The Scarlet Hour

1956

Action / Crime / Drama / Film-Noir

3
IMDb Rating 6.9/10 10 958 958

love triangle film noir b movie

Plot summary

An unhappy wife uses her powers of manipulation to draw an infatuated man into an ill-fated jewelry heist.

Director

Michael Curtiz Photo
Michael Curtiz

Top cast

Edward Binns Photo
Edward Binns as Sgt. Allen
Elaine Stritch Photo
Elaine Stritch as Phyllis Rycker
Kenneth Gibson Photo
Kenneth Gibson as Nightclub Patron
Tom Tryon Photo
Tom Tryon as E.V. 'Marsh' Marshall
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
868.91 MB
1280*690
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 34 min
Seeds 3
1.58 GB
1920*1036
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 34 min
Seeds 4

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by eric-baril 8 / 10

forgotten noir jewel by Michael Curtiz

"The Scarlet Hour" is an outstanding surprise for noir fans : directed by Michael Curtiz in 1956, it is so rarely seen. And it deserves to be rediscovered on DVD.Carol Ohmart uses Tom Tryon to get rid of her husband. And there are so many tricks and twists growing violently crescendo all through the movie, you get stuck on your seat. That crescendo is brilliantly enlightened by Lionel Lindon ("Quicksand"), each frame being in perfect adequacy with all the events and accidents.Frank Tashlin is another great talent of this forgotten jewel. He is a specialist of comedies, "The Girl Can't Help It" and Jerry Lewis movies. "The Scarlet Hour" is his only participation to film noir. The second screenwriter is John Meredith Lucas, the foster son of Michael Curtiz, who had written Dark City in 1950."The Scarlet Hour" must be one day available on DVD.
Reviewed by MikeF-6 7 / 10

Noir goodness from a classic director

Revered director Michael Curtiz (The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Wolf, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Casablanca) could tackle successfully just about any genre. In this late film of his (he also produced, the last of only five films where he got that credit), he brings home a typical noir plot (at least on the surface) of a love sick dupe of a man who gets dragged into a crime scheme by a manipulating femme fatale. But there is more going on than is immediately revealed. Pauline (Carol Ohmart) is unhappily married to real estate tycoon Ralph Nevins (James Gregory). She is carrying on a hot affair with her husband's top seller, "Marsh" Marshall (Tom Tryon). He is head-over-heels for her but Pauline wants a monetary cushion before leaving her husband. While necking in a car on a mountain road one night, the couple overhears some men plotting a jewel robbery at a nearby home of some rich people who are on vacation. Against Marsh's better judgment, he agrees to pull a hijack and rob the robbers. What could possibly go wrong? Well first, there is a jealous husband who is on their trail. And what about the secretary back at the office (Jody Lawrance) who seems to have a Thing for Marsh? What does she know? And who is the well-dressed gentleman who planned the robbery in the first place? Interesting script full of surprises from three credited writers including Frank Tashlin, better known as a director of comedy films. The only element I feel that could have been bettered are the lead players. This was the film debut of both Ohmart and Tyron. Ohmart attempts to put a little fire into her character even though she can't quite get there. Tryon, on the other hand, even though his career lasted into the 1970s based on his square-jawed classic leading man looks, was always a pretty dull actor. Supporting players Jody Lawrance, James Gregory, and Elaine Stritch show us how it should be done. Recommended late noir from the late output of an important classic film director.
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