Anna Mae Wong
Average customer rating:
- Solid Mystery, an Ode to Small Town American Values
- "Hollywood Crime Dramas ... Ultimate of Film Noir ... Passport Video"
- Film Noir meets Americana
- In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench.
- Melodramatic and murderous love rectangle
|
Impact
Starring: Brian Donlevy , Ella Raines , Charles Coburn , Helen Walker , and Anna May Wong
Director: Arthur Lubin
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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Similar Items:
- The Crooked Way
- House on Telegraph Hill (Fox Film Noir)
- Fallen Angel (Fox Film Noir)
- Somewhere in the Night (Fox Film Noir)
- I Wake Up Screaming (Fox Film Noir)
ASIN: 6305770395
Release Date: 2000-03-07 |
Description
They're one kiss away from MURDER! Millionaire industrialist Walter Williams is marked for murder by his sexy young wife and her seedy lover. When the insidious plot ends in a fiery disaster, Williams is thought dead. In reality, he finds himself without a clue as to who he is or what happened. But as his memory starts to return, his shattered life becomes a runaway roller coaster ride of suspense and excitement! Beautifully photographed on location in San Francisco, this hard-boiled drama snaps with smart dialogue, a hell-frosted broad and more twists than a rusty corkscrew. "Impact" is truly a forgotten film noir masterpiece.
Customer Reviews:
Solid Mystery, an Ode to Small Town American Values .......2007-02-10
"Impact" is a sturdy 1949 release that delivers much in the way of suspense mystery, keeping viewers guessing, while also revealing much about small town American values in the early post-World War Two period. This was a time when people were accustomed to helping one another resulting, in part, from the Depression period.
The film begins with Brian Donlevy showing his firm side as head of a major construction company based in San Francisco. When the board of directors refuses to approve new plant construction he nonchalantly tells them that he will go elsewhere and put the same plan into effect. A 9-0 vote against then turns quickly into a unanimous margin in Donlevy's favor, showing how invaluable the board recognizes him to be.
Donlevy's Achilles heel is quickly recognized when he returns to the posh Nob Hill apartment he shares with beautiful, elegantly attired wife Helen Walker. Her pet name for Donlevy of "Softy" has him readily assenting. He tells her that she is the one person that causes the tough business executive to melt.
Walker causes Donlevy to gush while she in turn double deals. Using a bad toothache as a pretext for not traveling with Donlevy to Lake Tahoe, after which he will proceed on to Denver on business, she pulls off a scheme with paramour Tony Barrett. He is allegedly her "cousin" from Chicago.
After Walker tells Donlevy "regrettably" that she cannot make the trip with her toothache bothering her, she asks him if he will give her cousin a ride as far as Denver, where the executive has business activity scheduled.
Donlevy falls into her web and agrees. The plot is predictable enough, to get Donlevy out of the way so that the widow, after a period of appropriate "grieving," can find love with her new friend, augmented by a hefty inheritance courtesy of Donlevy.
To reveal anymore would jeopardize intricate plotting replete with numerous story twists. The film is divisible into two parts, Donlevy's activities prior to the moment with fate that will ultimately change his life, and when he arrives in the friendly town of 4,502 called Larkspur, Idaho, where he meets Ella Raines.
"Impact" adopts the familiar and time-proven "good girl-bad girl" duality with Walker naturally the latter and beautiful Ella Raines, a wholesome girl next door type, steering Donlevy from a state of bitterness combined with depression after he realizes that the woman who had meant more to him than anyone else has ruthlessly betrayed him and attempted to kill him.
Raines runs a gas station and seeks to double as a mechanic. She is much better at pumping gas and hires Donlevy to serve as mechanic. He then receives a different impression of life apart from the likes of Walker and Barrett. Not only is Raines sincere and solid; so is her mother, played by Mae Marsh.
Donlevy and Marsh hit it off instantly, so much so that she asks him if he would like to come and live with them. "You've got yourself a boarder," he tells her.
The simple decency of Larkspur is contrasted with the tougher world of San Francisco corporate boardrooms. Not only does Donlevy fix plenty of cars gratis; he also jumps into the community spirit by joining Larkspur's volunteer fire department.
Donlevy realizes that eventually he must return to San Francisco and face up to the responsibility of events spiraling around the machinations of Helen Walker. Raines insists on helping him, even after he ultimately is compelled to stand trial for "murder" for an alleged crime he never committed.
Raines' unswerving loyalty and assistance during such an hour of need, saving the man she loves from potential death by execution, is reminiscent of her role in "Phantom Lady" when she assists Allen Curtis.
Charles Coburn, a crafty San Francisco Police lieutenant nearing retirement, becomes convinced that Donlevy is a victim. He works closely with Raines to follow all leads, at one point drawing the disgust of his boss, played by veteran Broadway actor Robert Warwick, known for giving Humphrey Bogart a major early theater career break.
When time begins running out for Donlevy, Raines is able to garner valuable assistance from the defendant's former maid, played by notable character performer Anna May Wong. Her assistance prompts the team of Coburn and Raines to achieve a meaningful breakthrough on Donlevy's behalf at a critical moment.
Director Arthur Lubin maintains skillful pacing. He had earlier directed the Universal hit "Phantom of the Opera" with Susanna Foster, Nelson Eddy and Claude Rains. Later he would direct Universal's popular Francis the Talking Mule series.
Harry Popkin produced "Impact." In that same year of 1949 another Popkin-produced film debuted, the film noir classic "D.O.A." starring Edmond O'Brien.
"Hollywood Crime Dramas ... Ultimate of Film Noir ... Passport Video".......2006-10-17
Passport Video presents "THE ULTIMATE FILM NOIR" (1945-1953), --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- ten tantalizing tales of Film Noir on five suspenseful discs --- featuring top performances from the '40s and '50s with outstanding drama and screenplays, along with a wonderful cast and supporting actors to bring it all together ... another winner from the vaults of Film Noir Hollywood gems.
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe Hollywood crime dramas that set their protagonists in a world perceived as inherently corrupt and unsympathetic...Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression...the term film noir (French for "black film"), first applied to Hollywood movies by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unknown to most of the American filmmakers and actors while they were creating the classic film noirs..the canon of film noir was defined in retrospect by film historians and critics; many of those involved in the making of film noir later professed to be unaware at the time of having created a distinctive type of film.
Five-disc collector's set includes "SCARLET STREET" (1945) (95 mins/Universal Pictures), featuring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea and Margaret Lindsay --- "DETOUR" (1945) (67 mins/PRC), featuring Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake and Edmund MacDonald --- "THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS" (1946) (117 mins/Paramount Pictures), featuring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Kirk Douglas, Lizabeth Scott and Judith Anderson --- "WHISTLE STOP" (1946) (85 mins/United Artists) featuring George Raft, Ava Gardner, Victor McLaglen, Tom Conway and Jorja Curtright --- "HE WALKED BY NIGHT" (1948) (80 mins/Eagle-Lion), featuring Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Jack Webb, Roy Roberts, Whit Bissell and James B. Cardwll --- "TRAPPED" (1949) (78 mins/Bryan Foy Productions / Eagle-Lion), featuring Lloyd Bridges, Barbara Payton, John Hoyt, Russ Conway and James Todd --- "IMPACT" (1949) (83 mins/United Artists), featuring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn and Helen Walker --- "D.O.A." (1950) (83 mins/United Artists), featuring Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, Luther Adler and Beverly Campbell --- "QUICKSAND" )1950) (79 mins/Samuel Steifel Productions / United Artists), featuring Mickey Rooney, Jeannie Cagney, Peter Lorre and Barbara Bates --- "THE HITCH-HIKER" (1953) (71 mins/RKO Pictures), featuring Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Talman --- and the documentary "THE BEST OF FILM NOIR".
Film noirs tend to revolve around heroes who are more flawed and morally questionable than the norm, often fall guys of one sort or another...the characteristic heroes of noir are described by many critics as "alienated"; in the words of Silver and Ward, "filled with existential bitterness."...certain archetypal characters appear in many film noirs--hardboiled detectives, femmes fatales, corrupt policemen, jealous husbands, intrepid claims adjusters, and down-and-out writers...as can be observed in many movies of an overtly neo-noir nature, the private eye and the femme fatale are the character types with which film noir has come to be most identified, but a minority of movies now regarded as classic noir feature either...crime, usually murder, is an element of almost all film noirs; in addition to standard-issue greed, jealousy is frequently the criminal motivation...a crime investigation--by a private eye, a police detective (sometimes acting alone), or a concerned amateur--is the most prevalent, but far from dominant, basic plot...in other common plots the protagonists are implicated in heists or con games, or in murderous conspiracies often involving adulterous affairs...false suspicions and accusations of crime are frequent plot elements, as are betrayals and double-crosses...amnesia is far more common in film noir than in real life, and cigarette smoking can seem virtually mandatory.
This collection of "The Ultimate Film Noir" (1945-1953) --- still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years --- but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten --- plus the Bonus of Best of Film Noir on the final disc --- and a great job by Passport Video for this release --- looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video, stay tuned once again for more remarkable films from the vaults of classic television and Hollywood during the Golden Era of Film Noir --- All My Heroes have been Gumshoe Detectives!
Total Time: 909 mins on DVD ~ Passport Video #5480 ~ (5/02/2006)
Film Noir meets Americana.......2006-03-22
"Impact" follows the story of businessman Walter Williams (Brian Donlevy) as he finds himself immersed in a plot by his scheming wife and her lover to kill him. The lover pretends to be the wife's cousin, who hitches a ride with Williams for the purpose of arranging an "accident". However, the lover's own nervousness leads to his death instead of Williams'. Meanwhile, Williams is believed to be dead. He decides to adopt an alias and start a new life in a small, rural town where life moves at a slow pace he's unaccustomed to.
This is where "Impact" becomes unconventional. After a long film noir setup, the film abruptly transitions into a legit "gosh darn" Americana piece where the injured stranger finds peace and comfort in the arms of a loney young widow and her family. Even the town takes him in as one of them. Williams rediscovers what life is all about.
Finally, the time comes when he must confront his past and admit to the world that he's still alive, because his wife is facing conviction for his murder. In trying to do the right thing, Williams finds himself under arrest, as his thoroughly evil wife twists the truth to make it appear that Williams himself is the murderer of her lover. Only the testimony of a former maid can save him.
At the end, the plot gets stretched a bit for purposes of a clear resolution, but at it's best, "Impact" focuses on the contrast between Williams' two lives. I'm not sure if it really had a point to make, other than to say that leading ladies in "down home" movies are more trustworthy than femme fatales, but the ride is enjoyable nonetheless. Donlevy makes Williams a likable enough character that the film maintains good drama. It's an enjoyable film. You don't see many movies these days with quite so much story crammed in.
Recommended!
In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench........2006-03-06
I am a true believe that the best films that Hollywood ever produced came from the 1940s. Whether it was in the early 40s like the film Gaslight or later like Lean's Great Expectations, I have never seen so many great stories with so much originality, humanity, and creativity. Impact is no different. What transformed this picture from your typical film-noir thriller into a full-fledged murder/mystery is not just the creative story, but also the strong characters, the twisting themes, and the questionable ending. Impact could not have been as fascinating as it was if it were not for the impressive story. From the opening scene, we think that we have this film already pegged as your typical "wife cheats on man and he now wants revenge" story, but as director Arthur Lubin guides us further down his diabolical path, we learn that there is going to be more surprises than we originally anticipated. These surprises will not only lock your jaw in a shocked position, but it will also provide 111 minutes of pure uncut film-noir.
I have read other reviews that claim that Impact does not fall within the typical film-noir genre. I see where they are saying this, but I do not agree. Lubin, I believe, was creating a classy film-noir for his audience, but he tricked us. He not only tricked us from the beginning of the film to the end, but also where the film-noir style should be placed. We assume that the because Brian Donlevy is our centralized character that he has to be the dark and brooding one the entire time, causing the sensation of film-noir. I saw this film in a different light. As Lubin kept Donlevy in the eye of the camera for most of the film, I thought that the true sinister, dark, brooding, spooky, and edgy character was Irene. Helen Walker did a superb job with this role. Not only did she portray the backstabbing wife with such precision and ease, but she also played this very strong character that I was not expecting. That sensation of film-noir with the themes of suspicion, anxiety, and pessimism are all collected well within Walker's portrayal of Irene. It is this character that fully embodies the idea of film-noir, and I couldn't keep my eyes off her the entire film. To see such a powerful female character in such an early age of Hollywood impressed me. I do not see why Impact has not made a bigger impression in the film communities. It is a landmark film that will keep you guessing in a better way than any Shyamalan film will.
Even if you cannot agree with me about Lubin's slight of "film-noir" hands, it is unmistakably true that Impact contains some of the best story coupled with acting that we have seen in quite a long time. Even in today's Hollywood you just do not see this type of intensity, excitement, and curiosity as you found in Impact. I would not be surprised if we eventually saw a remake of this film in the future. It has all the elements that one would desire to be a box-office sensation; an evil wife, a passionate husband, and a dark secret. Who wouldn't love to see this? I personally could not keep my eyes off the story or the actors in this film. Brian Donlevy was beyond normal as the disarmed man facing the truth that his wife is no longer in love with him. This being my first Donlevy film, I cannot wait to see other pieces of his work. I think he was both strong and weak enough to carry the picture. He had to show that he still loved his wife, no matter what she did, and he pulled it off with so much dedication that I nearly wanted to stand up and clap for him in my living room. I have already spoken on Irene, who I believe matched Donlevy straw for straw. Lubin needed a character that was going to counter Donlevy's like-ability, and Helen Walker did just that. As audience members, we wanted to love her and hate her at the same time. Ella Raines was nothing spectacular, but did bring this light pro-feminism theme into this light film-noir thriller. Tony Barrett was the epitome of evil; never breaking character and always making me feel slimy. My personal favorite character was Lt. Tom Quincy. I have seen many parodies when they would use the southern flatfoot, but I had never seen a film that utilized this cliché character. Impact did it and Charles Coburn perfected it. As he attempted to solve the crime, he used the vice of kindness and dedication, making this critic smile with delight. He carried the truth of this film on his back without any struggle at all.
Overall, I thought that Impact was yet another great film that I can attribute to the 1940s. I don't know who the brains were during this cinematic time, but I wish I could go back and shake their hands. Their imagination, ability to keep audiences guessing, as well as produce great "B" level actors giving more than 100% of their abilities to a film is nearly impossible to find today. I would have loved to live during this era and see these films in the smoky auditoriums packed with untouched minds. Impact was nearly flawless. I guess it dragged sometimes, and the ending seemed to be wrapped up a bit too quickly (again, the happy factor wasn't needed at the end), but this film kept my attention throughout. I cannot wait to show this movie to friends and family. To fully see where we get our ideas for our films in the year 2006, we must make sure that we respect the films from the 1940s. Impact should be at the top of every film enthusiast's list!
Grade: ***** out of *****
Melodramatic and murderous love rectangle.......2006-01-04
Classic tough guy Brian Donlevy was miscast as Walt Williams a wealthy business executive who was too in touch with his feminine side for my liking. The premise of the film was that Donlevy was being cuckolded by his attractive wife Irene played by Helen Walker with whom he was deeply in love. She plotted in conjunction with her lover Jim Torrance played by Tony Barrett to kill Donlevy and inherit his estate.
Donlevy had planned for his wife Irene to accompany him on a business trip to Denver. She begged out feigning illness but schemed to have her boyfriend hitch a ride with Donlevy posing as her cousin who was heading back east. Barrett, the boyfriend, waylaid Donlevy bludgeoning him with a crowbar. As fate would have it the boyfriend while making a hasy escape, lost control of the car plowing it into a gas truck on a narrow mountain pass. His body, burned beyond recognition, was assumed to be Donlevy.
Donlevy meanwhile suffered a severe concussion and staggering through the countryside winds up in the peaceful little town of Larkspur, Idaho. Meanwhile Helen Walker his wife is brought up on conspiracy to commit murder charges as some evidence implicates her. Donlevy, in the meantime, takes a job as an auto mechanic in a service station run by young widow Marsha Peters played by Ella Raines. He takes up residence with her and her mother and for three months is contentedly living in Larkspur. Donlevy and Raines fall in love and she convinces him to reveal that he survived.
Donlevy returns to his home in San Francisco and immediately is arrested for murder of the boyfriend. He looks like he'll be convicted but some persistent police work by a Lt. Quincy played by veteran actor Charles Coburn greatly helps his cause.
The film was decent but was overly melodramatic and trite and not representative of the fine career of Brian Donlevy
Average customer rating:
- Solid Mystery, an Ode to Small Town American Values
- "Hollywood Crime Dramas ... Ultimate of Film Noir ... Passport Video"
- Film Noir meets Americana
- In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench.
- Melodramatic and murderous love rectangle
|
Impact
Starring: Brian Donlevy , Ella Raines , Charles Coburn , Helen Walker , and Anna May Wong
Director: Arthur Lubin
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
General
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Crime & Criminals
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Mystery & Thriller
| By Genre
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Starting Over
| By Theme
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Haunted by the Past
| By Theme
| Drama
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Mystery
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Crime
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Classics
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
General
| Mystery & Suspense
| Genres
| DVD
| Video
Drama
| Kids & Family
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| DVD
| Video
Ahn, Philip
| ( A )
| Actors & Actresses
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Baker, Art
| ( B )
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Coburn, Charles
| ( C )
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Donlevy, Brian
| ( D )
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Kolb, Clarence
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Marsh, Mae
| ( M )
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Raines, Ella
| ( R )
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Sanford, Erskine
| ( S )
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Walker, Helen
| ( W )
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Warwick, Robert
| ( W )
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Wong, Anna May
| ( W )
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Similar Items:
- The Crooked Way
- House on Telegraph Hill (Fox Film Noir)
- Fallen Angel (Fox Film Noir)
- Somewhere in the Night (Fox Film Noir)
- I Wake Up Screaming (Fox Film Noir)
ASIN: B00008G8WL
Release Date: 2003-03-18 |
Customer Reviews:
Solid Mystery, an Ode to Small Town American Values .......2007-02-10
"Impact" is a sturdy 1949 release that delivers much in the way of suspense mystery, keeping viewers guessing, while also revealing much about small town American values in the early post-World War Two period. This was a time when people were accustomed to helping one another resulting, in part, from the Depression period.
The film begins with Brian Donlevy showing his firm side as head of a major construction company based in San Francisco. When the board of directors refuses to approve new plant construction he nonchalantly tells them that he will go elsewhere and put the same plan into effect. A 9-0 vote against then turns quickly into a unanimous margin in Donlevy's favor, showing how invaluable the board recognizes him to be.
Donlevy's Achilles heel is quickly recognized when he returns to the posh Nob Hill apartment he shares with beautiful, elegantly attired wife Helen Walker. Her pet name for Donlevy of "Softy" has him readily assenting. He tells her that she is the one person that causes the tough business executive to melt.
Walker causes Donlevy to gush while she in turn double deals. Using a bad toothache as a pretext for not traveling with Donlevy to Lake Tahoe, after which he will proceed on to Denver on business, she pulls off a scheme with paramour Tony Barrett. He is allegedly her "cousin" from Chicago.
After Walker tells Donlevy "regrettably" that she cannot make the trip with her toothache bothering her, she asks him if he will give her cousin a ride as far as Denver, where the executive has business activity scheduled.
Donlevy falls into her web and agrees. The plot is predictable enough, to get Donlevy out of the way so that the widow, after a period of appropriate "grieving," can find love with her new friend, augmented by a hefty inheritance courtesy of Donlevy.
To reveal anymore would jeopardize intricate plotting replete with numerous story twists. The film is divisible into two parts, Donlevy's activities prior to the moment with fate that will ultimately change his life, and when he arrives in the friendly town of 4,502 called Larkspur, Idaho, where he meets Ella Raines.
"Impact" adopts the familiar and time-proven "good girl-bad girl" duality with Walker naturally the latter and beautiful Ella Raines, a wholesome girl next door type, steering Donlevy from a state of bitterness combined with depression after he realizes that the woman who had meant more to him than anyone else has ruthlessly betrayed him and attempted to kill him.
Raines runs a gas station and seeks to double as a mechanic. She is much better at pumping gas and hires Donlevy to serve as mechanic. He then receives a different impression of life apart from the likes of Walker and Barrett. Not only is Raines sincere and solid; so is her mother, played by Mae Marsh.
Donlevy and Marsh hit it off instantly, so much so that she asks him if he would like to come and live with them. "You've got yourself a boarder," he tells her.
The simple decency of Larkspur is contrasted with the tougher world of San Francisco corporate boardrooms. Not only does Donlevy fix plenty of cars gratis; he also jumps into the community spirit by joining Larkspur's volunteer fire department.
Donlevy realizes that eventually he must return to San Francisco and face up to the responsibility of events spiraling around the machinations of Helen Walker. Raines insists on helping him, even after he ultimately is compelled to stand trial for "murder" for an alleged crime he never committed.
Raines' unswerving loyalty and assistance during such an hour of need, saving the man she loves from potential death by execution, is reminiscent of her role in "Phantom Lady" when she assists Allen Curtis.
Charles Coburn, a crafty San Francisco Police lieutenant nearing retirement, becomes convinced that Donlevy is a victim. He works closely with Raines to follow all leads, at one point drawing the disgust of his boss, played by veteran Broadway actor Robert Warwick, known for giving Humphrey Bogart a major early theater career break.
When time begins running out for Donlevy, Raines is able to garner valuable assistance from the defendant's former maid, played by notable character performer Anna May Wong. Her assistance prompts the team of Coburn and Raines to achieve a meaningful breakthrough on Donlevy's behalf at a critical moment.
Director Arthur Lubin maintains skillful pacing. He had earlier directed the Universal hit "Phantom of the Opera" with Susanna Foster, Nelson Eddy and Claude Rains. Later he would direct Universal's popular Francis the Talking Mule series.
Harry Popkin produced "Impact." In that same year of 1949 another Popkin-produced film debuted, the film noir classic "D.O.A." starring Edmond O'Brien.
"Hollywood Crime Dramas ... Ultimate of Film Noir ... Passport Video".......2006-10-17
Passport Video presents "THE ULTIMATE FILM NOIR" (1945-1953), --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- ten tantalizing tales of Film Noir on five suspenseful discs --- featuring top performances from the '40s and '50s with outstanding drama and screenplays, along with a wonderful cast and supporting actors to bring it all together ... another winner from the vaults of Film Noir Hollywood gems.
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe Hollywood crime dramas that set their protagonists in a world perceived as inherently corrupt and unsympathetic...Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression...the term film noir (French for "black film"), first applied to Hollywood movies by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unknown to most of the American filmmakers and actors while they were creating the classic film noirs..the canon of film noir was defined in retrospect by film historians and critics; many of those involved in the making of film noir later professed to be unaware at the time of having created a distinctive type of film.
Five-disc collector's set includes "SCARLET STREET" (1945) (95 mins/Universal Pictures), featuring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea and Margaret Lindsay --- "DETOUR" (1945) (67 mins/PRC), featuring Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake and Edmund MacDonald --- "THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS" (1946) (117 mins/Paramount Pictures), featuring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Kirk Douglas, Lizabeth Scott and Judith Anderson --- "WHISTLE STOP" (1946) (85 mins/United Artists) featuring George Raft, Ava Gardner, Victor McLaglen, Tom Conway and Jorja Curtright --- "HE WALKED BY NIGHT" (1948) (80 mins/Eagle-Lion), featuring Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Jack Webb, Roy Roberts, Whit Bissell and James B. Cardwll --- "TRAPPED" (1949) (78 mins/Bryan Foy Productions / Eagle-Lion), featuring Lloyd Bridges, Barbara Payton, John Hoyt, Russ Conway and James Todd --- "IMPACT" (1949) (83 mins/United Artists), featuring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn and Helen Walker --- "D.O.A." (1950) (83 mins/United Artists), featuring Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, Luther Adler and Beverly Campbell --- "QUICKSAND" )1950) (79 mins/Samuel Steifel Productions / United Artists), featuring Mickey Rooney, Jeannie Cagney, Peter Lorre and Barbara Bates --- "THE HITCH-HIKER" (1953) (71 mins/RKO Pictures), featuring Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Talman --- and the documentary "THE BEST OF FILM NOIR".
Film noirs tend to revolve around heroes who are more flawed and morally questionable than the norm, often fall guys of one sort or another...the characteristic heroes of noir are described by many critics as "alienated"; in the words of Silver and Ward, "filled with existential bitterness."...certain archetypal characters appear in many film noirs--hardboiled detectives, femmes fatales, corrupt policemen, jealous husbands, intrepid claims adjusters, and down-and-out writers...as can be observed in many movies of an overtly neo-noir nature, the private eye and the femme fatale are the character types with which film noir has come to be most identified, but a minority of movies now regarded as classic noir feature either...crime, usually murder, is an element of almost all film noirs; in addition to standard-issue greed, jealousy is frequently the criminal motivation...a crime investigation--by a private eye, a police detective (sometimes acting alone), or a concerned amateur--is the most prevalent, but far from dominant, basic plot...in other common plots the protagonists are implicated in heists or con games, or in murderous conspiracies often involving adulterous affairs...false suspicions and accusations of crime are frequent plot elements, as are betrayals and double-crosses...amnesia is far more common in film noir than in real life, and cigarette smoking can seem virtually mandatory.
This collection of "The Ultimate Film Noir" (1945-1953) --- still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years --- but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten --- plus the Bonus of Best of Film Noir on the final disc --- and a great job by Passport Video for this release --- looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video, stay tuned once again for more remarkable films from the vaults of classic television and Hollywood during the Golden Era of Film Noir --- All My Heroes have been Gumshoe Detectives!
Total Time: 909 mins on DVD ~ Passport Video #5480 ~ (5/02/2006)
Film Noir meets Americana.......2006-03-22
"Impact" follows the story of businessman Walter Williams (Brian Donlevy) as he finds himself immersed in a plot by his scheming wife and her lover to kill him. The lover pretends to be the wife's cousin, who hitches a ride with Williams for the purpose of arranging an "accident". However, the lover's own nervousness leads to his death instead of Williams'. Meanwhile, Williams is believed to be dead. He decides to adopt an alias and start a new life in a small, rural town where life moves at a slow pace he's unaccustomed to.
This is where "Impact" becomes unconventional. After a long film noir setup, the film abruptly transitions into a legit "gosh darn" Americana piece where the injured stranger finds peace and comfort in the arms of a loney young widow and her family. Even the town takes him in as one of them. Williams rediscovers what life is all about.
Finally, the time comes when he must confront his past and admit to the world that he's still alive, because his wife is facing conviction for his murder. In trying to do the right thing, Williams finds himself under arrest, as his thoroughly evil wife twists the truth to make it appear that Williams himself is the murderer of her lover. Only the testimony of a former maid can save him.
At the end, the plot gets stretched a bit for purposes of a clear resolution, but at it's best, "Impact" focuses on the contrast between Williams' two lives. I'm not sure if it really had a point to make, other than to say that leading ladies in "down home" movies are more trustworthy than femme fatales, but the ride is enjoyable nonetheless. Donlevy makes Williams a likable enough character that the film maintains good drama. It's an enjoyable film. You don't see many movies these days with quite so much story crammed in.
Recommended!
In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench........2006-03-06
I am a true believe that the best films that Hollywood ever produced came from the 1940s. Whether it was in the early 40s like the film Gaslight or later like Lean's Great Expectations, I have never seen so many great stories with so much originality, humanity, and creativity. Impact is no different. What transformed this picture from your typical film-noir thriller into a full-fledged murder/mystery is not just the creative story, but also the strong characters, the twisting themes, and the questionable ending. Impact could not have been as fascinating as it was if it were not for the impressive story. From the opening scene, we think that we have this film already pegged as your typical "wife cheats on man and he now wants revenge" story, but as director Arthur Lubin guides us further down his diabolical path, we learn that there is going to be more surprises than we originally anticipated. These surprises will not only lock your jaw in a shocked position, but it will also provide 111 minutes of pure uncut film-noir.
I have read other reviews that claim that Impact does not fall within the typical film-noir genre. I see where they are saying this, but I do not agree. Lubin, I believe, was creating a classy film-noir for his audience, but he tricked us. He not only tricked us from the beginning of the film to the end, but also where the film-noir style should be placed. We assume that the because Brian Donlevy is our centralized character that he has to be the dark and brooding one the entire time, causing the sensation of film-noir. I saw this film in a different light. As Lubin kept Donlevy in the eye of the camera for most of the film, I thought that the true sinister, dark, brooding, spooky, and edgy character was Irene. Helen Walker did a superb job with this role. Not only did she portray the backstabbing wife with such precision and ease, but she also played this very strong character that I was not expecting. That sensation of film-noir with the themes of suspicion, anxiety, and pessimism are all collected well within Walker's portrayal of Irene. It is this character that fully embodies the idea of film-noir, and I couldn't keep my eyes off her the entire film. To see such a powerful female character in such an early age of Hollywood impressed me. I do not see why Impact has not made a bigger impression in the film communities. It is a landmark film that will keep you guessing in a better way than any Shyamalan film will.
Even if you cannot agree with me about Lubin's slight of "film-noir" hands, it is unmistakably true that Impact contains some of the best story coupled with acting that we have seen in quite a long time. Even in today's Hollywood you just do not see this type of intensity, excitement, and curiosity as you found in Impact. I would not be surprised if we eventually saw a remake of this film in the future. It has all the elements that one would desire to be a box-office sensation; an evil wife, a passionate husband, and a dark secret. Who wouldn't love to see this? I personally could not keep my eyes off the story or the actors in this film. Brian Donlevy was beyond normal as the disarmed man facing the truth that his wife is no longer in love with him. This being my first Donlevy film, I cannot wait to see other pieces of his work. I think he was both strong and weak enough to carry the picture. He had to show that he still loved his wife, no matter what she did, and he pulled it off with so much dedication that I nearly wanted to stand up and clap for him in my living room. I have already spoken on Irene, who I believe matched Donlevy straw for straw. Lubin needed a character that was going to counter Donlevy's like-ability, and Helen Walker did just that. As audience members, we wanted to love her and hate her at the same time. Ella Raines was nothing spectacular, but did bring this light pro-feminism theme into this light film-noir thriller. Tony Barrett was the epitome of evil; never breaking character and always making me feel slimy. My personal favorite character was Lt. Tom Quincy. I have seen many parodies when they would use the southern flatfoot, but I had never seen a film that utilized this cliché character. Impact did it and Charles Coburn perfected it. As he attempted to solve the crime, he used the vice of kindness and dedication, making this critic smile with delight. He carried the truth of this film on his back without any struggle at all.
Overall, I thought that Impact was yet another great film that I can attribute to the 1940s. I don't know who the brains were during this cinematic time, but I wish I could go back and shake their hands. Their imagination, ability to keep audiences guessing, as well as produce great "B" level actors giving more than 100% of their abilities to a film is nearly impossible to find today. I would have loved to live during this era and see these films in the smoky auditoriums packed with untouched minds. Impact was nearly flawless. I guess it dragged sometimes, and the ending seemed to be wrapped up a bit too quickly (again, the happy factor wasn't needed at the end), but this film kept my attention throughout. I cannot wait to show this movie to friends and family. To fully see where we get our ideas for our films in the year 2006, we must make sure that we respect the films from the 1940s. Impact should be at the top of every film enthusiast's list!
Grade: ***** out of *****
Melodramatic and murderous love rectangle.......2006-01-04
Classic tough guy Brian Donlevy was miscast as Walt Williams a wealthy business executive who was too in touch with his feminine side for my liking. The premise of the film was that Donlevy was being cuckolded by his attractive wife Irene played by Helen Walker with whom he was deeply in love. She plotted in conjunction with her lover Jim Torrance played by Tony Barrett to kill Donlevy and inherit his estate.
Donlevy had planned for his wife Irene to accompany him on a business trip to Denver. She begged out feigning illness but schemed to have her boyfriend hitch a ride with Donlevy posing as her cousin who was heading back east. Barrett, the boyfriend, waylaid Donlevy bludgeoning him with a crowbar. As fate would have it the boyfriend while making a hasy escape, lost control of the car plowing it into a gas truck on a narrow mountain pass. His body, burned beyond recognition, was assumed to be Donlevy.
Donlevy meanwhile suffered a severe concussion and staggering through the countryside winds up in the peaceful little town of Larkspur, Idaho. Meanwhile Helen Walker his wife is brought up on conspiracy to commit murder charges as some evidence implicates her. Donlevy, in the meantime, takes a job as an auto mechanic in a service station run by young widow Marsha Peters played by Ella Raines. He takes up residence with her and her mother and for three months is contentedly living in Larkspur. Donlevy and Raines fall in love and she convinces him to reveal that he survived.
Donlevy returns to his home in San Francisco and immediately is arrested for murder of the boyfriend. He looks like he'll be convicted but some persistent police work by a Lt. Quincy played by veteran actor Charles Coburn greatly helps his cause.
The film was decent but was overly melodramatic and trite and not representative of the fine career of Brian Donlevy
Average customer rating:
- Propaganda Flick Features Wong's Talent
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Lady From Chunking
Starring: Paul Bryar , Mae Clarke , Ludwig Donath , Ted Hecht , and Harold Huber
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- Bombs Over Burma
- Chu Chin Chow
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- The Thief of Bagdad (Deluxe Edition)
- The Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet
ASIN: B00082ZR8K
Release Date: 2005-05-31 |
Customer Reviews:
Propaganda Flick Features Wong's Talent.......2006-06-13
Lady from Chungking and Bombs over Burma both starred Anna May Wong; predictably both were made by the same production company at about the same point in the war. Both came at a time when the Japanese (guilty by association - the Japanese Americans) became the enemy (the "Other") and with equal vigor all the rest of the Asians - particularly the Chinese Americans saw a change of heart - we are now all allies. This adds credence to the old adage that "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." This is an effective and low budget wartime drama. Anna May Wong's has that special something that adds a bit of magic. The story has Wong as the leader of a resistance group (but this time in the fields (undercover since she is THE Lady from Chungking) to the Japanese invaders in China. Anna May Wong is once again nothing short of stellar. She does however get lots of assistance from her supporting crew. Mae Clarke is hot as "Times Square." The core of Orientalism is seen in the Japanese general with whom Wong's character must outsmart. Harold Huber is miscast for the role. However, for the purposes of the movie he is perfect as the greedy yet short-sighted, egotistical but foolish Japanese general we have been racialized to believe. In this movie, unlike Bombs over Burma, Wong gets to explore her range. At certain times in the movie she is this meek subject of the occupiers, at other instances she is this tough as nails leader of the underground ready to sacrifice everything... and I mean "everything." Despite taking the risk of falling prey to this form of Orientalism may is decked out and looks hot and elegant as the Lady from Chungking - I would fall for her. General Kaimura did not stand a chance. Anna May Wong might be better remembered for high budget productions like The Thief of Bagdad but it is great to see her in this propaganda flick that make available examples of her wide range of talents.
Miguel Llora
Average customer rating:
- Solid Mystery, an Ode to Small Town American Values
- "Hollywood Crime Dramas ... Ultimate of Film Noir ... Passport Video"
- Film Noir meets Americana
- In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench.
- Melodramatic and murderous love rectangle
|
Impact
Starring: Brian Donlevy , Ella Raines , Charles Coburn , Helen Walker , and Anna May Wong
Director: Arthur Lubin
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Similar Items:
- The Crooked Way
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ASIN: B00000F0H2
Release Date: 1998-10-08 |
Customer Reviews:
Solid Mystery, an Ode to Small Town American Values .......2007-02-10
"Impact" is a sturdy 1949 release that delivers much in the way of suspense mystery, keeping viewers guessing, while also revealing much about small town American values in the early post-World War Two period. This was a time when people were accustomed to helping one another resulting, in part, from the Depression period.
The film begins with Brian Donlevy showing his firm side as head of a major construction company based in San Francisco. When the board of directors refuses to approve new plant construction he nonchalantly tells them that he will go elsewhere and put the same plan into effect. A 9-0 vote against then turns quickly into a unanimous margin in Donlevy's favor, showing how invaluable the board recognizes him to be.
Donlevy's Achilles heel is quickly recognized when he returns to the posh Nob Hill apartment he shares with beautiful, elegantly attired wife Helen Walker. Her pet name for Donlevy of "Softy" has him readily assenting. He tells her that she is the one person that causes the tough business executive to melt.
Walker causes Donlevy to gush while she in turn double deals. Using a bad toothache as a pretext for not traveling with Donlevy to Lake Tahoe, after which he will proceed on to Denver on business, she pulls off a scheme with paramour Tony Barrett. He is allegedly her "cousin" from Chicago.
After Walker tells Donlevy "regrettably" that she cannot make the trip with her toothache bothering her, she asks him if he will give her cousin a ride as far as Denver, where the executive has business activity scheduled.
Donlevy falls into her web and agrees. The plot is predictable enough, to get Donlevy out of the way so that the widow, after a period of appropriate "grieving," can find love with her new friend, augmented by a hefty inheritance courtesy of Donlevy.
To reveal anymore would jeopardize intricate plotting replete with numerous story twists. The film is divisible into two parts, Donlevy's activities prior to the moment with fate that will ultimately change his life, and when he arrives in the friendly town of 4,502 called Larkspur, Idaho, where he meets Ella Raines.
"Impact" adopts the familiar and time-proven "good girl-bad girl" duality with Walker naturally the latter and beautiful Ella Raines, a wholesome girl next door type, steering Donlevy from a state of bitterness combined with depression after he realizes that the woman who had meant more to him than anyone else has ruthlessly betrayed him and attempted to kill him.
Raines runs a gas station and seeks to double as a mechanic. She is much better at pumping gas and hires Donlevy to serve as mechanic. He then receives a different impression of life apart from the likes of Walker and Barrett. Not only is Raines sincere and solid; so is her mother, played by Mae Marsh.
Donlevy and Marsh hit it off instantly, so much so that she asks him if he would like to come and live with them. "You've got yourself a boarder," he tells her.
The simple decency of Larkspur is contrasted with the tougher world of San Francisco corporate boardrooms. Not only does Donlevy fix plenty of cars gratis; he also jumps into the community spirit by joining Larkspur's volunteer fire department.
Donlevy realizes that eventually he must return to San Francisco and face up to the responsibility of events spiraling around the machinations of Helen Walker. Raines insists on helping him, even after he ultimately is compelled to stand trial for "murder" for an alleged crime he never committed.
Raines' unswerving loyalty and assistance during such an hour of need, saving the man she loves from potential death by execution, is reminiscent of her role in "Phantom Lady" when she assists Allen Curtis.
Charles Coburn, a crafty San Francisco Police lieutenant nearing retirement, becomes convinced that Donlevy is a victim. He works closely with Raines to follow all leads, at one point drawing the disgust of his boss, played by veteran Broadway actor Robert Warwick, known for giving Humphrey Bogart a major early theater career break.
When time begins running out for Donlevy, Raines is able to garner valuable assistance from the defendant's former maid, played by notable character performer Anna May Wong. Her assistance prompts the team of Coburn and Raines to achieve a meaningful breakthrough on Donlevy's behalf at a critical moment.
Director Arthur Lubin maintains skillful pacing. He had earlier directed the Universal hit "Phantom of the Opera" with Susanna Foster, Nelson Eddy and Claude Rains. Later he would direct Universal's popular Francis the Talking Mule series.
Harry Popkin produced "Impact." In that same year of 1949 another Popkin-produced film debuted, the film noir classic "D.O.A." starring Edmond O'Brien.
"Hollywood Crime Dramas ... Ultimate of Film Noir ... Passport Video".......2006-10-17
Passport Video presents "THE ULTIMATE FILM NOIR" (1945-1953), --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- ten tantalizing tales of Film Noir on five suspenseful discs --- featuring top performances from the '40s and '50s with outstanding drama and screenplays, along with a wonderful cast and supporting actors to bring it all together ... another winner from the vaults of Film Noir Hollywood gems.
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe Hollywood crime dramas that set their protagonists in a world perceived as inherently corrupt and unsympathetic...Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression...the term film noir (French for "black film"), first applied to Hollywood movies by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unknown to most of the American filmmakers and actors while they were creating the classic film noirs..the canon of film noir was defined in retrospect by film historians and critics; many of those involved in the making of film noir later professed to be unaware at the time of having created a distinctive type of film.
Five-disc collector's set includes "SCARLET STREET" (1945) (95 mins/Universal Pictures), featuring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea and Margaret Lindsay --- "DETOUR" (1945) (67 mins/PRC), featuring Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake and Edmund MacDonald --- "THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS" (1946) (117 mins/Paramount Pictures), featuring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Kirk Douglas, Lizabeth Scott and Judith Anderson --- "WHISTLE STOP" (1946) (85 mins/United Artists) featuring George Raft, Ava Gardner, Victor McLaglen, Tom Conway and Jorja Curtright --- "HE WALKED BY NIGHT" (1948) (80 mins/Eagle-Lion), featuring Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Jack Webb, Roy Roberts, Whit Bissell and James B. Cardwll --- "TRAPPED" (1949) (78 mins/Bryan Foy Productions / Eagle-Lion), featuring Lloyd Bridges, Barbara Payton, John Hoyt, Russ Conway and James Todd --- "IMPACT" (1949) (83 mins/United Artists), featuring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn and Helen Walker --- "D.O.A." (1950) (83 mins/United Artists), featuring Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, Luther Adler and Beverly Campbell --- "QUICKSAND" )1950) (79 mins/Samuel Steifel Productions / United Artists), featuring Mickey Rooney, Jeannie Cagney, Peter Lorre and Barbara Bates --- "THE HITCH-HIKER" (1953) (71 mins/RKO Pictures), featuring Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Talman --- and the documentary "THE BEST OF FILM NOIR".
Film noirs tend to revolve around heroes who are more flawed and morally questionable than the norm, often fall guys of one sort or another...the characteristic heroes of noir are described by many critics as "alienated"; in the words of Silver and Ward, "filled with existential bitterness."...certain archetypal characters appear in many film noirs--hardboiled detectives, femmes fatales, corrupt policemen, jealous husbands, intrepid claims adjusters, and down-and-out writers...as can be observed in many movies of an overtly neo-noir nature, the private eye and the femme fatale are the character types with which film noir has come to be most identified, but a minority of movies now regarded as classic noir feature either...crime, usually murder, is an element of almost all film noirs; in addition to standard-issue greed, jealousy is frequently the criminal motivation...a crime investigation--by a private eye, a police detective (sometimes acting alone), or a concerned amateur--is the most prevalent, but far from dominant, basic plot...in other common plots the protagonists are implicated in heists or con games, or in murderous conspiracies often involving adulterous affairs...false suspicions and accusations of crime are frequent plot elements, as are betrayals and double-crosses...amnesia is far more common in film noir than in real life, and cigarette smoking can seem virtually mandatory.
This collection of "The Ultimate Film Noir" (1945-1953) --- still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years --- but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten --- plus the Bonus of Best of Film Noir on the final disc --- and a great job by Passport Video for this release --- looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video, stay tuned once again for more remarkable films from the vaults of classic television and Hollywood during the Golden Era of Film Noir --- All My Heroes have been Gumshoe Detectives!
Total Time: 909 mins on DVD ~ Passport Video #5480 ~ (5/02/2006)
Film Noir meets Americana.......2006-03-22
"Impact" follows the story of businessman Walter Williams (Brian Donlevy) as he finds himself immersed in a plot by his scheming wife and her lover to kill him. The lover pretends to be the wife's cousin, who hitches a ride with Williams for the purpose of arranging an "accident". However, the lover's own nervousness leads to his death instead of Williams'. Meanwhile, Williams is believed to be dead. He decides to adopt an alias and start a new life in a small, rural town where life moves at a slow pace he's unaccustomed to.
This is where "Impact" becomes unconventional. After a long film noir setup, the film abruptly transitions into a legit "gosh darn" Americana piece where the injured stranger finds peace and comfort in the arms of a loney young widow and her family. Even the town takes him in as one of them. Williams rediscovers what life is all about.
Finally, the time comes when he must confront his past and admit to the world that he's still alive, because his wife is facing conviction for his murder. In trying to do the right thing, Williams finds himself under arrest, as his thoroughly evil wife twists the truth to make it appear that Williams himself is the murderer of her lover. Only the testimony of a former maid can save him.
At the end, the plot gets stretched a bit for purposes of a clear resolution, but at it's best, "Impact" focuses on the contrast between Williams' two lives. I'm not sure if it really had a point to make, other than to say that leading ladies in "down home" movies are more trustworthy than femme fatales, but the ride is enjoyable nonetheless. Donlevy makes Williams a likable enough character that the film maintains good drama. It's an enjoyable film. You don't see many movies these days with quite so much story crammed in.
Recommended!
In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench........2006-03-06
I am a true believe that the best films that Hollywood ever produced came from the 1940s. Whether it was in the early 40s like the film Gaslight or later like Lean's Great Expectations, I have never seen so many great stories with so much originality, humanity, and creativity. Impact is no different. What transformed this picture from your typical film-noir thriller into a full-fledged murder/mystery is not just the creative story, but also the strong characters, the twisting themes, and the questionable ending. Impact could not have been as fascinating as it was if it were not for the impressive story. From the opening scene, we think that we have this film already pegged as your typical "wife cheats on man and he now wants revenge" story, but as director Arthur Lubin guides us further down his diabolical path, we learn that there is going to be more surprises than we originally anticipated. These surprises will not only lock your jaw in a shocked position, but it will also provide 111 minutes of pure uncut film-noir.
I have read other reviews that claim that Impact does not fall within the typical film-noir genre. I see where they are saying this, but I do not agree. Lubin, I believe, was creating a classy film-noir for his audience, but he tricked us. He not only tricked us from the beginning of the film to the end, but also where the film-noir style should be placed. We assume that the because Brian Donlevy is our centralized character that he has to be the dark and brooding one the entire time, causing the sensation of film-noir. I saw this film in a different light. As Lubin kept Donlevy in the eye of the camera for most of the film, I thought that the true sinister, dark, brooding, spooky, and edgy character was Irene. Helen Walker did a superb job with this role. Not only did she portray the backstabbing wife with such precision and ease, but she also played this very strong character that I was not expecting. That sensation of film-noir with the themes of suspicion, anxiety, and pessimism are all collected well within Walker's portrayal of Irene. It is this character that fully embodies the idea of film-noir, and I couldn't keep my eyes off her the entire film. To see such a powerful female character in such an early age of Hollywood impressed me. I do not see why Impact has not made a bigger impression in the film communities. It is a landmark film that will keep you guessing in a better way than any Shyamalan film will.
Even if you cannot agree with me about Lubin's slight of "film-noir" hands, it is unmistakably true that Impact contains some of the best story coupled with acting that we have seen in quite a long time. Even in today's Hollywood you just do not see this type of intensity, excitement, and curiosity as you found in Impact. I would not be surprised if we eventually saw a remake of this film in the future. It has all the elements that one would desire to be a box-office sensation; an evil wife, a passionate husband, and a dark secret. Who wouldn't love to see this? I personally could not keep my eyes off the story or the actors in this film. Brian Donlevy was beyond normal as the disarmed man facing the truth that his wife is no longer in love with him. This being my first Donlevy film, I cannot wait to see other pieces of his work. I think he was both strong and weak enough to carry the picture. He had to show that he still loved his wife, no matter what she did, and he pulled it off with so much dedication that I nearly wanted to stand up and clap for him in my living room. I have already spoken on Irene, who I believe matched Donlevy straw for straw. Lubin needed a character that was going to counter Donlevy's like-ability, and Helen Walker did just that. As audience members, we wanted to love her and hate her at the same time. Ella Raines was nothing spectacular, but did bring this light pro-feminism theme into this light film-noir thriller. Tony Barrett was the epitome of evil; never breaking character and always making me feel slimy. My personal favorite character was Lt. Tom Quincy. I have seen many parodies when they would use the southern flatfoot, but I had never seen a film that utilized this cliché character. Impact did it and Charles Coburn perfected it. As he attempted to solve the crime, he used the vice of kindness and dedication, making this critic smile with delight. He carried the truth of this film on his back without any struggle at all.
Overall, I thought that Impact was yet another great film that I can attribute to the 1940s. I don't know who the brains were during this cinematic time, but I wish I could go back and shake their hands. Their imagination, ability to keep audiences guessing, as well as produce great "B" level actors giving more than 100% of their abilities to a film is nearly impossible to find today. I would have loved to live during this era and see these films in the smoky auditoriums packed with untouched minds. Impact was nearly flawless. I guess it dragged sometimes, and the ending seemed to be wrapped up a bit too quickly (again, the happy factor wasn't needed at the end), but this film kept my attention throughout. I cannot wait to show this movie to friends and family. To fully see where we get our ideas for our films in the year 2006, we must make sure that we respect the films from the 1940s. Impact should be at the top of every film enthusiast's list!
Grade: ***** out of *****
Melodramatic and murderous love rectangle.......2006-01-04
Classic tough guy Brian Donlevy was miscast as Walt Williams a wealthy business executive who was too in touch with his feminine side for my liking. The premise of the film was that Donlevy was being cuckolded by his attractive wife Irene played by Helen Walker with whom he was deeply in love. She plotted in conjunction with her lover Jim Torrance played by Tony Barrett to kill Donlevy and inherit his estate.
Donlevy had planned for his wife Irene to accompany him on a business trip to Denver. She begged out feigning illness but schemed to have her boyfriend hitch a ride with Donlevy posing as her cousin who was heading back east. Barrett, the boyfriend, waylaid Donlevy bludgeoning him with a crowbar. As fate would have it the boyfriend while making a hasy escape, lost control of the car plowing it into a gas truck on a narrow mountain pass. His body, burned beyond recognition, was assumed to be Donlevy.
Donlevy meanwhile suffered a severe concussion and staggering through the countryside winds up in the peaceful little town of Larkspur, Idaho. Meanwhile Helen Walker his wife is brought up on conspiracy to commit murder charges as some evidence implicates her. Donlevy, in the meantime, takes a job as an auto mechanic in a service station run by young widow Marsha Peters played by Ella Raines. He takes up residence with her and her mother and for three months is contentedly living in Larkspur. Donlevy and Raines fall in love and she convinces him to reveal that he survived.
Donlevy returns to his home in San Francisco and immediately is arrested for murder of the boyfriend. He looks like he'll be convicted but some persistent police work by a Lt. Quincy played by veteran actor Charles Coburn greatly helps his cause.
The film was decent but was overly melodramatic and trite and not representative of the fine career of Brian Donlevy
Average customer rating:
- Solid Mystery, an Ode to Small Town American Values
- "Hollywood Crime Dramas ... Ultimate of Film Noir ... Passport Video"
- Film Noir meets Americana
- In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench.
- Melodramatic and murderous love rectangle
|
Impact
Starring: Brian Donlevy , Ella Raines , Charles Coburn , Helen Walker , and Anna May Wong
Director: Arthur Lubin
Manufacturer: Englewood Entertainment
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape
Ahn, Philip
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ASIN: 6304679750
Release Date: 1997-09-18 |
Customer Reviews:
Solid Mystery, an Ode to Small Town American Values .......2007-02-10
"Impact" is a sturdy 1949 release that delivers much in the way of suspense mystery, keeping viewers guessing, while also revealing much about small town American values in the early post-World War Two period. This was a time when people were accustomed to helping one another resulting, in part, from the Depression period.
The film begins with Brian Donlevy showing his firm side as head of a major construction company based in San Francisco. When the board of directors refuses to approve new plant construction he nonchalantly tells them that he will go elsewhere and put the same plan into effect. A 9-0 vote against then turns quickly into a unanimous margin in Donlevy's favor, showing how invaluable the board recognizes him to be.
Donlevy's Achilles heel is quickly recognized when he returns to the posh Nob Hill apartment he shares with beautiful, elegantly attired wife Helen Walker. Her pet name for Donlevy of "Softy" has him readily assenting. He tells her that she is the one person that causes the tough business executive to melt.
Walker causes Donlevy to gush while she in turn double deals. Using a bad toothache as a pretext for not traveling with Donlevy to Lake Tahoe, after which he will proceed on to Denver on business, she pulls off a scheme with paramour Tony Barrett. He is allegedly her "cousin" from Chicago.
After Walker tells Donlevy "regrettably" that she cannot make the trip with her toothache bothering her, she asks him if he will give her cousin a ride as far as Denver, where the executive has business activity scheduled.
Donlevy falls into her web and agrees. The plot is predictable enough, to get Donlevy out of the way so that the widow, after a period of appropriate "grieving," can find love with her new friend, augmented by a hefty inheritance courtesy of Donlevy.
To reveal anymore would jeopardize intricate plotting replete with numerous story twists. The film is divisible into two parts, Donlevy's activities prior to the moment with fate that will ultimately change his life, and when he arrives in the friendly town of 4,502 called Larkspur, Idaho, where he meets Ella Raines.
"Impact" adopts the familiar and time-proven "good girl-bad girl" duality with Walker naturally the latter and beautiful Ella Raines, a wholesome girl next door type, steering Donlevy from a state of bitterness combined with depression after he realizes that the woman who had meant more to him than anyone else has ruthlessly betrayed him and attempted to kill him.
Raines runs a gas station and seeks to double as a mechanic. She is much better at pumping gas and hires Donlevy to serve as mechanic. He then receives a different impression of life apart from the likes of Walker and Barrett. Not only is Raines sincere and solid; so is her mother, played by Mae Marsh.
Donlevy and Marsh hit it off instantly, so much so that she asks him if he would like to come and live with them. "You've got yourself a boarder," he tells her.
The simple decency of Larkspur is contrasted with the tougher world of San Francisco corporate boardrooms. Not only does Donlevy fix plenty of cars gratis; he also jumps into the community spirit by joining Larkspur's volunteer fire department.
Donlevy realizes that eventually he must return to San Francisco and face up to the responsibility of events spiraling around the machinations of Helen Walker. Raines insists on helping him, even after he ultimately is compelled to stand trial for "murder" for an alleged crime he never committed.
Raines' unswerving loyalty and assistance during such an hour of need, saving the man she loves from potential death by execution, is reminiscent of her role in "Phantom Lady" when she assists Allen Curtis.
Charles Coburn, a crafty San Francisco Police lieutenant nearing retirement, becomes convinced that Donlevy is a victim. He works closely with Raines to follow all leads, at one point drawing the disgust of his boss, played by veteran Broadway actor Robert Warwick, known for giving Humphrey Bogart a major early theater career break.
When time begins running out for Donlevy, Raines is able to garner valuable assistance from the defendant's former maid, played by notable character performer Anna May Wong. Her assistance prompts the team of Coburn and Raines to achieve a meaningful breakthrough on Donlevy's behalf at a critical moment.
Director Arthur Lubin maintains skillful pacing. He had earlier directed the Universal hit "Phantom of the Opera" with Susanna Foster, Nelson Eddy and Claude Rains. Later he would direct Universal's popular Francis the Talking Mule series.
Harry Popkin produced "Impact." In that same year of 1949 another Popkin-produced film debuted, the film noir classic "D.O.A." starring Edmond O'Brien.
"Hollywood Crime Dramas ... Ultimate of Film Noir ... Passport Video".......2006-10-17
Passport Video presents "THE ULTIMATE FILM NOIR" (1945-1953), --- (Dolby digitally remastered) --- ten tantalizing tales of Film Noir on five suspenseful discs --- featuring top performances from the '40s and '50s with outstanding drama and screenplays, along with a wonderful cast and supporting actors to bring it all together ... another winner from the vaults of Film Noir Hollywood gems.
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe Hollywood crime dramas that set their protagonists in a world perceived as inherently corrupt and unsympathetic...Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, while many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Depression...the term film noir (French for "black film"), first applied to Hollywood movies by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unknown to most of the American filmmakers and actors while they were creating the classic film noirs..the canon of film noir was defined in retrospect by film historians and critics; many of those involved in the making of film noir later professed to be unaware at the time of having created a distinctive type of film.
Five-disc collector's set includes "SCARLET STREET" (1945) (95 mins/Universal Pictures), featuring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea and Margaret Lindsay --- "DETOUR" (1945) (67 mins/PRC), featuring Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Drake and Edmund MacDonald --- "THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS" (1946) (117 mins/Paramount Pictures), featuring Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Kirk Douglas, Lizabeth Scott and Judith Anderson --- "WHISTLE STOP" (1946) (85 mins/United Artists) featuring George Raft, Ava Gardner, Victor McLaglen, Tom Conway and Jorja Curtright --- "HE WALKED BY NIGHT" (1948) (80 mins/Eagle-Lion), featuring Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Jack Webb, Roy Roberts, Whit Bissell and James B. Cardwll --- "TRAPPED" (1949) (78 mins/Bryan Foy Productions / Eagle-Lion), featuring Lloyd Bridges, Barbara Payton, John Hoyt, Russ Conway and James Todd --- "IMPACT" (1949) (83 mins/United Artists), featuring Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Charles Coburn and Helen Walker --- "D.O.A." (1950) (83 mins/United Artists), featuring Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, Luther Adler and Beverly Campbell --- "QUICKSAND" )1950) (79 mins/Samuel Steifel Productions / United Artists), featuring Mickey Rooney, Jeannie Cagney, Peter Lorre and Barbara Bates --- "THE HITCH-HIKER" (1953) (71 mins/RKO Pictures), featuring Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy and William Talman --- and the documentary "THE BEST OF FILM NOIR".
Film noirs tend to revolve around heroes who are more flawed and morally questionable than the norm, often fall guys of one sort or another...the characteristic heroes of noir are described by many critics as "alienated"; in the words of Silver and Ward, "filled with existential bitterness."...certain archetypal characters appear in many film noirs--hardboiled detectives, femmes fatales, corrupt policemen, jealous husbands, intrepid claims adjusters, and down-and-out writers...as can be observed in many movies of an overtly neo-noir nature, the private eye and the femme fatale are the character types with which film noir has come to be most identified, but a minority of movies now regarded as classic noir feature either...crime, usually murder, is an element of almost all film noirs; in addition to standard-issue greed, jealousy is frequently the criminal motivation...a crime investigation--by a private eye, a police detective (sometimes acting alone), or a concerned amateur--is the most prevalent, but far from dominant, basic plot...in other common plots the protagonists are implicated in heists or con games, or in murderous conspiracies often involving adulterous affairs...false suspicions and accusations of crime are frequent plot elements, as are betrayals and double-crosses...amnesia is far more common in film noir than in real life, and cigarette smoking can seem virtually mandatory.
This collection of "The Ultimate Film Noir" (1945-1953) --- still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years --- but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten --- plus the Bonus of Best of Film Noir on the final disc --- and a great job by Passport Video for this release --- looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or Passport Video, stay tuned once again for more remarkable films from the vaults of classic television and Hollywood during the Golden Era of Film Noir --- All My Heroes have been Gumshoe Detectives!
Total Time: 909 mins on DVD ~ Passport Video #5480 ~ (5/02/2006)
Film Noir meets Americana.......2006-03-22
"Impact" follows the story of businessman Walter Williams (Brian Donlevy) as he finds himself immersed in a plot by his scheming wife and her lover to kill him. The lover pretends to be the wife's cousin, who hitches a ride with Williams for the purpose of arranging an "accident". However, the lover's own nervousness leads to his death instead of Williams'. Meanwhile, Williams is believed to be dead. He decides to adopt an alias and start a new life in a small, rural town where life moves at a slow pace he's unaccustomed to.
This is where "Impact" becomes unconventional. After a long film noir setup, the film abruptly transitions into a legit "gosh darn" Americana piece where the injured stranger finds peace and comfort in the arms of a loney young widow and her family. Even the town takes him in as one of them. Williams rediscovers what life is all about.
Finally, the time comes when he must confront his past and admit to the world that he's still alive, because his wife is facing conviction for his murder. In trying to do the right thing, Williams finds himself under arrest, as his thoroughly evil wife twists the truth to make it appear that Williams himself is the murderer of her lover. Only the testimony of a former maid can save him.
At the end, the plot gets stretched a bit for purposes of a clear resolution, but at it's best, "Impact" focuses on the contrast between Williams' two lives. I'm not sure if it really had a point to make, other than to say that leading ladies in "down home" movies are more trustworthy than femme fatales, but the ride is enjoyable nonetheless. Donlevy makes Williams a likable enough character that the film maintains good drama. It's an enjoyable film. You don't see many movies these days with quite so much story crammed in.
Recommended!
In this world, you turn the other cheek, and you get hit with a lug wrench........2006-03-06
I am a true believe that the best films that Hollywood ever produced came from the 1940s. Whether it was in the early 40s like the film Gaslight or later like Lean's Great Expectations, I have never seen so many great stories with so much originality, humanity, and creativity. Impact is no different. What transformed this picture from your typical film-noir thriller into a full-fledged murder/mystery is not just the creative story, but also the strong characters, the twisting themes, and the questionable ending. Impact could not have been as fascinating as it was if it were not for the impressive story. From the opening scene, we think that we have this film already pegged as your typical "wife cheats on man and he now wants revenge" story, but as director Arthur Lubin guides us further down his diabolical path, we learn that there is going to be more surprises than we originally anticipated. These surprises will not only lock your jaw in a shocked position, but it will also provide 111 minutes of pure uncut film-noir.
I have read other reviews that claim that Impact does not fall within the typical film-noir genre. I see where they are saying this, but I do not agree. Lubin, I believe, was creating a classy film-noir for his audience, but he tricked us. He not only tricked us from the beginning of the film to the end, but also where the film-noir style should be placed. We assume that the because Brian Donlevy is our centralized character that he has to be the dark and brooding one the entire time, causing the sensation of film-noir. I saw this film in a different light. As Lubin kept Donlevy in the eye of the camera for most of the film, I thought that the true sinister, dark, brooding, spooky, and edgy character was Irene. Helen Walker did a superb job with this role. Not only did she portray the backstabbing wife with such precision and ease, but she also played this very strong character that I was not expecting. That sensation of film-noir with the themes of suspicion, anxiety, and pessimism are all collected well within Walker's portrayal of Irene. It is this character that fully embodies the idea of film-noir, and I couldn't keep my eyes off her the entire film. To see such a powerful female character in such an early age of Hollywood impressed me. I do not see why Impact has not made a bigger impression in the film communities. It is a landmark film that will keep you guessing in a better way than any Shyamalan film will.
Even if you cannot agree with me about Lubin's slight of "film-noir" hands, it is unmistakably true that Impact contains some of the best story coupled with acting that we have seen in quite a long time. Even in today's Hollywood you just do not see this type of intensity, excitement, and curiosity as you found in Impact. I would not be surprised if we eventually saw a remake of this film in the future. It has all the elements that one would desire to be a box-office sensation; an evil wife, a passionate husband, and a dark secret. Who wouldn't love to see this? I personally could not keep my eyes off the story or the actors in this film. Brian Donlevy was beyond normal as the disarmed man facing the truth that his wife is no longer in love with him. This being my first Donlevy film, I cannot wait to see other pieces of his work. I think he was both strong and weak enough to carry the picture. He had to show that he still loved his wife, no matter what she did, and he pulled it off with so much dedication that I nearly wanted to stand up and clap for him in my living room. I have already spoken on Irene, who I believe matched Donlevy straw for straw. Lubin needed a character that was going to counter Donlevy's like-ability, and Helen Walker did just that. As audience members, we wanted to love her and hate her at the same time. Ella Raines was nothing spectacular, but did bring this light pro-feminism theme into this light film-noir thriller. Tony Barrett was the epitome of evil; never breaking character and always making me feel slimy. My personal favorite character was Lt. Tom Quincy. I have seen many parodies when they would use the southern flatfoot, but I had never seen a film that utilized this cliché character. Impact did it and Charles Coburn perfected it. As he attempted to solve the crime, he used the vice of kindness and dedication, making this critic smile with delight. He carried the truth of this film on his back without any struggle at all.
Overall, I thought that Impact was yet another great film that I can attribute to the 1940s. I don't know who the brains were during this cinematic time, but I wish I could go back and shake their hands. Their imagination, ability to keep audiences guessing, as well as produce great "B" level actors giving more than 100% of their abilities to a film is nearly impossible to find today. I would have loved to live during this era and see these films in the smoky auditoriums packed with untouched minds. Impact was nearly flawless. I guess it dragged sometimes, and the ending seemed to be wrapped up a bit too quickly (again, the happy factor wasn't needed at the end), but this film kept my attention throughout. I cannot wait to show this movie to friends and family. To fully see where we get our ideas for our films in the year 2006, we must make sure that we respect the films from the 1940s. Impact should be at the top of every film enthusiast's list!
Grade: ***** out of *****
Melodramatic and murderous love rectangle.......2006-01-04
Classic tough guy Brian Donlevy was miscast as Walt Williams a wealthy business executive who was too in touch with his feminine side for my liking. The premise of the film was that Donlevy was being cuckolded by his attractive wife Irene played by Helen Walker with whom he was deeply in love. She plotted in conjunction with her lover Jim Torrance played by Tony Barrett to kill Donlevy and inherit his estate.
Donlevy had planned for his wife Irene to accompany him on a business trip to Denver. She begged out feigning illness but schemed to have her boyfriend hitch a ride with Donlevy posing as her cousin who was heading back east. Barrett, the boyfriend, waylaid Donlevy bludgeoning him with a crowbar. As fate would have it the boyfriend while making a hasy escape, lost control of the car plowing it into a gas truck on a narrow mountain pass. His body, burned beyond recognition, was assumed to be Donlevy.
Donlevy meanwhile suffered a severe concussion and staggering through the countryside winds up in the peaceful little town of Larkspur, Idaho. Meanwhile Helen Walker his wife is brought up on conspiracy to commit murder charges as some evidence implicates her. Donlevy, in the meantime, takes a job as an auto mechanic in a service station run by young widow Marsha Peters played by Ella Raines. He takes up residence with her and her mother and for three months is contentedly living in Larkspur. Donlevy and Raines fall in love and she convinces him to reveal that he survived.
Donlevy returns to his home in San Francisco and immediately is arrested for murder of the boyfriend. He looks like he'll be convicted but some persistent police work by a Lt. Quincy played by veteran actor Charles Coburn greatly helps his cause.
The film was decent but was overly melodramatic and trite and not representative of the fine career of Brian Donlevy
Actress:
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- Anna Paquin
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- Anne Baxter
- Anne Francis
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