Director: Edmund Goulding
Producer: George Jessel
Screenwriter: Jules Furthman
Cinematographer: Lee Garmes
Music: Cyril J. Mockridge
Studio: 20th Century Fox 1947
Main Acting: Tyrone Power and Coleen Gray
To kick off the final ten film noirs of the countdown, here are my top ten reasons (in no particular order) why Nightmare Alley deserves the #10 spot.
10. Back when I discussed the I Walk Alone selection, I made the statement that Mike Mazurki was my favorite peripheral noir character who would resurface throughout the genre. Born in what is now the Ukraine, Mike made a habit of appearing in wonderful little roles throughout the classic era. His filmography boasts such impressive turns as Murder My Sweet, Dark City, The Shanghai Gesture, Night And The City, the above mentioned I Walk Alone, and finally, Nightmare Alley. His role as Bruno the strongman is perhaps his best in noir or at least the equal of his work as Moose Malloy and The Strangler.
9. In a perfect world, every journeyman director will eventually contribute a classic film to an unsuspecting public. Either due to some momentarily crazed inspiration that had once gone missing, or finally because some producer or studio felt it necessary to hand over a worthwhile property. In 1947, Edmund Goulding finally achieved this glorious distinction by directing Nightmare Alley. You can all scream Grand Hotel, Dark Victory, and Razor’s Edge as loud as possible, but for me this film is where immortality for this particular filmmaker truly rests.
8. In one of the most effective noir studies of the darkness lurking within us all, Stanton is not worried or concerned with stepping over anyone to achieve his ambitious goals. Swindling suffering customers, seducing women that could get him ahead, and leaving behind friends and acquaintances who become worthless to his desired destination are effectively surveyed. A world where the upcoming road is all that matters and running over hapless pedestrians is a necessity. A fill-in for the seediness of the entertainment industry where souls inevitably get chewed up and spit out when their usefulness has expired. Nightmare Alley hits its thematic concerns as effectively as any classic noir ever made.
7. A longtime professional cinematographer contributes sterling photography to enhance the overall worth of Nightmare Alley. Lee Garmes is a name that does not automatically pop out when I think of the greats of that era. Yet watch the sequence 20 minutes into the movie as Stanton walks through a darkened closed for business carnival to visit Charlie and borrow a quart of alcohol. As he makes his trek through the fog and cricket soundtracked area, we see the visual splendor that noir can provide us. The shadows of the trees reflecting off the vehicles is magnificent. We know what genre we have been dropped into, and we are thankful.
6. Similar to Dick Powell, Tyrone Power was basically typecast for a different kind of film throughout his career. Usually found in a swashbuckler role or as a romantic lead, he desperately wanted the role of Stanton. Legend has it that he fought tooth and nail to get Nightmare Alley made with him as the lead. Twentieth Century Fox studio head Darryl Zanuck was not particularly keen on Powers taking such a dark turn in his mostly levity-packed career. Thankfully, the actor’s perseverance paid off and the film was made with an A budget. Noir can claim another worthwhile addition in the canon.
5. Great lines of dialogue are included in a script that is grade A material. Jules Furthman contributes a stupendous screenplay taken from the novel of the same name written by William Lindsay Gresham. “There is only one thing this stuff will make you forget. How to forget.” Like any good film noir, the words are filled with symbolic potency that always contain additional meaning. “How can a guy sink so low … He reached too high.” The sentiment that every boy has a dog also makes one realize that every boy can also become the geek.
4. Watching how things can change quickly in our tumultuous world leads to the realization that the last sentence of selection five is the aching broken heart of the movie. Just like success is possible for everyone, the chances of ending up like the unfortunate geek are also true. Reminiscent of Kafka’s The Hunger Artist, the geek is one who has slowly stopped being essential and instead wilts away into obscurity in his lonely cage for everyone to forget. An important lesson for those who exploit others for their own benefits and welfare. Nightmare Alley is profound in its dark message.
3. Predictably, this was a box office failure on release. The fact that we all can watch it on DVD is probably due to the fact that Nightmare Alley became categorized as film noir when the term became more widely used after a time. Finally released in 2005 as part of the Fox Film Noir Set, it supposedly went through many legal loopholes before seeing the light of day. Would Nightmare Alley be so easily available for purchase without the loyal and growing fanbase of film noir? Thankfully, it has been rescued from obscurity to take its place at the pinnacle of the movement.
2. A classic story of the rise and fall of an individual in Nightmare Alley is brilliantly conveyed with no punches pulled. Perhaps my main love of this Goulding film is that there is no place for sentimentality or compromise. Every sordid deed is expressed and conveyed properly. The talent involved was cognizant of the fact that real life should not be glossed over with the typical Hollywood approach. A downbeat examination of human flaws and consequences is rendered just right. It’s very ambitious and filled with an almost modern intensity that traverses over much ground without losing its clinical focus on the evil that men do.
1. Because my subjective opinion deems it so!!! Also, because it’s imperative that this film grow in stature as one of the best American films of the 40s period.
Terrific essay MAURIZIO and one that has done exactly the best thing it could have done for me personally…
I WANT TO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!
I confess to my virginity when it comes to NIGHTMARE ALLLEY and I will seek this film out ASAP!!!!!!
SAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!
Let me know what you think when you see it Dennis.
Yes, a great film noir indeed.
Nightmare Alley doesn’t have the kind of fame surrounding it as, say, Asphalt Jungle, The Third Man, Sunset Blvd., etc. So I was expecting a good movie but nothing beyond that when I’d seen it. But, as you alluded to, the film turned out to be one hell of a revelation, more so for a noir enthusiast.
Tyrone Power, as you mentioned, was indeed pitch-perfect for the role. And the tale of spectacular rise & equally spectacular fall was oh-so-classic film noir!!!
The same with me Shubs. I did not expect such a great film the first time I watched it. I was surprised by its power and effectiveness. I had this in the top ten from the beginning.
Hmph. Don’t recall ever seeing this one, which is why it’s now residing in the top spot in my netflix queue.
Like I told Dennis let me know what you think after you see it Jamie. I think it’s the kind of noir you will really appreciate.
“7. A longtime professional cinematographer contributes sterling photography to enhance the overall worth of Nightmare Alley. Lee Garmes is a name that does not automatically pop out when I think of the greats of that era. Yet watch the sequence 20 minutes into the movie as Stanton walks through a darkened closed for business carnival to visit Charlie and borrow a quart of alcohol. As he makes his trek through the fog and cricket soundtracked area, we see the visual splendor that noir can provide us. The shadows of the trees reflecting off the vehicles is magnificent. We know what genre we have been dropped into, and we are thankful…”
Indeed Maurizio! I love your approach with this review with the mult-reason qualification, and it’s superlatively written and posed. The real “star” of this film is cinematographer Lee Garmes, whose expressionistic, low key work is vital is transcribing this defining study of entrapment, and the suspense is heightened by an eerie score by Cyril Mockridge. Against hype, Power is superlative, and as much as any film noir, the characters are obsessed with achieving success at all costs. This is just about as corrosive a film noir as has ever been made. A top ten placement is warranted!
Corrosive indeed Sam. Also like any good story it imparts with some wisdom or insight on humanity. Lee Garmes makes the film a visual marvel and symbolically potent. The sense of entrapment is definitely present and all consuming.
This is strong stuff even if Fox added a more hopeful finish after faithfully presenting Gresham’s own ending (“I was born for it.”) Power definitely should have done more along this line and seemed to be heading that way with Witness for the Prosecution and Abandon Ship before an untimely demise that was all the more lamentable because it came on the set of Solomon and Sheba. As he got older and more haggard it looked like he was living a film noir if not acting in one.
If we were doing a Mazurki poll Nightmare Alley would have to come in behind Night and the City as well as Murder My Sweet. The big lug is great as an arrogant grappler cruising for a bruising in the Dassin film.
You know what Samuel I left out Mazurki’s role in Night And The City slightly by accident. Rereading the post makes me think I did a disservice. I will include it into reason 10 since it is another essential role of his that cannot be ignored for any reason.
What a wonderful post Maurizio. I have been looking forward to your top 10 and glad to see it starts off with a title that has haunted me for a few years 🙂 For the longest time I have seen the film’s poster in an arthouse film theatre in my city and everytime I saw the poster, I told myself that I had to finally see the film. But other films always got in the way. Thankfully, your words have encouraged me to finally see it.
Great comment Sachin. I don’t think you will be disappointed when you finally view Nightmare Alley. The great part is that it’s easily available through Netflix or on dvd. As part of the Fox Noir Set you can even acquire the film rather cheaply, with great audio/video quality.
Hi! Maurizo…
What a very interesting approach to why you, like this film and the 10 reasons that sums up why this film “stands” at No#10 on your countdown…
Maurizio said,”A longtime professional cinematographer contributes sterling photography to enhance the overall worth of Nightmare Alley. Lee Garmes is a name that does not automatically pop out when I think of the greats of that era. Yet watch the sequence 20 minutes into the movie as Stanton walks through a darkened closed for business carnival to visit Charlie and borrow a quart of alcohol. As he makes his trek through the fog and cricket soundtracked area, we see the visual splendor that noir can provide us. The shadows of the trees reflecting off the vehicles is magnificent. We know what genre we have been dropped into, and we are thankful…”
…If I’am not mistaken this is the scene at No#7 that you eluded to in your top ten reasons to add this film to the canon Of Film noir.
[Postscript: Oh! yes, I own this film as part Of 20th Century Fox Collection and have watched this film only once…However, I do plan to revisit Tyrone Power, Coleen Gray, Joan Blondell, and Mike Mazurzi in “Nightmare Alley.”]
Thank-you, for sharing!
DeeDee 😉
That is indeed the scene Dee Dee. As always you brighten up every thread. Thanks!!!
Nightmare Alley is #17 on my top 100 all-time films. Such an underrated film noir. Enjoyed the essay!
J’aime votre article. Merci pour l’information. Je dois dire que je ne regrette en rien de m’être abonné à votre weblog. bonne continuation.
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