I think this movie suffers from the same fate of a lot of pre-method acting films: staid dialouge and wooden acting. By modern standards this movie just doesn't hold up well, IMHO.
At it's time it was ground-breaking b/c the subject matter was gruesome and the primary characters were mostly irredeemable. But today, planning a murder does not a movie make.
It's beautifully lit and there are some great shots. But even the lighting benefits from the time b/c it's B&W. It's much easier to light and to create a dramatic mood.
I like many classic films, but this one while important in its own right, hasn't traveled well into the 21st Century.
At it's time it was ground-breaking b/c the subject matter was gruesome and the primary characters were mostly irredeemable. But today, planning a murder does not a movie make.
It's beautifully lit and there are some great shots. But even the lighting benefits from the time b/c it's B&W. It's much easier to light and to create a dramatic mood.
I like many classic films, but this one while important in its own right, hasn't traveled well into the 21st Century.