THE BIG CLOCK
US, 1948, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Sullivan?, George Macready, Rita Johnson, Elsa Lanchester, Harry Morgan.
Directed by John Farrow.
The Big Clock is an excellent psychological and detection thriller. It focuses on a tycoon, played with great sinister presence by Charles Laughton, who commits a crime in passion and then tries to cover his tracks, getting a crime reporter to investigate – while Laughton has set up the reporter as the fall guy for the crime.
The film works well, is well paced, with Ray Milland as the reporter investigating (and Maureen O’Sullivan?, director John Farrow’s wife, as his wife). The supporting cast is good including George Macready as Laughton’s right-hand man and Harry Morgan as a tough henchman.
The film was remade in 1987 as No Way Out. The writers of No Way Out enhanced the original plot significantly with Kevin Costner as a naval officer investigating an espionage link who is set up to take the fall for officer Gene Hackman’s crime. Hackman is the Laughton character, Costner the Ray Milland character with Will Patton doing a sinister variation on the George Macready character. The eerie end of No Way Out reveals that Costner is searching for himself. This comes as quite a surprise.
However, both films are well worth seeing and fine examples of Hollywood psychological thrillers.
1. Was this a good thriller? How successful was its impact on audiences? The involvement in the suspense? The identification in the psychological bind of the hero? The use of thriller techniques and conventions?
2. How successful was the narrative device for the film? twenty four hours and the flashback sequences? The symbolism of the clock and its relentlessness in time? Its stopping? As a place of refuge for the hero? How successfully did the film involve audiences in the plight of the hero? How?
3. The audience interest in George Stroud? In himself, in his relationship to his wife and job, in his work at Crimeways, his relationship with Janosh and his service? how did audiences react to his taking Pauline out? drinking and forgetting his wife? The pressures of Janosh and his wife? His reaction to the death? The irony of his being chosen to solve the case? The use of his skills - how well done and suspenseful? His avoiding the police and the dangers? The web closing in on him, the painter, the sun dial, the bar, taxis?
4. How did the screenplay work the web narrowing onto George Stroud? The build-up of evidence, and his avoiding the evidence? Did the film work fairly or did it cheat with come clues eg, the desk? If it did cheat did this matter dramatically?
5. Reaction to Earl Janosh? How repellent? His megalomania, sadism, his empire, his brutality in people’s lives, his impositions on Stroud, his impositions on his lawyer assistant? A disregard of Pauline? Was his murder of her credible? Why was the cover up so important? His lack of scruples as regards human life? The irony of his choosing Stroud to cover up his murder?
6. What did Georgette add to the film? A conventional wife heroine? Her bitter reactions towards her husband? Her changing to help him and her involvement in the climax?
7. The personality of the lawyer assisting Janosh? His quick arranging the cover up? His cruelty and relentlessness? Becoming a victim of Janosh's cruelty? How successful a portrayal of a villain ?
8. How important were the minor characters - in the Crimeways building, the police, Stroud's contacts and his use of them, the painter - and her humour? How important was the character of the painter and Helen Lancaster's performance? her portrait of the murderer and her support of Stroud?
9. After discussing the murder mystery aspects of the film, how did it blend mystery, suspense, humour to make a successful thriller?
