Flamingo Road

source: Flamingo Road

JOAN CRAWFORD as a carnival dancer is just the beginning of the illogical events that abound in FLAMINGO ROAD--the sort of melodrama she found herself doing once she signed that Warner contract that began with MILDRED PIERCE. Unfortunately, the quality of scripts went gradually downward by the time she did this one. But it's still fun to watch Crawford having to overcome such larger than life screen personalities as SYDNEY GREENSTREET, ZACHARY SCOTT and David BRIAN, all playing their roles in perfect melodramatic fashion. This is one of those guilty pleasures that's fun to watch, filmed in gorgeous B&W with a typically good Max Steiner score and directed in firm style by Michael Curtiz. Passion steams up the screen as Crawford finds herself pitted against Sheriff Titus Semple (GREENSTREET), who spends the entire film trying to make her life as miserable as possible for Crawford and her weak husband ZACHARY SCOTT (who seems to be doing a retread of his role in MILDRED PIERCE). When Scott dies in drunken despair from suicide, Crawford takes up with David BRIAN who soon becomes her next husband, wealthy and able to give her the kind of luxury she only dreamed about. But Titus Semple is still threatening more harm. It's a brisk melodrama that should please Crawford's fans and, while it's no great shakes as a movie, it does hold the interest to see how the final conflict is resolved.

Sydney Greenstreet is THE MAN ! Honestly, I can't remember any movies I saw him in (I did not see all, but many), where he did not dominate at least all the scenes where he was in, effortlessly in fact ! Even in "The Maltese Falcon" Bogart paled when Greenstreet was on-screen. In many movies he even dominated all the other scenes as well, where he was not on-screen. The guy made a little over 20 movies, according to the IMDb, in less than a decade, from 1941 to 49 to be precise, and FLAMINGO ROAD was his penultimate (he was even in RUTHLESS, one of the most underrated masterpieces of the 40ies !!!). Just take the intro: it's less than 5 minutes into the movie, that you see a car parking, a guy leaving it. You just see his back. What a back! You don't even have to see the guy up front, to know who he is. Massive. But what would YOU expect ?!!! Michael Curtiz, one of THE directors of that time (if not THE director of them all - look at his list of achievements) was at it. This director clearly knew not only how to get the best out of the whole cast, but also how to put them on screen the best way possible, how to introduce them properly. Greenstreet was sort-of-a-legend as character actor then already, and this was the best way to introduce him, just to show his huge back. Up he walks a veranda and gets his massive figure into an armchair, intending to put is southern hat at the table besides the armchair, but ... no table there. Not in a loud voice, just casual, he calls the (then usually black and fittingly) servant to tell him that nearly would it have happened that (again!) his hat might have fallen onto the ground and HE (= Greenstreet) would have had to pick it up, like it had "once" (!) happened in the past. He says it casual and without anger, but it is easy to see that this must have been a major disappointment to him - regardless how many years ago this happened, could have been a decade as well -, which he still remembers like the day it happened, like the day when he had his hat fallen in the dust and had to pick it up. Needless to say the servant had the table aside the armchair just seconds later. Enters Zachary Scott, a competent actor as well (also in RUTHLESS, by the way!), the deputy-sheriff, and asked by Greenstreet what he'd done the whole day, replies "been fishing". He'd actually do something for his money, says Scott, if it would lead to anything (clearly implying it would not), but hinting he'd even be sorry for doing nothing. Says Greenstreet he should not (!) worry 'bout that, there would be many other people in - whatever the name of the town was - who would get/earn a lot more money for doing a lot less than he's doing (= fishing the day, smile). Come on, ain't that a scene ?!!! Ever seen something like this in a recent movie, where a guy says not to worry about being lazy ?? Nope, that's against common sense today (poor times we're living in, aren't we?!). All that is delivered almost casually, without any effort, completely easy, just amazing !! This alone is worth watching the (whole) movie, but there are many more great Greenstreet-scenes coming, more than I can recite here. Watch it !! This movie gets a 10 out of 10 for having such a fantastic role for Greenstreet, but the movie itself is also pretty good (would rate it 7 or 8). All the other cast is VERY competent, the story holds interest throughout, the ending is a little by-the-numbers but satisfying, all in all a great achievement and NOT a minor in anybodys career. As I said, watch it, you won't be disappointed (at least if you love good decent movies and can watch a black-and-white one, smile).

How on earth did Joan Crawford get cast in this film? She was 44 when she made "Flamingo Road", but she looks closer to 54. As Lane Bellamy, a "girl" who develops a romantic interest in Deputy Sheriff Fielding Carlisle (35 year old Zachary Scott), Crawford looks more like Fielding's mother. With a scarf covering part of her face as a harem dancer in a carnival when she first appears, she looks so out of place I almost laughed out loud. The film's theme is class-consciousness in a small town in the American South. The phrase "Flamingo Road" is used as code for "social success"; it's the "avenue of achievement". And in the view of Fielding's mentor, town Sheriff Titus Semple (Sydney Greenstreet), a carnival dancer like Lane is too cheap and tawdry to be considered as wife material for Fielding, whom Titus wants to promote as Governor. As a result, "young" Lane and Sheriff Semple ... clash. Greenstreet is terrific in his role. Love that clipped laugh of his. But he doesn't have much of a Southern accent. Which brings up another point. The story may be set in the South, but you'd never know it from the general absence of Southern accents and the film's visuals. Where are the magnolia trees or palm trees? Where is the Spanish moss? Where is the fried chicken, the grits, the cornbread and catfish? And I don't recall hearing a single country-western song. The film's plot and dialogue are moderately melodramatic. And so too is some of the acting. At one point Lane forcefully slaps one of the characters. In some scenes, the film's B&W lighting evokes a wonderfully moody atmosphere. And all that drama actually leads somewhere, as the potent climax makes for quite a surprise. The animated Gladys George is great as the tough and reality tested roadhouse boss, Lute Mae. Despite the miscasting of Crawford and the lack of appropriate Southern atmosphere, "Flamingo Road" is still enjoyable, thanks largely to the presence of both Sydney Greenstreet and Gladys George, and to a mildly interesting plot and surprise ending.

Joan Crawford changed her approach, her image, and her luck with "Mildred Pierce." "Possessed" is probably as good a movie as that. This one is by no means bad but it gives a hint such risible 1950s vehicles as "Queen Bee" and "Torch Song." ("Sudden Fear," "Autumn Leaves," and, in a different way, "The Best of Everything are, on the other hand, excellent. But in the Ms. Crawford plays her age, or something close to it.) Here we first see her in a veil and racy garments, as a dancer in a side show. Times have changed a lot since 1949 but by the standards of those days, she seems awfully long in the tooth for such a job. And for having men fall at her feet. Zachary Scot does. David Brian does. Sydney Greenstreet, in almost a parody of his usual self, complete with endless references from other characters to his fatness, resents her. And he swears to destroy her and send her back to the gutter. Several heartbreaks later, Ms. Crawford triumphs. The working girl, or quote girl unquote, wins out over the rich folks. The supporting roles in this are cast beautifully. It is far from a bad movie. But also far from a great one.

Her star turn in this film makes it clear that everything the book "Mommie Dearest" said about Joan Crawford's vanity in "Mommie Dearest" was true. She's ridiculously miscast in a role that should have been played by a much younger woman. Crawford's character is referred to as a "girl" at least a dozen times -- but she's clearly out of her girl years here. She looks especially silly being romanced by Zachary Scott -- who appears to be about half her age. I found the film to be a so-so soaper without much real suspense.

Over the top melodrama that works, under the steady direction of Curtiz. Crawford is an ex-carnie, and Greenstreet is the corrupt sherrif of a small town she's chosen as her haven. He gets her boyfriend to desert her for a more respectable marriage so he can make him a senator, and after she marries a political player he's associated with, he makes life hard on both of them with a combination of blackmail muscle and frame-up push. Greenstreet is wonderfully grotesque, and all the other leads also hold up well. Nice photography in stark toned B & W.

In Boldon, the corrupt Sheriff Titus Semple (Sydney Greenstreet) rules the town and elects whoever he wants with the support of the powerful group led by the constructor Dan Reynolds (David Brian). Now he wants to elect his deputy Fielding Carlisle (Zachary Scott), who is the son of a former judge, to the Senate. When a carnival is forced to leave Boldon, the dancer Lane Bellamy (Joan Crawford) has no place to go and stays in a tent. Titus sends Fielding to the carnival and he helps Lane to find a job as waitress in a diner and a place to stay. They have a romantic relationship, but Titus sees Lane as a liability to the political career of his protégé. So he forces her boss to fire Lane; he does not let Lane get a job; and he frames Lane to send her to prison. When she is released, she finds a job working for Lute Mae Sanders (Gladys George) in her roadhouse. She meets Dan and soon they get married and move to the fancy Flamingo Road. But the ambitious Titus has different political plans from Dan and his group and wants to elect Fielding as Governor. Dan refuses the request and Titus uses blackmail to force Dan and his group to support Fielding. Dan does not accept and Titus decides to destroy Dan and Lane. Will he succeed? "Flamingo Road" is a 1949 film that shows how politicians and corruption are a timeless combination. The story holds the attention but the conclusion is deceptive, with the situation being resolved too easily. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): "Caminho da Redenção" ("Path to Redemption")

Alas, poor Joan is back to her usual tricks trying to pass herself off as an exotic harem dancer in a traveling circus. I think she's a little too old to be enticing the locals at 45. Perhaps her veil helps hide the years, but I digress. ~Spoilers Approaching!~ Half the movie has poor, struggling Joan trying to earn a descent living but Sydney "Mr. Mean" Greenstreet keeps throwing a monkey wrench in Joan's affairs. First he gets her fired from the local Italian eatery and then follows her to Lute Mae's road house. Pow Shazam, she marries money and moves into a big house where she gets to wear her leftover wardrobe from Mildred Pierce! She's now living the high life, and likes it, but Sheriff Titus just has a grudge against her. He tries to ruin her marriage and then throw her on the next train to "Destination Unknown." Joan fights back and finds Sheriff Titus Semple living it up at Lute Mae's. The confrontation begins! I give this movie four bitch slaps out of five.

FLAMINGO ROAD begins with a carnival being run out of town. Tired of life on the road, Joan Crawford stays behind and tries to settle down in this town with the help of the town's deputy sheriff. However, the political boss (Sidney Greenstreet) can't stand Crawford since she's "from the other side of the tracks" and he has plans for the deputy to enter politics. Instead of just telling Crawford and trying to gain her friendship or understanding, he sets her up and sends her to a short stint in the work farm. When she gets out, Crawford is determined not to run but pay Greenstreet back sooner or later. However, Greenstreet is a very wicked and calculating man and spends much of the movie biding his time until the end of the film--where there is a dynamite confrontation between them. This film is a bit of an odd style, as in many ways it's like a trashy Soap Opera combined with Film Noir. The dialog is among the best I have heard and is very Noir-like--so many snappy comebacks and the dialog just crackles. And, fortunately, all the Soap elements are far less predictable than you'd think---as again and again, the characters did NOT do what you'd expect. The bottom line is that this is a quality production with exceptional acting, script and mood throughout. Provided you like older films, it's hard to imagine a person not liking this movie.