Customer Reviews

No Orchids for Miss Blandish: B&W Amar

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

 

 

My interest in this movie came in a round about way, I had purchased the DVD of 1971's "THE GRISSOM GANG" a while back for dirt cheap, and although I wasn't familiar with it, I'm a fan of the director Robert Aldrich. I found that movie enjoyable beyond my admittedly low expectations, with some knock-out performances (Tony Musante, Scott Wilson & even Connie Stevens!), great "sick" humour and some gut-wrenching tension and ultra-violence. Since it was based on the best-selling 1940's novel 'NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH", I did some on-line research and found that the book, which at that time was world famous due to it's graphic sex and violence, was made into an equally controversial movie in the late 40's, and that said movie was being released in May 2010, so I found the best price, ordered, and waited. !WARNING! THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS!!

As I put the disc into the player, my first concern was the quality of the print/transfer. Although I've been quite pleased with discs from VCI Entertainment in the past, you never know if the material they have to work with is damaged beyond their control. I was pleasantly surprised with how great the film transfer was. The opening credits are over a montage of the title's "orchids" being prepared, transported and delivered to a mansion, where they go through 3 or 4 household staff to reach the titular lead character. The razor-sharp B&W cinematography had hardly any noticeable damage. At the end of the credits we are shown the card that came along with the orchids. It reads: "Don't Do It!", "signed" by a drawing of two dice. We see Miss Blandish throw it in a jewelry-type box that contains quite a few more of the same. She then hands the orchids back to her French maid, and tells her to return them with the message "No orchids for Miss Blandish..."

For the first half hour of the movie we are introduced to all the major characters, rich ice princess Miss Blandish (Linden Travers), her ill-fated sex-obsessed dipso fiance, a group of sick, twisted, vile and violent small-time hoods, and Ma Grissom (Lili Molnar) and her gang, a group of even sicker, more twisted, viler and lest we not forget MORE VIOLENT big-time hoods. There's suave, cool Eddie (Walter Crisham in an excellent portrayal), wily, erudite disgraced physician "Doc" (MacDonald Parke, also quite good) and the obligatory "big lug-head" muscles-for-brains Flyn (Danny Green, wasted). Everyone, that is except the lead male character, Slim Grissom (Jack La Rue), who is referred to constantly with a mixture of awe, terror, respect, danger and palpable fear. Alas, this tension filled build-up to his eventual presence is what defeats the movie. Nothing that comes after can sustain that mood. His entrance, and the events leading up to it, cause us to expect Slim to project an aura of sheer terror, but with his almost bored expression, and no notable feature to earn the sobriquet "Slim", Jack La Rue seems more like someone peeved that his sleep was disturbed than a dangerous, evil mastermind of crime. Walter Crisham, as "Eddie" was not only physically slim, but also exuded an oily charm and dangerous air much closer to what you would expect of a person of Slim's purported nature. And when Slim walks into the room, sits down on a table, and pulls out two black dice like on the cards sent to Miss Blandish, and starts to obsessively toss them over and over and over and over, I started to yell at the screen "Enough already, I get it, I GET IT!" I've yet to read the book, but this plot point is not in "THE GRISSOM GANG". The implication that Slim had previously loved her from a far and was trying to dissuade her from marrying a sex-crazed dipso, along with his later gallant attempts to save Miss Blandish from the consequences of loving him, just smacks of studio and censor interference. And whether it was Jack La Rue or the director, St. John Legh Clowes's fault, when the mostly soft-spoken, calm, sleepy-eyed Slim has to show that dark evil side that causes everyone to be so paralyzed with fear it's usually by losing his temper, mostly in childish tantrums, and then calming down, usually apologizing to everyone!

The rest of the movie becomes more of a genre exercise in the usual cliches, betrayals, greedy mistakes, giving it all up for love, etc., etc. Maybe if this was made in the fifties by a good noir director, Preminger, Ray, Huston, Mann, etc., the results might have been more satisfying. As is, though,"NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH" is an interesting noirish artifact of it's day, and some of the violence, animal lust, threats of rape and sophisticated sexual situations are still shockingly contemporary.The Grissom Gang, No Orchids for Miss Blandish (B&W Amar), No Orchids for Miss Blandish

This 1948 British creation caused a huge outcry upon its release due to its cold-blooded brutality and sexuality. The uproar merited a four-page article in LIFE magazine, titled, "London Can't Take It." Once the viewer gets used to the English actors attempting American accents (often with hilarious results) and misguided attempts at American gangster dialog ("You croaked him!")it is actually quite a lively-paced and intriguing film. Cinematography is noirish and excellent. It has been beutifully restored and deserves a new audience.

Tudor-Alliance presents "NO ORCHIDS FOR MISS BLANDISH" (1948) (104 min/B&W (Dolby digitally remastered) --- This film contains much appreciated noir and good acting in Glorious Black & White --- Jack La Rue plays Slim Grisson with just the right balance of toughness and elegance, while Walter Crisham, MacDonald Parke and Lilli Molnar carve out their memorable portrayals as the other main baddies --- Linda Travers rounds off the cast in a sexy and very appealing squeaky-clean heroine who gradually learns that she likes it rough --- One of most passionate kissing scenes in an early film era --- As the film progresses the actors engage in their frequent snarling exchanges, and then the violent action kicks into gear, this takes the audience on a thrilling roller coaster ride -- loving every minute of it --- If you thought old British films from the 1940s were prim and proper -- better guess again, this film has sex and violence galore.

Under the production staff of:
St. John Legh Clowes [Director, Producer & Screenwriter]
James Hadley Chase [Novel] novel
Oswald Mitchell [Associate Producer]
George Minter [Executive Producer]
George Melachrino [Original Score]
Gerald Gibbs [Cinematographer]
Manuel del Campo [Film Editor]

BIOS:
1. Jack La Rue
Date of Birth: 3 May 1902 - New York City, New York
Date of Death: 11 January 1984 - Santa Monica, California

2. Hugh McDermott
Date of Birth: 20 March 1906 - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Date of Death: 29 January 1972 -London, England, UK

3. Linden Travers
Date of Birth: 27 May 1913 - Houghton-le-Spring, Durham, England, UK
Date of Death: 23 October 2001 - Cornwall, England, UK

4. Walter Crisham
Date of Birth: 29 January 1906 - Worcester, Massachusetts
Date of Death: 27 October 1985 - Granada Hills, California

5. MacDonald Parke
Date of Birth: 30 July 1891 - Canada
Date of Death: 17 July 1960 - London, England, UK

6. Lilli Molnar
Date of Birth: Not Shown
Date of Death: 20 October 1950 - Unknown

7. St. John Legh Clowes [Director]
Date of Birth: 1907
Date of Death: 1948, UK

the cast includes:
Jack La Rue ... Slim Grisson
Hugh McDermott ... Dave Fenner
Linden Travers ... Miss Blandish
Walter Crisham ... Eddie Schultz
MacDonald Parke ... Doc (as Macdonald Parke)
Danny Green ... Flyn
Lilli Molnar ... Ma Grisson (as Lilly Molnar)

SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES:
1. Video Interview with Richard Gordon and Richard Nielson by Joel Blumberg
2. Commentary with Richard Gordon, Richard Nielson and Tom Weaver
3. British Trailer
4. American Trailer
5. Photo Gallery

Well acted and good direction makes this a must view --- All in all, good transfers and a lot of content for the money --- Nice release from the VCI people --- A great film to add to your every growing collection.

Total Time: 104 min on DVD ~ VCI Entertainment #8568 ~ (5/25/2010)

Somewhat dated exploitation black and white fun. With an unsettling unconvincing America in an English back drop setting. Boasting a strong British cast and US semi name it works. Tough sordid and slipping some stuff past the censor. I enjoyed every crummy moment of it.