THE LOCKET
US, 1946, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Laraine Day, Robert Mitchum, Brian Aherne, Gene Raymond, Ricardo Cortez.
Directed by John Brahm.
The Locket is a very interesting example of the film noir of the mid-'40s. In the aftermath of World War Two, there were many thrillers with downbeat themes and endings. The bleakness of the war spirit and the abuse and corruption seemed to give some grounding for this kind of thriller.
Laraine Day is charming as the woman who turns out to be the femme fatale, trying to destroy the lives of the men with whom she comes in contact. These men include Brian Aherne as a gentlemanly psychiatrist, Robert Mitchum in an early role as a rather unbelievable artist, Gene Raymond as her next husband.
The film was directed by John Brahm (Hangover Square, The Brasher Doubloon). The screenplay is famous for being a series of flashbacks - flashbacks within flashbacks.
1.Interesting and entertaining thriller? 1946 film noir? The portrait of the femme fatale? Psychological drama?
2.Black and white photography, the mood of the film, the war years, the experience of the war? The significance of the flashbacks, the flashbacks within flashbacks? Dramatic effect? Musical score?
3.The title: the locket in itself, the motivation for Nancy's behaviour, her receiving the locket at her wedding? The clues? The changes in Nancy because of the locket?
4.The introduction: Nancy as charming, the marriage, Laraine Day's style? Her preparations to marry John? The welcome of the family? Harry Blair and his arrival, his warmth? His memories of his wife and the happy relationship? The flashbacks to Norman and explaining Nancy's relationship to him? Her work as secretary, attractive, the art class, the talk in the cafe, the parties, the attraction of the jewels, the proposal of marriage, the murder, her lies, the court investigation, Norman's relationship with her? Her denial of all this to Harry? Norman's death? The going back to Harry, going to England, the experience of the war and her work? At the Wyndhams' mansion? The jewels, her stealing? The return to London, the bombing? The confrontation with Harry? Her putting him in an institution? The complex portrait of Nancy?
5.Her telling Norman of the story when she was a girl: her friendship with Karen, her own mother and Karen's mother, being a servant, not allowed to go to the party, Karen's gift of the locket, Karen's mother making her return it, the interrogation and her bitterness, the finding of the locket in Karen's dress? The motivation, the bitterness and anger, the revenge? The full circle with her marrying John Willis, Mrs Willis giving her the locket as a present?
6.The wedding, the gift of the locket, triggering of memories, her walking down the staircase, the collapse?
7.The portrait of Norman, the artist, his work, the meeting with Nancy, falling in love, socialising, the parties, discovering her lies, the interrogations? Going to Harry Blair, argument? His suicide? The execution of the wrong man for her murder?
8.Harry and his skills as a psychiatrist, believing Nancy, not believing Norman? Going to England, the Wyndhams? His suspicions about the jewellery? The train ride and his regrets about his suspicions? The bombardment of the house, the finding of the jewellery? The confrontation and Nancy interning him in an institution?
9.Harry going to John, the explanation, John and his decisions?
10.Mrs Willis, her cruelty, her interrogations, the irony of the ending? The contrast with Nancy's caring mother?
11.The end, Nancy's future?
12.Thriller themes? The destructive woman? The victim men? The themes of madness, psychiatry?
