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Film Noir Double Feature, Vol. 2:
The Chase (1946) Bury Me Dead (1947)
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The Chase Description: Convoluted
little film noir, based on Cornell Woolrich's The Black Path of Fear,
features Robert Cummings as Chuck, a shell-shocked ex-GI tormented by bizarre
dreams, who hires on as chauffeur for a ruthless gangster named Roman (Steve
Cochran). Chuck is soon pulled into a tangled web of deceit by the gangster's
lovely but unfaithful wife Lorna (Michelle Morgan) And so begins the titular
'chase,' with Chuck eluding not only the law but also the knife-wielding
gangster's henchmen. Just when you think Chuck is about to clear himself and
make the world right again, an unexpected twist plunges him back into the
nightmare world he tried to escape. Bury me Dead Description: Little hidden gem reminiscent of another film noir classic, D.O.A. (1950). The story begins with a bang when a woman (June Lockhart) shows up as a mourner at her own funeral! With the help of her family lawyer (Hugh Beaumont) the woman begins an investigation to uncover who's really buried in her place and who wanted her dead in the first place. It doesn't take long before the prime suspects emerge… her husband (Mark Daniels) and her sister (Cathy O'Donnell), who appear to be embroiled in a torrid and illicit love affair. Stunning visuals are courtesy of cinematographer John Alton. |
directed by Arthur Ripley
USA 1946
The Chase DVD is compared to the Blu-ray HERE
Recommended Reading in Film Noir (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir by Foster Hirsch |
Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City by Nicholas Christopher |
Film: The Critics' Choice by Geoff Andrew |
Shades of Noir: A Reader by Joan Copjec |
The Art of Noir: The Posters and Graphics from the
Classic Era of Film Noir by Eddie Muller |
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The Little Black and White Book of Film Noir:
Quotations from Films of the 40's and 50's by Peg Thompson, Saeko Usukawa |
Film Noir by Alain Silver |
Film Noir Guide: 745 Films of the Classic Era,
1940-1959 by Michael F. Keaney |
Detours and Lost Highways: A Map of Neo-Noir by Foster Hirsch |
Check out more in "The Library"
(aka "Back Home from the Dead" or "Death by Proxy (26-minute edit)")
directed by Bernard Vorhaus
USA 1947
Bury Me Dead begins with June Lockhart showing up at her own funeral, incognito. Thinking that someone attempted to murder her, she begins to investigate who was really killed and who the murderer is. The suspects parade by - her estranged husband, her lawyer, her younger sister, her romantic rival, her boxer boyfriend, her butler and housekeeper. One by one they react with shock to the fact that Lockhart is alive, and one by one they share their stories via flashback. The audience is inundated with red herrings.
It sounds like a cheap knockoff of Laura, and in some ways it is, but Bury Me Dead also attempts something different. It's a whodunnit, but it mixes in slapstick humor throughout the story, resulting in an odd brew indeed. While it's true, as Jay Fenton points out on his commentary track, that the comedy makes it harder for the audience to guess whodunnit (since we're not likely to suspect characters who make us laugh), it also creates a movie of uneven tone and stilted performances.
Excerpt from Turner Classic Movies located HERE
Posters
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Theatrical Release: 18 October 1947
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Review: VCI - Region 0 - NTSC
Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for the Review!
| DVD Box Cover |
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| Distribution |
VCI Region 0 - NTSC |
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| Runtime | 1:07:48 | |
| Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0) | |
| Subtitles | None | |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: VCI Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 6 |
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| Comments | Filmed by the same crew as The Amazing Mr. X, this film starts with a good premise, but sufferers in the end. Always adorable Cathy O'Donnell and excellent cinematography by John Alton at least make this film watchable and quality of VCI disc is above average. Included here as an extra is an abbreviated 26-minute TV version of the film, which unfortunately cuts most of Cathy O'Donnell's character. See the last two captures to compare 2 versions. |
DVD Menus
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Screen Captures
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Capture from the
abbreviated TV version of the film - Death by Proxy. Compare to the one
above.
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| DVD Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from:
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| Distribution |
VCI Region 0 - NTSC |
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Gary Tooze
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Thank You!
