Fallen Angel

I found this utterly average for the most part. It salvages itself somewhat with a nice twist at the end, but I was pretty bored up until that point. The story isn't particularly compelling or well-executed, the cinematography is bland, the direction is nothing more than competent, and the entire thing feels rushed. I do like Dana Andrews, though. Save your time and watch Laura, a much better effort from Preminger.

Preminger could craft noir like nobody else. All of the trademark stylings present in Laura are as apparent here, and in some instances taken to more extremes. The movie is full of amoral characters, including a charismatic Dana Andrews, who only becomes more and more detestable as the film goes on. And they're drenched in the starkest of chiaroscuro; this is one of the best looking noirs I've ever seen. The cinematography alone makes it worth the watch.

"The Screen's Most Gripping Drama of Murder - and Desire!". Yup, this is one of the noir classics, with a solid trio of actors and plenty of deception. Nice ending, too. With great titles such as 'Angel Face' and 'Where the Sidewalk Ends' as well as, of course, one of the very best whodunit-noirs, 'Laura', Preminger was one of the undisputed masters of this delightfully dark subgenre.

Interesting noir with very good performances from Darnell and Faye.

A real classic noir. Dana Andrews is great as always, and Alice Faye plays the role of the good girl well, but it's Linda Darnell who sets fire to the screen. While not quite a femme fatale, she does sizzle with sexuality and has a fantastic world-weary demeanor. The story moves along very nicely, a few somewhat dead spots but that's made up for by a number of terrific little moments. The ending is even a genuine surprise. Crisp dialogue and accomplished but unobtrusive camerawork seal the deal.

Maybe the most memorable opening credits in alla noir, then one of the greatest opening shots, then just about the greatest, saddest character entrance in Darnell & the diner bell, reeking of rejection from her failed flight, salvaging her dignity by soaking up the men's collective obsession and using it to steal Dana Andrews' hamburger. Then rubbing it in! (Before that obsession rubs...y'know). Andrews gets his own superlative: no noir hero was ever so goddamn neurotic. & gawsh that dance scene

A classic noir, with great performances and a fun sense of style. Dana Andrews was perfect as the smooth-talking unethical protagonist, and this was an entertaining flick from start to finish.

Preminger is clearly a virtuoso at crafting noir, but the script left something to be desired. A lot of one guy fast-talking at women without the usual crime and twists that round out a good meaty noir.

Two fantastic female leads and strong supporting performances from Revere and Carradine create a world of attraction and disdain for Andrews' character to inhabit. His ambivalent views towards life, commitment and society are reflected in the film's pacing, steady but anxious with a hint of aimlessness. It all works really well with a series of little moments that build up to a strong ending. Really good noir photography too, though not spectacular.

Viewed September 25, 2016. Fallen Angel is full of deep contrasts between lingering shadows and blown out whites, and Preminger's camera movement is also even more vigorous, tracking backwards and forwards in a mad effort to capture all of the pertinent information in the scene. Despite doubling down on these techniques and containing a handful of gorgeous, invigorating moments, I don't think Fallen Angel ever manages greatness. The writing lets it down, and the performances don't help.

(DVD rewatch)

Seemingly hampered by The Code, but still a great noir.

Didn't quite live up to expectations for me. Decent film noir/drama though.

The end definitely doesn't live up to the action preceding it but great photography throughout. Loved Andrews in it. Pops was a little whiny b tho.

It looks great, and it's well-paced, but it's an odd tale and no one's motives seem to make much sense. Pauline Kael: "Dana Andrews...gets an itch for a money-loving waitress - Linda Darnell, so it's easy to sympathize with him. [...] Andrews is saturnine and convincing, [...] although Alice Faye isn't altogether comfortable playing Brahms on a church organ and poring over Proust." (The "Beethoven Stabat Mater" was also on the program, a work that does not exist!)

One scene, in particular, virtually makes the film. Andrews is lying on a bed, his face half erased by shadow. His desperate wife sits above him, bathed in warm light. The contrast between their psychological states as she rattles on about their being "fallen angels" struggling for goodness is so perfectly captured visually, it hardly matters that this beautiful woman ought to have better recourse than a brooding drifter.

Dana Andrews trades in his usual terse-cop persona for that of a garrulous con man, and he wears it well throughout this one. Linda Darnell is also sexy as hell in her vamp role. The movie gets off to a great start, but then it bogs down in the middle with all of that legal business. Andrews' eventual romantic choice seems a bit too tidily virtuous; he doesn't act like he's any too broken up about what he may have missed.

The plot was just too uneven for me. First the clairvoyant con-job, then the fake marriage shenanigans, then the tacked-on murder mystery at the end - individually, they're all solid components, but none of it really blends together to make for a compelling story. Linda Darnell and Dana Andrews stand out as great characters - tired, cynical and world-weary in equal measures - there's real chemistry when they're on screen together, but unfortunately they're kept apart for most of the film.

I enjoyed this even though I'm struggling to put together all the disparate pieces. Andrews is pretty good as a con man, and Darnell nails it as the femme fatale. I wish there had been more of Carradine, though. Warning: If you take a drink each time Andrews grabs a lady's arm, you're not going to remember much about the movie.

watched: 2013, 2020

Deeply flawed/cynical characters that can turn from predators into victims at the drop of a hat. That's a cool basis, but Fallen Angel doesn't really gel together and feels a bit rushed at times. From "Oh hey I guess we're married now!" to "Oh, you're insinuating things without evidence? Fine, I'll admit I'm the killer!". It's still decent throughout with a few excellent individual moments, but all in all not that memorable.

An Strange way to find love...

"Do you think these dysfunctional personalities are essential to film noir?" "Absolutely!" http://illusionpodcast.blogspot.com/2014/11/episode-36-films-noir-of-otto-preminger.html

"Its subtle analysis of shadowy tropes proves both a continuation and a deepening of Preminger's use of moral ambiguity as a tool of human insight." - Fernando F. Croce

Andrews stars as an obvious but not too clichéd noir anti-hero, who drifts along with problems of both character and circumstance. Though not exactly a showcase of narrative brilliance, the story is a mixture of intrigues and anxiety, driven by successful performances.

Otto Preminger does so much right with Fallen Angel (1945), it's a shame it didn't peak they way it should. Still a killer of a movie! Such self-absorbed characters, burning hardest when Linda Darnell is the desired meat among the wolves. Once the tragedy happens, it loses it's focus, or perhaps changes focus to a more reforming one. But every character was genuinely crafted and so superbly captured that this was an enchanting display of Preminger's cinematic eye.

A below-average, uninteresting noir. I had expected more, much more.

With essentially no likable characters, Fallen Angel is a small story about a drifter who fails at most things. There are some solid performances and a decent twist for its conclusion.