Side Street (1950)

Very well executed

How wonderful it is to see this fine actress carry a film and carry it so beautifully.

it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Side Street (1950)An urban fable about innocence and temptation. There is even a kind of storyteller (a narrator) who leads along at a couple points. And there is the fresh-faced couple all hope and love in a simple, complicated world—New York City just after World War II.And that couple is played by Farley Granger and Cathy O'Donnell with the same earnestness as more famously filmed by Nicholas Ray in "They Live by Night." That was one of Hollywood's great joint performances, and this followup is almost a requirement, and a lucky one. Granger is the main character by far, but again life has led him into a morass that he didn't intend. This is a strangely specific typecasting, but two of his other films bear it out—"Rope" and "Strangers on a Train" by Hitchcock, before and after this one. In this one as in "Strangers" he acts on the problem he's in and makes it worse. Which leads to the great climaxes in both films.The director here is Anthony Mann, who had a career of really wonderful films that have an edge and real finesse. Not one of them is quite the standout classic that would help make him a legend (though the set of Jimmy Stewart Westerns is widely loved, and his film noirs are all great in my view). You can see his flavor for drama that doesn't resort to distraction. It always keeps the characters first, and he gets believable, potent performances from his cast.It doesn't hurt that Joseph Ruttenberg is cinematographer (winner of 4 Oscars in a long career). Or that it's just the cusp of Hollywood moving out to more location shooting, which gives more realism and naturalism to the whole mood. This is a really good film, no matter what the cracks are in the story or whether in fact you like the fable approach.

Anthony Mann directed this film noir that stars Farley Granger as a struggling letter carrier with a pregnant wife(played by Cathy O'Donnell) who is worried about how he will support them on his salary. Fate intervenes when he is tempted to steal money from ruthless racketeers. He thinks its only a few hundred dollars, but turns out to be several thousands. Now guilt-stricken, he is also being pursued by the racketeers who want their money back, and will gladly kill him in the process. Well-directed and acted film effectively portrays the pitfalls of giving in to temptation and theft, which results in near-fatal consequences for Granger, who wishes he had never taken the money.

"Side Street" is a decent example of film noir. It has a VERY tough villain, cool cops and a generally decent plot. The only thing that keeps it from being among the better films of the genre is its main character--played by Farley Granger. The problem is that this guy is too weak and too difficult to like--and it's hard to have a guy like this supporting a gritty film.The film begins with some nasty people blackmailing some rich guy. In the next scene, the lady accomplice is found dead--and it seems that the guy working with her NEVER leaves a living witness. However, a mailman (Granger) just happens upon the loot and he steals it. The villain has no idea who took the money and it's only when Granger tries to return it does he realize who he is--and, as I said, he hates to leave witnesses. Can the dope, Granger, manage to somehow come out of this alive? The best thing about the movie is the villain. He's cold, evil and brutal--and seeing him killing some of his victims is quite shocking--even today. In one scene, he kisses his girlfriend--and you see his hands slip around her throat and she's choked to death! Tough guy, that's for sure. However, the very strong and chilling nature of this guy is a HUGE contrast with Granger--who too often comes off as a bit of a weenie! Still, it's well worth seeing and won't disappoint.

Granger and O'Donnell, who co-starred in "They Live by Night" a couple of years earlier, are reunited in this taut film noir about a decent fellow who gives in to temptation and has his life unravel. Mann, known mainly for Westerns, does a terrific job of capturing life on the tough, gritty streets of New York City. The story of an innocent man who gets deeper and deeper into trouble is reminiscent of Hitchcock. Granger, who would star in Hitchcock's "Stangers on a Train" the following year, is perfectly cast as everyman. All the characters, even the minor ones, are well played, including Kelly as the police captain and Hagen as a singer.