THE VELVET TOUCH
US, 1948, 97 minutes, Black and white.
Rosalind Russell, Leo Genn, Sidney Greenstreet, Claire Trevor, Leon Ames, Frank Mc Hugh.
Directed by John Gage.
The Velvet Touch is a an entertaining murder thriller. It is a star vehicle for Rosalind Russell - the character she portrays, in many ways parallels the star's career. She is a comedienne who has ambitions to play serious drama. (At this period Rosalind Russell played in the film version of Eugene O'Neill's Mourning Becomes Electra.) The screenplay also uses the star's performance in Ibsen's Hedda Gabbler as a parallel for the climax of the film.
Rosalind Russell was most adept at this kind of role. Leo Genn, who was beginning to make his mark in British films, is the suave leading man. Claire Trevor (to win an Oscar for Key Largo the following year) also stars with Sidney Greenstreet in an excellently idiosyncratic role as a theatre-loving detective.
A film of the '40s with entertainment value today.
1. Audience enjoyment of murder thrillers? Murder romances? The style of the '40s?
2. The structure of the film: the build-up to the producer's death the flashback and explanations, the crises, the solution - and the theatrical background? Audience involvement, changing of sympathies?
3. The strength of the cast: Rosalind Russell and her star style, the character actors, especially Sidney Greenstreet?
4. The world of the Broadway theatre, plays and performances, management, stars and contracts, interviews, temperament? The background of apartments, parties? The world of the police? The Captain moving the police world into the theatre with his admiration and his own theatrical style? The importance of the film creating an atmosphere of theatricality? Rosalind Russell and comedy and the shift to the serious play with Hedda Gabbler, the rehearsals, the performance, the climax? The final themes of Hedda Gabbler and the film - the possibility of death?
5. The shift in audience sympathies: against the heroine, changing attitudes, Marion's point of view, Michael's. the Captain's? The dilemma for the heroine and what she was to do about her responsibility and confession?
6. The basic situation - the star and her success, awards, the hold of the producer. his control, her attraction to Michael, her desire to play serious drama, the restrictions of the producer, her bid for freedom? The credibility of the killing? The irony of her not being seen by anyone? The theatricality of her continued pretence?
7. The heroine as a character, her brittle style, her struggle for success? Authentic? The response of the staff, her maid, the fans? The clash with Marion? The hold of the producer? Her allowing herself to be controlled by him? The encounter with Michael - the brittle style, his breaking through her defences? The interview with the columnist (and the satire on columnists)? The death, her fear, coping? The visit to Marion in hospital? The friendship with the Captain and his investigation? Michael and the truth? Her performance and her reasons? The Captain allowing her her extra applause and bow?
8. The producer and his success, his possessiveness towards the heroine, jealousy? His daring her to change producers? Marion's appeal to him? His treatment of her? The early press release?
9. Michael, British, suave, low-key style, affecting not to know the heroine, the meetings, support, his knowledge of the truth?
10. Marion and her jealousy, her hopes, the relationship with the producer? The evidence pointing to her? Her collapse? Her communicating her feelings to the heroine in hospital? Her death?
11. The theatre background with the cast, the stage workers, the stage manager, the maid - and their contribution to the plot e.g. the maid with the gloves, evidence of seeing or not seeing the heroine?
12. The glimpse of the theatre columnist, spice and cattiness?
13. Comedy and drama, the curtain calls for the comedy, the curtain calls for Hedda Gabbler? Acting out the play and Hedda's performance enabling her to tell the truth? The audience suspense as regards her shooting herself?
14. The Captain and his style, jokes and his laughing at them, his talk about his size, food? Shrewdness and discretion? Theatricality? His final gracious gesture?
15. An entertaining blend of melodrama, passion, insight into human nature?
