I DIED A THOUSAND TIMES
US, 1955, 95 minutes, Colour.
Jack Palance, Shelley Winters, Lori Nelson, Lee Marvin, Lon Chaney Jr, Earl Holliman, Richard Davalos, Howard St John.
Directed by Stuart Heisler.
I Died a Thousand Times is based on a novel by W.R. Burnett, High Sierra. It was filmed in 1941 at Warner Bros by Raoul Walsh with Humphrey Bogart, Ida Lupino and Joan Leslie. It was a story of gangsters in the Californian mountains. This version, filmed in widescreen and beautiful colour, has Jack Palance as the criminal with Shelley Winters as his girlfriend and also starring Lori Nelson. Lee Marvin has a supporting role – and was at the beginning of his long career.
1. How interesting, enjoyable and satisfying a gangster film? The conventions of the American gangster genre? The appeal of gangsters in films? Crime, human values?
2. How good an example of a gangster film in the fifties? The contrast with the style especially of the thirties? The use of Cinemascope, colour, locations, score?
3. The importance of the basic plot and its treatment? That this was a third remake of a film? What are the perennial values and interests in the plot?
4. The significance of this title? A coward dying a thousand deaths? The emphasis on death and what goes before it? The contrast with the former titles of 'High Sierra' and 'Colorado Territory'?
5. How credible was the basic plot, situations, the people themselves? Handled credibly?
6. Roy Earl? The response to him as a character and as a gangster, not knowing this immediately? Jack Palance and his style? Driving in the car, his help to Valma and Grandpa? His response to Baby and Red and the knowledge that he was a criminal? That he had been 'sprung' from prison? His comments about life in prison and wanting to break through? hostility to Marie and then his acceptance of her? His acceptance of the dog? His strengths and toughness, sentiment and weakness? His basic loyalties, especially to those who were underdogs? The criminal and hie sense of freedom, liberation, yet dedication to a job? His clashes with Babe and Red and with their outlooks? A man of violence who didn't suffer fools gladly, a professional? How admirable was he meant to be?
7. The contrast with minor criminals like Babe and Red? their clashes and their drunkenness, their greed? Mendoza and the weak type of criminal? The fact that the men died? Or were betrayed? Big Mac and the policemen who had forfeited his job? The picture overall of American criminals?
8. The significance of the Sierras and their visualization? High? beautiful, above the ordinary reality of the world? The reality as a place? A symbol of something unattainable? A place to die? The restaurant and hotel, the clientele, a place to be robbed?
9. The contrast with Los Angeles and Roy Earl being at home there?
10. The encounter with Valma and Grandpa? Their way of life and poverty in contrast to Earl's? The fact that he enjoyed this so much and wanted to be part of it? Helping them with the accident, sharing their dinner, raising the money and preparing for the operation? The pathos of being rejected by Valma?
11. How well characterized were Grandpa and Valma? The important scene where Valma's mother discusses the operation? Valma's loyalty to her boyfriend?
12. How well characterized was Marie? A down-and-outer, dependent, her ways of talking and dancing, shallowness? Yet loyalty to Roy? The parallel with Marie and the dog? Both going along on the robbery? Was there a genuine love between them?
13. The robbery itself, the death? The pursuit and Mendoza's betrayal? The tension generated by Earl's escaping, being pursued by the police, the farewell to Marie and her return?
14. How involved were the audience in the siege on the Sierras? The irony of Marie's role in Earl's death, the dog?
15. Was the film in any way glorifying the gangster? Or presenting him humanly? Interest and enjoyment of the film?
