...and another thing: A Favorite Film: LADY IN THE LAKE starring Robert Montgomery and Audrey Totter

I'd seen this film before, but years ago, so I'd forgotten parts of it. Watched it last night and I have to admit I was laughing a good deal of the way through. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a terrific noir-ish sort of film based on one of my favorite Raymond Chandler stories, LADY IN THE LAKE. And instead of Bogart, it stars Robert Montgomery as Philip Marlowe. But see, here's the thing:

The film - directed by Montgomery himself - must have had a budget of 99 cents - tops. Except for a couple of night time car scenes, everything was shot indoors. Even though part of the story takes place at a camp site in the country - we never see where the body of the 'lady in the lake' (of the title) is found. It's all explained to us by Montgomery as he appears during a couple of breaks in the story as a kind of avuncular 'host'.

Robert Montgomery is an odd sort of duck. Not movie-star handsome yet there's something about him that's compelling. You either like him or you don't. My feeling has always been that a little of Montgomery goes a long way. But I like him well enough in this.

This is a film with a BIG gimmick: The camera's eye is our eye, the film is shot from the first person point of view of Marlowe as he moves around 'town' trying to find the missing wife of a publisher played inanely and laughably by Leon Ames. (What a weakling! He made my flesh crawl.)

We don't see much of Marlowe in the film except when he stands in front of a mirror or when the film 'breaks' for his 'hosting' duty. A bit odd that, but I went with it. Shooting in front of a mirror is extremely difficult I understand, but it's very well done. Tricky, but it works well.

Audrey Totter, an actress who has trouble playing 'sincere' on her good days, plays Adrienne Fromsett, a woman who - horror of horrors - actually works for a living. (She has shoulder pads!) She is the associate of publisher Derace Kingsby played by Ames. I actually like Totter, but she is not someone who intantly charms you. She takes getting used to. The camera should soften her up a bit, but in this film, it doesn't bother.

Marlowe is instantly smitten with her even though - horror of horrors - she's made her mark in the 'man's' world of publishing. Later when she asks him what he wants in a wife, he says he wants someone to 'take care of him' someone who, I assume, doesn't work - at least outside the home. Hey, who wouldn't want someone to take care of our every whim?? You can't blame Marlowe for that. Though I had a good laugh.

Here's the gist of Chandler's story which, actually, is one of my favorites: Publisher Kingsby's wife has gone missing. It is presumed she's run off with a sleazy guy named Chris Lavery. And oh my goodness, you have to see this guy's get-up when he first answers the door to Marlowe. I do believe he shops at 'gigolos are us.' I won't describe it, you have to see it.

When Marlowe tracks down Lavery in Bay City, he claims he hasn't seen Mrs. Kingsby in two months. Here's the thing though, it's Adrienne who's hired Marlowe to find the wife, NOT the husband. At least not right off. So that's kind of - huh? Obviously Adrienne has some sort of design on the hubby. Marlowe laughs at her for that. Marlowe does a lot of laughing in this film. It's sort of a snicker/chortle/laugh, a 'tough guy' laugh, that is kind of off-putting. You be the judge.

Anyway, Lavery attacks Marlowe and sets him up to be arrested for 'drunk' driving by the Bay City cops. In this way we get to meet the two Bay City cops who play a large part in the story. Lloyd Nolan is the gruff and nasty (though strangely attractive) DeGarmot and Tom Tully is his boss. They warn Marlowe off the story and out of Bay City. But does Marlowe listen?

On his second trip back to Bay City, Marlowe runs into Lavery's 'landlady" played fabulously to the crazy hilt, by Jayne Meadows. She's flashing a gun, claiming to have found it on the landing and where the heck is Lavery, he owes her back rent. Marlowe goes upstairs after the landlady leaves and finds Lavery dead in the shower. A really good creepy sort of scene.

Okay, after this, that and the other, Marlowe realizes that DeGarmot is in this ugly story up to his neck and sets a trap for him while all the while the cops think Marlowe killed Lavery and is somehow mixed up in the disappearance of Kingsby's wife.

Jayne Meadows as the erstwhile 'landlady' shows up in the end to play a scene of demented hysteria that is so over the top, I always look forward to it.

The story, in typical Chandler style, has a few gaping holes and the film gives Marlowe a happy ending quite out of keeping with the whole idea of 'noir'. In truth, except for Lloyd Nolan and Jayne Meadows who play their 'noirish' parts to the hilt, you might think the rest of the story takes place in another genre. Well, except for the fact that all the men in the story appear as 'weaklings' (except for Marlowe of course) and all the women appear 'strong' - something that noir films used occasionally to great effect. It's all kind of a mish-mash, really.

But, I must say, it is most enjoyable 'mish-mash'. I really do like this film even if my review hints otherwise. But you have to go into it with your eyes wide open. It's a hoot. Montgomery did the best he could with a non-sensical screenplay and zero budget. The camera gimmick saves the day, I think. And I do like Lloyd Nolan a lot. And Jayne Meadows throws herself into her part with all the vigor you could want in a woman playing loony-toony.

On the whole, I think, a film worth watching if only to see how Montgomery's interpretation of Marlowe differs from Bogart's. I liked the book much better, though. Read that if you get a chance.