Customer Reviews

Blonde Ice

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The forerunner of 1987's Black Widow (Theresa Russell, Debra Winger), Blonde Ice features B actors in a B film noir. Leslie Brooks plays the title character, a newspaper columnist who marries for money and makes sure she gets the dough she's due from her marriages as soon as she can. The whole time she's hooking up with rich guys, she's really in love (or whatever dames like this call love) with a guy she works with on the same paper.

One of the most interesting things about this film is the possibility that noted B director Edgar Ulmer (Detour, Bluebeard, Strange Illusion) may have written the script for the film under its original title, Single Indemnity. The intent, no doubt, was to play off the huge success of the A noir Double Indemnity, released four years earlier. But the releasing studio didn't cotton to this blatant title rip-off and threatened suit. Hence the title change to Blonde Ice.

This is a compact little film, clocking in at around 74 minutes. The DVD comes with some nice extras. Aside from a short description of the Edgar Ulmer connection, there's film restorer Jay Fenton, who's interviewed about film restoration and who supplies both the liner notes and a commentary on the film. There's a bonus very early TV noir episode, "Into the Night"--very creaky. An even wackier extra is some big-voiced crooner singing "Satan in Satin", no doubt inspired by this film. There's bios and filmographies of the cast and crew. And there's even a postcard showing our heroine dolled up in a bathing suit in a cute pose, circa the '40s.

This is not a strong, compelling film noir like Murder, My Sweet or Double Indemnity. But it's worth having as one of the premier B noirs for those, like me, who're noir fanatics.

Claire (Leslie Brooks) is blonde, beautiful, and deadly. As is true of most film noir heroines, money and power are more important to her than love, and this society page columnist lets nothing stand in the way of her shady ambitions. Or, as the tagline has it - Ice in her veins, icicles on her heart. Claire marries and murders, is the target of an extortionist and murders, becomes engaged and murders. Off in an innocent corner is sports columnist Les Burns (Robert Paige,) his love blinding him to her homicidal ways.
Brooks and Paige head an unusually strong cast of veteran character actors in the Poverty Row movie BLONDE ICE. In a role that could easily have been taken over the top, Brooks plays the sociopath with passionate restraint. Paige, who appearance here is evidence to the downward track his career was on, plays the poor love-struck sap with a sensitive touch.
True to its Poverty Row heritage corners were cut and money was saved at almost every turn. There aren't a lot of expensive tracking and dolly shots, and you'll notice the same curtains in Les's apartment, in a lawyer's office and hanging off the windows in a room holding an election night party.
The cast is filled with veteran character actors who'd either fallen off the A-movie list or were on it only as bit players. Nobody strays too far out of their comfort zone in this one. For instance, Emory Parnell plays police Capt. Bill Murdock. In the 250 movies he's credited with appearing in, Parnell almost always played the cop, good or bad (in this one he's a grouchy good one.) The only non-veteran in the cast is James Griffith, who plays newspaperman Al Herrick, a friend and co-worker of Claire and Burns who smells a rat a little earlier than anyone else. Although BLONDE ICE is his first movie, Herrick would go on to appear in about 100 more. Here he plays a bit of a weasel, someone who's every look, word and gesture carries an insinuation.
The VCI Entertainment dvd comes with a number of special features that truly make this one a bargain value. The special features include:
- A twenty-two minute, early 1950s television episode of Into the Night, starring Wallace Ford. This one offers another take on the theme of the deadly female. Fans of Ford will get a kick out of this one, although I have to admit that I find him annoying. Non-fans won't miss anything by skipping this it completely.
- Ray Barber does an early (1950?) music video, singing the bluesy "Satan Wears a Satan Gown" while Johnny Stage-struck waits in the alley for his lady love.
- A number of trailers for vintage film noirs.
- An interview with film restorer Jay Fenton.
- A commentary track with Jay Fenton.
- Film bios of the stars.
- And, for hard-core noir geeks, there's "A Fascinating Possibility," which in text discusses the possibility that legendary DETOUR director Edgar Ulmer may have had a hand in writing the script for BLONDE ICE.

The five stars are for fans of the genre. If you count yourself a fan of film noir, you'll love BLONDE ICE.

Blonde Ice was one of hundreds of movies made by "poverty row" movie studios such as PRC and Monogram. Many of these were literally thrown in the trash once their theatrical run was over. A large number of these movies are lost - there are no prints in existence anymore.

Blonde Ice was thought to be in that category until film restorer Jay Fenton, working with VCI, put together two prints that he discovered. Each was significantly damaged, but when the good parts of each print were combined a single print in good condition was created. This process, along with many other stories, are told by Jay Fenton as special features on the VCI version of Blone Ice.

The film itself will not make anyone, even hardcore B-Movie noir buffs, forget Double Indemnity, but it is one of the better movies to come out of poverty row in that era. Leslie Brooks is perfectly cast as the title character, and the story is fairly well written and directed (considering the miniscule budget that the movie had).

As to which version of Blonde Ice to buy, I've got to recommend the VCI version. They spent the time and money with Jay Fenton to restore the movie, and it was an investment well spent as their DVD of Blonde Ice is truly something special. You will not find a better print of Blonde Ice available (or even one as good), and the extras on their DVD are worth the price of admission alone! (By the way, I am NOT on the VCI payroll, I just believe in rewarding and crediting those who go above and beyond the call...)

If you're a B-Movie fan, a film noir fan, or just curious about Hollywood's poverty row studios of the 1940's you should definitely check out VCI's Blonde Ice DVD (and skip this version from Alpha/Gotham).

Starring in what might just be THE definitive femme fatale role of film noir, Leslie Brooks plays Claire Cummings, a selfish, cold-blooded, and very sexy young blonde who uses men and then discards them while climbing her way up the social ladder. Eventually, Claire murders one husband, then a second husband, along with a would-be blackmailer who underestimated "Blonde Ice". Before she can kill again, the police (and her discarded boyfriends) learn the truth and set out to stop her.

While the ending was totally predictable, I still found this awesome classic one of the very best B noirs I've ever seen. I'd never heard of Leslie Brooks before watching this film and from what I've since read this was her best role (and performance). "Blonde Ice" is an unusually dark movie, even for film noir, and I guess that's why it stands out among the dozens of B noirs that were released in the 1940's and 1950's. The Alpha dvd has a good picture quality but the sound is rather poor. Still, for the cheap price I paid for it I'm not complaining. A definite must for all fans of film noir!

First, this is a review of the VCI Entertainment package of this long lost noir, originally made by one of the briefest of the poverty row studios, Classic Film. Simply put - this is the DVD version to get. It boasts the best picture and sound quality currently available of this title, and most likely the best one that will ever be available. It is far superior to the currently available Alpha release, thanks to the restoration work of Jay Fenton who also contributes a very good commentary track for the film as well.

They just don't make femme fatales/serial killers like Claire Cummings anymore. Played by the appropriately icy Leslie Brooks, Claire is in the great tradition of poverty row villainous woman: absolutely hard core and cut throat in ways that none of the major studios of the time felt comfortable dealing with. Claire is not in any way, shape or form a "misunderstood" woman, in the way the majors preferred their femme fatales. Nor is she a "tough kid" - basically all right but just a little rough and hardened by life, ala Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce. And she doesn't need a patsy to do her dirty work for her, as does Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity. Nope, Claire can take care of things herself, thank you. Claire is a psychopath that seeks men out for the money and power they bring her and kills them quickly if they fail to deliver the goods. She is absolutely crazy, brilliant - homicidal. No sweet kid underneath here, not by a very long shot. Claire represents a key quality that was so glorious about poverty row cinema: characters were not required to be sympathetic.

This poverty row, noir classic has several other things going for it.

1. It was directed by Jack Bernhard, who also was at the helm for another great poverty row noir, Decoy. Not well know anymore, Bernhard was a great poverty row director that really knew his craft and was able to deal with difficult themes, most notably seriously crazy, complex women, with grace and skill.

2. The film contains a great performance from Leslie Brooks, and also from the male lead, Robert Paige. Paige was passed the prime of his career when this film was made, having slipped from the major studios to poverty row, and he would slip further after this, ending up with very spotty television work. Yet his work in this film is committed and very moving. There is, in fact, one scene in the film in which his character, Les Burns, drunkenly confronts Claire with his suspicions, that is so well acted any actor of any era would be proud to call their own. Paige was a fine actor, giving this poverty row production 100%

3. Another poverty row hallmark: great character actors playing great juicy parts. My favorite in the film - the sadly forgotten James Griffith, who always played a slim fox, full of snide oily comments delivered in a butter smooth voice.

4. Perhaps most importantly, this film was shot by George Robinson, who also was the cinematographer on such moody pieces as House of Dracula, House of Frankenstein, and The Scarlet Claw. Another old pro who really knew his stuff. Jay Fenton talks about this great artist quite a bit in his wonderful commentary track, explaining how he liked to shine tiny flashlights in actors eyes to make them glow with madness or evil, and how he was a master of shot composition.

All in all, a great film presented in a great package. Highly recommended. -Mykal Banta

First and foremost, if you are going to buy the DVD, then make sure it is from VCI as they spent the money to restore two prints into one good version and the sound is excellent. If you don't care about picture and sound quality, the Alpha Video version is adequate.

This is a B-movie and never rises above such although the budget was substantial. Leslie Brooks gives an adequate performance but the script never affords much opportunity. While some think this is classic film noir, it is just another B-movie crime-drama without much suspense or thrill.

While certainly entertaining, it is never rises above ice melting for suspense and unfortunately the ending is not only predictable but extremely contrived. I had the feeling the ending was shot on the last production day and the producer only had one hour before the crew bailed.

Forget the words "great" or "significant" boldly touted by other reviewers. You will not be keeping this after watching nor thinking of watching a second time. It is like a second-rate novel you take to the beach or on an airplane trip. Regardless of Leslie Brooks it never rises above light entertainment.

"Blonde Ice" is a decidedly low rent film noir that highlights the criminal exploits of a femme fatale played by Leslie Brooks.

Claire Cummings (Brooks) is a ruthlessly ambitious social climber who uses and discards men in order to secure wealth, security and social position. When the picture opens, Cummings is late for her own wedding to Carl Hanneman (John Holland), a furnace manufacturer. Among the wedding guests are several of Cumming's colleagues from "The San Francisco Tribune" where Claire worked as a society reporter. In addition to the newspaper's editor, Hack Doyle (Walter Sande), sportswriter Les Burns (Robert Paige), reporter Al Herrick (James Griffith) and Burns' secretary, June Taylor are also in attendance. Burns and Herrick are two of Claire's former suitors. Herrick discovered Claire working as a stenographer and helped her secure a position on the newspaper before losing her to Burns.

No sooner than the brief wedding ceremony is completed, Claire asks her husband to excuse her so that she can say goodbye to members of "the old gang." She promptly joins Burns on the terrace where she suggests that her newly acquired marital status should not be an impediment to continuing their former relationship on an extramarital basis. Burns accuses Claire of deriving a "sadistic" kick out of inviting him to the wedding. After exchanging a kiss and an embrace with Les, which arouses the jealous suspicions of Hanneman, Claire assures Carl that she thinks of Burns as "a brother" and she is simply grateful to him for helping to advance her journalistic career. As the bride and groom depart for their honeymoon, Burns tosses his engraved cigarette case, a gift from Claire onto the lawn at the Hanneman mansion.

While in Los Angeles, the newlyweds begin quarreling when Hanneman objects to his wife's expensive habits. When Claire wins a wager at the race track, Carl is shocked to learn that she risked $[...] on a single horse race and questions the wisdom of her placing such large bets. Back at their hotel suite, Carl discovers that his wife has been secretly corresponding with Les. He seizes one of the incriminating letters, packs a suitcase and leaves for San Francisco to institute immediate divorce proceedings. He announces his intention to cut off Claire without so much as a single cent in alimony.

One day later, Claire calls Les at the newspaper office and asks him to make airplane reservations for her and to pick her up from the airport that same night. She informs him that her husband has been called away on business. When they drive to the Hanneman residence, Les discovers Carl's dead body in a neatly constructed tableaux which indicates that the man may have committed suicide.

Police Captain Bill Murdock (Emory Parnell) and District Attorney Ed Chalmers (Selmer Jackson) are not so certain: the gun found near Hanneman's body bears no fingerprints and his coat does not have any powder burns. Claire insists that she and her dearly departed husband were "supremely happy" throughout their marriage. Murdock reminds her that the entire duration of her marriage was "one week."

While the investigation is pending and her late husband's million dollar estate is tied up in probate court, Claire fixes her attentions upon a prominent attorney, Stanley Mason (Michael Whalen), who is also favored to win a seat in Congress. Initially, Claire claims to be interested solely in protecting her legal rights in the probate case, but, of course, she has other designs as well.

Soon Claire is actively romancing Mason, but she begins to receive threatening calls from a blackmailer. She buys off a charter pilot named Blackie Talon (Russ Vincent) temporarily by giving him some of her jewelry to pawn. Blackie has a gambling problem of his own, so he has no intention of going away without securing a larger payment at a later date.

In short order, Claire dumps Les for a second time and becomes engaged to Mason the lawyer/politician. Unfortunately, Claire did not anticipate that one of Mason's closest friends is Dr. Geoffrey Kippinger, a psychiatrist who takes a special interest in studying Claire's manners and morals. Kippinger is convinced that Claire is mentally unstable and that her problems relate back to her impoverished childhood which occurred as the result of her father abandoning his wife and daughter.

"Blonde Ice" is an over the top delight that allowed Leslie Brooks a rare chance to showcase her viciousness after a Hollywood career spent in largely supporting roles. For example, Brooks played one of the women who was a romantic interest of Paul Henreid in "The Hollow Triumph," but Joan Bennett had the more important role of the female lead. She makes the most of her opportunity despite a somewhat trite and clichéd script. "Blonde Ice" was adapted by Kenneth Gamet from a novel by Whitman Chambers entitled "Once Too Often." Jack Bernhard, of "Decoy" fame, handles the directorial assignment and veteran cinematographer George Robinson photographed the quickly made, low budget film.

One of the amusing features of "Blonde Ice" is how all of the male cast members seem to be completely smitten with Claire and totally oblivious to her cunning and manipulative nature while many of the female cast members seem to recognize her for exactly what she is and drop casual comments about her that go unheeded by the clueless men. June Taylor, played by Mildred Coles, is Burns' loyal and devoted secretary. Although she is privately in love with him, Burns completely ignores the brunette "Girl Friday" while chasing after the selfish blonde with an ice cold heart.

This is one of those enjoyable movies in which the dialogue is pleasingly overripe and the audience is always several steps ahead of the dim witted on screen actors. The climactic scene which rapidly ties up all of the loose ends has to be seen in order to be believed.

A persistent rumor about the film suggested that Edgar Ulmer had a hand in creating the scenario for "Blonde Ice" or at the very least he gave the script its shooting title. Ulmer made a passing reference to the film in an interview with Peter Bogdanovich, but also seemed to confuse the plot of "Blonde Ice" with that of another Producers Releasing Corporation knock off "Apology for Murder." While film scholars have argued as to whether or not Ulmer was mistaken about the origins of "Blonde Ice," I am inclined to believe that he may have seen the scenario at some point in time. The producer of "Blonde Ice" was Martin Mooney, a specialist in hardboiled crime dramas, who worked with Ulmer at P. R. C. (derisively known as "Pretty Rotten Crap" in the industry), most notably on "Detour" and "Club Havana." A few years later, both men worked for the short lived Film Classics Studios, another second tier studio, which ultimately released "Blonde Ice."

"Blonde Ice" was thought to have been a lost film until its rediscovery several years ago. The last known prints had been televised in the Seventies. The best currently available print of the film was restored by Jay Fenton, who was able to replace missing footage and recreate a most serviceable print of the movie.
Fenton's restored print is the one used for this particular DVD.

This is a fine example of "B" film production that makes the most of its typecasting of veteran character actors.

Claire Cummings, San Francisco society reporter, blonde and gorgeous, is a woman to die for. If you make the mistake of marrying her, you probably will.

Claire (Leslie Brooks) goes through men who want to marry her like a sharp knife through your side. She keeps news columnist Les Burns (Robert Paige) handy even when she marries a very wealthy San Francisco businessman. She makes the mistake of letting a letter to Les fall into her husband's hands on their honeymoon. "My darling Les," she writes, "three more weeks until I can see you again, dearest. Poor stupid Carl tries so hard to be a good husband, but he can't get used to an expensive wife." Carl says it will be a divorce. Twenty-four hours later, Carl isn't going to say anything ever again.

Blonde Ice lets us tag along as Claire not only goes through her new husband, but through a blackmailer and a new, high social fiancee. She manipulates Les, who loves her, until even he has her number. "I once said I couldn't figure you out," he tells her. "I can now. You're not a normal woman. You're not warm. You're cold...like ice. Yeah, like ice...blonde ice." It might not have been wise to be so frank with Claire because now she plans for him to take the fall for one of her murders. Justice finally comes to Claire, as it must to all bad people in Hollywood movies of that time. Even then, it takes a three-way set-up, some psychoanalysis and a bullet to do the job.

The movie is a great example of a low-budget B programmer which just manages to rise a little above the average. The script is okay, the acting is adequate, the story is interesting. What makes it work? Director Jack Bernhard, just as much a journeyman as the actors, keeps the film moving briskly, with little time to let us get bored or impatient. The photography helps quite a bit, with several noirish scenes at night. Also important is Leslie Brooks as Claire. Brooks was an actress that stayed firmly planted as a lead in B movies, with an occasional foray as a second lead in A movies. She's not an actress who would worry the A crowd, but she does a fine job as Claire, the self-centered, manipulative and deadly ice queen. The only really weak part of the movie is the conclusion, when psychiatry is used as an explanation for her behavior. For me, this undercuts her nicely murderous actions; after all, don't we all just want the nice things in life?

There are even tips for fine living. What could be a healthier lunch than "martinis, chicken salad for two and coffee, please." Or "four Manhattans, waiter, with half French, half Italian vermouth." Why, that's a Perfect Manhattan.

Be sure to buy the VCI Entertainment version of this public domain title. The VCI DVD transfer has the quality of a clean but old VHS tape. The audio is fine. The VCI disc also holds several extras. These include an episode from an old TV program named "Into the Night," a movie music short titled "Satan Wears a Satin Dress" and a commentary by Jay Fenton, who was instrumental in doing the restoration work on the VCI release and is knowledgeable about noir films. Evidently, what he had to work with was awful. Fenton also wrote the printed essay on restoration and Blonde Ice which is included as an insert in the VCI DVD case.

Blonde Ice, 1948 film

The film begins with a view of the San Francisco Bay Bridge that connects to Marin county. Then there is view of the northern part of Frisco. Cars are parked by a mansion, there will be a wedding. Claire Cummings descends the staircase looking lovely to join Carl Hannemann in Holy Matrimony. Claire talks to an old boyfriend! At the racetrack Claire bets $100 on a horse. Should Claire throw away money on a horse? Carl learns about her true character and decides to end the marriage. The Community Property law will apply. Does Claire need rest? The story runs on. Claire sees Les again. They find Carl dead at home! "We were so happy." Captain Bill questions Claire about the shooting, there were no fingerprints on the gun. A reporter wants to investigate the death.

Could Les be implicated in the murder? Les Burns is questioned by the DA. No powder marks on Carl's hands, so it was murder. Claire wants her old job back at the newspaper. Congressman Mason shows up at the restaurant with a new girlfriend. The police want to question Les Burns again, they were checking on him. Claire visits Stanley Mason on estate business. The police investigate Claire's alibi (she was in Los Angeles). Les figures out Claire. That airplane pilot turns up to ask for $50,000. Claire is friendly with Stanley Mason now. She is a very charming hostess. Then a telephone call asks for more money. Claire irons out this winkle. Next the Congressman tells of his engagement. "I can't help it" says Claire. But Stanley throws her over; was this a mistake? Les returns to a big surprise. The evidence is against him. Can Dr. Klipinger do anything to help Les? He has a plan, he used to be a consulting psychiatrist for the police. There is a confession and dramatic action! Could such a beautiful woman have a hidden personality fault? "She wasn't even a good newspaper woman." What an epitaph?

This story is good but the ending seems forced, as if they had to end it quickly. Leslie Brooks had the most angelic face for any screen villainess. The film seems like some example of an article on a psychiatric disease. Did no one notice anything before?

Blonde Ice, 1948 film

The film begins with a view of the San Francisco Bay Bridge that connects to Marin county. Then there is view of the northern part of Frisco. Cars are parked by a mansion, there will be a wedding. Claire Cummings descends the staircase looking lovely to join Carl Hannemann in Holy Matrimony. Claire talks to an old boyfriend! At the racetrack Claire bets $100 on a horse. Should Claire throw away money on a horse? Carl learns about her true character and decides to end the marriage. The Community Property law will apply. Does Claire need rest? The story runs on. Claire sees Les again. They find Carl dead at home! "We were so happy." Captain Bill questions Claire about the shooting, there were no fingerprints on the gun. A reporter wants to investigate the death.

Could Les be implicated in the murder? Les Burns is questioned by the DA. No powder marks on Carl's hands, so it was murder. Claire wants her old job back at the newspaper. Congressman Mason shows up at the restaurant with a new girlfriend. The police want to question Les Burns again, they were checking on him. Claire visits Stanley Mason on estate business. The police investigate Claire's alibi (she was in Los Angeles). Les figures out Claire. That airplane pilot turns up to ask for $50,000. Claire is friendly with Stanley Mason now. She is a very charming hostess. Then a telephone call asks for more money. Claire irons out this winkle. Next the Congressman tells of his engagement. "I can't help it" says Claire. But Stanley throws her over; was this a mistake? Les returns to a big surprise. The evidence is against him. Can Dr. Klipinger do anything to help Les? He has a plan, he used to be a consulting psychiatrist for the police. There is a confession and dramatic action! Could such a beautiful woman have a hidden personality fault? "She wasn't even a good newspaper woman." What an epitaph?

This story is good but the ending seems forced, as if they had to end it quickly. Leslie Brooks had the most angelic face for any screen villainess. The film seems like some example of an article on a psychiatric disease. Did no one notice anything before?