Flesh and Fantasy

Pleasantly entertaining anthology where the framing story actually adds a little something to the overall enjoyment, thanks to the happy inspiration of having Robert Benchley appear as his Joe Doakes character. Dame Mae Whitty steals every scene she's in right out from under Edward G. Robinson in the second segment, and Barbara Stanwyck is always worth watching.

A very effective portmanteau, the narrative linkage the stress between expecting one's fate, and one's willing to change it; the thematic linkage hypnagogia - psychic phantasms breaching the physical. Of course it's aged (no one buys Betty Field as an ugly hag for a second) but still a top shelf production. Duvivier adds romantic darkness, Cortez' DP work is unrivaled, with Wilde's sardonic wit, and the actors!: Dame May Whitty, C. Aubrey Smith, Mitchell, Lee, on top of the already stacked bill.

The second segment is the best of the 3 mainly because of Edward G Robinson.All in all quite a good anthlogy.

An intriguing set-up with a great first half. The momentum weakens slightly during the third part of the story although Boyer accomplishes his role.

Julien Duvivier continuing his brief wartime spell in Hollywood with dark tales, mostly with a safe and happy(ish) kind. Or so that's the way the leave us. The visuals are excellent. The Duvivier touch? The feel of the actors perhaps not as fine tuned. Or they simply wanted to keep things more on the casual side in those dark times without going overboard with the tragic elements for these short stories. Dazzling performances from the likes of Edward G. Robinson, Charles Boyer & Betty Field.