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Memorable, crazy movie

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Laird Cregar stars as George Harvey Bone, a turn of the 20th century London composer. He's busy working on a concerto, but gets distracted by a chanteuse named Netta Longdon (Linda Darnell). He gets his heart broken by this self-serving lady, who's only interested in what he can do for her. Meanwhile, he keeps suffering prolonged "episodes" - brought on by loud, discordant noises - and he can't remember what he does or where he goes during these periods. As it turns out, he becomes impulsively murderous."Hangover Square", named for the London address at which Bone resides, was scripted by Barre Lyndon, based on a novel by Patrick Hamilton. Sadly, it would turn out to be the final picture for Cregar, who suffered the ill effects of an attempted crash diet. But he certainly goes out in style, creating a vivid character who's far more sympathetic than the character he played for director John Brahm in "The Lodger". While the other cast members are good, this largely remains his show - one that his character sees through to the bitter end.Darnell and the equally lovely Faye Marlowe are intoxicating as the women in his life. One does feel disgruntled on Bones' behalf when Netta reveals her true colours. George Sanders is his typical classy, dapper self as an analyst working for Scotland Yard. Glenn Langan is amusingly smarmy as Bones' rival for Nettas' affections. And Alan Napier, Michael Dyne, and Frederic Worlock lend able support in various other roles.While the excellent black & white cinematography by Joseph LaShelle is definitely a key element, the film works best as a marriage of image and music. Bernard Herrmann is one of the most valuable assets that the film can boast, as his lush score & concerto provide the perfect accompaniment for these melodramatic goings-on.One clever highlight: Bone taking advantage of a fiery Guy Fawkes celebration night.Eight out of 10.

Screenplay: Barré Lyndon. Allegedy based on the 1942 novel by Patrick Hamilton. Copyright 6 February 1945 by 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation. New York opening at the Roxy: 8 February 1945. U.S. release: February 1945. U.K. release: 9 April 1945. Australian release: 12 July 1945. 6,966 feet. 77 minutes. SYNOPSIS: London, 1903. A well-known composer is unaware that he has a split personality.COMMENT: This brilliant screenplay is virtually the unaided work of Barré Lyndon. Only the title, the names of the two principal characters (Bone and Netta) and the idea of Bone's split personality derive directly from the novel. Masterstrokes like turning Bone into a composer, setting the period back from 1939 to the turn of the century, inventing the trigger mechanism of the discordant noise (in Patrick Hamilton's novel, Bone just clicks in and out of schizophrenia without rhyme or reason), plus the film's highly-charged set-pieces (none of which, including the fiery climax, are even so much as hinted at in the book) can be credited solely to Lyndon.All the screenplay's marvelous effects are superbly realized by director John Brahm, who re-enforces their impact with extraordinarily fluid camera movements and highly imaginative compositions.The movie is also most impressively served by its star, Laird Cregar, whose crash diet led to his untimely death at the age of twenty-eight, shortly after this picture was completed. Bone's words, "Music is the most important thing in the world to me!" and Middleton's reply, "You're wrong, Mr Bone! The most important thing is your life!" could have been applied to Cregar himself by simply substituting "acting" for "music". Certainly the weight loss evident in the film has made a remarkably difference to his appearance. His features, flatteringly photographed here by Joseph LaShelle, are actually quite handsome. Allied with his natural acting ability and his magnetic personality, his charisma would certainly have built him into a star of the first magnitude had he survived. I like the soft-spoken voice he adopts here too. There's no doubt the operation of transforming Cregar from character player to major star was outstandingly successful. Only one minor drawback: the patient died. Bernard Herrmann's music score must rank as one of the finest ever composed for a motion picture. Other production credits are equally superlative, yet, oddly, the movie was not nominated by any body for any awards at all. Nor, incredibly, were contemporary critics particularly enthusiastic.

There are two remarkable actors in this film. Laird Cregar -- whom I had never heard of -- is brilliant here. This movie belongs to him...his performance is scintillating! And, so that the heavy could play a romantic, yet murderous part, he quickly lost 100 pounds before making the film, and died before it was released! The other remarkable performance in this film is by Linda Darnell...in my opinion, remarkably bad. I had just seen her the previous night opposite Tyrone Power, and she was quite good. But here, stinko! And that's the remarkable thing about this film. Cregar is soooooo good, that you easily overlook the poor performance by Darnell. It's a gripping film that is not unlike "Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde", but perhaps even better. Here, Cregar plays a composer who has amnesia attacks during which he often kills someone. A wonderful girl is in love with him, but he falls for a cheap pop singer who only wants to use him. Of course, we all know where this is going. And, indeed, he does kill Darnell...and the viewer is glad of it. Cregar is able to gain incredible sympathy while playing a serial murderer! The other performance worth watching here is by George Sanders, who is excellent as a detective from Scotland Yard. You can't help but wish that he was on screen more.This rates a very high, solid 7 for me, and is well worth a watch and a place on your video shelf, particularly if you like old thrillers.

While RKO had Val Lewton and his psychological classic like "The Seventh Victim" and "Cat People" Fox had John Brahm, a much underrated director most famous for "The Lodger" a study of Jack The Ripper that also starred this film's leading man, Laird Cregor. For my money both Brahm and Cregor top themselves in this very similarly textured thriller about a classical pianist that suffers from a split personality. The bad news for him and those around him is that when he slips into "blackouts" that he takes the lives of those around him that he has disagreements with. There is no doubt that the success of "The Lodger" prompted Fox to re-teem the director with the star and also bring back George Sanders for a much similar role. This time rather than Scotland Yard detective Sanders plays a police alienist who Brahm initially seeks out when he has reason to believe that he has committed murder during one of the "missing time" intervals.Set in 19th century London, the film benefits from brooding atmosphere and a set peculiarity. It seems that the film is set while London engineers are digging up the streets to lay new sewer pipes and the presence up the upturned earth and pipes laying about creates a near documentary feeling. Recently released by Fox alongside "The Lodger" and another Brahm feature this set is a great bargain and should be snatched up before it vanishes from stores.