|
By
NICK ZEGARAC
Otto Preminger's Where the
Sidewalk Ends (1950) is quintessential big city
noir yet problematic storytelling that
nevertheless manages to get top marks all around.
A taut noir with a bizarre twist, it stars Dana
Andrews as Detective Mark Dixon. Dixon is a wild
card. His father, Sandy was a criminal of the
lowest order who died when Dix' was only seventeen
-- some say at the hands of new
mobster-about-town, Tommy Scalise (Gary Merrill,
in an unusually slimy bit of ham acting), whom he
helped set up. Dixon is determined to shake down
Scalise, especially after rich Texan, Will Bender
(Don Appell) ends up with a knife in his gut at
one of Scalise's floating crap games. Bender and
Scalise stooge, Ken Paine (Craig Stevens) got into
a bit of a scuff just prior to Bender's untimely
demise. A once decorated war hero who nevertheless
likes to beat the stuffing out of guys with cash
and smack his wife, Morgan Taylor (Gene Tierney)
around when she doesn't behave, Paine is primed
for a frame up. At least that's how Dixon sees it.
But now here's the wrinkle. Hightailing over to
Paine's apartment, Dixon accidentally slugs G.I.
Joe in his steel plate, killing his witness.
Rather than confess the accident, Dix' concocts an
elaborate hoax and frame up of his own. Only that
plan backfires when Morgan's father Jiggs (Tom
Tully), who Dix' also knows, gets nailed for the
crime.
The chief problem with the narrative patched
together by Ben Hecht and Robert E. Kent is that
it zeros in on Dixon from the start. We know he's
guilty of murder and a cover up and can't help
feeling a bit sorry for Scalise, even though we
also know he probably murdered the Texan. Where
The Sidewalk Ends was a much anticipated reunion
flick for Andrews and Tierney who had previously
costarred to exemplary effect in Preminger's
Teflon-coated masterpiece of romantic noir, Laura.
But as the story wears on Tierney's character,
Morgan, gets pushed aside in favor of a cynical
and critical exploit surrounding Mark's guilty
conscience. In the final reel Mark decides its
better to die than get arrested for killing Paine.
He pens a confession to be opened at the time of
his death. But surprise, surprise…Mark lives to
take the wrap. Seemingly untouched by the fact
that the man she's been romancing for nearly two
hours has not only been a liar but the killer of
her husband, Morgan vows to see Mark's pending
arrest and incarceration through. Now, ain't love
grand?
Fox's DVD transfer is as near perfect as one could
hope for. The stark noir lighting is ideally
captured with deep solid blacks, bright whites and
a minimal amount of film grain. Fine details are
evident throughout. There are no digital anomalies
for an image that is smooth yet sharp and ever so
easy on the eyes. Truly, there are no complaints
here. The audio is mono as it should be and is
presented at an adequate listening level. By now
Newman's 'Street Scene' music is beginning to wear
thin on my acoustic nerve. It seems that every
single noir (as well as the Marilyn Monroe comedy
'How to Marry a Millionaire') seems to have found
a way of inserting repeated strains from this one
piece of music. Yes, it's a brilliant composition.
But on the 900th listen it does tend to drive one
to distraction…like having the needle on an old
gramophone stick in the same spot. Extras include
a fairly informative audio commentary, stills
gallery, theatrical trailers and Fox's utterly
annoying 'downloading movies is illegal' preview
that, honestly, isn't likely to dissuade those who
are pirating DVD's to throw in the towel any time
soon. It's just frustrating the rest of us who
paid for the privilege of watching movies without
commercials. |
