"Fury" was Lang's first American work after a short stint in France where he directed "Liliom" .It's one of his strongest works ,that is to say one of the strongest works of the whole cinema.It displays a connection with "M" where the underworld wanted to punish a criminal.
SPOILERS
Here the mob replaces the underworld ,but it does not make a big difference.A supporting character speaks of "impulse" ,which is the key to Lang's canon.Every man is a potential criminal and in "fury" everyone bar one becomes a criminal.The first pictures display happiness,love and these precious times which reveal frailty.Some details which seem trivial (Sylvia Sidney mending Tracy's pocket,the confusion about the word "memento")are actually vital for the plot.After Tracy's arrest (because of peanuts,what a derision!),the tension rises,slowly but inexorably and reaches a climax that other directors have yet to surpass:particularly impressive the women's gossips are (which Lang compares to a barnyard);and the journalist in search of a scoop predates Kirk Douglas character in Wilder's "the big carnival " by fifteen years.Every sequence,every picture is sensational,and I will name only three:the dumb boy singing Popeye's song,the woman showing her child to her husband and threatening to disown him if he does not show he's a man,and the beaming faces watching an innocent burning.A crowd does not think,Sidney will say later.
But Lang's movie would not be the masterpiece it is without its terrific second part.Tracy's character who was that of a good man,respectful of law and justice,who was dreaming of a simple life with Sydney,becomes a monster thirsting for revenge.His world has collapsed and now he relishes in listening to the 22 defendants ' fear(why 22? his fiancée will scream why not 23? or 25? or more?)on the radio.It's quite possible Victor Fleming cast Tracy as "Dr Jekill and Mister Hyde" a couple of years later because of the actor's tour- de -force in "fury".
Sylvia Sydney's part is no less important:she epitomizes purity,honesty and compassion,and all her interventions are deeply moving ;she 's the Just without whom the fire would have destroyed Sodom.And it makes the ending all the more frightening:although the last pictures retain a certain hope .But this hope remains ambiguous ,that of a man who no longer believes in the society's rules.Tracy had still the choice of redeeming himself but some future Lang heroes would not have it .
With "furie",Lang came into the American cinema blaring,and with "beyond a reasonable doubt" ,went out the same way.
SPOILERS
Here the mob replaces the underworld ,but it does not make a big difference.A supporting character speaks of "impulse" ,which is the key to Lang's canon.Every man is a potential criminal and in "fury" everyone bar one becomes a criminal.The first pictures display happiness,love and these precious times which reveal frailty.Some details which seem trivial (Sylvia Sidney mending Tracy's pocket,the confusion about the word "memento")are actually vital for the plot.After Tracy's arrest (because of peanuts,what a derision!),the tension rises,slowly but inexorably and reaches a climax that other directors have yet to surpass:particularly impressive the women's gossips are (which Lang compares to a barnyard);and the journalist in search of a scoop predates Kirk Douglas character in Wilder's "the big carnival " by fifteen years.Every sequence,every picture is sensational,and I will name only three:the dumb boy singing Popeye's song,the woman showing her child to her husband and threatening to disown him if he does not show he's a man,and the beaming faces watching an innocent burning.A crowd does not think,Sidney will say later.
But Lang's movie would not be the masterpiece it is without its terrific second part.Tracy's character who was that of a good man,respectful of law and justice,who was dreaming of a simple life with Sydney,becomes a monster thirsting for revenge.His world has collapsed and now he relishes in listening to the 22 defendants ' fear(why 22? his fiancée will scream why not 23? or 25? or more?)on the radio.It's quite possible Victor Fleming cast Tracy as "Dr Jekill and Mister Hyde" a couple of years later because of the actor's tour- de -force in "fury".
Sylvia Sydney's part is no less important:she epitomizes purity,honesty and compassion,and all her interventions are deeply moving ;she 's the Just without whom the fire would have destroyed Sodom.And it makes the ending all the more frightening:although the last pictures retain a certain hope .But this hope remains ambiguous ,that of a man who no longer believes in the society's rules.Tracy had still the choice of redeeming himself but some future Lang heroes would not have it .
With "furie",Lang came into the American cinema blaring,and with "beyond a reasonable doubt" ,went out the same way.