THE FILE ON THELMA JORDAN
US, 1949, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Barbara Stanwyck, Wendell Corey, Paul Kelly, Joan Tetzell, Stanley Ridges, Richard Rober, Minor Watson, Barry Kelley.
Directed by Robert Siodmak.
The File on Thelma Jordan is an enjoyable crime noir thriller of the late '40s. It is reminiscent in plot to Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity - and a similar role for Barbara Stanwyck. It is an excellent Barbara Stanwyck vehicle, the combination of the seemingly innocent and the criminally shrewd. (However, the Hayes Code required a deathbed repentance ending.) Wendell Corey is effective as the victim.
The film focuses on an American town, questions of law and order, shrewd manipulation of character, murder.
Direction is by Robert Siodmak who made a number of excellent thrillers in the '40s including The Spiral Staircase, Criss Cross.
1. An entertaining crime thriller? American film noir of the 1940s? The bleak outlook of the film?
2. Black and white photography, Paramount production values? musical score?
3. Thelma Jordan and Barbara Stanwyck? The film as a star vehicle? The immediate impact of Thelma? Audiences attracted to her? Sympathetic? Believing her? Not? A deceitful woman? Manipulator? The court sequence? The ending - how convincing the change of heart? Portrait of an evil character?
4. The familiarity of the plot from films of the '40s? The shrewd woman, the set-up, deceit, greed, the victim, the detailed carrying out of the plot, the legal escape, the rewards?
5. Wendell Corey as Cleeve: at work, his drinking, relationship with Scott, his ambitions? The breaking of his marriage with Pam? Children? The chance encounter with Thelma Jordan? Fascinated by her, going out? Phone calls, the liaison? His deceiving his wife? The clashes with his wife, father-in-law? The anniversary? The outings with Thelma? His being seen? Laredo and his presence at the house? The plan for going away? The breaking of the plan, phone calls, contact with Thelma, covering up the murder? on holidays, being called back? The planning of the prosecution? Covering himself, covering Thelma? His uses of clever legal devices to prevent Thelma going on the stand? Eliminating members of the jury, judiciary? His recommendation of Willis as defence lawyer - and Willis seeing through him? Thelma's vindication? Her. separating from him, the truth, his life in tatters, the discussion with Scott, sending in his resignation? Thelma's death and her love for him? The portrait of a complicated character - victim?
6. Laredo and his relationship with Thelma, gambling, presence, the death and the trial? Mr. X? His claiming Thelma at the end? Her killing him in the accident?
7. Willis and his discussions with Thelma, conducting her defence, his fascination with Cleeve's devices to shield Thelma?
8. Scott and the District Attorney's office, the law? His being the target of Thelma's plan? His stance at the end?
9. Pam, her relationship with Cleeve, the presence of her father? Holiday, clash? A future?
10. The theme of temptation, the right time, human weakness, manipulation, crime, repercussions, the law, the processes of the courts, justice?
11. The court case, the calling of witnesses, Mr. X, the evidence, Cleeve's cleverly diverting attention? Thelma's behaviour during the trial? In prison, the warders?
12. Thelma and her declaration of love for Cleeve, antagonism towards Laredo? Her decision to crash the car? Her short survival time, the reconciliation? 1940s cinematic contrived poetic justice?
13. The effectiveness of this kind of thriller? The popular ingredients of crime entertainment?
