I was tired of being pushed around for nickels and dimes so I decided I’d write about murder.
Today on Classic Movie Review, we are taking on the Film Noir Lady in the Lake (1946).
I want to shout out to Military History Guy for his comments on The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954). Keep those comments and emails coming.
This film has a 6.6 rating on iMDB.com[1]. On Rottentomatoes.com, the film has 60 percent on the Tomatometer and 50 percent audience approval[2]. Oh, man. I give up. I’m taking a rocket to Mars. This ain’t the best Film Noir, but it dang sure ain’t that bad. It’s got Audry Totter making mean faces. That’s enough by its self.
On my ever-changing list of All Film Noirs, I am placing this movie at 49. This film is right in there with Mystery Street (1950) and Border Incident (1949). So, I will say it is a very enjoyable watch and more than a little complicated.
The real issue with Lady in the Lake (1946) is that director Robert Montgomery chose to use “the camera as the protagonist.” Or in other words, the majority of the film was shot as a POV from Phillip Marlowe’s (Robert Montgomery) eyes. This had the lead actor off-camera most of the time. This led to Montgomery narrating the film, which many people hated. I didn’t mind, as it was akin to reading a pulp novel. It also has the added effect of having Audrey Totter on the screen a lot of the time. She was great in this film but was she a Femme Fatale? I will talk about this more in the conclusions.
Director Montgomery got this idea from Delmer Daves, who planned to use it in limited scenes for Dark Passage (1947). It worked in Dark Passage (1947) because of its limited use. It was done in this film so the audience would not see Humphrey Bogart’s face until after he had plastic surgery.
New York Times film critic Bosley Crowthers did not care for the film or the use of the subjective film technique. In a February 9, 1947 review, He said, “For one thing, the principal character has to talk too much in this film.” He later said, “And then, too, this frequent conversation from the camera, as it were, requires that the other characters talk directly to the audience most of the time. Even from such an attract, vis-a-vis as Audrey Totter in ‘this film, or from such disturbing antagonists as Jayne Meadows and Lloyd Noland portray the attitude becomes a bit monotonous.”[3]
Actors – Lady in the Lake (1946)
Returning
Robert Montgomery directed this film and played the lead, but not often seen private detective Phillip Marlowe. Montgomery was first covered in the exciting Film Noir Ride the Pink Horse (1947).
Audrey Totter played the elusive Adrienne Fromsett. This great actress was first covered in the boxing Film Noir The Set-Up (1949). Was she a Femme Fatale?
Lloyd Nolan was pretty good as police detective Lt. DeGarmot. He came off very well as the angry cop. Nolan was first covered in Dangerous to Know (1938).
Leon Ames plays wealthy publisher and philander Derace Kingsby. This solid character actor was first covered in Battleground (1949). Tom Tully played the tough-as-nails police Capt. Kane. Tully was first covered as the tough-as-nails Navy Captain in The Caine Mutiny (1954).
Morris Ankrum played parent Eugene Grayson. Ankrum was first spoken about in Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956), where he had his brain melted by aliens. Kathleen Lockhart played the other parent, Mrs. Grayson. She was mentioned in A Christmas Carol (1938).
New
Jayne Meadows played Mildred Havelend. Meadows was born in China to American missionary parents in 1919. Her growing family returned to Connecticut in the 1930s. Meadows became interested in acting and later studied acting at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. She made he Broadway debut in 1941.
Meadows signed with MGM following World War II. Some of her earlier roles include Undercurrent (1946), Lady in the Lake (1946), Song of the Thin Man (1947), Dark Delusion (1947), The Luck of the Irish (1948), Enchantment (1948), David and Bathsheba (1951), and The Fat Man (1951).
By the early 1950s, Meadows made a conscious decision to work on television. She was pretty successful in this medium. Meadows married funnyman Steve Allan in 1954. She intentionally let her career take a back seat to her husband’s.
Meadows returned to film in the 1970s with such films as Norman… Is That You? (1976) a gay-themed comedy with Redd Foxx, Murder by Numbers (1990), playing Billy Crystal’s mother In City Slickers (1991), and City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold (1994), and her final film The Story of Us (1999). Meadows died in 2015 at the age of 94. Meadows’ younger sister was Audrey Meadows of “The Honeymooners” 1955, where she was in danger of being sent to the moon.
Dick Simmons played the role of ladies friend Chris Lavery. Simmons was born in Minnesota in 1913. So naturally, they cast him as a southerner. Simmons attended the University of Minnesota, where he was athletic and did a little theater.
In the 1930s, Simmons traveled the world working on ships. He finally settled down in Los Angeles, obtaining a contract with MGM. He had a succession of minor roles in films like A Million to One (1936), One Million B.C. (1940) as a shell person, and Sergeant York (1941) as a random soldier. His best-known film is On an Island with You (1948).
He was the lead in “Sergeant Preston of the Yukon” 1955-1958. He had various roles on “Death Valley Days.” 1965-1969. Simmons died in 2003.
Lila Leeds had a small role as the Receptionist. However, since this movie was POV, Marlowe spent some time looking at her every time she was around. Leeds was born in Dodge City, Kansas, in 1928. Other sources say, Iola, Kansas[4].
Around the age of 15, Leeds ran away to St. Louis before heading to Los Angeles. In LA, Leeds attended acting school before signing a contract with MGM. Her early starter films roles include The Show-Off (1946), Lady in the Lake (1947), Green Dolphin Street (1947), and Moonrise (1948)
On August 31, 1948, Leeds was arrested along with companion Robert Mitchum for possession of marijuana. Leeds served 60 days in jails, and it has been reported that she was introduced to heroin during her incarceration. Shortly after her release from jail, she was involved in a traffic accident, giving more negative press. While Robert Mitchum’s career continued without a hick, it was not so for the young actress. She made two more movies, The House Across the Street (1949) and Wild Weed (1949), a sort of Reefer Madness (1938) replay.
Leeds left Hollywood in 1949 and lived mainly in the Midwest. Leeds married a few more times and had three children. The children were often in orphanages as their mother struggled with her drug addiction.
In the 1970s, she was found in Los Angeles, where she had studied religion and was working to help people at local missions. She never worked in Hollywood again and died in 1999 at the age of 71.
Story – Lady in the Lake (1946)
The movie is set during the Christmas season and features seasonal hymns. In one of the few times he is seen in the film, Phillip Marlowe (Robert Montgomery) sits with a gun in his hand and introduces himself as a private detective. He talks about the low pay for PIs. He says the newspapers are full of details about the “Lady in the Lake” killing. But, he says he is the only one that knows the true story and all the details.
Before the case, he decided to become a short story writer for pulp magazines. He tells that three days before Christmas, he had received a letter from A. Fromsett asking him to come in so they could buy his story.
Marlowe challenges the audience to try and solve the case before the end of the movie.
The movie jumps back in time, and the POV filming starts as Marlowe walks into the office where A. Fromsett works. A lovely receptionist (Lila Leeds) sends Marlowe into A. Fromsett’s office. Behind the desk is A. Fromsett (Audrey Totter). She plays coy about the story, but Marlowe points out that it is on the desk.
Adrienne is dripping with honey as she talks about the story. The Receptionist comes into the room, and the point of view is focused on her. Adrienne snaps Marlowe’s attention back and gives him the first face. Adrienne says Derace Kingsby (Leon Ames) owns the company, and she is his right hand.
Marlowe realizes from the conversation that Adrienne doesn’t want his story, and she only wants to hire him for a detective job. Adrienne says Kingsby’s wife has run away with another man. She wants Marlowe to find Chrystal Kingsby (Ellay Mort) without Mr. Kingsby knowing he is looking for her. Adrienne says Kingsby intends to divorce his wife, but he needs to find her so she can be served.
Marlowe insults Adrienne, and a small shouting match breaks out. Mr. Kingsby comes in and asks if he can do anything. Adrienne introduces Marlowe as a writer and says the story is worth more than double the going rate. Kingsby looks like he has been shot when he hears Marlowe is a detective.
They continue to go back and forth, and Marlowe is shown in the mirror. Adrienne invites Marlowe back to her place for a drink. When Adrienne goes out of the room, Marlowe reads an El Paso telegram from Chrystal, but her name is incorrectly spelled. The telegram reads that she is going to Mexico to divorce Kingsby and marry Chris Lavery.
Adrienne tells Marlowe that Chrystal has been running around with Chris Lavery. He fires back that she could have just given him the telegram instead of leaving it out for him to find. Adrienne says she has seen Lavery in town. She also says Chrystal would not get divorced without a property settlement. Marlowe calls out Adrienne for knowing Lavery. She gives Marlowe the address in Bay City. He asks to kiss her and then leaves her standing there with her eyes closed. She gives him some rough looks. Marlowe thinks she wants to marry Kingsby and has been having an affair with Lavery.
Marlowe goes to Lavery’s house. Lavery is a fit man with a heavy southern drawl. Marlowe goes inside and asks where Chrystal is located. He says he has never been to El Paso. Marlowe gets aggressive with Lavery. Lavery asks Marlowe for the time, and when Marlowe looks away, Lavery knocks him out.
Marlowe wakes in a jail cell. Someone has wrecked his car and poured booze all over him. Police detective Lt. DeGarmot (Lloyd Nolan) is telling a sergeant about Marlowe’s crime. Marlowe is given his possessions back. DeGarmot says Marlowe got rough and had to beat him unconscious again.
Marlowe is taken to the office of Capt. Kane (Tom Tully). They read Marlowe the riot act about drunk driving. Marlowe says that Lavery hit him. Capt. Kane reminds Marlowe not to work in his town without contacting him first.
Marlowe returns to Adrienne’s office. Marlowe appears in a mirror as they both look at his black eye and lumps. Marlowe is upset that Lavery attacked him. Marlowe wants to quit, but Adrienne insists he continues to look for Chrystal. Adrienne tells Marlowe that Chrystal was last seen at Little Fawn Lake, just beyond Arrowhead. She continues that there are three or four cabins, and Kingsby owns one of them. While she writes a note to the caretaker, the Receptionist comes in, and we have another POV session with her.
Adrienne insists that Marlowe go to the lake, although he clearly doesn’t want to go there. The Receptionist buzzes that Floyd Greer (Frank Orth) wants to talk to Kingsby about something at the lake. Adrienne lets him come into the office. Greer will only talk to Kingsby about something that happened at the lake. Greer tells Kingsby that his caretaker is being held for murder after his wife Murial Chess was found dead in the lake. On hearing the information, Adrienne orders Marlowe to the lake, assuming that Chrystal is the murderer.
Marlowe is shown in the present time talking about the case. He says he has seen the body and picked up some more information. The filming returns to POV, and Marlowe arrives at Adrienne’s place at 4:00A.M. She lets him inside but gives him some more faces. Marlowe says that Murial Chess’ real name was Mildred Havelend. Mildred married Chess because she was hiding from a cop. Mildred and Chrystal fought over a man, who he later found out was Lavery. Marlowe tries to quit again. Marlowe is shown in the mirror as he questions Adrienne about her motives. She orders him back to the lake and to stay away from Lavery.
Based on their angry conversation, Adrienne tells Marlowe that he would be crazy to fall in love with her. Wait! When did that happen?
Marlowe goes directly to Lavery’s house in Bay City. When no one answers the door, he lets himself inside. He sees two glasses on the table. Suddenly, a woman comes down the stairs. She has a gun in her hand and is complaining about the sloppy condition of the house. Finally, she says she is the landlady and is named Fallbrook.
She says she found the gun on the stairs and gives it to Marlowe. She says she has searched the whole house. Mrs. Fallbrook starts to call the police, but Marlow talks her out of it. Marlowe says he is from the finance company, and she believes him. She gets a little giggly and flirty before leaving.
Marlowe goes upstairs and finds a lady’s handkerchief monogrammed with AF. He then finds Lavery murdered in the shower. It seems like Lavery has been dead for some time. He wonders if Adrienne is behind the killing with the drinks, the handkerchief, and the order to stay away.
Marlowe storms into the Christmas party at Kingsby’s office. They all stop and look at him as if he was wearing fur. Marlowe and Adrienne go into Kingsby’s office to talk. Adrienne chews Marlowe out for being indiscreet. Marlowe gives Adrienne the gun and tells her that Lavery is dead. He shows her the handkerchief. She denies killing Lavery. Marlowe questions her motives again.
Kingsby comes in, and Marlowe tells that Lavery is dead and wants to know if his wife owns a gun. Adrienne tells Kingsby that she hired Marlowe to find Chrystal. Kingsby becomes indignant, saying she had no right to hire someone to look for his wife. Marlowe’s plan is to put the gun back and call the police. Kingsby offers Marlowe $1,000 to drop it. Kingsby says that he wants nothing to do with Adrienne. She chews on Marlowe for messing up her million-dollar sugar daddy. She then says she is not falling in love with Marlowe and will find another sugar daddy.
Kingsby catches Marlowe on the way out. He hires Marlowe and now wants Marlowe to find Chrystal. He says he will pay Marlowe to keep Chrystal out of the Lavery murder. Kingsby says the killer might be Adrienne.
The scene switches to Lavery’s house, where Capt. Kane is chewing on Marlowe for handling the gun. Marlowe tells about Mrs. Fallbrook. Lt. DeGarmot says Lavery was a player and the murder looked like it was committed by a woman. Marlowe says that he is working for Kingsby and looking for Chrystal. He also tells about Murial Chess being drowned in the lake. Capt. Kane wants to know who Marlowe is trying to frame.
Marlowe asks Lt. DeGarmot why he showed interest when the killing at the lake was mentioned. He also says that a tough cop was looking for Mildred Havelend earlier. He continues that Mildred Havelend and Murial Chess are the same person. Lt. DeGarmot slaps Marlowe repeatedly. Lt. DeGarmot warns Marlowe to stay away. When Lt. DeGarmot draws back to hit Marlowe, Marlowe hits first. They arrest Marlowe.
Marlowe is Capt. Kane’s office with Lt. DeGarmot. Lt. DeGarmot wants to beat the information out of Marlowe, but Capt. Kane stops him and gives him the night off. A cop brings in proof that Marlowe had an alibi during the time of the killing. Mrs. Fallbrook is in Las Vegas.
Since it is Christmas Eve, Capt. Kane gets a phone call from his daughter. Marlowe tells Capt. Kane to ask Lt. DeGarmot about knowing Mildred Havelend and Lavery. Marlowe says this case has history, and he plans on finding it out. Finally, Capt. Kane lets Marlowe go. Marlowe goes into the press room to call the night editor of the newspaper. He requests all the information on Mildred Havelend. Lt. DeGarmot is in the hallway giving him the stinkeye.
Marlowe goes back to his apartment, and Adrienne shows up. She says that she would never kill anyone. Marlowe says his woman will only have the job of taking care of him. The night editor calls, and Marlowe sends Adrienne away. She gives her phone number as she leaves. The night editor says Mildred Havelend was involved in the suicide of the wife of a man she was nursing in Bay City. The night editor also says the dead woman’s parents thought it was murder, but they have been forced by someone (read Lt. DeGarmot) to clam up.
Marlowe goes to Bay City to see the parents of the suicide victim, Eugene Grayson (Morris Ankrum) and Mrs. Grayson (Kathleen Lockhart). They are as nervous as a sore tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs. They refuse to help and say that Lt. DeGarmot has just left. Marlowe says that their daughter was murdered by Mildred Havelend and Lt. DeGarmot covered it up. He leaves the house. Marlowe sees a suspicious car on the other side of the street.
The car pulls in behind him as he drives away. The driver of the following car uses his spotlight to force Marlowe to wreck his car. After Marlowe wrecks, Lt. DeGarmot pours booze all over the passed-out man and leaves the bottle.
Marlowe returns to the current time and tells that Lt. DeGarmot called the police on him, but he woke before the cops came. A drunk finds him and tries to steal his wallet. Marlowe slugs the drunk and leaves that man in the car. He also left his ID with the man as they didn’t have pictures on them at the time.
The injured Marlowe makes it to a phone booth, where he calls Adrienne to pick him up before he passes out. The cops come and arrest the drunk and book him as Marlow.
Marlowe wakes up in bed in Adrienne’s apartment. She says the doorman brought him up. Adrienne brings him a mirror to look at his bangs and bruises. She treats his wounds with antiseptic and bandages him.
Marlowe can’t figure out how Lt. DeGarmot knew who he would visit. Adrienne pitches that she and Marlowe become a couple. He would write, and she would edit. Adrienne says she wants the job of taking care of Marlowe. Marlowe asks if she kills Lavery. She denies that she did it. They state their love and devotion to each other.
On Christmas morning, Marlowe is wearing a new men’s robe. In the pocket is a card showing it was a gift intended for Kingsby. Marlowe admires himself in the mirror. She confesses that it was bought for Kingsby. Adrienne makes breakfast for the pair. Marlowe is still worried about who murdered Lavery. He is also worried that when they find out they have arrested a drunk, Lt. DeGarmot will come looking to kill Marlowe.
The pair hangs around the apartment listening to Christmas stories on the radio. Adrienne gives her life story. The buzzer on the door rings, but they don’t answer it. It keeps ringing, and it turns out to be Kingsby. Kingsby is looking for Marlowe. He says the Bay City police are looking for Marlowe, and two detectives have followed him to Adrienne’s apartment.
Kingsby has gotten a call from his wife, who is in Bay City. She says the cops are after her, and she needs money. Kingsby can’t go because the detectives are following him. He tells Marlowe that he will pay him $5,000 for the job. Adrienne doesn’t want Marlowe to see Chrystal. Marlowe accuses her of trying to keep him off the case.
Marlowe tells Adrienne to give him ten minutes with Chrystal and then come in with Capt. Kane and some cops. His plan is to get Chrystal to take him to her hiding place. He plans on leaving a trail of rice on the street. How did that work out for Hansel and Gretel?
Marlowe drives to Bay City in Adrienne’s car. He goes to the bar where Chrystal is waiting, wearing Kingsby’s scarf. The lady keeps her back turned and demands the money. Marlowe says they have to go to her hiding place. She leads him down the street as he leaves a rice trail.
Inside Chrystal’s room, the lady turns around. She is holding a gun in her pocket and is the lady that said she was Mrs. Fallbrook in Lavery’s place. She had come back to the murder location looking for money. Marlowe calls the woman Mildred Havelend. She denies killing Lavery, she denies killing the lady in Bay City, and she denies killing Chrystal Kingsby. The latter is the lady in the lake. Mildred says the most recent two deaths were accidents.
Marlowe takes the gun away from Mildred because the safety is on. Mildred switches to a desperate female that needs a man’s help. Marlowe doesn’t bite, asking if that is how she got Lavery and Lt. DeGarmot to do her bidding.
There is a knock on the door, and it turns out to be Lt. DeGarmot with his gun drawn. He socks Marlowe to the ground, and Mildred starts ranting for DeGarmot to kill Marlowe. Marlowe says that he doesn’t love her anymore and will kill her. Lt. DeGarmot says people have to be protected from people like her. Marlowe lobbies Lt. DeGarmot to arrest Mildred. Lt. DeGarmot says he will be clean after tonight. Mildred begs for her life, but Lt. DeGarmot shoots her with her own gun.
Lt. DeGarmot tells Marlowe that he followed the rice because Adrienne tipped him off. At last, Capt. Kane and a group of men arrive. Lt. DeGarmot tries to shoot Capt. Kane but Kane fires first and kills him. Marlowe IDs the dead woman as Mildred Havelend.
In the present time, Marlowe tells that Lt. DeGarmot overheard Adrienne telling Capt. Kane about the rice trick. Adrienne comes in, and they kiss. They have tickets to head to New York.
Conclusion – Lady in the Lake (1946)
Raymond Chandler, the novel’s author, was hired to write the screenplay. When Chandler heard that the Montogomery would use a “subjective camera” or POV, he had his name removed from the scriptwriting credit.
This Christmas movie is listed as being released in 1946. It was released in the United Kingdom in late December 1946. However, it did not premiere in the United States until January 19, 1947. It is believed that the film was to be released at Christmas time in 1946 but was delayed as it was deemed not family-friendly.
Chrystal Kingsby was never shown in the film as the character was already dead in the lake. However, Chrystal Kingsby is listed as being played by Ellay Mort in the credits. This is an inside joke as Ellay Mort is a phonetic version of the French phrase “elle est morte” or “she is dead.”[5]
The POV film led to Audrey Totter being on the screen a lot of the time. She was great in this film and is often cited as one of the best Femme Fatale based on this role. However, they made a happy ending and let her off the hook at the film’s end.
World-Famous Short Summary – PI is not sure if his girlfriend is the killer and doesn’t care
Beware the moors.
[1] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039545/
[2] Lady in the Lake – Rotten Tomatoes
[3] https://www.nytimes.com/1947/02/09/archives/camera-experiments-in-lady-in-the-lake.html
[4] Lila Leeds – Wikipedia
[5] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039545/trivia/
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.