Dead End (1937)

I've heard a few film-loving folks on Twitter proclaim that sleep is overrated. Hmph! It is indeed NOT overrated. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is highly underrated. A good night's sleep does wonders for ones well-being. And as film enthusiasts, being awake and alert and not drowsy (or the opposite, jittery from the excess caffeine) is the only way to watch a film. Sure you can cram a few more films in if you sleep fewer hours but are you really enjoying them?

I watched Dead End at home, on my sofa, wrapped in a warm blanket. I was instantly hooked, especially because I had enjoyed Crime School (1938) (another Dead End Kids-Bogie film) so much. 40 minutes into this 93 minute movie and I started to doze off. I kept trying to stay awake but no matter how good the story I just couldn't. After a long week with not enough sleep, I was mentally and physically fatigued. I drifted in an out of consciousness during the last 30 minutes, Bogie's face popping up intermittently along with that of Sylvia Sidney, Joel McCrea and the delightfully rambunctious Dead End kids. However, I couldn't keep awake. I saw enough to understand the plot and know what was going on but Carlos had to fill me in at certain points.

Before I return Dead End to Netflix, I'll give it a proper viewing, rested and awake and ready to full absorb the film. One thing that is notable about Dead End is that Bogie has a considerable role in the film, which was not all that common in his film career during the 1930s. He plays Baby Face Martin, a gangster just come out of some reconstructive surgery on his face and heading back to his old 'hood to find a dame he once knew as well as to reconnect with his mother. He takes some time to cause some mischief as well. Bogie's idleness in the film (he hangs around a lot, watching and threatening but not doing much until towards the end) is what keeps the various plot points together. After each section ends, it keeps coming back to Bogie's character and his growing ire and itch to do something really bad. The Dead End kids as well as the physical location do this as well. They are all anchors for the film and keep us grounded.

Dead Reckoning (1947)

I have a special talent for looking at a movie and placing the year in which it was filmed/released. If I'm off, it's usually only by a single year. So when Carlos asked me what year Dead Reckoning was from, all I had to do was look at Bogie's worn face, the hair and clothing style, the cinematography and the noirish voice over of the film to land it around 1947 or 1948.

Dead Reckoning (1947) reminded me of a few films. The self-destructive love affair between Bogie's Rip Murdock (::snickers::) and Lizbeth Scott's Carol Chandler was very much like the one between Mitchum and Greer in Out of the Past (1947). Many noirish elements, like the voice over and the flashback motif reminded me of Double Indemnity (1944). The druggings and POV sequences that followed reminded me of The Maltese Falcon (1941). Even though so many elements of the film were familiar and I felt deja vu on more than one occasion, this film still seemed very fresh and new to me.

::spoiler alert::

I was particularly struck with one of the final scenes of the movie. Bogie's Rip provides death advice to a character about to cross over to the other side. The dying character is scared and Rip asks the character to just let go. I found it quite remarkable in its straight-forwardness. It provided no false hopes yet comforted nonetheless. I wish someone would say something like this to me when my time comes.

It's like going out the jump door. Hold your breath and just let go Mike. Don't fight it. Remember all the guys that have done it before you. You've got plenty of company Mike. High class company. 

Happy New Year!

I wish that 2011 be full of happiness and classic movies.