Film Review
Superlative performances, a taut screenplay and exemplary direction
make
The Mask of Dimitrios
one of the most enjoyable examples of classic American film noir,
although it is (surprisingly) far less well known than other films of
its genre. It has all the ingredients you would expect to find in
a great film noir - a labyrinthine plot, some beautiful high contrast photography that
achieves a sustained mood of menace, effective use of
flashback à la
Citizen Kane (1941),
and the usual themes of greed, betrayal and revenge. Yet it is
also different - the film is much more character-driven and there is a
wry, black comedic edge which adds to its entertainment value without
diminishing its dramatic impact.
Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet form a slightly surreal double act which gives the
film its impetus and dramatic focus. The two actors first
appeared together in John Huston's
The Maltese Falcon (1941) and
would later share the credits in a further eight films - notably
Three Strangers (1946)
and
The Verdict (1946). Looking like a sinister parody of Laurel and Hardy,
the diminutive Lorre is the perfect complement to the bulky Greenstreet, the immense difference in
their statures emphasising the power the later's character has over
that of the former.
By this stage, a touch of self-referential campness had nudged its way
into the Lorre-Greenstreet on-screen rapport, but this works in the
film's favour. Rather than being intimidated by the mysterious Mr
Peters, Cornelius Leyden appears strangely nonchalant and seems merely
to regard him not as a threat but as a tiresome inconvenience.
This unexpected playfulness beautifully undercuts the more sombre
aspects of the main narrative thread, giving more colour and
entertainment value than the more traditional film noir generally
offers. Director Jean Negulesco enjoyed a long and successful
career after this, consistently turning out quality films with
popular appeal, his work including such classics as the Joan Crawford
melodrama
Humoresque (1946)
and Marilyn Monroe comedy
How to Marry a Millionaire (1953).
© James Travers 2008
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Film Synopsis
In 1938, the body of a dead man is found on a beach near
Istanbul. He is identified as Dimitrios Makropoulos, a master
criminal whose nefarious exploits include theft, espionage, smuggling
and political assassination. The head of the country's secret
police Colonel Haki relates what he knows about Makropoulos to
Cornelius Leyden, a writer of detective fiction. Intrigued by
what he hears, Leyden decides to make his own investigation into the
life of the notorious criminal. Whilst staying in Sofia, where he
hopes to find out more about Makropoulos' treacherous activities,
Leyden encounters a sinister looking man named Mr Peters. The
latter tells him that they both have information that is of great value
and he makes a strange business proposal. If Leyden will agree to
accompany him to Paris, Peters will give him half a million
francs. The offer is too good to resist...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.