This under-recognized noir stars Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli. Cotten plays Chris Hale a man trying to erase his criminal past through duplicitous actions. Alida Valli is Elaine Corelli, a despondent wheelchair-bound heiress who becomes attracted to Chris' suave and mysterious ways.
I was mesmerized by the acting of Valli. It should come as no surprise. Known as the "most beautiful woman in the world," a title bestowed on her by Italian president Benito Mussolini, Valli brought her beauty and acting talents to America from Italy and immediately worked with some of the industry's best including Alfred Hitchcock in The Paradine Case.
In Walk Softly, Stranger she's filmed in luminous close-ups by Harry J. Wild a prolific film noir cinematographer.
In one scene, Chris has taken Eliane to a dance club. Chris, who has ditched a blind date to instead take Elaine, is confronted by the jealous jilted woman, played nicely by the always reliable Jeff Donnell. Elaine is amused. She advises Chris to apologize to the woman and dares him to ask her for a dance. Chris accepts the challenge. Within a minute, the charmer is on the dance floor. Elaine looks at the two gliding, cheek-to-cheek, and slowly begins to descend into depression. In Elaine's past her confinement has put up a wall between her and happiness and in this scene you see that wall rising again.
Valli plays the scene so well. She has the ability to project expressions that provide a crystal clear window to her thoughts.
Part of my problem with the film is Cotten. He is in his mid-40s at the time of filming, and almost 20 years older than Valli. Robert Mitchum or William Holden would have fared better. The temperature between Cotten and Valli never reaches a boiling point.
Director Robert Stevenson had a long and distinguished career with his workmanlike style. He's hampered here with a small budget, but there's some impressive location work done at an airport and a chase scene.
I like the way Stevenson works with Valli. But, overall this material might have fared better in the hands of a Jacques Tourneur.
Recommended for noir lovers.
