Die Narbenhand (1942)
33KDie Narbenhand: Directed by Frank Tuttle. With Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar, Alan Ladd. When assassin Philip Raven shoots a blackmailer and his beautiful female companion dead, he is paid off in marked bills by his treasonous employer who is working with foreign spies.
“This is definitely an enjoyable film to watch. It starts out like gangbusters with great film noir qualities having the trajectory of a bona fide classic. Alan Ladd is superb as the cold-blooded killing man for hire and Laird Cregor – who unfortunately was to die at 30 only two years after this film – is equally superb in his role. The film misses the mark, however, when the patriotic aspects of World War II (then a current event) are used in the end to appeal to the conscious of the cold-blooded killing Ladd. For a character of Laddu0026#39;s ilk to be won over on such a near-corny patriotic appeal is a bit of a stretch, and takes away from the true grit realism of the movieu0026#39;s potential. Sort of reminds me of all the romance and self-righteousness that frequently is the focus of movies or intellectual discussions of the U. S. Civil War, rather than simply telling the true plain cold-blooded reasons for its initiation and declaration, regardless of how evil, and immoral the facts. But alas, Hollywood is about entertainment, not necessarily realism. And, we canu0026#39;t forget the near-mandatory Studio happy-ending requirements.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOn a lighter note, those with an ear for a good tune with their flicks will enjoy two Frank Loesser compositions in the film, particularly u0026quot;Now you see it, Now you donu0026#39;t,u0026quot; where Veronica Lake does an excellent job lip-synching Martha Mearsu0026#39; vocal.”
