Customer Reviews

Road House

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

 

 

How come I am the first person to review this
superb film noir? Where have all you other film lovers been?
Rithard Widmark, Ida Lupino.to name only two from a very good
cast.I am not going to spoil it for anyone by telling the story
just sit back and watch Ida Lupino deliver the wonderfull song
AGAIN.

Ida Lupino is the singer brought from Chicago to the roadhouse joint up near Canada by boss Richard Widmark; only when she gets there she gets big eyes for Widmark's partner Cornel Wilde. A jealous obsession for Lupino overtakes Widmark, and when she and Wilde, now lovers, are about to run off together, Widmark fabricates a story to the cops that Wilde stole the payroll. Without much evidence Wilde is sentenced to 2-10 in the slammer, but the ever manipulative Widmark persuades the judge into letting Wilde be paroled to him: now he's got Wilde in his clutches, where he begins to mess with his head. He tries to psyche Wilde into making a run for the Canadian border, thus giving him an "excuse" to gun him down. It's exactly what happens, only Lupino is there, too, and she brings the picture to its climax by shooting down Widmark in a swamp.

The movie is not a total success, but where it's good, it's very good, especially in the writing: the script is taut and the dialogue excellent. And there's a creepy atmosphere about the picture that adds to the psychological manipulations. Unfortunately, Widmark's craziness is not exploited enough, especially for a film noir entry. Lupino gets to sing a few numbers in the roadhouse in a not very remarkable gravelly voice. The movie strives for greatness (you can feel it in the acting), but it just falls short.