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Reviews
Decision Before Dawn (1951)
brilliant history made by expert artists
Don't know how anyone misses this or rates it less than a 7 even if you hate war,old, or even 'guy' films, whatever. Check the writer (OSS experience as German émigré, AND brilliant screenwriter), director, and uh, oh yeah..Best Picture nomination? Drama as realism, almost documentary. Filmed entirely in Europe in 1950/1. No postcards like this.
Casting is strong and lack of facetime from big stars makes it all the more real. Cinematography effective, sets courtesy of 8th Air Force and Nazi disaster. True story with enough facts to make it hard to criticize, although a little hard to swallow the very end. Simple dialogue, washed out souls, the ugly and sad situation of German nation as war wound down is very painful, even if backdrop to underlying Allied victory story.
Special shot -- 12minutes in catch 10 seconds of baby-(crazy-)faced Klaus Kinski as rejected 'traitor' POW. He was 24 and just starting in films, shortly after skipping out of hospital, from his first bout with "schizophrenia"
99 River Street (1953)
intensely simple, simply intense; must see
Adding my simple and direct...Payne's personal individuality sweats off the screen in this top notch noir. This is must see for anyone who loves mystery, noir or film at all. Lack of top rung stars makes all the better and at least four performances couldn't be be improved. Cinematography simple but effective, although some dubious shots at end. Flaws include melodrama at start and finish but they don't affect the core 80 minutes.
Payne is brilliant even when dull or dumb. Evil wifey way sexy in the pantheon of evil chicks, but the 10 second cigarette lighting event at the end burns steals the limited sexy award in the film (still trying to research how many takes it took).
The violence is pretty real for that time and only two short periods of hokum in the film, probably to keep it palatable in theaters at the time. Shockingly unknown, some of the characters from KC Confidential keep the all pieces in place, but 99 River Street is more intense and less surreal than that standard. Enjoy.