:
Lana Turner,
John Garfield,
Cecil Kellaway,
more...
:
Tay Garnett
see all cast/crew...
: Not Rated
: Warner Home Video
: Classics, Film Noir, Vintage Noir, Classic Crime, Crime, Classic Crime
: 113 min.
: English, French
: English, Spanish, French
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James M. Cain's novel received its first authorized screen treatment in this MGM production. Drifter Frank Chambers (John Garfield) takes a job at a roadhouse run by slovenly but likeable Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway). Nick's sexy young wife Cora (Lana Turner) takes an immediate liking to Frank, but he senses that she's trouble and he keeps his distance--for a while, anyway. Inevitably succumbing to Cora's tawdry charms, Frank enters into her scheme to murder Nick and claim the old boy's insurance money. Not long after committing the foul deed, Frank and Cora are arrested. Thanks to the conniving of slimy attorney Arthur Keats (Hume Cronyn), the illicit lovers are able to beat the murder rap--but, as the film's title symbolically indicates, they eventually pay for their misdeeds in an unexpected manner. Fans of the James M. Cain original--not to mention Cain himself--were aghast at the changes made in the novel by screenwriters Harry Ruskin and Niven Busch; many of the alterations were made to conform with censorship standards of the era, while others simply existed to massage the egos of the stars. Even so, the 1946 version of The Postman Always Rings Twice is infinitely more satisfying than the no-holds-barred 1981 remake, directed by Bob Rafelson with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
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| I could watch this movie every day
by eifert
June 13, 2004 - 8:33 AM PDT
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3 out of 5 members found this review helpful
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| Wow. If you haven't seen it, you're in for a treat. Lana Turner is incredibly good looking wearing all white. There has never been a movie with such chemistry between the stars as this one. Garfield, forgotten superstar, is great in this. Check out his bio on the disc as well. The best film noir you can find. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 7.14)
125 Votes
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