B-Movie Auteur Charles Lederer was a Stylist that when Given Enough Freedom Could Make some Kinetic and Interesting Low-Budget Entertainments. But that was Not to be in this MGM Movie about a Serial Axe Murderer.
There was No Way the Haughty Studio was Going to Follow Through on that Lurid Premise. Although Things Begin Rather Well as the Director Uses Night Scenes and a Lot of Shadows and Impressions to Start the Tale with Some Creepy Characters and Enough Edginess to Make it Seem as This is Going to be Something Very Off-Beat.
But All Too Soon the Film Slides Downhill to Respectability with Comedic Interplay and a Light Touch. It Picks Back Up in the End, but the Fluff in the Middle has Made this just Another Routine Picture with the Studio's Reputation Intact.
Worth a Watch for the Better Parts, Especially the Noir First Act, but the Disappointing Mediocre Middle Ruins what Could Possibly have Been a Remarkable and Different Film.
There was No Way the Haughty Studio was Going to Follow Through on that Lurid Premise. Although Things Begin Rather Well as the Director Uses Night Scenes and a Lot of Shadows and Impressions to Start the Tale with Some Creepy Characters and Enough Edginess to Make it Seem as This is Going to be Something Very Off-Beat.
But All Too Soon the Film Slides Downhill to Respectability with Comedic Interplay and a Light Touch. It Picks Back Up in the End, but the Fluff in the Middle has Made this just Another Routine Picture with the Studio's Reputation Intact.
Worth a Watch for the Better Parts, Especially the Noir First Act, but the Disappointing Mediocre Middle Ruins what Could Possibly have Been a Remarkable and Different Film.