Humphrey Bogart's part in In a Lonely Place perfectly makes such an interesting case as to what is capable in his skills as an actor, and as a star. Nicholas Ray's film doesn't so much challenge as it does confront a certain style of POV in how the character(s) may be seen in the film, and it very much has a lasting impact to this day. Early on in the film we're seeing it all through Dixon Steele's perspective, a down-on-his-luck type who in this case happens to be a screenwriter. After a woman he asked over to his place leaves, and gets killed later on, he's pulled in as the chief suspect. The investigation goes on, but in the meantime he falls for his alibi, a woman neighbor he glanced at that night (Gloria Grahame). Now so far we've gotten, more or less, the 'star' side of Bogie, where he's a decent enough person, even through the way that he says the lines is his style of gruff, low-key. So far we're on his side with this, and the director too goes to lengths to make the police-side moments to be as they are in any given number of noirs where there's always the overly suspicious head detective.
But then suddenly, the perspective changes really from Bogart's character to Grahame's. Suddenly, as her character types up his new, 'inspired' script in a matter or weeks, the relationship for her- at first with a firm tongue-in-cheek and kind adoration in part to the writing- starts to take a turn. Here's where the character of Bogart's starts to get interesting, as the past record of violent outbursts starts to add doubt not just for his girl, but for the audience as well. As he was much as at home playing tense, on-edge gangsters and the like in the 30's as he was in star turns in the 40s, here's a role where he gets to both, but in line with the director's dramatic requirements. Here he creates this film just on structure with a keen apt for the suspense of it all. It isn't even a 'whodunit' as much as it is a look at the environment of how 'loneliness' is often most crushing when it incurs loss and pushing others away. And the climax that is reached is meant as an emotional one, as the real peak is revealed. In a Lonely Place is great for what it gives its actor(s) to do with the material, and along with an accompanying, varying style, it's exemplary of subverting expectations. You may get the rough side of Bogie as well as the side that's near charming. But this time the implications of connecting and feeling for one another are just as strong, if not stronger, than the mystery portion that pushes further on them.
Saying all this, of course, doesn't mean that the film isn't quite the entertainer, too; moments of humor are pecked in with a side character and with some of the (typical for a Bogart star role) finely tuned bits of dialog. It's a film that tells a love story and has the mix of very touching moments with the uglier ones, has some grit on the edges that adds to the subversion of the material, and puts conflicts where elsewhere would be shuffled around by others. In short, it's a highlight in both of the careers of the director and star.
But then suddenly, the perspective changes really from Bogart's character to Grahame's. Suddenly, as her character types up his new, 'inspired' script in a matter or weeks, the relationship for her- at first with a firm tongue-in-cheek and kind adoration in part to the writing- starts to take a turn. Here's where the character of Bogart's starts to get interesting, as the past record of violent outbursts starts to add doubt not just for his girl, but for the audience as well. As he was much as at home playing tense, on-edge gangsters and the like in the 30's as he was in star turns in the 40s, here's a role where he gets to both, but in line with the director's dramatic requirements. Here he creates this film just on structure with a keen apt for the suspense of it all. It isn't even a 'whodunit' as much as it is a look at the environment of how 'loneliness' is often most crushing when it incurs loss and pushing others away. And the climax that is reached is meant as an emotional one, as the real peak is revealed. In a Lonely Place is great for what it gives its actor(s) to do with the material, and along with an accompanying, varying style, it's exemplary of subverting expectations. You may get the rough side of Bogie as well as the side that's near charming. But this time the implications of connecting and feeling for one another are just as strong, if not stronger, than the mystery portion that pushes further on them.
Saying all this, of course, doesn't mean that the film isn't quite the entertainer, too; moments of humor are pecked in with a side character and with some of the (typical for a Bogart star role) finely tuned bits of dialog. It's a film that tells a love story and has the mix of very touching moments with the uglier ones, has some grit on the edges that adds to the subversion of the material, and puts conflicts where elsewhere would be shuffled around by others. In short, it's a highlight in both of the careers of the director and star.