OUT OF THE FOG
US, 1941, 85 minutes, Black and white.
John Garfield, Ida Lupino, Thomas Mitchell, Eddie Albert, George Tobias, John Qualen, Aline Mac Mahon,Jerome Cowan. Leo Gorcey, Paul Harvey.
Directed by Anatole Litvak.
Out of the Fog is based on the play, The Gentle People, written by Irwin Shaw. It has a strong director in Anatole LItvak, and a very strong cast of character actors, especially at Warner Brothers during the 1930s and 1940s.
It is set on the New York waterfront, with ordinary people, like Thomas Mitchell and John Qualen, going fishing, but stand over would-be gangster, John Garfield, getting protection money out of the people or else burning their boats. Ida Lupino plays Thomas Mitchell’s daughter, in a humdrum job, wanting something more exciting in life and attracted by the gangster. Eddie Albert is a very ordinary and organised boyfriend. There are touches of comedy from George Tobias. Mitchell’s bitter wife is played by Aline Mac Mahon, and Leo Gorcey serves at a diner where Qualen is the cook and put upon by the boss who wants to marry him.
Brief, interesting and effective.
1. 1940s Warner Bros production, black-and-white photography, sets, musical score?
2. The title, Brooklyn, the harbour, the water, the fog, men fishing, the man overboard?
3. The film based on a play, The Gentle People, by novelist and playwright, Irwin Shaw? The screenplay and its scenes, as in the play, the strong amount of dialogue?
4. The setting, the period, Brooklyn, a poor neighbourhood, Magruder and the police patrol, the diner, customers, the kitchen, the boats, fishing, homes, characters?
5. The focus on Harold Goff, John Garfield character, the, racketeer, only rocks - no heart? Burning the boat? The threats to Jonah and Olaf? His smug behaviour, in the diner, his card tricks? Attraction to Stella? Her going out with him? The attraction? His return, demanding the money, the reaction of the old men? Learning about the $190 from Stella? Threatening Jonah, Jonah’s reaction with the police, court, his having them sign the loan document, going free? The dance hall with Stella, his momentary jealousy, spurning of George fighting with him? The trip to Cuba? Taking the $190? Jonah persuading him to go by boat, his not being able to swim, the boat stopping, the gun, his falling overboard, in the morgue?
6. Jonah, his experience, friendship with Olaf, going fishing, planning to buy the boat, the deposit? At home, his nagging wife? His love for Stella, wanting something better yet persuading her to be ordinary, to go out with George? Her lying to him about Goff? Her not being able to give him up? Paying the five dollars, giving the $190, the plan, the preparation, the court case and his protests, losing? Feeling desperate, motivation to kill Goff? On the boat, the plan, Olaf unable to hit Goff? His falling overboard, their thanking God, the return, the police and the inspectors, the wallet, hiding it, keeping the money, throwing the wallet away – and Magruder’s support? The plan to buy the boat and to go fishing with Stella coming with them?
7. Stella, tough, her hard mother, love for her father, the routine with George, her dissatisfaction, working for the phone company, the humdrum life, the attraction to Goff, going out, the daring, the dance, her father promising the trip to Cuba, her gratitude, not able to take it, Goff’s offer and her acceptance, packing, her father trying to persuade her, her stubbornness?
8. George, the devoted man, the routine jobs, with Stella, the promise of the suburban life, perseverance, confronting Gough?
9. Olaf, in the kitchen, Florence and her proposal of marriage, tough, his cooking, going fishing, friendship with Jonah, the plan, his fears, the final relief?
10. Magruder, on the beat, testifying for Jonah, seeing the money at the end?
11. The ordinariness of life, the nightclub and the dancing as seeming exotic, the title of the play and the emphasis on ordinary people?
