Murder, My Sweet

Year: 1944

Grade: B

Country: USA

Director: Dmytryk

Review

didn’t have as many nice touches as the set-up did, but the writing was better and the plot was more twisted. though nothing in the film was as inspired as the boxing sequence in set-up, the film was well-directed. i especially liked the dream sequences which sort of reminded me of hitchcock’s partnering with salvador dali in “spellbound.” each time the protagonist was knocked out he fell into a weird dream state that was depicted on screen by a pool of black covering the frame, followed by all sorts of illogical dream-type images. it was effectively executed. i think my biggest complaint about murder, my sweet and the set-up is that they weren’t bleak enough. sure there was plenty of darkness in the film, both thematically and in the mise-en-scene, but the ending in both films was more uplifting than i would have liked. you see, when i’m watching noir i want an ending like the one in “the killing” – one that leaves no room for positive spin – pure, unadulterated darkness.