For several years, I have been reading the noir novels of David Goodis which led me to an interest in film noir, in particular film versions of Goodis' writings. I became interested in the films of the maverick film director Samuel Fuller, (1912 -- 1997) who directed B movies for years without much fanfare and who attained cult status. Samuel Fuller had directed "Street of No Return" in 1989 as his last film but I had been unable to find this relatively rare movie until it became available recently on Amazon Prime. Goodis' novel"Street of No Return" (1954) is accessible in a volume of five of his novels published by the Library of America.
Fuller's "Street of No Return" only loosely follows Goodis' novel but it captures something of its dark character while being a work of its own. The film stars Keith Carradine as Michael, a once-successful rock singer who becomes a skid row derelict. The story is set in Goodis' beloved Philadelphia but Fuller's version was filmed in Europe. Fuller's "Street of No Return" is a work of lurid excess. It is raw, melodramatic, loud and violent. The film makes a strong impression with its noir, color cinematography. It opens, for examply, with a lengthy, shadowy scene of a skid row riot with strongly racial overtones. The film develops Michael's fall from grace as a rock idol to a skid row bum, courtesy of a mobster and rival for the affections of a woman, Celia (Valentia Vargas) who, among beats Michael to within an inch of his life and severs his vocal chords.
The film veers between Michael's successful singing career and his life on the skids. It features a crooked, violent police chief and large criminal gangs. As in Goodis' novel, the film has scenes of touching decency but all within a corrupt fallen world.
In many respects, this film version of "Street of No Return" is over-the-top. Still, it is riveting in its own right and reminded me of an author I have come to love. The movie deserves more attention than it has received and I was grateful for the opportunity to watch it and to add it to other film versions I have seen of Goodis' writings. Admirers of Goodis, film noir, or Samuel Fuller should take the opportunity to watch this film version of "Street of No Return".
Robin Friedman
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2014
