Nora Prentiss
Reviews
Steve
Dr. Richard Talbot is bored with his hum drum life. His life has become routine. He shows up for work at the same time every day then heads home at six o'clock to a passionless wife and two kids. His life is forever changed when he treats a sexy night club singer after hours at his downtown office. First becoming friends, the couple quickly start an affair which eventually leads the previously up-tight Talbot to fake his own death and run off with the woman. Every move Talbot (played by Kent Smith who almost tops his performance is the noir/horror classic Cat People) makes following his decision to run off with Nora just gets him in more trouble. Ann Sheridan playing Nora isn't a femme fatale like you'd expect. Turns out she's the level headed one who tries to stop Talbot from acting like such a chump. Unfortunately, he doesn't listen to her and becomes a mess eventually attacking romantic rival Robert Alda in a drunken rage then leading cops on a high speed chase that ends badly. According to Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style, Nora Prentiss is the ultimate “woman's noir”. Other films of this type – such as Joan Crawford's Flamingo Road and The Damned Don't Cry (also directed by Vincent Sherman) quickly become sappy melodramas while Nora Prentiss avoids this thanks to excellent performances from Smith, Sheridan, and a bunch of Warner Bros. regulars – including Bruce Bennett (Dark Passage, Mystery Street), Alda (The Man I Love), John Ridgely (The Big Sleep) and a young Wanda Hendrix (Ride the Pink Horse). The film is shot in an expressionistic style by cinematographer James Wong Howe. Two parts of the film really show how "closed in" Talbot is. First is right at the beginning of the film when a scarred man is taken back to San Francisco on charges of murder. Second is later in the film when Talbot decides to coop himself up in a New York hotel room paranoid that someone from his former life will recognize him. Wong creates a very dank and claustrophobic atmosphere especially the jail scenes showing heavy shadows over the prisoner. Director Sherman knocked out a bunch of films for Warner Bros. (his noir films include Backfire, The Unfaithful also with Sheridan, The Affair in Trinidad and The Garment Jungle) but I think this one stands out as one of his best. Not to be forgotten is the excellent film score by Franz Waxman and the very sharp dialog that showcases Sheridan's ability to crack wise. Although Sheridan is the star, Smith steals the film. He transforms Dr. Talbot from a guy who always looks like his collars are too tight, to a paranoid drunk and then finally to a broken man who gives up on life. Also notice the movie poster. The style of the poster is very similar to a similar Warner Bros. film, the great Mildred Pierce released two years earlier. Written by Steve-O
John Chard
The Man Who Died Twice. Nora Prentiss is directed by Vincent Sherman and collectively written by N. Richard Nash, Paul Webster and Jack Sobell. It stars Kent Smith, Ann Sheridan, Bruce Bennett, Robert Alda and Rosemary DeCamp. Music is by Franz Waxman and cinematography by James Wong Howe. Dr. Richard Talbot (Smith) is fed up of his dull family life. So when pretty nightclub singer Nora Prentiss (Sheridan) calls on him for treatment to a minor injury – his head – and his life – is turned drastically. What did he do? What was he hiding? One of film noir’s devilish delights is that of a filmic entry that finds a protagonist in a fantastical situation. Think of Dark Passage where Bogart has plastic surgery to alter his looks, or The Big Clock which sees Milland investigating himself for a crime! The suitcase/cannister plot devices of Kiss Me Deadly and City of Fear, the identity swap madness of Hollow Triumph, and on it goes, the more bonkers the plot scenario is in noir, the more fun the enjoyment can be. And so enter Nora Prentiss, often tagged a woman’s melodrama, it’s most assuredly a crafty piece of noirville that hinges on a quite superb and fantastical twist of fate come the final stretch. `Sure there’s melodrama and some romantic delirium, but this is not cosy stuff, the pay offs beat a true pin cushioned heart. The title may be Nora Prentiss, but she’s not the key character, Doctor Talbot is, so really it’s a name grab title to aid Sheridan in her efforts to break out of a lull (47 also saw her make The Unfaithful - also under the watchful gaze of Sherman). The story trajectory actually isn’t what you would perceive as true film noir on plot terms, in that Nora isn’t a femme fatale. In fact we are on her side, she’s not malicious or shredding Talbot’s life by choice, she is actually the one being messed around by the doofus doctor. Talbot is inconsiderate of his actions to how they affect those he so readily leaves behind (wife and two kids), and he lacks a spine to at least do the right thing as he plots a new life with the sultry Nora. And thus he makes a decision – when an opportunity arises in his medical office – that’s brilliant in how it shifts the course of the picture into far darker territories. Tech credits are high end, there’s absolutely nothing wrong in the wily Sherman’s direction, where although I can’t personally say all his noir ventures are successful, he handles the tonal shifts smartly here whilst getting top perfs from his leads. Sheridan and Smith are done proud by the writers, they get interesting characters to play who are caught in a web of passion, unfulfillments, paranoia and a stonker of a lie. While as ace composer Waxman drifts tonal harmonies over proceedings, Sheridan even gets to warble a couple of very pleasing tunes. Yet all play second fiddle – not for the first time for many others – to Wong Howe’s photography. A master of low-key compositions, he blends the expressionist feels with claustrophobic visual tightness. Witness the scenes in the hotel room that Nora and Richard share, a sequence post an operation that’s filmed in clinical shadowed low lights, and the metaphorically potent scene of Nora and Richard talking through a prison grille. A hit at the box office, the realignment of Sheridan’s career in place, Nora Prentiss has many reasons for being sought out for viewing pleasures. More so if you like to tread the dark and sometimes nutty sidewalks of noirville. 8/10
Movie Recommendation
You Only Live Once1937-01-23Based partially on the story of Bonnie and Clyde, Eddie Taylor is an ex-convict who cannot get a break after being released from prison. When he is framed for murder, Taylor is forced to flee with his wife Joan Graham and baby. While escaping prison after being sentenced to death, Taylor becomes a real murderer, condemning himself and Joan to a life of crime and death on the road.More...
Shutter Island2010-02-14World War II soldier-turned-U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels investigates the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane, but his efforts are compromised by troubling visions and a mysterious doctor.More...
American Beauty1999-09-15Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation with his daughter's attractive friend.More...
2001: A Space Odyssey1968-04-02Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world's most advanced super computer.More...
Gladiator2000-05-04After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome's most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.More...
The Godfather1972-03-14Spanning the years 1945 to 1955, a chronicle of the fictional Italian-American Corleone crime family. When organized crime family patriarch, Vito Corleone barely survives an attempt on his life, his youngest son, Michael steps in to take care of the would-be killers, launching a campaign of bloody revenge.More...
Back to the Future1985-07-03Eighties teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time to 1955, inadvertently disrupting his parents' first meeting and attracting his mother's romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by rekindling his parents' romance and - with the help of his eccentric inventor friend Doc Brown - return to 1985.More...
The Breakfast Club1985-02-15Five high school students from different walks of life endure a Saturday detention under a power-hungry principal. The disparate group includes rebel John, princess Claire, outcast Allison, brainy Brian and Andrew, the jock. Each has a chance to tell his or her story, making the others see them a little differently -- and when the day ends, they question whether school will ever be the same.More...
Jack Reacher2012-12-20One morning in an ordinary town, five people are shot dead in a seemingly random attack. All evidence points to a single suspect: an ex-military sniper who is quickly brought into custody. The interrogation yields one written note: 'Get Jack Reacher!'. Reacher, an enigmatic ex-Army investigator, believes the authorities have the right man but agrees to help the sniper's defense attorney. However, the more Reacher delves into the case, the less clear-cut it appears. So begins an extraordinary chase for the truth, pitting Jack Reacher against an unexpected enemy, with a skill for violence and a secret to keep.More...
12 Angry Men1957-04-10The defense and the prosecution have rested and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young Spanish-American is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open and shut case soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other.More...
Avatar2009-12-16In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization.More...
Memento2000-10-11Leonard Shelby is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife's killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he's going, or why.More...
The Dark Knight2008-07-16Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.More...
The Amazing Spider-Man2012-06-23Peter Parker is an outcast high schooler abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.More...
Pulp Fiction1994-09-10A burger-loving hit man, his philosophical partner, a drug-addled gangster's moll and a washed-up boxer converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time.More...
Some Like It Hot1959-03-19Two musicians witness a mob hit and need to quickly find a way out of Chicago. Their only opportunity comes in the form of joining an all-girl band as they prepare to leave on a tour. The two disguise themselves as women and struggle to keep their identities secret as the gangsters close in.More...
Vertigo1958-05-28A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.More...
Batman Begins2005-06-10Driven by tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne dedicates his life to uncovering and defeating the corruption that plagues his home, Gotham City. Unable to work within the system, he instead creates a new identity, a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld - The Batman.More...
The Exorcist1973-12-26When a mysterious entity possesses a young girl, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.More...
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood2019-07-24Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton, a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth, his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate, who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski…More...
Similar Movies
Not Here to Be Loved
2005-10-12Jean-Claude Delsart, a 50 years-old bailiff, with his worn-out smile and heart, abandoned a long time ago the idea that life could give him pleasures. Until the day, he dares to push the doors of a tango lesson...The Poseidon Adventur...
1972-12-01When their ocean liner capsizes, a group of passengers struggle to survive and escape.Secret Beyond the Doo...
1947-12-24After a whirlwind romance in Mexico, a beautiful heiress marries a man she barely knows with hardly a second thought. She finds his New York home full of his strange relations, and macabre rooms that are replicas of famous murder sites. One locked room contains the secret to her husband's obsession, and the truth about what happened to his first wife.The Experiment
2001-03-0820 volunteers agree to take part in a seemingly well-paid experiment advertised by the university. It is supposed to be about aggressive behavior in an artificial prison situation. A journalist senses a story behind the ad and smuggles himself in among the test subjects. They are randomly divided into prisoners and guards. What seems like a game at the beginning soon turns into bloody seriousness.Dances with Wolves
1990-03-30Wounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar tries to commit suicide—and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe.Sunset Boulevard
1950-08-10A hack screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent film star who has faded into Hollywood obscurity.Out of Africa
1985-12-20Tells the life story of Danish author Karen Blixen, who at the beginning of the 20th century moved to Africa to build a new life for herself. The film is based on her 1937 autobiographical novel.Trainspotting
1996-02-23Heroin addict Mark Renton stumbles through bad ideas and sobriety attempts with his unreliable friends --Sick Boy, Begbie, Spud and Tommy. He also has an underage girlfriend, Diane, along for the ride. After cleaning up and moving from Edinburgh to London, Mark finds he can't escape the life he left behind as Begbie and Sick Boy come knocking.Lost Highway
1997-01-15A tormented jazz musician finds himself lost in an enigmatic story involving murder, surveillance, gangsters, doppelgängers, and an impossible transformation inside a prison cell.Maybe... Maybe Not
1994-10-05The heterosexual man Axel is thrown out of his girlfriends home for cheating and ends up moving in with a gay man. Axel learns the advantages of living with gay men even though they are attracted to him and when his girlfriend wants him back he must make a tough decision.Berlin is in Germany
2001-11-01When Martin, a former GDR citizen, is released from jail, he lately becomes confronted with the consequences of the German re-unification.The War of the Roses
1989-12-08Barbara and Oliver Rose live happily as a married couple. When Barbara starts to wonder what life would be like without Oliver and likes what she sees, the two begin a campaign to force each other to leave their house, with their divorce lawyer D'Amato caught in the middle.Bed and Board
1970-09-09Parisian everyman Antoine Doinel has married his sweetheart Christine Darbon, and the newlyweds have set up a cozy domestic life of selling flowers and giving violin lessons while Antoine fitfully works on his long-gestating novel. As Christine becomes pregnant with the couple's first child, Antoine finds himself enraptured with a young Japanese beauty. The complications change the course of their relationship forever.Driving Miss Daisy
1989-12-13The story of an old Jewish widow named Daisy Werthan and her relationship with her black chauffeur, Hoke. From an initial mere work relationship grew in 25 years a strong friendship between the two very different characters, in a time when those types of relationships were shunned.La Dolce Vita
1960-02-05Episodic journey of journalist Marcello who struggles to find his place in the world, torn between the allure of Rome's elite social scene and the stifling domesticity offered by his girlfriend, all the while searching for a way to become a serious writer.Distant Lights
2003-02-11Lichter is an episodic tale from Hans-Christian Schmid about the life on the border between Germany and Poland. The film sheds light on the everyday stories of escape and desperateness.Leaving Las Vegas
1995-10-27Ben Sanderson, an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter who lost everything because of his drinking, arrives in Las Vegas to drink himself to death. There, he meets and forms an uneasy friendship and non-interference pact with prostitute Sera.A Beautiful Mind
2001-12-14From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash Jr. experiences it all. As a brilliant but socially awkward mathematician, he made a groundbreaking discovery early in his career and stands on the brink of international acclaim. But as the handsome and arrogant Nash accepts secret work in cryptography, he becomes entangled in a mysterious conspiracy. His life takes a nightmarish turn and he soon finds himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery.36 Fillette
1988-03-03Lili, a pouty and voluptuous 14-year-old, is caravan camping with her family in Biarritz. She's self-aware and holds her own in a café conversation with a concert pianist she meets, but she has a wild streak and she's testing her powers over men, finding that she doesn't always control her moods or actions, and she's impatient with being a virgin. She sets off with her brother to a disco, latching onto an aging playboy who is himself hot and cold to her. She is ambivalent about losing her virginity that night, willing the next, and determined by the third.The Hole
2001-04-20Four teenagers at a British private school secretly uncover and explore the depths of a sealed underground hole created decades ago as a possible bomb shelter.