PRIVATE HELL 36
US, 1954, 81 minutes, Black and white.
Ida Lupino, Steve Cochrane, Howard Duff, Dean Jagger, Dorothy Malone.
Directed by Don Siegel.
Private Hell 36 is a tough mid-50s film noir. It was also one of the earlier films directed by Don Siegel who went on to make short and sharp crime films, including The Killers, and then had a collaboration with Clint Eastwood with such films as The Beguiled, Two Mules for Sister Sarah and Dirty Harry. He also made a number of striking films in the 70s including Charlie Varrick and The Shootist.
The film was written by Collier Young and his ex-wife Ida Lupino, who takes the central role. It is also a vehicle for Steve Cochrane who died in an untimely illness in the mid-60s. Howard Duff appears as the policeman of integrity, tempted to corruption by Cochrane. Dorothy Malone has a rather sweeter role as his wife. Dean Jagger, whose character does the voice-over, is the police captain.
The title refers to a special box where dirty money is stored. It also, of course, refers to the private hell of a policeman drawn into being dishonest against his will, the dilemma for the Howard Duff character. Ida Lupino had made a number of black and white brief films including Not Wanted and The Bigamist. She went on to a career mainly directing television.
1. A film of the 1950s? Brief, black and white, tough dialogue, tough situations? A kind of film noir?
2. The black and white photography, the city, homes, the nightspots, the police precincts? The musical score? An authentic atmosphere?
3. The title, the private hell for Jack Farnham, the box with number 36, the key? The symbol for his own state of mind, being drawn into the dishonesty scheme?
4. The voice-over, Captain Michaels, his observation about crime in the city, detection, clues and leads? His own action with the two men? His sympathy for Farnham, suspicions of Bruner? The phone calls at the end, the set-up, his saving Farnham’s life? The role of the police?
5. Cal Bruner, the opening, his instincts, going into the shop, the confrontation with the gunman, shooting one dead? In the police precinct, his rather offhand attitudes, callous? His partnership with Farnham, their friendship? His visiting their home? Following the clues, the interrogations, the fifty-dollar note and its connection with a robbery, going to the racetrack, the interview with Lilli? With her so long at the racecourse? At the club, her song? Falling in love with her? The visit to the Farnhams, his taking the money from the accident, forcing Jack into complicity? The cover, the plans? Jack and his edginess? Cal and his taking Lilli to dinner, the embarrassment of the visit? Lilli’s concern? His offhand manner? The phone call, the man wanting the share? The plan for the shoot-out, the irony of his shooting Jack, his being shot – and it all being a police set-up? A portrait of a corrupt cop – his psychology, motivation?
6. Jack, the good cop, caught, the need for money? His love for his wife, the daughter? His being trapped, the tension at home, the discussions about buying the new dress, his being edgy with Cal and Lilli? The set-up, his being shot, the captain exonerating him?
7. Lilli, the goodtime girl, singing in the club, the fifty-dollar note, the interrogations? Her agreement to go to the racecourse? The love for Cal, company, visiting Jack and Francie, her being at home with them, with the baby? Her sensing the tension? Her realisation that Cal had dirty money? Her changing her mind about going with him?
8. Francie, the policeman’s wife, the continued tension? The daughter? Playing host to Cal and Lilli, enjoying their company, sensing the tension?
9. The criminals, robberies, murders, police records, alibis, lies and interrogation? The range of police work and its styles in the 1950s?
