This is another of Samuel Fuller's intense, explosive films, exposing hypocrisies and subverting the usual signposts.
The suave pillar of the community and romantic interest turns out to be a subtly monstrous figure, the reformed prostitute the true heroine. Superb use of melodrama to unsettle - applied with more emotive bombast than Douglas Sirk; it makes a fascinating contrast with that old master's work. The film goes against the grain in so many ways, cunningly deploying Paul Dunlap's music and avoiding some expected plot twists. The cinematography is from Stanley Cortez, who certainly came with form on low-budget films, having worked on the sublime "Night of the Hunter" nine years before. This film actually shares a lot with Laughton's; both are warped fairy tales, treading an incredibly fine line between sentimentality and brutality.
Constance Towers gives a suitably towering performance as the unfortunate Kelly, giving the character real depth and humanity; she has a fascinating mix of fragility and strength.
The suave pillar of the community and romantic interest turns out to be a subtly monstrous figure, the reformed prostitute the true heroine. Superb use of melodrama to unsettle - applied with more emotive bombast than Douglas Sirk; it makes a fascinating contrast with that old master's work. The film goes against the grain in so many ways, cunningly deploying Paul Dunlap's music and avoiding some expected plot twists. The cinematography is from Stanley Cortez, who certainly came with form on low-budget films, having worked on the sublime "Night of the Hunter" nine years before. This film actually shares a lot with Laughton's; both are warped fairy tales, treading an incredibly fine line between sentimentality and brutality.
Constance Towers gives a suitably towering performance as the unfortunate Kelly, giving the character real depth and humanity; she has a fascinating mix of fragility and strength.