Let's get started with
The Girl in Black Stockings...
When a young woman is found brutally murdered at a lodge in Utah, the lives of all of her fellow guests are thrown into disarray by the police investigation. The local sheriff, played by John Dehner (
The Right Stuff), has his hands full, because any one of the dead playgirl's acquaintances could have a potential motive.
The wheelchair-bound lodge owner, played to icy perfection by Ron Randell (
The Longest Day), makes no secret of his hatred for the victim and her teasing ways. The owner's sister, played by noir stalwart Marie Windsor (
The Killing,
The Narrow Margin), seems to unravel with visible anger whenever any woman gets close to her brother. A handsome lawyer, played by Lex Barker (
Tarzan's Peril,
The Deerslayer), discovered the body, but seems a little too quick with his convenient explanations as he puts the moves on the lodge switchboard operator, played by Anne Bancroft (
The Graduate), who also works as an assistant to the owner and feels a closeness to the handicapped man. An alcoholic actor, played by John Holland (
Chinatown), is tired of reliving the glory days with his girlfriend, played by 1950s/1960s bombshell Mamie Van Doren (
High School Confidential,
The Beat Generation), and does not want the murder to inconvenience his quest to make a comeback. A lumberyard worker, played by Gerald Frank, hurriedly evades police questioning whenever the subject of his past relationship with the murdered girl comes to light. A mysterious man, played by Gene O'Donnell, checks into the lodge and immediately starts making phone calls. Finally, a Native American, played by Larry Chance (
Northwest Passage), is found in a drunken stupor with the murder weapon, a knife, in his possession. As bodies continue to pile up, their throats slit in the same way, these red herring players are eliminated one by one from the suspect list.
The 1957 film noir,
The Girl in Black Stockings, which was written by Richard H. Landau (
The Crooked Way,
The Black Hole) and directed by Howard W. Koch (
Shield for Murder,
Big House, U.S.A.), was a latecomer during the classic era of the genre, and, in terms of tone, dialogue, and visuals, it veers just as wildly into the realm of exploitation cinema. In fact, it's not a stretch to consider this sleaze-laced B movie a precursor of sorts to 1970s Italian giallo films or 1980s slasher horror features, since the unfortunate victims usually tend to be attractive women.
The Girl in Black Stockings is a fast-paced and constantly engaging 75-minute whodunit that holds its cards close to the vest until the final few minutes. The journey to that outcome is quite a thrill ride in itself, thanks to some unexpectedly garish turns, namely a tragic equipment accident, and to its lively cast. Mamie Van Doren steals every scene that she's in, while Marie Windsor holds the throne as one of the best faces in noir. Ron Randell's paralyzed character, however, rules all, and there is never a split second when his bitter face does not convey a world of caustic loathing. This film is a rousingly engaging surprise from my favorite genre of cinema.
Present-day viewers may also be reminded of the 2018 crime drama,
Bad Times at the El Royale, because of the lodge setting, although this classic noir is nowhere near as visceral.
This Kino Lorber Blu-ray sports a pleasantly filmic transfer and an audio presentation that is clear enough that I did not mourn the lack of subtitles. This movie is featured on its own disc in
The Mamie Van Doren Film Noir Collection, and it includes a present day interview with the actress, who is still marvelous.
Be sure to watch the included trailer for
The Girl in Black Stockings, since Mamie Van Doren's legs are shown in the titular stockings.
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