir) (DVD) I know a friend who likes to comment on good pictures' first five minutes. She would be absolutely delighted!!! You see a film noir which is tempted to be more realistic and tougher than some pictures several years before, you are introduced to the four main characters, you learn to know all their relevant characteristics and the upcoming relations by little hints, their way to use their voice, the dialogue, some brilliantly photographed superimpositions, etc...The rest of the movie will not always keep that density, but is very good, with an excellent Ida Lupino as a nightclub singer who maybe has not a classically beautiful voice, but "she's a cutie with more than beauty, she's got a lot of personality" and she would pass any round of a TV casting show better than 10.000 of the would-be-starlets you can see in such shows.Well, and all this is missed by the audio commentators, who giggle to themselves and annoy us with silly anecdotes and praisings of each other. I really got furious. I admit of course that anyone has his expectations, but I would have liked a deep-focus analysis of the movie, which you won't find here.However, the picture itself and its technical quality are excellent.

secondtake

(2012-04-06 21:36:07)

"Doesn't it enter a man's head that a girl can do without him?"

Road House (1948)Road House is in some ways a straight up romance with noir stylizing.The setting is great, out in some isolated and spectacular club/bar ofa type once known as a roadhouse (often out of town to avoid local lawsabout drinking and cavorting). The core is that the troubled and cockyJefty, played by the inimitable Richard Widmark, wants the troubledLily, played by a tough Ida Lupino. Widmark as the roadhouse owner ispure Widmark, so that even when he's charming he's scary, and when he'snot so charming he becomes demonic. This repels Lupino, who though hardedged is decent deep down, and she falls for the nice guy, played byCornel Wilde, who is a sweetheart with an inability to stand up forhimself. This gets him, and everyone else, into trouble. The steady, downward drone of this movie from a just barely tenseintroduction as Lily comes to town to be the new entertainment to alove conflict and a frame up is subtle and effective. Don't look forfireworks--it's all smoke until the very end. A full hour passes beforeyou reach the movie's one major plot twist (the bizarre paroleconditions announced in the courtroom), and then the gun has finallybeen cocked. Now all that we wonder about is how it will go off. And Lupino. There is no one in Hollywood quite like her, one of thebest women for making bitter arrogance smart and snappy. Herhusky-voiced singing is far more provocative than awful, and perfectfor this roadhouse in some unlikely mountain town fifteen miles fromCanada. Not only is Lupino brilliant with her lines, she has brilliantlines to deliver, almost as though she invented them, they fit so well.The fourth main character, the "second woman" played by Celeste Holm(the beguiling voice-over in Letter to Three Wives), seems to have asmaller role, but she's ultimately the sensible and good gal, not assexed up and headturning as Lupino's Lily, but steady and practical anda key to everyone's salvation in the end. The camera-work starts out as pretty straight 1940s greatness (aided byan astonishing series of period sets), with Joseph LaShelle ascinematographer building up the drama through the last half hour tosome searing, dramatic face shots. The final scenes in the woodspresage the similar foggy ending to Gun Crazy, which has more of a cultfollowing (and which has visual innovations this one doesn't), andthese scenes are worth the ride by themselves. Director Jean Negulescohas only a few features of note to his credit, but Road House, alongwith How to Marry a Millionaire and Johnny Belinda, makes a great casefor his ability.It's easy to fault the film for some small things (Pete seemsinexplicably powerless to fight the frameup) and even for larger ones(the romance that holds it together isn't all that convincing), but themoods and sets and lines are all great stuff. The plot has somegratuitous moments (including an exhibitionist Lupino) but takenanother way they emphasize her difference from the others, herinsouciance and her confidence. It's curious, and maybe defining, thatthe natural match between the troubled characters, the Widmark andLupino leads, is rejected, but then Lily's shift to Pete ought to catchfire.In a way, the film's theme, of a man being overwhelmed by his wantingand expecting a woman, is defined best in Lily's matter of fact line,"Doesn't it enter a man's head that a girl can do without him?" Notusually.

(2012-04-06 08:34:49)

Slow-paced but sizzling film noir

"Road House" (20th Century Fox, 1948)Although Cornel Wilde had top billing, Richard Widmark steals the show as a twisted man driven mad with jealousy -- so mad that he frames his best friend in order to keep him from getting away with "the girl". She, of course, is an ice-cool Ida Lupino, in one of her best acting roles as Lily Stevens, a world-weary nightclub singer who comes between two friends, even though she initially resists both their advances. Although the film moves slowly, it has plenty of atmosphere and some tart dialogue, made even better by the laconic, offhand delivery. Lupino's character, especially, is one of the best cynics ever onscreen -- and she sings a lot, too! This was only Widmark's third feature film, and he's the one to watch, as he works his way up to some serious scenery chewing at the end. Although he became a familiar, frequently typecast character actor in the 1950s, it's fun to see him here in his fresh-faced youth. Both he and Lupino had a remarkable modernity to their work; in this film he reminded me quite a bit of Steve Buscemi, while Lupino is in a league all her own. Definitely worth checking out, particularly if you're an Ida Lupino fan. (Joe Sixpack)

mgrindberg

(2012-04-04 13:35:03)

Widmark, Wilde, and Lupino

Richard Widmark gives a superior performance in this film as anunstable owner of a road house that's located in a small communityclose to the Canadian border. He inherited the business from hisfather. His lifelong friend, played by Cornel Wilde, works for himmanaging the business. The two are equals until Ida Lupino shows up asan out of town singer and pianist who's hired by Widmark to provideentertainment. Her presence is what causes the extreme strain thatbreaks Widmark's and Wilde's friendship for good. The settings areunique, with a taut finale out in the woods, and as well a courtroomscene. Widmark gets best actor honors (in my opinion). He slips soeasily into his character's unpredictability, and goes from cool andcunning to sadistic, which is even more than he did in Kiss Of Death,where the character was entirely crazy and sadistic. Lupino, whoapparently had zero vocal range, is great as the sultry singer fromChicago with a troubled past. For such an idyllic setting as the RoadHouse is in, miles of forests and lots of lakes, the film noircharacters provide a great contrast. Directed by Jean Negulesco andshot by Joseph LaShelle, the film looks and moves quite crisply. Whilethe finale is really well done, it's not as if the viewer suffersthrough lapses before that point, as the tension between Wilde andWidmark, and Wilde's romance with Lupino are well enough placed to keepthe punches coming.

Bacardi1

(2012-04-03 23:12:43)

Ida's Singing Should Have Been Dubbed

This could have been a top-notch film noir classic if it wasn't for IdaLupino's god-awful singing, made even more laughable by everyone in thefilm waxing rhapsodic over her re: how fabulous she was. Flat, off-key,talking thru most of it - you name it. Neither sexy nor torchy. Eventhe worst Grade D picture singers sound better. Can't help but feelthat once again, another example of a star's ego ending up ruining whatcould have been a very nice little film.Cornel Wilde does his usual shtick, which rarely changes film-to-film;but as usual, Richard Widmark shines in a role that he does best.But all in all, a nice little film.

(2012-03-28 02:02:07)

Gorgeous movie, but the worst audio commentary ever

This review is from: Road House (Fox Film Noir) (DVD) I know a friend who likes to comment on good pictures' first five minutes. She would be absolutely delighted!!! You see a film noir which is tempted to be more realistic and tougher than some pictures several years before, you are introduced to the four main characters, you learn to know all their relevant characteristics and the upcoming relations by little hints, their way to use their voice, the dialogue, some brilliantly phptographed superimpositions, etc...The rest of the movie will not always keep that density, but is very good, with an excellent Ida Lupino as a nightclub singer who maybe has not a classically beautiful voice, but "she's a cutie with more than beauty, she's got a lot of personality" and she would pass any round of a TV casting show better than 10.000 of the would-be-starlets you can see in such shows.Well, and all this is missed by the audio commentators, who giggle to themselves and annoy us with silly anecdotes and praisings of each other. I really got furious. I admit of course that anyone has his expectations, but I would have liked a deep-focus analysis of the movie, which you won't find here.However, the picture itself and its technical quality are excellent.

JohnHowardReid

(2012-03-27 15:19:46)

Good Opening, Great Climax, But Dull In-Between

A slow-moving, triangle, romantic drama, opens promisingly and has agood climax but the footage in between is strictly from dullsville.Miss Lupino does not make a convincing songstress. Her voice is soamateurish it's impossible to believe she could arose the enthusiasmsshe does, whilst her unflattering hair style somewhat undermines theeffectiveness of her vampish costumes. This was Widmark's second filmand he really overdoes the sadistic laugh he introduced so effectivelyin Kiss of Death. Cornel Wilde's portrayal of the clean-cut hero issomething of a handicap too, as it is so colorless.Between the three principals, the support cast does not get much oflook in, with the exception of Celeste Holm who, unattractivelycostumed and photographed, hovers on the fringes of the plot, fillingin reaction shots. O.Z. Whitehead has some promising footage in theopening reel, but he disappears altogether.The plot has more holes than a sieve and every aspect of it isthoroughly unconvincing. Jean Negulesco's direction is dull andmonotonously routine. Nonetheless, some of the lighting, despite itslack of flattery for the girls, is moodily effective and the sets arequite impressive.

(2012-03-19 19:47:02)

Road House

This review is from: Road House (Fox Film Noir) (DVD) An attractive film, especially with Ida Lupino's singing and acting, not to mention Richard Widmark, also excellent.

(2012-03-19 08:25:18)

JEAN NEGULESCO, OPUS 9

This review is from: Road House (Fox Film Noir) (DVD) **** 1948. Directed by Jean Negulesco. When Lily Stevens is hired by Jefty to sing in his bar/bowling, everybody knows that Lily will soon be his mistress. But she's rather attracted by Jefty's friend and employee Pete Morgan. Jefty will imagine an ingenious scheme to get his revenge. ROAD HOUSE is a film I've always enjoyed very much for years. I particularly like the first part of the movie until Pete Morgan's trial. Ida Lupino clearly overshadows Cornel Wilde, Celeste Holm and Richard Widmark then with her hoarse voice and her sexy wardrobe. I also like a lot the bowling lesson given to her by Cornel Wilde. The last part of ROAD HOUSE is more outdated and the final game hunting reminded me at times of The Most Dangerous Game - Criterion Collection. But, all in all, I highly recommend ROAD HOUSE, a film that will defintively stay in ma library.

(2012-03-19 12:54:41)

Mediocre menage a quatre

Jean Negulesco's "Road House" is an average film noir melodrama that gains some credence due to the acting performances of Richard Widmark and Ida Lupino.Widmark plays Jefty Robbins adolescent minded rich guy and owner of a roadhouse and bowling alley in the backwoods near the Canadian border. His best friend and manager of the place is Pete Morgan played by an athletic and muscular Cornel Wilde. Wilde doesn't approve when Widmark hires life hardened and gravelly voiced Lily Stevens played by Ida Lupino as entertainment for the club. Not a bad opinion as Lupino has no voice.Widmark immediately falls for Lupino but the feeling isn't mutual when he proposes to her. She has deep feelings for Wilde who had previously been attached to roadhouse cashier Susie played by Celeste Holm. While Widmark is away on a hunting trip, Wilde and Lupino's relationship blooms. When Widmark learns of this he becomes insanely jealous.Widmark frames Wilde for the theft of $2000 for which he's unjustly convicted. In lieu of a prison sentence , Widmark convinces the judge to parole Wilde to him. Now he can torment Wilde and Lupino holding them as virtual prisoners to cater to his psychotic whims.Widmark, a film noir master, displays his talent in portraying another character with a twisted personality. Lupino also nicely plays a classic tough broad with a tender heart in this film.

(2012-03-18 22:56:41)

A NOIR FAN MUST-SEE!

As a noir collector, I have to tell you that this one is a must. Buy it for Ida Lupino's performance alone! The star of the show for me, though, is Widmark. While his role is no Tommy Udo (Kiss of Death - 1947 - DON'T MISS IT!), he sizzles, as always. Let's face it, aside from being a great actor, when he was young, the guy was a major hotty!

(2012-03-16 16:47:47)

I loved Ida Lupino

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Ida Lupino was a revelation of inner strength and beauty. What would this movie be without Richard Widmark? For that matter, what would many movies be without him? Can we say boring together. Richard Widmark is always priceless. The consummate bad guy that you just love to hate. I could watch this movie over and over and over.

bkoganbing

(2012-03-16 03:02:48)

Tommy Udo in the Nightclub Business

Following up his sensational movie debut in Kiss of Death, RichardWidmark got another psychopathic role in Road House. Hischaracterization of Jefty, the owner of a road house in the ruralmiddle west near the Canadian border, is Tommy Udo once again, rightdown to the maniacal giggle. Good thing for Widmark he got out of thattypecasting as soon as he could.The actors have to be good here because the story as some real bigholes in it. Richard Widmark owns the Road House and his World War IIbuddy Cornel Wilde manages it. Widmark on a trip to Chicago hires asinger, Ida Lupino at a good deal beyond the normal rate. Of courseWidmark has other things on his mind for Lupino.But it's Wilde that Lupino falls for and when they tell Widmark, hegoes psycho on them, but in a coldblooded maniacal sort of way. Heframes Wilde for embezzlement and then successfully pleads with thejudge to suspend the sentence and commit Wilde on parole to Widmark'scharge. The rest I won't say.Celeste Holm is in this film and I'm not sure what her function isother than to be a witness for Wilde and Lupino in the end. But worsethan that she's a musical performer who could have been a believablesinger. Ida Lupino croaked her numbers out like a bullfrog. The woman,talented actress that she was, could not sing.The song Again was introduced in Road House and if it could become ahit with Lupino's croaky singing of it, it must be a great song.A key piece of evidence also turns up rather conveniently in the end todestroy Widmark's nefarious scheme. A piece of evidence that shouldhave been destroyed months ago as a matter of course. I won't say more.And I also cannot believe that Wilde would have agreed to the paroleconditions. Where was his lawyer?Despite all the holes in this plot, the characterizations of Wilde andLupino caught in a psychotic's jealous rage ring true. And RichardWidmark was a psychotic for the ages. Fans of the above players and I'm one of them should see this film. Iwish these four had been given a better script.