#79: In a Lonely Place
Part of the Top 150 Films series
In a Lonely Place is a combination of that rare double whammy of genres I normally don’t care for: noirs and films about Hollywood. Though there are examples of both in this list, Nicholas Ray’s fusion film is the most subtle example of playing to each genre’s strengths. It’s the moodiest and most beautiful Hollywood thrill ride, whilst being the fast-paced and talkiest noir. Humphrey Bogart plays a troubled screenwriter suspected of murder; Gloria Grahame plays a neighbor who falls under his spell. Both are exemplary, and if AMPAS had found it befitting to replace their Oscars for other films with statuettes for this one, I don’t think there would be many complaints. The film’s biggest accomplishment is its deft juggling of tonal shifts, not only between disparate genres, but also within scenes, sections of dialogue and even camera pans. Never toxic nor bleak (despite Bogart’s incendiary performance); just unforgettable.
