{"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":"

\"Humphry-Bogart-In-a-lonely-place\"<\/a>This is another Instant Watch classic on NetFlix. \u00a0Director Curtis Hanson (LA Confidential<\/em>, 8 Mile<\/em>, Wonder Boy<\/em>s, Hand that Rocks the Cradle<\/em>), speaking on the film’s dvd commentary, cites In A Lonely Place<\/em> as not just his favorite film noir but one of his favorite films– period!<\/p>\n

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

\"bogart-s-in-a-lonely-place-at-film-forum.3616486.40\"<\/a>Dix has an opportunity to adapt a best-selling novel for a successful director as his next project. \u00a0A hat check girl at his swank local watering hole is enamored with the story. \u00a0He can’t be bothered to read the book so he takes her home to “tell the story” to him.<\/p>\n

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
\n
\n
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
\n
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
\"images\"<\/a>Dix’s behavior and the police’s pursuit of him make Laurel wonder if he is guilty and is indeed capable of the brutal murder . \u00a0 She becomes increasingly worried and suspicious. \u00a0Dix sensing Laurel is withdrawing becomes more controlling, possessive and paranoid. \u00a0The circle of their mutual suspicion chokes and kills their relationship. \u00a0The movie is a wonderful mediation on what happens when doubt turns to fear. \u00a0Fear is the most corrosive force on earth.<\/span><\/div>\n
.<\/span><\/div>\n
The same Village Voice<\/em> review sums up the movie like this:<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
Hollywood atmosphere, existential malaise, and political subtext (it was shot during the McCarthy era Hollywood Witch Hunt) combine to inform a sensational love story, played on the edge of the void and strong enough to sustain one of the most shamelessly romantic lines in any movie: “I was born when you kissed me. I died when you left me. I lived a few weeks while you loved me.” The line occurs twice, spoken at different points in the drama by each of the lovers, just to make sure that we never forget it. \u00a0(And we never do)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is the classic Humphrey Bogart film you’ve probably never seen. It’s director Curtis Hanson’s favorite film.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11959,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"nf_dc_page":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48,47,59],"tags":[25,26,27,28,30,31,1100,32,33,319,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42],"class_list":["post-4387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-movies-character-development-screenwriting-screenplay-script-blog","category-random-thoughts-pop-culture-political-movie-television-blog","category-power-of-truth","tag-character","tag-characters","tag-emotional-toolbox","tag-etb","tag-film","tag-films","tag-humphrey-bogart","tag-laurie-hutzler","tag-movies","tag-netflix","tag-nine-character-types","tag-screenplay","tag-screenplays","tag-screenwriting","tag-script","tag-scripts","tag-scriptwriting","tag-tv","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",960,720,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-300x225.jpg",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-768x576.jpg",768,576,true],"large":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",960,720,false],"ttshowcase_normal":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",125,94,false],"ttshowcase_small":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",75,56,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",960,720,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",960,720,false],"Image Size 500x500":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",500,375,false],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-300x400.jpg",300,400,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-600x450.jpg",600,450,true],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-100x100.jpg",100,100,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Laurie Hutzler","author_link":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/author\/admin\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"This is the classic Humphrey Bogart film you've probably never seen. It's director Curtis Hanson's favorite film.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4387"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4387\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}