It occurred to me, while watching HOLLOW TRIUMPH (or THE SCAR), that the script would have been a lot more interesting if the JOHN QUALEN character (the dentist) had been a sly blackmailer. The scene where he has a private talk with bad guy Henried and says something about how he notices small details could have evolved into a blackmailing scheme that would have added interest to the story.
*****POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD***** Another factor: Whenever we have someone impersonating someone else in a Hollywood film, it always turns out that they should have known more about the person's background--because there's always a deadly enemy who wants his justice, thereby leading to a predictable ending. In other words, I knew PAUL HENRIED would never be getting on that boat to make his escape with JOAN BENNETT. It's all in the details.
On the plus side, the film is effectively photographed in film noir style, is brisk and well paced, features a good central performance by PAUL HENRIED and at least gives JOAN BENNETT a chance to look good in all of her close-ups. But Bennett's part is severely underwritten and implausible when you stop to think about it. She gives it some gusto but is never completely convincing.
All in all, a fairly good thriller with a few loopholes--such as why didn't anyone but a cleaning woman notice anything strange about the placement of the scar? Even his wife (LESLIE BROOKS), busy with her compact and make-up, failed to notice. Come on.
Not bad, but could have been a whole lot more effective.
*****POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD***** Another factor: Whenever we have someone impersonating someone else in a Hollywood film, it always turns out that they should have known more about the person's background--because there's always a deadly enemy who wants his justice, thereby leading to a predictable ending. In other words, I knew PAUL HENRIED would never be getting on that boat to make his escape with JOAN BENNETT. It's all in the details.
On the plus side, the film is effectively photographed in film noir style, is brisk and well paced, features a good central performance by PAUL HENRIED and at least gives JOAN BENNETT a chance to look good in all of her close-ups. But Bennett's part is severely underwritten and implausible when you stop to think about it. She gives it some gusto but is never completely convincing.
All in all, a fairly good thriller with a few loopholes--such as why didn't anyone but a cleaning woman notice anything strange about the placement of the scar? Even his wife (LESLIE BROOKS), busy with her compact and make-up, failed to notice. Come on.
Not bad, but could have been a whole lot more effective.