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Streaming Review: Nightmare Alley (1947)

He was all things to all men ... but only one thing to all women! We review the original adaptation of Nightmare Alley (1947)  

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Summary: The ambitious Stanton "Stan" Carlisle (Tyrone Power) works in a sideshow as carny and assistant of the mentalist Zeena Krumbein (Joan Blondell), who is married with the alcoholic Pete (Ian Keith). The couple had developed a secret code to pretend to read minds and was successful in the show business before Pete starts drinking. Stan stays with them expecting to learn their code and leave the carnival to be a successful mentalist. Stan also flirts with the gorgeous Molly (Coleen Gray) that lives in the carnival with the strong Bruno (Mike Mazurki). Zeena and The Geek, an alcoholic man that bites the head off a live chicken that the audiences believe that is a savage, are the greatest attractions of the sideshow.  

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Written and presented by Robin Bailes @robinbailes  

Directed and Edited by Graham Trelfer  

Lockdown Review S1E80 

Streaming Review: Nightmare Alley (1947)

Comments

Honestly, I've got to go with Bela Legosi. He's forever Dracula, naturally, but he gave wonderful, nuanced performances in everything from White Zombie to Island of Lost Souls. Even when he was only being supported by Ed Wood he could invest fire into what should have been a silly, nothing role.

Dick Powell was known for musicals and light comedy, so MURDER, MY SWEET ('44) - a title change from the book FAREWELL, MY LOVELY because the studio worried that title would suggest another musical - changed his career. Jessica Lange's first starring role was in the bad KING KONG ('76), but she was able to prove herself later, starting with ALL THAT JAZZ ('79). Clive Owen established himself as an action star, then flipped that for CHILDREN OF MEN ('06), in which he never uses a gun, and spends a lot of film time wearing flip-flops. Charlize Theron was a hot star who then flipped it with MONSTER ('03). Boris Karloff had played a lot of heavies and bit parts for 12 years before FRANKENSTEIN ('31) made him a star. Robert Mitchum was known for tough guy roles when he flipped it with NIGHT OF THE HUNTER ('55).

David Nevarrez


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