Up to about 70 minutes It would have rated the film considerably higher. The razor-sharp dialogue really makes the film, especially that between Mitchum and Russell.
However it's never very clear where the plot is going, and eventually it falls apart spectacularly. Vincent Price seems to belong in a different film, and the constant switching between his scenes and Mitchum's in the final act is jarring to say the least. Having expertly established a mood, it seems bizarre that the film-makers chose to puncture it with broad comedy. I think they should have rewritten the final act to include Russell, as it makes no sense for her character not to play a pivotal role in the final scenes.
In the end I was left disappointed, as I thought that with a better and less baggy ending this could have been one of the all-time Film Noir classics.
Fine but too long, by about half an hour.
However it's never very clear where the plot is going, and eventually it falls apart spectacularly. Vincent Price seems to belong in a different film, and the constant switching between his scenes and Mitchum's in the final act is jarring to say the least. Having expertly established a mood, it seems bizarre that the film-makers chose to puncture it with broad comedy. I think they should have rewritten the final act to include Russell, as it makes no sense for her character not to play a pivotal role in the final scenes.
In the end I was left disappointed, as I thought that with a better and less baggy ending this could have been one of the all-time Film Noir classics.
Fine but too long, by about half an hour.