Backfire (1950)

War veteran Bob (Gordon MacRae) is recovering from a serious spine injury. He and Army buddy Steve (Edmund O’Brien) have plans to start a ranch. But after being administered a sedative Bob is visited by a strange woman who tells him that Steve has had a serious spine injury. Nobody believes him but he hasn’t heard from Steve in quite some time. After being discharged, Bob learns that Steve has been fingered for the murder of a notorious gambler. Bob sets out to find his buddy and clear his name.

It appears at first that the film will follow O’Brien’s Steve character, but follows Bob instead. But much of the film is told in flashback, so it follows both. Bob’s best gal is pretty nurse Julie (Virginia Mayo) who helps with the sleuthing. Ed Begley Sr plays a police captain.

Backfire spent two years on the shelf before release for reasons unknown. This noir-adjacent film kept me guessing and boasts a surprising high body count. Considered a middle of the road drama at the time, I found it a bit better than most. I don’t see how the title plays into the story, but who am I to judge. AMRU 3.5.

Red Light (1949)

The reunion between trucking tycoon John (George Raft) and his army chaplain brother is cut short when father-brother is plugged as revenge against brother John. The secret to the killer’s identity is apparently inside a missing hotel bible. John puts his business on hold to locate the bible and exact revenge. Virginia Mayo is brought in to assist with the search.

The movie plays out with Raft’s John obsessively getting closer to the bible while the presumed antagonists slowly reveal their hand. Many of the conventions of film-noir are dispensed with. There is no love interest nor femme fatal. And the religious subtext feels out of place. More on that later.

All-around nice guy Gene Lockhart plays John’s faithful company guy. Gene's daughter June recently turned one hundred. Our prime suspects include Raymond Burr, playing to type, and Harry Morgan playing opposite. Lucy’s wacky neighbor Fred Mertz (William Frawley) has a small role.

Based on a short story titled “This Guy Gideon”, it was renamed Red Light because the producer liked it better. I’m not really sure how the new title fits into the narrative. Revenge is bad, so stop? The religious overtones are a bit much, so much so that TCM host Eddie Muller joked that it could be called Biblical-noir. And the Virginia Mayo character was inserted as if they wanted a love interest element, without actually having one. Also, the brotherly love angle bordered on becoming a creepy folger’s commercial.

Red Light is a bit of a disappointment. The tone was almost there but it falls short. If you watch noir and wish there were more bibles in it, maybe this is for you. For me, however, AMRU 2.5.

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

Veterans returning from World War II faced difficulties adjusting back to normal life. Huh. All this time I thought only 'nam vets had that problem.

This story documents three returning vets, a crippled young sailor unsure how his handicap will be received by his family and girlfriend, an older flier who seems to not have many skills apart from bombing, and an older Sargent who barely recognizes his own kids. The three meet when they share a transport plane home.

Homer Parrish is a sailor who's hands were burned off in a fire during WWII while doing a training exercise. He was played by Harold Russell, who's hands were burned off in a fire during WWII while doing a training exercise. Funny how life imitates art ... or is the other way around? Despite not being able to act, Russell won two awards for the same role.

Homer has two hooks for hands and gets very upset when everyone looks at him funny. Cathy O'Donnell, his equal as an actor, plays girlfriend Wilma. Hoagy Carmichael plays his uncle Butch. Homer copes by getting blind, stinking drunk.

Dana Andrews is officer war hero Fred Derry. He was a big shot in the war but now learns he has no marketable skills on the outside. To make matters worse, the hoochie mama wife of his (Virginia Mayo, who went on to marry Cody Jarrett) doesn't see the point in being married to a war hero if she can't parade him around town every night of the week. Ah, trouble in paradise. Derry copes by getting blind, stinking drunk and making passes at girls much to young for him.

Fredric March is Sargent Al Stephenson, banker. He returns to the bank to learn that his new job is to deny loans to servicemen. He has two children, the forgettable Rob and the hot Peggy (Teresa Wright). His wife is played by Myrna Loy, who earned the nickname The Perfect Wife because of this role. In real life Myrna was married and divorced four times and never had children. Myrna had top billing because she was considered the greatest female actor of all time. Al copes by getting blind, stinking drunk.

This movie reminds me a little of Cavalcade (1933) in that the subject matter touched a nerve with the audience. But unlike Cavalcade, The Best Years of Our Lives stands up to the test of time. The acting was better, the script was better, the subject matter was better, it was all around better storytelling. Seldom in old movies do you see an unflinching treatment with something like a disabled veteran. Russell's handicap was in no way glossed over.

Also touched on is the controversy of using atomic weapons and conspiracy theories about the war. They had the luxury to touch on these topics as the movie was over two hours 45 in length. For scheduling reasons I had to watch it in two separate segments a day apart, but the movie never dragged. In addition to Best Picture, it also won the academy award for best actor, supporting actor, director, editing, music, and writing. It was also nominated for best sound. I give it an AMRU of 3.5.

White Heat (1949)

White Heat is the story of Cody Jarrett (James Cagney), a ruthless gangster trying to evade the law after a train robbery. He figures it's only a matter of time before the cops catch up with him, so he arranges to be convicted of a lesser crime. He'll stay in jail for a couple years and be released when the heat is off. They cops don't buy it but don't have enough evidence to convict on the train job. They send a cop into the prison to pose as a cell mate and gain his trust.

Unlike most cop dramas I've watched, the police here aren't stupid. In fact, they are very resourceful. Their techniques for tailing cars and keeping track of the baddies was fascinating, this being before GPS and cell phones.

Cagney is the star and totally shines. Virginia Mayo (Cagney with a side of Mayo? Naw...) is his loyal trophy wife, stage actress Margaret Wycherly is his fixated-upon mother (think Ma Barker). While Cody's sanity is questioned, his brutality is not. he is unflinching when offing police, robbery victims who might be able to identify him, and gang members who become liabilities. I've never watched a Cagney film (not counting that crap he did in drag with some dude named Lacey), and I recognized every mannerism copied by comedians and cartoons. What they could not copy is his ability to fill the screen and capture the eye. A master at work.

Cody's last line, "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!", has been referenced in songs, movies, TV shows, and cartoons. Kevin Garnett shouted it during his post game interview after winning the NBA championship. This is a fascinating, complex story, well written, acted, and produced. It will appeal to people who think it won't. AMRU 4.

"You know something, Verna, if I turn my back long enough for Big Ed to put a hole in it, there'd be a hole in it."