russellalancampbell Reviews

The Hurricane (1937)

This is a very fine film.

[10/10 · 4 August 2023]

I cannot fault this film. It has a wonderful cast and was directed by a master film maker. The scenery and soundtrack add to the exotic south sea's flavour. Yes, it has a simple plot - not unlike Les Miserables - but it is its exploration of the cultural divide inherent in colonial rule in Pacific islands that is at its heart. European law and attitudes are put on trial and they are found guilty of injustice and a false sense of moral superiority. I have long thought Dorothy Lamour was also done the injustice of being seen as a minor talent. She is stunningly physically beautiful in this film but, when called upon, displays real acting talent. Hall is also superb physical specimen but he too does very well in his role. And I can't think of a finer supporting cast in any film. Lastly, the hurricane sequence is a brilliant piece of film making. It reminds me of the authenticity of the earthquake/flood sequence in "The Rains Came" of two years later. CGI has, in my opinion, not improved upon depictions of natural disasters of the late 1930's. Having been in Vanuatu during an earthquake and two typhoons, I think I am a good judge of what they feel like on a south sea island. "The Hurricane" gets the feel of it across and that is what important film making is about - giving the audience a felt experience.

The Road to Hong Kong (1962)

It's a Guilty Pleasure of Mine

[8/10 · 16 July 2023]

Yes, Bob and Bing are almost elderly and Dotty only gets a minor role in it but I really enjoy watching this, the last of the Road films. I am old enough to rightly claim that I saw it as a kid when it first hit the screen and it has gotten better as I have grown older. I certainly didn't get some of the quips like "I think this guy rolls his own" in response to the supreme leader's rant about dominating the world from his bases on the moon. I didn't know why Peter Seller's was so funny as he spoofs his Indian doctor from "The Millionairess". I didn't know why David Niven was sniggering as he was remembering "Lady Chatterleys Lover". I loved the dynamic between Bob and Bing. I enjoyed the songs - no classics but very catchy and witty. There was some broad comedy and the salute to Chaplin's "Modern Times" as the machines designed to feed and comfort the apes rather than humans whilst in space go out of synch and at double speed. There was the usual breaking of the fourth wall and cameo that became a staple in the series. The film was almost prescient in being a spoof on Bond films that had not been made. Walter Gotell playing the cold blooded right hand man in much the same manner as he did in "From Russia with Love". There is a super villain who plans to take over control of the world from space. There is a beautiful agent to be won over to the side of right and good. Even the chess master in "From Russia with Love", Peter Madden, turns up as a monk who tells Bing and Bob that money and women are of no importance. To which Bob retorts, "He needs to spend a weekend in Vegas". Another strangely prescient quip that only a year later was echoed by Major Kong in "Dr Strangelove". But I digress - as does the film. I suppose the film is a case of the film being like an old vaudeville show. It's got all sorts of bits and pieces cobbled together with the storyline being of least importance. At one point Bob asks Bing why he is foolishly going to try to fly with a "malted milkshake machine" strapped to his behind. Bing explains it in terms of the money etc. But then adds, " Besides it's a plot point". Again, that one flew over my head as a kid but today it gives me a smile if not a laugh. Yes, people who are not of my vintage and sensibilities are free to not enjoy the film but I am glad to be able to enjoy the last of Bob and Bings' teamwork.

Barney Miller: Hunger Strike (1982) Season 8, Episode 13

One of the best of a great series.

[9/10 · 4 January 2021]

This episode has all the elements that made Barney Miller great. Beyond its sophisticated, adult comedy, it has unsentimental heart. (Heart without the sugar) And, as usual, it gives the opportunity to some brilliant actors to display their talents. The final scene in which an institutionalised woman is revealed as being quite sane is a gem.

The Conversation (1974)

Can Understand Negative Reviews - art is like that.

[10/10 · 18 April 2020]

The modern audience can be forgiven for finding this a slow, boring film. It was possibly found that way by some people in the 1970's. For me, it is one of the most absorbing and compelling films I ever saw and becomes more so with each viewing. And I am not, in general, a fan of slow movies. That's art for you. One person can sit and look at a painting for hours whilst, for another,10 seconds is enough. It took a great performance by Hackman, a top supporting cast and a master film maker to pull off a film that refuses to entertain via the usual filmic and storytelling techniques. It is a study of paranoia, justified or unjustified, and of the development of a surveillance industry that today we have all come to accept as normal. Moreover, it is a study of the people who make it their business to eavesdrop using ever more sophisticated technology. Remember to change your passwords, people. A prescient film.

Adventures of Superman: Through the Time Barrier (1955) Season 3, Episode 1

Noel Neill in a Cave Woman Miniskirt!

[8/10 · 21 February 2020]

It is obvious that the producers of the series wanted to take full advantage of the use of the change to colour and changed the direction of TAOS from slightly film noir crime to pure fantasy. The first of the series has the regulars of the series travel back in time to The Stoneage via a nutty professor's time machine. It's pretty cheesey fare and indicative of the series on the whole. Gone is any sense of real danger and the darker and relatively violent and suspenseful elements that pervaded the first two series. However, as if in recompense, at least in this episode, you do get to see Noel Neill's shapely figure and a close up of her rather fetching upper thigh and even a glimpse of her panties. Seems that the censors of the day were unusually lenient - remembering that married couples were always seen in double beds and words like pregnant banned from TV in those days. We in Australia didn't get to see the series in colour until 1975 but it was a wonderful sight to see Superman in his red and blue outfit. In fact it was in Superman episode that was shown at an exhibition of colour TV that I first witnessed colour TV. What a strangely thrilling thing it was.

Thunderball (1965)

The Last of the Fab Four Bonds

[9/10 · 23 June 2019]

"Thunderball" represents the final instalment of Bond films that truly represented a zeitgeist that was present in 1963 - 1965. It is perhaps impossible for those who were not alive in those times to comprehend how thrilling it was to experience the images and lifestyles Mr Bond brought to us but, for those of us who were, it opened up a whole new world of sophistication, travel and adventure. For a taste, watch the opening title/credit sequence. It remains a high point in what we all anticipated after the "Dr No" title sequence had introduced us to a new level of visual and aural excitement. The scope of the scheme was also raised to a new level in "Thunderball" as was the astounding - for those times - size of the amount to be extorted - £100 million. Added to that was SPECTRE's weapon of choice - atom bombs. Nuclear weapons build up and threat had become an accepted part of life in those days.

Whilst Danielle Bianchi in "From Russia With Love" remains my favourite Bond major conquest/confederate, Claudine Auger was utterly beguiling as Domino and Luciana Paluzzi wonderfully sexy/evil as Fiona Volpe. It is said by some critics that Adolfo Celi was one of the weaker Bond villains but I find him at least adequate. Martine Beswick makes a welcome return as Bond's agency contact in Nassau and Rik Van Nutter does well as Felix Leiter - a charater with an ever-changing face, physique and age throughout the series.

The sets and locales were another highlight as was the underwater action. The underwater photography is a bit murky when compared to today's crystal clarity but, for that time, it was brilliant. And the sharks were very real!

I particularly liked the vignettes and set pieces such as the chase through the parade in the streets of Nassau and its climax in the Kiss Kiss Club. The intrigue and casual romance with Molly Peters at Shrublands was another. Check for a glimpse of young Suzy Kendall in her shorty nighwear after Bond casually pushes the fire alarm button as a means of escaping the enemy's clutches. She had an instant presence that had people asking "Who was that girl?"

Enjoy the conch chowder, avoid the sea egg spines and remember that Domino has two moles on her left thigh.

The Enemy Below (1957)

When Silences Speak Volumes

[10/10 · 8 May 2019]

Watch for the scene in which both crews - that of the German U-boat on the bottom and of the US destroyer on the surface awaiting the U-boat's next move - are instructed to be silent. The writers, director and cameraman say so much with almost no dialogue. The camera wanders amongst each crew and juxtaposes individuals who fill their downtime according to their intellect beyond their duties. On the U-boat, the second in command and the experienced exec play chess whilst the young, fanatical new exec is engrossed in reading "Mein Kampf". In the destroyer, one of the young swabbies studiously reads "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" whilst one of the chief execs smiles in an almost childlike way to himself as he reads a "Little Orphan Annie" comic. The audience is allowed to draw its own conclusions and I too will not spoil things by elaborating upon what conclusions I drew from the sequence. What I will say is that the sequence is a brilliant way in which a break between action scenes can be made interesting without rants or emotional over indulgence.

Seven Days from Now (1957)

See It Once, Never Forget It

[10/10 · 5 May 2019]

I saw "Seven Waves Away" as a child and it burned into my consciousness. I have since watched it on quite a few times and it is as gripping each time as the first. The cast and acting is first class and the action, although it is limited almost solely to an 18 foot boat, is as realistic as it gets. Tyrone Power is brilliant as the captain who is faced with the desperate situation with an invidious decision to make. It is good that he was given a chance to show the world he could really act in this and a couple of other films late in his career. Bouquets also to Moira Lister, Mai Zetterling and Lloyd Nolan but all the cast added something of value to the drama. This film might be very favorably compared to Hitchcock's "Lifeboat" with its similarity of situation and character revelation. Unforgettable conclusion.

Sink the Bismarck! (1960)

A Matinee Favourite

[9/10 · 22 March 2019]

Firstly, this is a drama and not a documentary. Admiral Lutjens was not a rabid Nazis and nor a headstrong glory hunter but making him into one helped create a sense of tension between he and the more circumspect Captain of Bismark. You can be the judge of whether this was a good choice for enhancing the drama at the cost of historical inaccuracy. It's a bit like Shakespeare making Richard III a hunchback to give him greater motivation though Richard's deformity was a genuine case of fake news. The film is tight, tense and extremely well acted by a cast of class actors. The battle scenes are brilliantly handled so it is no surprise that Lewis Gilbert was called upon to direct action films with bigger budgets in the later 60's. But Gilbert was also a master of personal revelation and development scenes such as those between Moore and Wynter. Even as a boy with action on my mind, I was moved and informed by these scenes. Wynter as Davis conveys a sense of remorseful contemplation as the news of Bismark's imminent demise is received in the situation room rather than any sense of undue satisfaction. These people were doing their duty and their job and did not glory in the destruction it entailed. There is much to admire in this film.

Above Us the Waves (1955)

Remembering How People Once Were

[9/10 · 17 February 2019]

To some viewers and reviewers, the characters and dialogue may seem false and smack of British stiff upper lip propaganda. Can't see how the film was aimed at being propaganda seeing it was made in 1955! Secondly, people were different in the times depicted in the film. Overly emotional self-indulgence had not yet become adopted as being a requirement of drama or depictions of warfare. This film reminds me of "A Night to Remember" and comes under the same criticisms from those who cannot understand that people were once different and did not emote or panic at every opportunity. Low key and realistic is a relief from films that are a series of explosions and rants.

It Came from Outer Space (1953)

Sci-fi at Its Best

[9/10 · 5 February 2019]

I watched this one twice in two days and will probably return to it in the future. Love the use of the Arizona desert as backdrop. It is visually effective and is used as a metaphor for the unknown and foreboding nature of outer space. The acting is uniformly excellent, going from beyond what you ight expect from 50's sci-fi. Barbara Rush is exquisitely beautiful with a soft voice that compliments her looks. Her almost doll like appearance makes her transformation into an alien so believable and compelling. Joe Sawyer' s performance underlines what a talent he was as a supporting player. Richard Carlson plays his role with total conviction. There are some beautifully crafted monologues as a reminder that Ray Bradbury was behind the production. I would have enjoyed seeing this film in 3D as I could see how the flashing meteorlike spaceships, Joshua trees, landslides and prehensile hands would have emerged from the screen towards the audience to wonderful effect.

Lost in Translation (2003)

When You Go For Art and Miss , You Get Crap

[2/10 · 15 December 2018]

Firstly, I cannot imagine how a person with even the slightest hint of intelligence or sense of adventure could be bored when on their first or even tenth visit to Tokyo. Secondly, if you want to hate Americans abroad and be appalled by the representations of unfunny Japanese that cynically insults your intelligence, this is the film for you. I awaited a plot twist or some point of interest to emerge but was disappointed. How on earth could critics have raved about this one?

Car 54, Where Are You?: Hail to the Chief (1962) Season 2, Episode 1

A Strangely Prescient Episode

[9/10 · 30 November 2018]

The safe passage of JFK from Idlewild - now JFK - Airport to the UN is assigned to Toody and Muldoon only months before his assassination in a motorcade. The episode was changed prior to syndication showing LBJ in the motorcade after a speech at the UN rather than the original which showed a clip of Jack and Jacqui in a ticker tape parade. I notice that the whole episode has been pulled from YouTube with another episode being substituted. No need for conspiracy theories here. I am sure the fact that Muldoon takes downers and then uppers to combat his nervousness about being responsible for the safety of the president that hit a raw nerve in the mid 60's. It was funny and would have remained funny if not for the events of Nov 22 1963. Ironically, by the end of the episode, it is Toody and Muldoon who are mistakenly seen as being the major threat to the president's safety.

Follow That Dream (1962)

One of Elvis' Best.

[8/10 · 18 February 2018]

Elvis displayed some real comedic talent in this one. Arthur O'Connell added some acting quality and Anne Helm was perfect as the fetching but not too pretty or simpering to be true country girl. I always thought Elvis played off stronger female characters better than the mere eye candy types.

There are some good songs and an interesting storyline. In later Elvis films, the producers seemed to rely on the Elvis factor and neglect the vehicle itself. Even if you admit that Elvis was not a great actor, you must also admit that even the greatest of actors would have struggled to give life to some of the later Elvis movie scripts.

The scenery and the cinematography are also of a very high quality. America and Elvis never looked more attractive than in "Follow That Dream". There is a breeziness and gently comedic quality that really works in this one.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Too many barking cats! And I hoped to like the film.

[3/10 · 30 January 2018]

I rarely go to the movies anymore but the film's location, the hype and Frances McDormand brought me out. I was ultimately disappointed with the experience. It seemed that the screenplay's conceit - the three billboards - was seen as such a good idea and selling point that the writer/director, Martin McDonagh, couldn't resist it even though it was beyond him to make anything coherent or believable around it. Moreover, he saw the location of small town Missouri as an opportunity to satisfy the world's base expectation of racism, violence and small-mindedness without the slightest intention or perhaps ability to explore them. McDonagh cut and pasted disparate scenes together in what was to add up to a black comedy and drama but the danger of going for art is that, when you miss, you get irksome, unentertaining, unconvincing dross. Films like "Fargo", "Pulp Fiction", "Good Fellas" and even "Apocalypse Now" are examples of how a roller coaster, collage screenplay can work but it takes skill to make it a unified satisfying whole. What went wrong? Screenwriting. Some of the dialogue was clichéd and amateurish. Many of the jokes were telegraphed and some of the emotional outpourings hollow. Characters. Whilst the "head" of the film McDormand, Harrelson and Rockwell did well, the gut of the film's cast were given nothing to work with and became pieces of cardboard. For example, how did an English rose (Yes, I know Abbie Cornish is Australian but she seems to effect a British accent) with an education in literature meet and marry a sheriff from small town Missouri? It can happen but there is no rhyme or reason for it within the context of the film. Moreover, some of the actions were uncharacteristic of the established characters. How does a mother and responsible loving father who is a chief of police leave their two little girls fishing by a lake surrounded by wilderness in order to have sex in the woods? The wife's praise of her husband's "cock" on their return home seemed gratuitous and phoney. The aftermath of making love with your dying husband was never so lacking in tenderness or affection. If you want sweetness without too much sugar in a black comedy look at the final scene in "Fargo". With a bit more imagination, McDonagh could surely have written a more touching family scene to symbolize a perfect last day for the sheriff prior to shooting himself. The suicide scene itself was apparently supposed to shock us with its suddenness but it seemed to me be just another obvious and convenient plot point. The letter of explanation by Chief of Police Willoughby for his suicide was utterly unconvincing too. And not to be too facetious or insensitive but I hope to look as well as Woody did and to be able to have sex right up to my end too! You may accuse me of being picky but, for the sake of brevity, I am only pointing out a few of the many cats that barked in this film. Smash up an advertising business, savagely beat up its editor and throw him out a window and brutally assault a female assistant but all that happens to you is you lose your job as a cop! I also found the punch in the face for the nice girl utterly gratuitous, cheap and nasty. Was it not established that Dixon was violently angry by what he did to "Red"? No restraint and definitely no imagination by the writer/director.

I could also point out the rather uninspired soundtrack and the lack of atmosphere. Nothing about the film spoke to me of a time and a place except perhaps for some of the posters in the dead girl's room (Nirvana) and the girl's punk/grunge outfit in the flashback scene. Even the original ads on the billboards from "20 years ago" looked more like the 1950's or 60's.

I often judge a film by the strength of my impulse to see it again. Good ones get even better the second or third times around. Nothing would convince me to believe that I would find "Three Billboards" any more or less interesting or entertaining than it was today for me. If this is a classic, I will not be venturing to the movies very much more in future

Fire Over England (1937)

Robson's Bess is Outstanding

[8/10 · 2 January 2018]

Flora Robson's portrayal of Elizabeth1 is monumentally great. She dominates her own conflicted emotions as she dominates her subjects and country. "Bring me my disguises," she commands her lady in waiting in order to hide her blemishes, loss of hair and age. It is done not merely in the name of vanity but as a requirement of her position. She subverts her emotions in the name of duty and country. If the real Queen Bess was as forceful and charismatic as Robson's portrayal, then it is easy to see why England followed her lead. Olivier is quite good as the young, eager adventurer and emissary to Spain but it is Vivien Leigh who demonstrates the screen craft that was to carry her to fame. The film is not historically accurate but then neither were Shakespeare's history plays. The film reveals much about the human condition and, if you want to know "what really happened", look it up at a history website rather than watch a film.

The Old Dark House (1932)

An oldie but a goody.

[9/10 · 27 June 2017]

The delivery of some of the characters is somewhat stilted possibly owing to the sound recording equipment requiring slow and distinct dialogue or that some of the actors were still transitioning to sound film acting. Nevertheless, once you are drawn into it, the film is entertaining on a number of levels. It is a weird combination of horror parody, social commentary and character study. The scene in which the old crone played by Eva Moore taunts the lovely Gloria Stuart about the fleeting nature of youth and youthful beauty is remarkable. "Fine stuff but it will rot!" I bet some of us are reminded of these words when we watch Stuart in her final film role as the old lady in "Titanic". I love how Ernest Thesiger invests the most benign phrases with a sense of foreboding and menace. He makes "Have a potato" and even "Good morning" sound serenely sinister. Lillian Bond is a joy. As a counterpoint to Stuart's classical beauty and nervousness, Bond's cheerful, cheeky, earthy and sensible working class girl shines.

Brute Force (1947)

As relevant as the day it was made.

[9/10 · 26 June 2017]

This film has something to say about the human condition as well as being a gripping and realistic drama. The cast is perfection with an outstanding performance from Hume Cronyn who plays against his usual mild-mannered type as the insidiously sadistic captain of the guard. The flashback vignettes involving the women in some of the convicts' lives are short but telling. The smooth conman had been conned, the small and insignificant con, played by the ubiquitous Whit Bissel, had embezzled in order to give his beautiful wife a mink coat and the physically imposing con, played by Lancaster had fallen in love with a gentle, wheelchair bound girl. It is not an attempt to make the cons "good guys" but it does make them human. The climactic breakout scene is a masterpiece - a blend of the literal and the metaphorical.

Combat!: The Enemy (1965) Season 3, Episode 16

Duvall - an undeniable presence.

[9/10 · 7 May 2017]

Before Robert Duvall established himself as a major film star, he could be seen on a number of TV shows. He was uniformly excellent in all of them and this episode of Combat! is one of his best as it allows Duvall to use his stillness and minimal movement to advantage. My brothers and I didn't particularly like Handley based episodes because Sgt Saunders was our favourite but, as an adult, I have come to appreciate Jason's quiet and determined Handley. The episode is basically a battle of wits with move and counter move as the German explosives expert who "volunteers" to defuse his booby traps he has set in a deserted French town and, in the process, attempts to escape Handley. Each device is of interest as the German gives his captor a lesson in the psychological awareness behind laying each trap. We, the audience are, like Handley, schooled in the process but also wary of how we might tricked into making a false move. Of course, we are also left in suspense as to the denouement. An excellent episode in a show that has not lost its punch.

Combat!: The Glory Among Men (1964) Season 2, Episode 32

Combat Stands Up After All These Years

[10/10 · 3 May 2017]

I watched this episode as a youngster and have never forgotten it. I thought that when I revisited it over 50 years on that it might disappoint. How wrong I was. This episode and all the other episodes of Combat stand up as tough and real as anything made since and that includes films like "Saving Private Ryan". The cinematography and acting are first class. Vic Morrow's Sgt Saunders goes way beyond clichéd war hero fare and his direction of this episode is spot on. The seemingly simple scenario is used as a means of character revelation and development. Men who hate a fellow squad member risk their lives to rescue him. The episode is tight and tense - move and counter move - with the denouement uncertain. Yes, we believe that the squad will rescue a wounded member but how? By the way, the opening credits and theme music still pack a real punch.

Catch-22 (1970)

The "Unfilmable" Novel - Brilliantly Brought to Life

[9/10 · 30 April 2017]

My father was stationed on an island off Borneo during WWII from which air raids by American bombers supported by Aussie and American fighters were launched against enemy held islands. When I watched "Catch 22" with him, I expected he would be confused and slightly offended by the film's treatment of war. To my surprise, dad said that the film's depiction of war and those who fight them was not so exaggerated as one may think. The brass who send the men out on missions of no strategic importance to raise their own profile, the wheeler dealers, the earnest and ineffectual chaplains and all manner of crazies mixed with men whose only desire is to survive. My father also said that the mixture of comedy, drama, satire and surrealism reflected the strange dream of warfare very well. For my part, I can watch this film once a week for the rest of my life.

The Odd Angry Shot (1979)

An Authentic Look at How We Once Were

[8 January 2017]

On recent viewing, I have been surprised by how well the film reflected upon individual Australians' involvement in The Vietnam War. It also, through a couple of monologues from old hand, Graham Kennedy, dispassionately reflected upon the ultimate futility of Australia's involvement. Perhaps its greatest strength was documenting the Australian male character of the times without reverting to a "lovable larrikins" approach. The battle scenes are done without heroics or dramatics. There is a matter of factness about the activities and reactions of the unit that makes them seem all the more realistic.The boredom, routines and irritations of jungle warfare are there as well as the odd angry shot that punctuates guerilla warfare. Loved the low-key ending which resisted taking aim at the unjust treatment of the returning vets but did reflect their estrangement as a presentiment of their future problems in readjusting.

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

Each Shot Perfection

[10/10 · 10 May 2016]

I will not add much to the many other worthy reviews of "TPODG" on this site except to say that, with the benefit of today's freeze frame, we can really appreciate the detail and quality to be found in every shot. Each shot is lit with the mood in mind - and the lighting shifts as the mood shifts. The set dressing is a highlight on its own. The bric-a-brac in the backstage of The Two Turtles has been carefully selected for authenticity and to enhance the dramatic thrust of the scenes between Hadfield and Lansbury. The attic in which Dorian hides his portrait is a world of its own with a visual history of Dorian's innocent childhood days. It is all the more shocking that his corrupted adulthood as symbolised by his increasingly grotesque portrait is juxtaposed with the symbols of his days of contentment as a boy with a privileged and well-educated upbringing. Please watch this film if you wish to see what can be done with film when it is treated as being art.

The Dam Busters (1955)

Storytelling 101

[9/10 · 24 April 2016]

Forget about special effects - they all look out of date one day. What will never grow old is a good tale well told. "The Dam Busters' could be used as an example of one of the oldest artistic forms in any high school English class. The time and place is quickly established and a protagonist is faced with overarching problem. A series of problems related to the main problem arise and are overcome by the protagonist and a response team of a variety of characters. When all is in place, the mission is launched. The result is in doubt but finally there is triumph. In the denouement, the outcome is weighed up and moral conclusions drawn. Every story from Moses to "The Magnificent Seven" from "The Dam Busters" to "Star Wars" and all the stories yet to be told will use this formula. "The Dam Busters" is not a documentary and so it takes liberties with the facts - another key element in storytelling. It exaggerates, stereotypes and its hyperbolic triumphal march theme music is almost a parody. But it all works. I have watched the film many times and know almost every word before it is spoken but the art of storytelling holds me in its thrall. Like a child who wants its father to tell its favourite bedtime story, I want to hear it one more time.

I Want to Live! (1958)

One of the Toughest - No Punches Pulled

[10/10 · 24 April 2016]

There is little that I could add to the other reviews and, if you read them, most will attest to the power of "I Want to Live". This is a jarring, harrowing film from the acting to the jazz score. It is brutally honest in its sordid and ugly depictions of the seedier side of American life - the lowlifes, junkies, "goodtime girls", small-time crims and even a family man taking a walk on the wild side in the opening scene. The preparations and procedures related to capital punishment are even more chillingly depicted than those of "In Cold Blood". The camera angles and the jazz score add to the uncomfortable and off-kilter events of this other world that most of us know about and sometimes visit but do not inhabit. Lastly, Susan Hayward's performance is shattering. "I Want to Live" is a once seen never forgotten experience.