BLACKMAIL
US, 1939, 81 minutes. Black and white.
Edward G. Robinson, Ruth Hussey, Gene Lockhart, Bobs Watson, Guinn Williams.
Directed by H.C. Potter.
Blackmail looks like a typical Warner Bros film with Edward G. Robinson. However, it was made at MGM, not with its usual gloss, but rather looking like the Warner Bros style film.
It is the story of a successful businessman, an oil-fire fighter, whose past catches up with him. However, he is innocent and is framed by an alleged friend. Edward G. Robinson is very good as the magnate who has a successful business and a loving family. However, he begins to go to pieces somewhat with the blackmail experience of his friend – played with sinister charm by Gene Lockhart.
When he is arrested, he is returned to the chain gang from which he had escaped in the past after the false conviction. The melodrama at the end enables him to confront his friend, threaten him with an oil fire and get a confession out of him. This means that everything is restored (as in the Book of Job) that he is able to resume his life happily with his family and with his oil well business.
Ruth Hussey is his wife, Bobs Watson, a tearful young actor in the 1930s and 40s, has the opportunity to cry and Guinn Williams is the hero’s sidekick – although the comedy at the beginning of the film is not particularly funny and makes Moose McCarthy? ( the character’s name) something of a human moose in the whole proceedings.
What is particularly interesting is the devious scheme that the friend weaves and puts into practice to destroy the hero.
Almost thirty years later, there was a bigger-budget film about fire fighters putting out oil rig blazes, Hell Fighters with John Wayne. There was also at this time a classic chain gang film (with memories of the early 30s classic I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang with Paul Muni) with Paul Newman as Cool Hand Luke.
1. A film of 1939? Looking back at the Depression? The self-made man? Business? Oil companies, oil exploration? Chain gangs and prisoners? American justice?
2. The production values, the black and white photography? The opening fire and its effect? Domestic life, American business, prisons, the chain gang? The black and white photography? The score?
3. The title, John Ingram and his past, Bill Ramey and his inserting himself into Ingram’s life and destroying it?
4. A story like the Book of Job – the hero having everything, it being taken away from him, his suffering, everything being restored?
5. The character of John Ingram, Edward G. Robinson? His wife and son? Love? His wife’s knowledge of his past? The explanation of the past, on a ship, being accused of stealing, Ramey putting the money in his bed? The conviction? The chain gang, his escape? Setting up a respectable life? Working with Moose? His exhilaration in putting out the fire, his skills and courage? The boiled egg – three minutes in the fire? Giving it to his wife? His buying his own well? The exploration?
6. Bill Ramey, his arrival at the house, looking unkempt, asking for the sandwich? Getting into the house, confronting Bill? His story? His plan, devious? Ingram giving him the job? His inefficiency on the job? Moose wanting to get rid of him? The discussion with John, his confession, promising to write the confession, the deal with the money? Ingram and his trying to cover all aspects? Ramey being too shrewd – the confession, signing it, not putting on the stamp? Ingram and his signing the cheque? The next day, Ingram and his hopes? Ramey at the hotel, getting the letter back? Keeping the cheque? Keeping the confession? The police coming to arrest Ingram, the interrogation, Ramey covering his tracks?
7. Ingram and his being charged? Returned to the chain gang? The treatment by the bosses? The other convicts? The plan to escape? Moose’s visits, the letters, Moose covering up what was really happening? Ramey and his success, ousting Helen and his son? Taking over the company?
8. The escape, the convict being shot, Ingram and his arranging for the car? His driving, the roadblock, giving the police a lift, escaping under the truck? Getting home and in the house despite the police guard? Helen and her support, the new clothes? His going to the oil well? Setting the fire? Moose and the plan, getting Ramey to come?
9. The confrontation, Ramey’s fear, panic and the confession? Ingram’s collapse?
10. The happy ending – real or unreal? But satisfying for this kind of Job-like story?
