CRACK IN THE MIRROR (1960) a Fox noir masterpiece

Richard--W · 05-10-2008, 04:48 PM

Seventeen years before Luis Buñuel attempted to explore That Obscure Object of Desire, director Richard Fleischer compounded the same felony in CRACK IN THE MIRROR (Fox, 1960), a film that balances surrealism with film noir in startling ways. It is easily the best film noir in the Fox catalog awaiting release on DVD.

Fleischer called upon the stars of his previous hit COMPULSION (1959), Orson Welles and Bradford Dillman, to play dual roles that threaten at times to overlap in motive if not intent, especially in the courtroom battles over lovely Julliete Greco. The film is exquisitely lit for noir and composed perfectly in CinemaScope. Feischer stages some visual setpieces that justify the CinemaScope frame, and I don't mean spectacle.

From a reviewer on imdb:
One of the outstanding--albeit forgotten--films of the early 1960s, CRACK IN THE MIRROR is a sizzling, frankly sexual, twist-filled drama with Orson Welles, Juliette Greco and Bradford Dillman giving the performances of their careers. (Make that the "two" performances of their careers!) In the first story, lower-class lovers Ms. Greco and Dillman are so in lust that they plan an intricate murder to rid themselves of Ms. Greco's dull husband, Mr. Welles. Now here's the twist. When they are put on trial for manslaughter, the distinguished judge is portrayed by Mr. Welles. And unbeknownst to him, a fellow detective (Mr. Dillman) and Mr. Welles' wife, the lustrous Ms. Greco, are also in heat and plotting to do away with him. To say anything more about this highly original, superbly-acted thriller would do it a disservice. Just SEE it, and savor three actors at their best (under Richard Fleischer's brilliant direction) in a film long-overdue for the praise it deserved some 40 years ago.

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Dave B Ferris · 05-10-2008, 08:38 PM

Very persuasive; I would certainly buy this were it to be released.

However, I also feel there are at least two other outstanding unreleased films noir from Fox's catalog, both starring Richard Widmark:

Road House
Slattery's Hurricane

Ockeghem · 05-10-2008, 09:39 PM

Based on what I have read here, I too would purchase this film. Nicely written.

Simon Howson · 05-10-2008, 10:16 PM

This sounds like an interesting film, but I think Fox will release Fleischer's Violent Saturday first. Fox made a new print of it last year, which suggests that it has been preserved to a new IP. If that is the case, they surely would've made a HD transfer.

Robin9 · 05-11-2008, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon Howson

I think Fox will release Fleischer's Violent Saturday first. Fox made a new print of it last year, which suggests that it has been preserved to a new IP. If that is the case, they surely would've made a HD transfer.

Very encouraging news. My fingers are crossed, my credit card is ready.

Simon Howson · 05-11-2008, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robin9

Very encouraging news. My fingers are crossed, my credit card is ready.

Fleischer is well represented on DVD, especially by Fox which has released about 8 of his films. I hope Warner put Armored Car Robbery in a future Noir set.

Robert Crawford · 05-11-2008, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon Howson

This sounds like an interesting film, but I think Fox will release Fleischer's Violent Saturday first. Fox made a new print of it last year, which suggests that it has been preserved to a new IP. If that is the case, they surely would've made a HD transfer.

It seems like we've been waiting on this release so long. They keep showing it on Fox Movie Channel.

Simon Howson · 05-11-2008, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford

It seems like we've been waiting on this release so long. They keep showing it on Fox Movie Channel.

Does it look like a new transfer?

Maybe they can't figure out how to market it on DVD? They could just use it as a Fox Film Noir. I think it is closer to noir than Black Widow.

Apparently it was just a B film in its day; Fleischer says in his memoir that it was the first CinemaScope film Fox made for under $1 million. But it sold so well that Zanuck signed him to a 5 year deal.

It is also a great example of the Fleischer paradox - the less money he had to work with the better a film turned out - see The Narrow Margin.

Richard--W · 05-11-2008, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simon Howson

This sounds like an interesting film, but I think Fox will release Fleischer's Violent Saturday first. Fox made a new print of it last year, which suggests that it has been preserved to a new IP. If that is the case, they surely would've made a HD transfer.

Seems likely. Violent Saturday is a strong muscular crime noir, but nobody in it generates the heat that Juliette Greco does in Crack In the Mirror. Nor does it have Orson Welles to give the film some soul. Crack In the Mirror is the more interesting film by far.

As an aside, I was in Bisbee recently and the thought occurred to me that this small mining town has changed very little in the 53 years since Violent Saturday was filmed. All the locations are still recognizable.

Quote:

Fleischer is well represented on DVD, especially by Fox which has released about 8 of his films. I hope Warner puts Armored Car Robbery in a future Noir set.

So do I, but 8 is not enough when several of his principle films remain unavailable. When Banjo (1947), Bodyguard (1948), Follow Me Quietly, Trapped, The Clay Pigeon (all 1949), Armored Car Robbery (1950), Arena (1953), Violent Saturday (1955), Bandido (1956), Crack In the Mirror (1960), The Big Gamble (1961), Che! (1969), The Last Run (1971), The New Centurions (1972), The Spikes Gang (1974), and Ashanti (1979) are released to region 1 in proper transfers, I will consider the director well-represented on DVD.

Of the above, Crack In the Mirror and The Last Run are signature works.

Gordon McMurphy · 05-12-2008, 03:17 PM

As a massive fan of Orson Welles, I have wanted to see this film for years. I have read that he gives an amazing speech at the end of the film. It's 2.35:1 black and white too - cinematography by William Mellor who shot Compulsion and also The Diary of Anne Frank (both 2.35:1 black and white). I'd love to finally see it.

Richard--W · 05-12-2008, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon McMurphy

As a massive fan of Orson Welles, I have wanted to see this film for years. I have read that he gives an amazing speech at the end of the film. It's 2.35:1 black and white too - cinematography by William Mellor who shot Compulsion and also The Diary of Anne Frank (both 2.35:1 black and white). I'd love to finally see it.

I have a hideous old tape recorded off American Movie Classics almost twenty years ago.

Crack In the Mirror is a sleeper screaming for rediscovery. Once people have a chance to see the film it's reputation should soar, like Crime Wave and Murder My Sweet. If enough people express an interest, perhaps Fox will consider releasing it.

Charles H · 05-13-2008, 09:51 AM

It's a great film and I'd love to see it letterboxed. I just revisited THE BOSTON STRANGLER and the occasional JAZZ SINGERs and MILLION DOLLAR MYSTERYs aside, Richard Fleischer was very underrated. Zanuck wrote the screenplay under a pseudonym. "Enough people" wanted THE GUNFIGHTER and GARDEN OF EVIL.........and voila!