DARK CITY

US, 1950, 97 Minutes, Black and white.
Charlton Heston, Lizabeth Scott, Viveca Lindfors.
Directed by William Dieterle.

William made so many of the excellent biographies at Warner Bros in the thirties: Emile Zola, William Pasteur, Juarez. The film is of interest because it was Charlton Heston's first Hollywood appearance. He had acted in university films prior to this. It was to be the beginning of a very successful career. It is also one of the earliest films of Viveca Lindfors in Hollywood. While the film is grim, it gains strength from a large group of strong supporting character actors.

1. The implications of the title? The film as a thriller? What successful ingredients of thriller movies did the film have?

2. Was the film a successful picture of police and gangster life in the city in the 40s and 50s? How was this communicated? The black and white photography? The sets? The styles of language and behaviour?

3. Dan Haley: what kind of hero for this film was he? How much was he a man of his times? The moral dilemmas he was involved with? The crooked background of his work? The crooked men he was involved with? His own instincts for doing right? (Charlton Heston as a hero?)

4. What kind of person was Fran? Was she an attractive heroine? What kind of person was she? Her love for Dan? As a singer? Her contribution to the plot?

5. How did Fran's songs comment on the action, Black Magic etc.? The words of the song?

6. Emotional impact to the card game and the men luring Arthur Winant to the game? Do you think this often happens in cities? Why?

7. What kind of person was Arthur Rinant? What was he after from the game? How naive was he? What was the impact of his losses on him? What motivated his suicide? Who was responsible for his death? Himself? Or the three card players?

8. How well did the film communicate the consequences of Arthur's suicide on his family? What emotional impact did this have? How interesting were Arthur's family?

9. What kind of person was Victoria? Her relationship with her children? What comment did this make on family themes?

10. The two card players in terms of movie thriller? The fears of the two concerning their deaths? The impact on Dan? The reaction of the police?

11. How afraid was Dan Haley? How well did the film communicate the menace and the fear for Dan's life? How did the police harassment emphasise this?

l2. What motivated Dan to meet Victoria? Be kind to her? What emotional reaction did he have? Why did he not tell the truth? How enjoyable were the sequences where Dan and the family enjoyed themselves and became friends? How did this add to the irony of the whole film?

13. What was Dan trying to achieve in his stay at Las Vegas? Reparation? The ignorance of the encounter with Fran at Las Vegas?

14. Reactions to discovery that Sidney Winter was mad? How did this add to or detract from what had gone before? How did it add to the menace as regards Dan's safety?

15. Was the resolution of the film satisfactory? Did it utilise the atmosphere in the final fight?

16. How closely did Victoria and Dan relate? Was it love? Did Dan do the right thing finally? Did he do the right thing by Victoria and the family?

17. What did the film have to say about crime? Guilt? Responsibility? Atonement and reparation?