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Human Desire(1954)
Human Desire(1954)
Director: Fritz Lang
Writers: Alfred Hayes (screenplay), Émile Zola (novel)
Cast: Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford
Genre: Drama, Film Noir
"A Korean War vet returns to his job as a railroad engineer and becomes involved in an affair with a co-worker's wife following a murder on a train where they meet."
Writers: Alfred Hayes (screenplay), Émile Zola (novel)
Cast: Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford
Genre: Drama, Film Noir
"A Korean War vet returns to his job as a railroad engineer and becomes involved in an affair with a co-worker's wife following a murder on a train where they meet."
Fritz Lang's journey into film noir...via trains and railroads, is a vehicle on the tracks with much promise but with plot holes big enough to drive an engine through.
Broderick Crawford on the left is a troubled man in trouble, Glenn Ford is a good natured, returning war vet who steps into a heap of trouble.
The strength of this film is it's very unusual setting at the railroad depot and on a real train. We see the engine up close and inside, we see scenes from the engine's windows as it speeds down the tracks. All which add a uniqueness to this otherwise by the numbers movie.
Glenn Ford is back from the war and has taken up his old job as a railroad engineer. An old friend, Broderick Crawford has married a mysterious woman and is now the railroad assistant supervisor....On a train run Glenn Ford has hoped a free ride and bumps into a rather nervous woman who comes onto him. She wants a drink but that part of the train is closed for the evening so Ford invites her into an empty cabin for a smoke.
All would be well, except unknown to Glenn Ford there's a dead body in the cabin that the mysterious woman was just in. Later after he gets involved with her, he finds out that Gloria Grahame is the wife of Brodrick Crawford, and he's one jealous man.
Glen Ford on the left, and trouble in the form of Gloria Grahame.
The setting and the plot is all pretty good as are the actors, but the suspense part is lacking and the film seems if Fritz Lang made it in his sleep. Still worth watching, especially if you're a train aficionado as there's a lot of neat train stuff in this film.
Broderick Crawford on the left is a troubled man in trouble, Glenn Ford is a good natured, returning war vet who steps into a heap of trouble.
The strength of this film is it's very unusual setting at the railroad depot and on a real train. We see the engine up close and inside, we see scenes from the engine's windows as it speeds down the tracks. All which add a uniqueness to this otherwise by the numbers movie.
Glenn Ford is back from the war and has taken up his old job as a railroad engineer. An old friend, Broderick Crawford has married a mysterious woman and is now the railroad assistant supervisor....On a train run Glenn Ford has hoped a free ride and bumps into a rather nervous woman who comes onto him. She wants a drink but that part of the train is closed for the evening so Ford invites her into an empty cabin for a smoke.
All would be well, except unknown to Glenn Ford there's a dead body in the cabin that the mysterious woman was just in. Later after he gets involved with her, he finds out that Gloria Grahame is the wife of Brodrick Crawford, and he's one jealous man.
Glen Ford on the left, and trouble in the form of Gloria Grahame.
The setting and the plot is all pretty good as are the actors, but the suspense part is lacking and the film seems if Fritz Lang made it in his sleep. Still worth watching, especially if you're a train aficionado as there's a lot of neat train stuff in this film.