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Morpheus-68
Reviews
So Dark the Night (1946)
Detective finds love and murder in countryside
What starts as a particularly crass representation of French life complete with 'American Franglais' accents becomes curiously appealing after about half an hour.
Once the melodramatic chestnut of 'the old man and younger women' is dispensed with and we are thrust into the meaty matter of multiple homicide, the drama draws us in. It is here that the two-dimensional characters actually work for the film; is it the jealous widower, the protective father or the ambitious mother? Could be!
The acting is fairly average, the budget is non-existent and this movie is by no means a classic. So what saves it then? Well, its main point of interest is its conclusion.
The film's ending, although rather clumsily handled is genuinely surprising, mainly because of the film's date and that Hollywood convention rarely allows the generic rules to be broken in such a way. It's one of those movies that you watch in the afternoon when you're doling it or are off sick - I gave it six just for the ending alone.
Enemy of the State (1998)
Easy gig for Hackman
I have to say that this was unadulterated rubbish. Oh to be in Gene Hackman's shoes; he only had to learn two lines:
"Get in the car!" and "Get outta the car!" which he repeats ad nauseum.
Which, when added to the most moronic lawyer in recent cinema history - Will 'I think I'll make a few phone calls' Smith makes for impassive viewing. Big and dumb is all well and good. Big, dumb and pretentious? Then give me Arnie any day of the week.