In A Lonely Place [VHS] [1950]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the classics of the Inoir/I psychological thriller, IIn a Lonely Place/I is one of Humphrey Bogart's finest performances. He is almost unbearably intense as Dixon Steele, a screenwriter with high standards and a nasty temper who finds himself under suspicion when Mildred, a hat-check girl he knows, is found murdered. Immediately he gets an alibi from a neighbour, Laurel, and equally quickly, he recognises that this is a woman who meets his standards: the question is, as suspicion of his involvement in Mildred's death continues, can he make himself meet hers? pThis is a wonderful study in trust and suspicion and the limits of love; Bogart's performance is impressive simply because he is prepared to go well over the limits of our sympathy in the name of emotional truth. The scene where he explains imaginatively to a cop and his wife how the murder might have happened is a spine-chilling, creepy portrait of amoral artistic brilliance. Gloria Grahame is equally fine as the woman who lets herself love him, for a while. p BOn the DVD:/B IIn a Lonely Place/I comes with an excellent documentary in which Curtis Hanson (ILA Confidential/I) explains the importance of the film to him and discusses its place in the work of Bogart and the director Nicholas Ray; there is also a quick interesting documentary about the restoration and digitisation of classic films. The film is presented with a visual aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and with restored Dolby Surround sound that does full justice to the film's snappy dialogue and the moody George Antheil score. --IRoz Kaveney/I

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Customer reviews

review by: usman khawaja date: 2009-05-31 rating:
an incredible inspiration in its infuriating paranoia
still an incredible inspiration in its infuriating paranoia ------- br /this is a cross between a taut film noir and a dark character study of the pressures of being a movie celebrity and is still provocative and original on all counts of the account of a moody and cynical burnt out hollywood writer. br / br /The smouldering atmosphere ,the ugliness of the show business to it's own protagonists ,the mockery of the film writer's professional compromises is as relevant a satire today. br / br /Bogart gives a solid,brilliant portrayal as a deluded,disillusioned intellectual craving for love ,while gloria Grahame as a smouldering archetypal blonde starlet is looking for emotional security form a man who himself is disintegrating . br / br /Disguised as a murder mystery where bogart is a prime suspect and even his lover ,who is his only alibi is sceptical herself of his guilt evolves into a complex character study of a man on the brink of self destruction yet with a wish to salvage his soul . br / br /The star-crossed lovers virtually clash in a rage on screen with their distrust of each other despite a fragile bond love shared in their sceptical minds ,the encounters vary from deeply tender intimacy to almost schizoid frenzy which terrifies with the intensity of bogart's rage . br / br /NICHOLAS Ray is a director to celebrate and goes for a realistic logical approach to create a dark classic which makes present day satirical interpretations of the golden age of hollywood look like a mere spoof ,this is cinema at it's subtle psychological fascinating best but extremely powerful and thought provoking with great acting by the whole cast . br / br /The desperation of the characters is so powerful it almost oozes from the screen and keeps you spellbound ,a rather bizarre but memorable exploration of the underbelly of the american dream by the sceptics and the desperate and yet totally convincing and very entertaining as well, do not miss this -i loved every moment of this masterpiece . br /

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review by: Sherlock Holmes and the Underpants of Death date: 2008-11-18 rating:
Quality Bogart flick
Bogart plays a mean drunk scriptwriter, and it's one of his best performances. There's a good plot to this and some great scenes, but in places the plot gets a little lost, so it loses a star. br / br /Still well worth seeing, though.

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review by: date: 2007-12-28 rating:
Will they, won't they?
Will they stay together or won't they? Did he do it or didn't he? After the success ot Treasure of the Sierra Madre Bogie was not just mean but could be believably on the edge of madness - just like Jack Nicholson. The inner man is destructive and provides a fine core for Bogart to build the character around. And this is about the best of Gloria Grahame I have evr seen. A more understated part than most she is understandably the enigmatic, likeable and beautiful woman yo would want living next door. br / br /

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review by: date: 2006-03-27 rating:
Great
This film is a wonderful exploration of psychological doubt. What seems at first to be a simple film noir full of wise craching and sexy women turns into an interesting exploration of relationships- of how to maintain and not maintain relationships wherein one of the partners is unstable in some way. The actors turn in fantastic performances, Bogart as people have said above is flawless in his portrait of Dixon but Gloria Graham is wonderful too- torn between her doubts about Bogart and her love for him. You can see the chemistry crackle between them- they have some marvellous exchanges of dialogue which light up the set with wit, but you can also see why this man is a potential wife beater, a potential murderer. Bogart gives us a thug who is tender and kind, who protects an actor who is out of work and a drunk, who wants to write only films he will be proud of- instead of a pure thug- we have a nuanced portrait of a man who might be a murderer. Quite simply this is possibly the best noir of all the ones I have watched- a wonderful wonderful experience which all should share.


review by: Paul date: 2004-03-15 rating:
Classic noir
This is a dark, beautiful film from director Nicholas Ray, best known for "Rebel Without A Cause". Ray was one of Hollywood's outsiders with a reputation for dark, edgy pictures that went against the grain of what a commercial movie should be. "In A Lonely Place" finds the brilliantly-cast Bogart as a weary, volatile, couldn't-care-less screenwriter who is mistakenly suspected of the murder of a young girl. The mysterious, ice-cool blonde nextdoor (Gloria Grahame) gives him an alibi... but why? The pair proceed to seduce each other but their complex relationship is put to the test by Bogart's insecurities and barely suppressed temper... is he capable of murder after all? pIt's a powerful, well-written film with a suitably moody L.A feel, a terrific anti-hero performance from Bogart (proof of his acting chops and why he was such a big star), and a fittingly well-wrought climax. One of my favourite '50s movies.

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