FRAMED
US, 1947, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Glenn Ford, Janis Carter, Barry Sullivan, Edgar Buchanan, Karen Morley.
Directed by Richard Wallace.
Framed is a brief film noir, the focus on a good man who is down on his luck and is led astray by a femme fatale. Janis Carter is the woman in question, working in a club but secretly involved in a plan to get a quarter of a million dollars from the bank, in collaboration with the manager, played by Barry Sullivan. Included in the cast are Karen Morley as Sullivan’s long-suffering wife and Edgar Buchanan as a genial miner.
The film was directed by Richard Wallace, who made a range of popular films including The Fallen Sparrow, Sinbad the Sailor, Tycoon.
1. The popularity of the film noir thriller during the mid-40s? This film as a brief example?
2. Glenn Ford, his persona on screen in the 1940s? The hero, the damaged hero, down on his luck? Using his wits? Prevailing? Finally telling the truth?
3. The black and white photography, the small town, the roads, the homes, the shops, the clubs? The background of mining? The musical score?
4. The title, Mike Lambert and his being the victim of Paula and Steve?
5. Mike Lambert driving the truck, through the night, into the town, his weariness, bumping into Jeff Cunningham’s truck? The reaction of the crowd? His arrest, going to court, unable to pay the fine, Paula paying his fine, taking him out, making him comfortable? His lack of gratitude towards her?
6. Paula, working in the club? Friendly, paying Mike’s fine? The quick revelation of her ambitions? Motivations? Her relationship with Steve Price? Her own home? Wealth? The revelation of the plan to set up Mike? Her choice of him, his resemblance to Steve?
7. The details of the plan, Steve and his arranging the money, putting it in the strongbox for Paula? Paula and the setup with Steve, taking him for a drive, the plan to push the car over a cliff, for it to burst into flame? To be Steve identified as dead? And the two of them to take the money?
8. Jeff, his being in town, the silver, taking it to the assayer? The good result? Meeting Mike? The discussions, offering him a job? The memories of the crash into the truck? Jeff being arrested for the murder? Mike and his indebtedness to Jeff? This motivating him to prove Jeff’s innocence?
9. The discussions about the loan, Jeff being refused? The phone call from Paula? Mike and his suspicions? His going out for the drive to see the mine? Steve Price changing his mind? The stop on the way back, the house, Paula’s story – and the irony of seeing her robe in the bathroom with her name? His wariness? His drinking and his disillusionment with Paula?
10. The drive, Paula and her decision, knocking out Steve? Getting Mike out of the car, the accident, the fire? The headlines in the papers?
11. Mike, drunk, not knowing what happened? Paula and her plausible explanations? Going to the bank – but ironically it being shut because of the accident? Going the next day?
12. The police, the interrogation, Mike and his explanations, going to visit Jeff in prison? His trying to work out what happened? Following Paula to the bank, her strongbox, the money, his confronting her? The police and her arrest, her plea?
13. Mike, independent, facing a future, working with Jeff?
14. The picture of the town, the authorities, the courts? The banks? Steve Price and his wife and her having the money? Possibilities of crime and corruption?
