Woman On The Run (1950) San Francisco Noir

Woman On The Run functions as a de facto "time capsule." It captures visually the San Francisco of 1949-50 the way The Naked City did for New York and The Savage Eye does for Los Angeles.

Though, the very opening sequence, where artist Frank Johnson (Ross Elliott) is walking his dog Rembrandt and witnesses an execution, takes place in Los Angeles. It's actually on the stairs that lead to the South Hill Street Terrace on Bunker Hill above the twin Hill Street Tunnels near downtown Los Angeles.

By the way, the North terrace above those same tunnels is where Audrey Totter takes a stroll in The Set Up and that North terrace was where the house  where Burt Lancaster lived stood in Criss Cross.

Frank (Ross Elliott) and Rembrandt

The film is the story of Frank (Ross Elliott), his wife Eleanor (Ann Sheridan), a dogged S.F.P.D. Inspector named Ferris (Brian Kieth), and a determined reporter who wants to get the story Dan Legget (Dennis O'Keefe).

So, a car drives up to the end of a dead end street. It parks. We see two men talking. It gets ugly. A door opens. A couple of shots ring out. A body is dumped. Frank witnessed the whack. From the muzzle flashes Frank sees the killer. The killer in turn gets a couple of shots off at Frank when he spots him and realizes he was seen. The killer speeds off. Frank checks the dead man. Lights are going on in the surrounding houses. Frank yells to a man in a lit window to call the cops.

The police screech up. We find out that the dead man was going to be a witness in a high profile criminal trial. Frank gets grilled by Ferris S.F.P.D who asks him what he saw. When Ferris hears that he saw the the killer, Ferris tells him that he's now a states witness himself. Ferris wants him down at H.Q. for his own protection. Frank tells Ferris that he's got to drop off his dog first. Frank heads to his house. He drops Rembrandt off with Eleanor, and instead of waiting for Ferris and going down to headquarters under police protection he splits out into the night.

 Eleanor (Ann Sheridan)

 Ferris (Brian Kieth)

The rest of the film is Eleanor, Ferris, Rembrandt, and a pushy newspaperman Legget, trying to track down Frank as they range all over San Francisco. During this ensuing chase we learn that Frank is a very good artist but has no confidence in his work. He working as a window dresser to get by, and Eleanor have been struggling in their marriage. We also learn that Frank has been diagnosed with a heart condition. Legget uses Eleanor's struggling relationship with Frank as a wedge.

Legget (Dennis O'Keefe)

Noirsville

Woman On The Run was directed by Norman Foster who gave us Journey Into Fear (1943), and  Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948). It was written by Alan Campbell and Norman Foster and was based on the novel by Sylvia Tate. The cinematography was by Hal Mohr (An Act of Murder (1948), The Big Night (1951), The Wild One (1953)) and the music was by Arthur Lange and Emil Newman.

Let me just mentioned a trend, that if you watch enough films from the mid to late 1940's you'll notice. That trend was that of gorgeous female movie stars cutting their long flowing locks. Part of this was a reflection of many females having to join the war effort. Having long flowing locks was hazardous where machinery in factories and on farms was operated. "In the hope of encouraging women to cut their hair short, thus reducing the risk of being injured or worse at work, they asked Veronica Lake to cut her trademark “peekaboo” long locks. Ms Lake obliged." (Hair and Makeup Artist Handbook)

It may have been for safety reasons, but to me personally they look terrible. Rita Hayworth in Lady From Shanghai, Gloria Grahame in In A Lonely Place, and here in this film Ann Sheridan.

For me it's no contest, Ann on the left is infinitely more attractive than Ann in Woman On The Run. The film which is extremely good as is would have jumped to excellent

Here are the other side by side comparisons.

Gloria Grahame left, Naked Alibi, right In A Lonely Place

Rita Hayworth, left Guilda, right, Lady From Shanghai

The film moves along at a great pace. It's not just a chase film but also an examination of love and marriage, trust and loyalty. All the actors perform flawlessly. Thank the Film Noir Foundation for finding and restoring a terrific film noir,(the only American print burned in a fire in 2008).8/10