Road House (Fox Film Noir)

I have reviewed this film noir before on amazon, when I. was asking for its
release on dvd I shall be amongst the first to order it . TIME WAS

Jean Negulesco's "Road House" is an average film noir melodrama that gains some credence due to the acting performances of Richard Widmark and Ida Lupino.

Widmark plays Jefty Robbins adolescent minded rich guy and owner of a roadhouse and bowling alley in the backwoods near the Canadian border. His best friend and manager of the place is Pete Morgan played by an athletic and muscular Cornel Wilde. Wilde doesn't approve when Widmark hires life hardened and gravelly voiced Lily Stevens played by Ida Lupino as entertainment for the club. Not a bad opinion as Lupino has no voice.

Widmark immediately falls for Lupino but the feeling isn't mutual when he proposes to her. She has deep feelings for Wilde who had previously been attached to roadhouse cashier Susie played by Celeste Holm. While Widmark is away on a hunting trip, Wilde and Lupino's relationship blooms. When Widmark learns of this he becomes insanely jealous.

Widmark frames Wilde for the theft of $2000 for which he's unjustly convicted. In lieu of a prison sentence , Widmark convinces the judge to parole Wilde to him. Now he can torment Wilde and Lupino holding them as virtual prisoners to cater to his psychotic whims.

Widmark, a film noir master, displays his talent in portraying another character with a twisted personality. Lupino also nicely plays a classic tough broad with a tender heart in this film.

The plot is basically a triangle -- Cornel Wilde and Richard Widmark are both in love with lounge singer Ida Lupino. Widmark's character is well-off and owns the road house that his old pal Cornel Wilde manages for him. If Widmark can't win Lupino's heart, he's going to make sure Wilde doesn't get to have her. Just to add to the complications, another road house employee yearns for Wilde, but unlike Widmark, she's basically a good person.

Somehow black and white is the right medium for this film -- I think color would have detracted from the brooding atmosphere.

All in all, this movie stands the test of time well. Widmark puts in a great performance.

This underated film noir classic has three great stars of the genre: Richard Widmark, famous for his psychotic laugh, Ida Lupino, who was always perfect as the sultry femme fatale, and Cornel Wilde, who despite being very talented never became the big star that he should've been. Other reviewers have already gone over the plot, so I won't bother. Along with the three stars, there's great support from Celeste Holm, who you might recognize from the classic "High Society". Ida Lupino is hotter than ever in this great tale of lust and revenge! Ever since I first saw Richard Widmark's classic and sadistic performance in "Kiss of Death" I've been a big fan, and once again he plays the villian to perfection! Cornel Wilde gives a great performance as a man torn between his love for a woman and his loyalty to his best friend. This classic was made during the "golden years" of film noir, the late 40's, and it has stood the test of time. Hopefully, we won't have to wait too much longer before Fox releases this (along with the other Richard Widmark film noirs) on dvd.

ROAD HOUSE sets a dark mood with plenty of night scenes. I'm usually turned away from a film having too many night scenes. Half the time you can't tell who's who and what's they doing. Nothing unclear in ROAD HOUSE. Director, Jean Negulesco, deserves a gold star for handling the lighting in those scenes. I give another gold star to Celeste Holm, the girl that you want for a "friend." The plot gets down to the simply fact of the mating season. I was a little concerned that Widmark's evil propensity wasn't foreshadowed during the earlier stages of the film, but it was acceptable to believe that he just flipped his cork. The best part of the movie was perky Ida Lupino's torch song singing effort beginning with "Set 'em up Joe," and "Again." The soundtrack was marvelous.