The Suspect (1944) :
Brief Review -
Wins my vote for Robert Siodmak's best Crime Noir Ever! It proves that human conscience and decency can be kept intact in crime dramas. Robert Siodmak's filmography has very few films that can be recommended, and The Suspect will be in my top 5 for sure. I don't care how much "The Killers" (1946) and "Criss Cross" (1949) were lauded by critics and audiences, those dumb femme fatales never made it to my list of top favourite Hollywood films from the decade. The Killers was still a good watch because the supporting characters made a big difference, and I shall not forget to mention "The Spiral Staircase" (1949) for its quivering climax. But today, I feel that The Suspect has come out as a big surprise to me and has surpassed these films comfortably. It's one of those rare crime noirs where two of the best human qualities - decency and conscience - are used perfectly. It lacks the thrill and drama factors for the same reason, and frankly, it didn't bother me at all, like it did others. Based on the 1939 novel This Way Out by James Ronald, The Suspect is about an unhappily married man who begins a flirtation with a younger woman. When his wife threatens to ruin her, he decides to take action, expectably, but things don't end there. The screenplay here is engaging despite a few long cuts that might feel boring. Otherwise, you don't have any boring moments. The writing is top-notch with a lot of human thoughts involved in it, and most of the time it's about understanding them even if the characters don't speak on them. Charles Laughton is superb in the lead role, and Ella Raines just doesn't look beautiful, but also performs beautifully. Robert Siodmak has made a meaningful film in a time when others were more inclined towards highly dramatic films, and I must appreciate him for that. But anyway, it's a fantastic film and very much recommendable. That last walk is truly something!
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Wins my vote for Robert Siodmak's best Crime Noir Ever! It proves that human conscience and decency can be kept intact in crime dramas. Robert Siodmak's filmography has very few films that can be recommended, and The Suspect will be in my top 5 for sure. I don't care how much "The Killers" (1946) and "Criss Cross" (1949) were lauded by critics and audiences, those dumb femme fatales never made it to my list of top favourite Hollywood films from the decade. The Killers was still a good watch because the supporting characters made a big difference, and I shall not forget to mention "The Spiral Staircase" (1949) for its quivering climax. But today, I feel that The Suspect has come out as a big surprise to me and has surpassed these films comfortably. It's one of those rare crime noirs where two of the best human qualities - decency and conscience - are used perfectly. It lacks the thrill and drama factors for the same reason, and frankly, it didn't bother me at all, like it did others. Based on the 1939 novel This Way Out by James Ronald, The Suspect is about an unhappily married man who begins a flirtation with a younger woman. When his wife threatens to ruin her, he decides to take action, expectably, but things don't end there. The screenplay here is engaging despite a few long cuts that might feel boring. Otherwise, you don't have any boring moments. The writing is top-notch with a lot of human thoughts involved in it, and most of the time it's about understanding them even if the characters don't speak on them. Charles Laughton is superb in the lead role, and Ella Raines just doesn't look beautiful, but also performs beautifully. Robert Siodmak has made a meaningful film in a time when others were more inclined towards highly dramatic films, and I must appreciate him for that. But anyway, it's a fantastic film and very much recommendable. That last walk is truly something!
RATING - 7.5/10*
By - #samthebestest.