HANGOVER SQUARE (director/writer: John Brahm; screenwriters: Barré Lyndon/from book by Patrick Hamilton; cinematographer: Joseph La Shelle; editor: Harry Reynolds; cast: Laird Cregar (George Harvey Bone), Linda Darnell (Netta Longdon), George Sanders (Dr. Allan Middleton), Glenn Langan (Eddie Carstairs), Faye Marlowe (Barbara Chapman), Alan Napier (Sir Henry Chapman), Clifford Brooke (Watchman), Michael Dyne (Mickey); Runtime: 77; 20th Century-Fox; 1945)
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A satisfying atmospheric thriller, set in London at the turn-of-the century, starring Laird Cregar as George Harvey Bone, a classical music composer who suffers from blackouts which results in murder, as the dissonant sounds of the city make the sensitive Bone snap when he is upset and stressed out. This was the 28-year-old, burly, 6 ft. 3 in., 300 hundred pound Cregar's first starring role and last film due to his sudden death. It was caused by a crash diet that weakened his heart. He was only an actor for five years, having previously been a nightclub bouncer, among other temporary jobs. His most memorable role was in The Lodger as Jack the Ripper, a film that was similar to this one, only presented in a more subtle psychological framework and became recognized as one of the more interesting serial killer films made. As good as this film is, it never lived up to that one, as histrionics took over for dramatics during the concert hall fire during the finale, with Cregar madly playing on the piano his completed work as the place burned down.
This film is loosely adapted from a book by Patrick Hamilton. It centers around a London square, where the young composer is busy working on a major concert commissioned for his neighbor, the wealthy and aristocratic Sir Henry Chapman, whose lovely daughter Barbara (Faye Marlowe), also a pianist, is attracted to the talented and well-known composer. But he is acting strangely of late, disappearing for the day and not remembering what happened. There is a murder in Fulham of an antique dealer on the day of his amnesia and he wonders if he did the killing. To settle his doubts, he goes with Barbara to Scotland Yard to see a psychologist he trusts, Dr. Allan Middleton (George Sanders) and leaves him a dagger and his blood-soaked coat to examine.
The Scotland Yard report comes back with no links to him being at the crime scene, though Dr. Middleton recommends that he should get away from his music and learn how to relax, that he is too full of stress. Following the suggestion, he takes the night off and visits a neighborhood pub and is attracted to the lowbrow music being sung by the sexy Netta Longdon (Linda Darnell).
The vulgar singer finds a golden cow in Bone and pretends to be attracted to him and leads him on romantically, while getting him to take time off writing his major concert to compose popular songs for her act so she could move out of the pub scene and hit the legitimate theater scene. When Bone gets suckered into writing songs for her, with his expectation that she will marry him, but finds out she's about to marry her theater producer Eddie Carstairs (Glenn Langan ), he reacts violently, attacking Carstairs by attempting to strangle him.
Warning: spoiler in the next paragraph.
The most memorable scene in the film is the Guy Fawkes day celebration, with Bone lost in the crowd surge going to the festive tradition of burning a replica of Guy in a big bonfire, carrying through the streets the body of his latest victim--Netta. He strangled her with the knotted curtain cloth from his house and he now climbs the stairs of the huge bonfire and tosses her masked body into the fire. The Guy Fawkes celebration comes every November the 5th, to honor his failed attempt to burn down the House of Parliament.
Cregar gave a nightmarish performance that was staggering and memorable, while Linda Darnell was alluring as the scheming chanteuse. This is a fast-paced B&W suspense yarn, one that held my attention throughout. It is also noted for its exciting Bernard Herrmann score whenever the action picks up.
REVIEWED ON 3/15/2001 GRADE: B
Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews"
http://www.sover.net/~ozus
ozus@sover.net
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