STRANGE FASCINATION
US, 1952, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Cleo Moore, Hugo Haas, Mona Barrie, Rick Vallin.
Directed by Hugo Haas.
Hugo Haas was a successful actor in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s but fled Europe and came to the United States where he helped in propaganda work during World War II.
In the late 1940s to the early 1960s he appeared as an actor in many films but also wrote a series of small-budget supporting features, generally stirring himself as an older man, with potential, but ruining his opportunities. He started films with Beverly Michaels but had a series of seven films with Cleo Moore from 1952 to 1957.
Cleo Moore was a platinum blonde in something of the Jean Harlow tradition, compared with the time with Marilyn Monroe. Generally she played sympathetic characters with a touch of ambiguity. To see her at the most dangerous and vengeful femme fatale style, see The Other Woman.
The times she is a dancer who has a falling out with her partner, but irritated when a customer in the club ignores the act and causes all kinds of distractions. When she discovers that he is a celebrated concert pianist from Europe, on tour in America, she decides to go to the concert to cause destruction for him – but, strange fascination, she is caught up by the music, goes to get his autograph, his first in America, and they go for a drink together.
Hugo Haas is the musician, pianist, composer, seen being successful in Europe, meeting Americans after the war, a society widow offering to sponsor him to the United States (Mona Barrie interestingly sympathetic but somewhat haughty role).
The dancer and the pianist meet up again in New York, she moving in, this being discovered, her going on tour with him, the announcement of their marriage, his continued financial difficulties with gifts for her as well as his having a drinking problem.
He goes downhill, she still is devoted to him, works as a fashion model but he becomes more and more possessive, forbidding her to go out, and she languishes until her former partner comes to New York and she takes up with him again.
There is some heart-to-heart talks with the society widow. The pianist then contrives an accident to damage his hands and collect the insurance – which does not happen and he is left playing, now a scruffy street and homeless man for a similar group in a hall.
1. The title, Margo and her fascination with Paul, Paul and his fascination with Margo? The role of classical music?
2. The work of the director, as writer, producer and director, his seven films with Cleo Moore?
3. His role in films, the older man, possibilities for success, down on his luck, beguiled by the femme fatale, the consequences?
4. The opening, Paul, down and out, at Carnegie Hall, listening to the music, going to the shelter, tapping the piano? The flashbacks?
5. Paul, as pianist, composer, in Europe, the performances, his success? The response of audiences? In the restaurant, his American friend, the introduction to Diana and her children? Her interest, offering to be his patron and bringing him to the United States? The reaction of her children? His acceptance, conscious of the financial situation?
6. To New York, continual practice, the children and their resentment, Diana and her card companions, the suggesting that there was gossip and scandal? Her not caring? Her arranging the agent? The discussions about the tour, the cities, reviews, the gradual buildup?
7. Paul, the performance in Columbus, going to the club, hungry, his demands, the dancers, his distractions and not realising? Margo and her partner, dancing, their clashes? Margo and her anger with Paul? Discovering who he was?
8. Margo, going to the concert, making the noise, talking, the pages of the program? Her being caught up by the music, fascinated? Going to his room, the autograph, talking, their having a drink together? Exchanging numbers?
9. Paul, the continued tour, arriving back in New York, the insurance of his hands and Diana supplying the money?
10. Margo, arriving at Paul’s apartment, wanting a job in New York, asking for accommodation, his letting her stay? Audience suspicions of her motives? Yet her admiration for Paul and the fascination of his music? The time together, his growing interest in her? Her being discovered by the agent, his reporting it to Diana?
11. The difficulty with getting bookings, the role of the agent? Entrepreneurs? The concert, Paul announcing that he and Margo were married, her being on the tour with him, the front row? His phoning Diana, her hearing the news, her reaction?
12. Paul, his financial difficulties, always short of money, buying things for Margo? His drinking – and the observations that he drank a lot while still in Europe?
13. Loss of money, loss of bookings, his drinking, Margo and her getting the fashion job? Paul and his growing possessiveness, not wanting her to work, keeping her at home? The booking for the Polish concert, his suspicions of her with the return of Carlos, taking the taxi, confronting her?
14. His desperation, going to the music publisher, wanting to play his song, the clash with Margo on the phone, his seeing the machine, his accident, going to hospital, wanting the insurance?
15. Margo, her concern? Diana and the visits? The discussions with Margo, Margo asking her whether she loved Paul?
16. The phone call from the insurance, the testimony of the worker and his comments about Paul’s being deliberate with his accident? No money, his dropping the case?
17. His going to the shelter, playing for the homeless men, their wanting something bright, his playing Boogie Woogie – and Diana watching? His future?
