{"id":4387,"date":"2011-03-25T15:23:56","date_gmt":"2011-03-25T15:23:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/\/?p=4387"},"modified":"2011-03-25T15:23:56","modified_gmt":"2011-03-25T15:23:56","slug":"in-a-lonely-place-day-sixteen-40movies40days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/in-a-lonely-place-day-sixteen-40movies40days\/","title":{"rendered":"In A Lonely Place – Day Sixteen – #40movies40days"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This is the classic Humphrey Bogart film you’ve probably never seen. \u00a0And it is well worth a look. In A Lonely Place<\/em> was produced by Bogart’s own production company and was directed by Nicolas Ray (Rebel Without a Cause<\/em>, Johnny Guitar<\/em>, King of Kings<\/em>). \u00a0The film was written by Andrew Solt based on a book by Dorothy B. Hughes.<\/p>\n

In A Lonely Place<\/em> is a Power of Truth<\/a> film filled with distrust, doubt, paranoia and suspicion. Bogart plays Dixon Steele, a well-regarded screenwriter fallen on hard times. \u00a0“You haven’t had a hit since before the war!” \u00a0He is a heavy drinker, has a violent temper and unexplained rages.<\/p>\n

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The perky naive hat check girl follows Dix home, breaking a date with her boyfriend to do so. She enthuses about the story but Dix thinks the novel is trite. He’s too tired (and perhaps too drunk) to drive her home. \u00a0He gives her a wad of cash for a taxi, instead. \u00a0She leaves and winds up dead, strangled and thrown out of a speeding car.<\/p>\n

The police suspect Dix. \u00a0He has a “rap sheet” filled with reports of violent behavior (including violence against women) various bar fights and assaults, none of which has resulted in a charge much less a conviction. \u00a0Dix seems to have all the symptoms of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).<\/p>\n

Emotional “numbing,” or feeling as though you don\u2019t care about anything<\/div>\n
Feelings of detachment \u00a0Lack of interest in normal activities \u00a0Difficulty concentrating \u00a0Exaggerated response to things that startle you \u00a0Irritability or outbursts of anger<\/div>\n
He is emotionally numb and projects the feeling that he doesn’t care about anything, he’s strangely detached, has had difficulty concentrating on his work and has an exaggerated response to things that annoy, seem to threaten or irritate him. \u00a0He is irritable and has uncontrollable outbursts of anger.<\/div>\n
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Capt. Lochner<\/strong>: (After Dixon has replied with sarcasm to Lochner’s questions) You’re told that the girl you were with last night was found in Benedict Canyon, murdered. Dumped from a moving car. What’s your reaction? Shock? Horror? Sympathy? No – just petulance at being questioned. A couple of feeble jokes. You puzzle me, Mr. Steele.<\/div>\n
.<\/span><\/div>\n
Dixon Steele<\/strong>: Well, I grant you, the jokes could’ve been better, but I don’t see why the rest should worry you – that is, unless you plan to arrest me on lack of emotion.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
When the police interview his lovely next door neighbor, Laurel Gray (Gloria Grahame)\u00a0sparks fly during her questioning. \u00a0She and Dix \u00a0start an affair. \u00a0She’s good for him, getting him writing again and watching out for his health and well-being. \u00a0Laurel is a Power of Love<\/a> character, helpful, generous, forgiving and on the run from a former abusive lover.<\/div>\n
.<\/span><\/div>\n
J. Hoberman writing in The Village Voice<\/em> characterizes Grahame’s acting and Laurel Gray’s character like this:<\/div>\n
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Grahame gives the impression of having been wounded in ways Bogart cannot even begin to fathom\u2014if he even cared to try. She’s a ladylike floozy, sultry yet diffident, emotionally calloused but acutely sensitive, at once incredibly cool and undeniably hot.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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