In "The Dark Corner" Bradford Galt (Mark Stevens) is a tough private investigator who's been a victim of a gross miscarriage of justice and who, after having served a two year prison sentence, finds himself in circumstances which lead him to believe that, once again, he is being set up to be a fall guy. His natural despair is heightened by the fact that he's neither certain of what the crime is or even who's pulling the strings. Galt finds himself targeted three times in this movie, twice criminally and once romantically. His romantic involvement is with his secretary Kathleen (Lucille Ball) who remains supportive and positive throughout and especially during his darkest moment when he says that "I feel all dead inside, I'm backed up in a dark corner and I don't know who's hitting me".
After having served his sentence for manslaughter in California, Galt relocates to New York and shortly after setting up his new office, he and Kathleen are out one evening and realise that they are being tailed. Later, Galt pulls a gun on the man in a white suit who'd been following them and from his personal effects sees that his name is Fred Foss (William Bendix). After Galt roughs him up a bit, Foss admits that he's working for Anthony Jardine (Kurt Kreuger). Jardine was Galt's ex-partner and the man who'd framed him for the manslaughter charge.
In a later incident, when Galt is crossing a road, a car drives straight at him and he leaps out of the way just in time. A trace on the number links the vehicle to Jardine's current address. This together with the information obtained from Foss convinces Galt that Jardine is intent on finishing what he started in San Francisco.
After coming to a series of dead ends, such as finding out that the real name of the man in a white suit is not Fred Foss and that he doesn't work for Jardine, Galt's investigations lead him to the private art gallery owned by Hardy Cathcart (Clifton Webb). Galt remembers his ex-partner as a womanising barrister who does a little blackmail on the side. It soon becomes apparent that Jardine, who is now a member of Cathcart's coterie, is still indulging in exactly the same activities in his new surroundings. This time, however, the main focus of his attention is Cathcart's significantly younger wife, Mari (Cathy Downs).
Galt visits the gallery posing as a potential buyer and conversations with Mari and Hardy Cathcart explain the circumstances that led to the harassment that Galt had suffered and the story's dramatic denouement follows.
Some fine chiaroscuro lighting, nocturnal street scenes and shadow patterns created by venetian blinds contribute to the mood of the piece. The camera's propensity for lingering on the leading lady's legs is typical of a trend which was prevalent during the period in which the movie was made ("The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "Double Indemnity" contain similar sequences). The most arresting image, however, is created by using two film noir staples, the mirror and the double. When Galt and Kathleen embrace, the viewer sees an image of the couple on the left hand side of the frame with Kathleen's face and Galt's back in view. The position of the mirror then also creates a similar image on the right hand side of the frame with, of course, Galt's face and Kathleen's back in view.
Clifton Webb gives a very mannered performance as Hardy Cathcart, a man who is habitually disdainful of the ladies in his social circle and who often makes snide ripostes to some of their remarks. His obsession with the beauty of his wife also seems based more on the pleasures of acquiring and owning things of perceived beauty (like the contents of his gallery) rather than in the more conventional attractions of such a relationship.
Stevens and Ball generate genuine warmth in the depiction of their relationship with some running banter about nylons and his obvious attraction to her being tempered by occasional advice that, in view of his predicament, she would be wise to get out for her own good. Her devotion to him and ultimate intentions are made clear by numerous remarks about "playing for keeps" and statements such as "you've aroused the maternal instinct in me". In view of the significance of Stevens' role, it seems an injustice that he was only given forth billing for this movie but, presumably, this was because of studio protocol.
After having served his sentence for manslaughter in California, Galt relocates to New York and shortly after setting up his new office, he and Kathleen are out one evening and realise that they are being tailed. Later, Galt pulls a gun on the man in a white suit who'd been following them and from his personal effects sees that his name is Fred Foss (William Bendix). After Galt roughs him up a bit, Foss admits that he's working for Anthony Jardine (Kurt Kreuger). Jardine was Galt's ex-partner and the man who'd framed him for the manslaughter charge.
In a later incident, when Galt is crossing a road, a car drives straight at him and he leaps out of the way just in time. A trace on the number links the vehicle to Jardine's current address. This together with the information obtained from Foss convinces Galt that Jardine is intent on finishing what he started in San Francisco.
After coming to a series of dead ends, such as finding out that the real name of the man in a white suit is not Fred Foss and that he doesn't work for Jardine, Galt's investigations lead him to the private art gallery owned by Hardy Cathcart (Clifton Webb). Galt remembers his ex-partner as a womanising barrister who does a little blackmail on the side. It soon becomes apparent that Jardine, who is now a member of Cathcart's coterie, is still indulging in exactly the same activities in his new surroundings. This time, however, the main focus of his attention is Cathcart's significantly younger wife, Mari (Cathy Downs).
Galt visits the gallery posing as a potential buyer and conversations with Mari and Hardy Cathcart explain the circumstances that led to the harassment that Galt had suffered and the story's dramatic denouement follows.
Some fine chiaroscuro lighting, nocturnal street scenes and shadow patterns created by venetian blinds contribute to the mood of the piece. The camera's propensity for lingering on the leading lady's legs is typical of a trend which was prevalent during the period in which the movie was made ("The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "Double Indemnity" contain similar sequences). The most arresting image, however, is created by using two film noir staples, the mirror and the double. When Galt and Kathleen embrace, the viewer sees an image of the couple on the left hand side of the frame with Kathleen's face and Galt's back in view. The position of the mirror then also creates a similar image on the right hand side of the frame with, of course, Galt's face and Kathleen's back in view.
Clifton Webb gives a very mannered performance as Hardy Cathcart, a man who is habitually disdainful of the ladies in his social circle and who often makes snide ripostes to some of their remarks. His obsession with the beauty of his wife also seems based more on the pleasures of acquiring and owning things of perceived beauty (like the contents of his gallery) rather than in the more conventional attractions of such a relationship.
Stevens and Ball generate genuine warmth in the depiction of their relationship with some running banter about nylons and his obvious attraction to her being tempered by occasional advice that, in view of his predicament, she would be wise to get out for her own good. Her devotion to him and ultimate intentions are made clear by numerous remarks about "playing for keeps" and statements such as "you've aroused the maternal instinct in me". In view of the significance of Stevens' role, it seems an injustice that he was only given forth billing for this movie but, presumably, this was because of studio protocol.