Raw Deal, Safety Not Guaranteed, Evil Dead (2013)

Shadows and fog: Raw Deal

Anthony Mann's Raw Deal, from 1948, is among the lesser of the film noirs he made in the late 40s, but is still potent and memorable. Dennis O'Keefe, who starred in Mann's breakthrough T-Men the year before, is a convict whose moll, played by the always wonderful Claire Trevor, helps him escape from prison. Mann superbly utilizes Trevor's tremulous masochism. The prison break has been masterminded by O'Keefe's criminal partner, a monstrous Raymond Burr, who actually hopes it will seal his doom. Instead, O'Keefe kidnaps his female parole officer, a bland as always Marsha Hunt, who is part hostage and part romantic rival to Trevor. Double crosses abound and dollops of extra creepiness are supplied by John Ireland and Whit Bissell.

Despite clunky dialogue and B leads, Raw Deal stands out because of the photography of John Alton who also collaborated with Mann on T-Men, The Black Book, Border Incident and Devil's Doorway. Alton has justly been celebrated as a master of shadows and this is evident in the night sequences with their evocative use of fog and neon. Note, too, the power of the sun kissed shots lensed here, particularly one of Hunt and Trevor's silhouettes crossing with a Malibu beach in the background. The collaboration between Mann and Alton produces a myriad of memorable moments: a tussle in a taxidermy shop, numerous car chases and stationary closeups of the two female leads in veiled hats which emphasize the unity of two opposed poles of femininity, both united in their love for the wrong man. 

Both O'Keefe and Hunt are serviceable in their roles. My dream casting would have been Mitchum and Teresa Wright, but Raw Deal is still powerful. I'll not soon forget the dream like beauty of the opening with Trevor's voiceover backed by spasms of theremin as she strides into San Quentin to spring her man. Mann's world is one of treachery and cruelty. Burr, shot as a hulking, yet weak menace in low angle closeups, provides a sickening note of lurid villainy by hurling a flaming dish of cherries jubilee at a mistress. A forceful and compelling picture that speaks wholly of its maker, the still underrated Anthony Mann.

Forceful direction is exactly what is lacking in the otherwise pleasant Safety Not Guaranteed, a film by Colin Trevorrow from 2012 and starring indie icons Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass. I do think Ms. Plaza is the bees knees, upgrading the Eve Arden supporting wisecracker role to lead for this post post-feminist era. Mr. Duplass, the most versatile leading man to emerge in the 21st century American cinema, ably plays a daft scientist who lives on the Washington coast and is constructing a time machine. Plaza is one of a trio of journalists who try to track down Duplass after he places a classified ad to recruit time travelers. Plaza, like Jean Arthur softening towards Cooper or Stewart, falls for the befuddled lug and is soon joining him in a folie a deux, training for trips to the past. Duplass and Plaza have a pleasant vibe between them and Trevorrow milks it for all its worth in numerous two shots.

Biff adores Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass, Safety Not Guaranteed not so much

The supporting characters are not as memorable. This is a film with problems of structure and tone. A voice over narration is used early on to establish Plaza's status as a misfit, but is soon discarded. There are a few satirical shots of the seedy seaside town where most of the action occurs, but this, too, drops by the wayside. The script seems to call for a tone of magical realism, but Trevorrow offers only plodding realism. This has its own rewards, as Trevorrow went on to helm Jurassic World and the upcoming Jurassic World: Dominion.

Fede Alvarez's Evil Dead, from 2013, is a rote reboot of the Sam Raimi classic. What's missing entirely is the mischievous glee Raimi brought to the carnage. Addiction is brought in as a subtext, but this an extremely hollow and disenchanted film.