Thursday, July 23, 2009

Carrying a Torch Singer





Half-croaking, a torch singer croons
While smoking her way through the tunes
As cigarettes dangle
With danger she'll tangle,
Provoking the king of the loons.




Roadhouse (1948, Jean Negulesco) is a gorgeously goofy forties melodrama, shot by the great Joseph LaShelle. With the North woods saloon/bowling alley set, Ida Lupino's half-lit torch singer and Celeste Holm's wisecracking cashier, it's also a barrel of fun. Throw in Richard Widmark's cackling psycho routine and it all boils over the top into a noir climax. Imagesdvdbeaver and eternalsunshine

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