Accused of Murder (1956) A "Naturama" Noir - A guest review by Scott Lovegrove

Accused of Murder '56. 

This is a one of a myriad of bright, vibrant, technicolor noirs Hollywood transitioned to in the late '50s. The first copy I watched had no credits and just by the look of the film I presumed it was a 20th Century Fox film in cinemascope similar to Richard Fleischer's Violent Saturday released the year before or even Gerd Oswald's classic A Kiss Before Dying released the same year.

When I found a copy with credits I was blown away to discover it was from Republic Pictures (think early John Wayne westerns) filmed in the Naturama process (which I'd never heard of, but there were a lot of pretenders) and to be honest it stands up to the big studios in terms of visual quality, it's a beautiful film to look at. It is once we get into actors and story that unfortunately we are reminded we're still on poverty row. Joseph Kane, a veteran of Republic westerns, is in the director's chair. For the cast we don't have any titans of acting here, but Kane does have quite a bit of firepower with an array of noir veterans lead by David Brian (Beyond the Forest, Flamingo Road) Warren Stevens (Women's Prison, The Price of Fear), Lee Van Cleef (The Big Combo), Barry Kelley (The Asphalt Jungle), and the incomparable Elisha Cook Jr. (Way too many to list). Sidney Blackmer also stars but is way underutilized due to the plot, Vera Ralston (ex. figure skater, turned Republic contract star, turned studio boss wife) stars as the female lead, with Virginia Grey playing the only other significant female part. 

Left to right, Barry Kelly, Ian MacDonald, David Brian, and Lee Van Cleef

Warren Stevens

Elisha Cook Jr.

Vera Ralston

  Sidney Blackmer 

Virginia Grey

The film kicks off in a swanky nightclub where Ralston's singer Ilona Vance is performing a number while Sidney Blackmer's crooked lawyer Frank Hobart is going gaga. His taking in the performance is interrupted by a visit from scarfaced Warren Stevens' Stant. The two men exchange unpleasantries and threats and adjourn; Stant out to his car and Hobart to try to make a proposal to Ilona. Next we get to a not so swanky night club called Love Land. 

The patrons are disturbed by a car horn sounding nonstop that alerts them to a hit on Hobart pulled by Stant, it goes off great except for one problem: he was spotted leaving the scene by Virgina Grey's Sandra. After this police boss Smedley played by Barry Kelley dispatches Lt. Hargis and Sgt. Lackey played by David Brian and Lee Van Cleef respectively to investigate the murder. This is as far as I take you except to say that the typical dark world of noir ensues complete with blackmail, a Laura-esque love affair between Hargis and Vance, and a former drunk turned informant played by noir legend Elisha Cook Jr.

Hank Warden far left

For me personally the story is flat and slow going, Blackmer is wasted and Brian who at times in his career could carry a movie like this  just doesn't have the energy here. The affair between him and Ralston just doesn't have any spark, she was better suited as the breathless damsel in distress opposite the Duke in Dakota '45 or The Fighting Kentuckian '49. Negativity aside this film is definitely worth your time and a screening especially for fans of the genre. As I said before visually I think it's gorgeous and if you can get through some of the rougher patches of acting and try to immerse yourself in the plot it actually will take you somewhere worthwhile in the end. 

For All Films Noir I'm Scott Lovegrove 'til next time.