Customer Reviews

Hedy Lamarr: Dishonored Lady/Strange Woman

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is another of those fabulous bargain-priced ACME dvds, and in this one you get two awesome Hedy Lamarr classics. Lamarr was one of the most beautiful and underated actresses of her time and she never gave a bad performance.

First we have Robert Stevenson's classic semi-noir "Dishonored Lady", which has Lamarr playing a troubled woman who's drawn to men in the same way they're drawn to her: lust. But when she meets Dennis O'Keefe she finds out what true love is like, and she tries to change her ways. When an old "flame" of hers turns up murdered, however, she is the only suspect. Lamarr is then on trial for 1st degree murder, while O'Keefe is heartbroken learning about her troubled past and affairs with men. Will they find the real murderer, and will O'Keefe forgive Lamarr for decieving him? Watch and find out! By the way, Lamarr was married to co-star John Loder at the time this movie was made.

Next, we have Edgar G. Ulmer's classic "Strange Woman", which has one of Lamarr's greatest (if not THE greatest) performances of her entire career. She plays a seductive woman (to perfection) who goes after one man after another in a small, 19th-century Maine town. After she makes the mistake of marrying an old man, she even seduces the man's son (that's right, her step-son!). When she finally meets the right man (George Sanders), her troubled past comes back to haunt her. The best way I can describe this awesome classic is a 19th-century version of Peyton Place! Edgar G. Ulmer was legendary for making great movies on shoestring budgets, but this was a rare chance for him to have a grade "A" cast, and he used it to perfection. Aside from George Sanders and sexy Hedy Lamarr, this classic also has Louis Hayward, Gene Lockhart, and Hillary Brooke (who later became a regular on the Abbott and Costello Show).

The bonus feature on this dvd is a brief vintage Paramount preview of coming attractions from the studio, with footage of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and even a brief glimpse of the classic film noir "I Walk Alone", with Lizabeth Scott and Burt Lancaster. This is one of the great noirs that has never been released on vhs or dvd, so this is a rare chance to see a couple clips from that great movie. The sound quality was mostly excellent in both movies, but the picture quality of "Dishonored Lady" left a lot to be desired. For most of the movie the picture shaked slightly, making it look like a cheap EP vhs copy. However, it isn't too distracting after a while. The picture quality of "Strange Woman" was fantastic. This is my second ACME double feature dvd I've purchased and I'm very pleased. If you're a Hedy Lamarr fan at all then this dvd is an absolute must!

"Acme" is the Double Feature division of "VCI/fi" and I've always had good luck with VCI releases so I took a chance.
DISHONORED LADY: This is a wonderful film in which Hedy displays a range of emotions including tipsy. She is a good actress and is totally gorgeous as a NYC "modern woman" with a promiscuity problem, she's a "user" and hangs out with other "users", she becomes despondent. Through the provedential intervention of a wise shrink, one wonders if she will overcome it and find true happiness as a simple doctor's wife -- or revert to life as a well-paid, hi-fashion magazine editor. She is also involved in a murder investigation and suspicions turn her way. Watch for Margaret Hamilton. The Story is a "5" Picture quality is about a "4" its not perfect but completely watchable and enjoyable, the night scenes are a little dark, but all others have good contrast with no noticable artifacts or blotches. The sound is very good, its even & steady and when you turn the volume up it does'nt hiss. The VCI Double Feature disc is a real bargain just for this movie alone, BUT look you also have---
STRANGE WOMAN: This stars Hedy Lamarr as well as George Sanders, Louis Hayward, Gene Lockhart, Hillary Brooke, Rhys Williams, June Story, Moroni Olsen, Olive Blakeney, Kathleen Lockhart, Alan Napier, Dennis Hoey. The plot begins in Bangor Main in 1824 with Jennie Hagar as a child of about 8 at a swimming hole with some other childern all speaking with California accents. Then the next scene is of Jennie played by Hedy with a foreign accent, noticably missing in the whole town is Main accents, but then this is the charm of old movies. Hedy plays a manipulative temptress who marries a much older man out of need. She plays a range of emotions in this drama. Its an enjoyable film for any Hedy Lamarr fan. The DVD quality on this film is quite good about the same as the previous film, it does a little better in the dark scenes. And the sound is clear and steady with no hiss when the volume is turned way up.
This disc has scene selections and an extra.
EXTRA FEATURE: "Made In America" a newsreel style advertisement/documentary about Hollywood and all the movies "in the can" and soon to be released, showing some behind the scene looks inorder to stir up interest in future releases.
Hope this helps......

What a perfect pairing of films. After her production role of the fascinating and morally complex STRANGE WOMAN (see my separate 5 star review for that), Hedy was awarded this great murder mystery, based on a true story, DISHONORED LADY.
I saw this on a very poor VHS transfer (not purchased through Amazon). The script is wonderful - a bit melodramatic, the casting is great, but the post production aspects, especially the music are a real disappointment because Hedy shines in this film with HER FINEST ACTING WORK ON FILM. In another role that is complex and real in its portrayal of a "party girl" trying to straighten out her life, her self, when she becomes a murder suspect.
This is a real "slice of time" film in that it deals with women who were working, "like men" who "thought like men" i.e. enjoied and wanted careers; which was considered a real social problem at the time as men came back from the war and wanted their jobs back. Women were meanwhile enjoing the freedom of having their own jobs their own independence, and this was seen as transgressive, especially if the woman, like this one, was also sexually liberated.
The script hits all these notes appropriately, but the awful operatic music hammers away. Fortunately, that wasn't on the set. Hedy gives a layered, thoughtful, and - a rarity - a relaxed, humorous, and joyful performance. She has a "drunk scene" that is playful and completely real, a very subtly funny portrayal of being "pleasantly inebriated." All this makes me think this must be who she truly was. She had just finished a film she had fought for, and was working on this fantastic character who liked working and was interested in science (as she was herself). It is simply a MUST see for any Hedy Lamar film (as is THE STRANGE WOMAN for other reasons)- for a glimpse of her entire range.
Looking at her bios, this was a turning point where she started her disenchantement with roles she was being offered. She is beautiful and tempestuous in the later SAMPSON AND DELILAH, but her heart is not in that the way it is in this film. And she slowed down her acting quite a bit after these.
See this to see Hedy Lamar the actress surrounded by a great supporting cast (including Margaret Hamilton - Dorothy's wicked witch), in a film which I feel is her finest work.

Both films are quite good---entertaining, great performances, and excellent direction (Edgar Ulmer and Robert Stevenson). Superb picture quality.

My review will be very short since there are at least 2 prior very thorough reviews. Hedy Lamarr was more than the "most beautiful woman in Hollywood". She never received the respect deserved for her acting ability. Ah, the curse of a physically gorgeous woman! And she was a brain too - inventor of what would become wireless technology. She is superb in both of these films which are probably 2 of her best performances next to "Samson and Delilah". The dvd quality is extremely good for the price. I'm always concerned about films in the public domain because print quality varies. Hedy is of course, stunningly beautiful and gives inspired & emotive performances. I always liked her film work and hope that someday, she will receive the overdue praise as a fine actress. She was extremely good at portraying the mysterious and aloof woman - something the great Kate Hepburn could not do. And let's face it, audiences LOVE bad girls. And Hedy in "Samson & Delilah" was one very very naughty girl. Vive Hedy Lamarr!

Few words can describe this radiant, raven haired goddess. This DVD is a fantastic buy showcasing Hedy Lamarr in two of her better dramatic peformances. As Hedy's catalogue of movies available on DVD is fairly limited, this disc a must have for Hedy Lamarr fans.

This double feature gives us a good opportunity to watch Hedy Lamarr (who was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world) at the peak of her career. Once accepted that she has a flamboyant beauty, but limited acting skills, both films manage quite well to strengthen the advantages and to detract from the disadvantages. In my opinion, "Dishonored Lady" does it better. This typical psychological film noir is a permanent style extravaganza - note that one character says about the Lamarr character that she is "as beautiful as a PICTURE". Her character always being a little insecure as a "two-faced woman", Lamarrs deficiency as an actress perfectly fits the role! Long before his Disney career, director Robert Stevenson was a fine stylist of expressionist noir, i.e. in "Jane Eyre" - and in "Dishonored Lady".

"The Strange Woman" is a somehow labored period picture about a (very, very) bad girl in Bangor, Maine, in the first half of the 19th century. Jenny (Lamarr) ist decided to climb the social ladder at any price, which makes her seduce and destroy more than one man (e.g. Louis Hayward and George Sanders). It's strongly entertaining and has some fascinating scenes, but different from "Dishonored Lady", the film does explain too much in the dialogue. It is always good when we can SEE what Jenny does, instead of being told. However, we have some interesting exercises in style, symbolism and lighting - but not as constantly as in "Dishonored Lady". The picture is directed by Edgar Ulmer, and Douglas Sirk is said to have done some additional directorial work.

I would rate "The Strange Woman" four stars and "Dishonored Lady" five stars.

Hedy Lamarr was before my time, so I ordered this DVD to see if she was really as beautiful as everyone said. Not only was she the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, but she was also a fine actress. Well worth watching for classic movie lovers. Also, a trivia note: Natalie Schaffer, who played Mrs. Howell on Gilligan's Island, appears in Dishonored Lady. Ms. Schaffer was also quite the babe in her day.

This is a really good set of two of Lamarr's better films. I'm glad they packaged these two together, as they're both very entertaining and Lamarr is great in both. Good plots, good acting. Even though her Samson & Delilah film is more known than either of these, I really do prefer these over Samson & Delilah. I think they're both very good movies that are just as entertaining today as they were years ago. Two pretty different roles for Lamarr between the two films, and this is nice to see.

The DVD is super, that is that I expected. Two fine films withe beautiful Hedy Lamarr