Review of In a Lonely Place (1950) by Jackson M — 15 Jun 2013

One of the most morally ambiguous noir's ever made? Most probably. One of Bogart's best performance? You betcha. "In a lonely place" tells you everything from its title: the depressive hard-boiled world of Hollywood where individuals are surrounded by cynicism and where two lonely individuals attempt to formulate a 'truthful' connection. However, while many of these aspects evoke the essential concepts of the noir genre, "In a lonely a place" is more concerned with the most difficult and complicated aspect of human intimacies: love.

The film follows Dixon Steele (Bogart), an alcoholic screenwriter who hasn't "written a hit since before the war." Mostly taking place in a set that Roger Ebert describes as "the most evocative landscape in cinema," Steele falls for the beautiful Gloria Grahame (Laurel Gray). While the plot seems ultimately simple, it the actors emotional portrayal of their characters that ultimately drive it. Bogart is at his best. Portraying the ultimate enigma; a man that evokes sadism and cynicism while still containing the ability to demand sympathy. Laurel's character is also trapped within a paradoxical situation: she loves a man (as this love is ultimately idealistic in such a depressive world) with utmost determination, but is ultimately suppressed due to Steele's violent anger.

As previously mentioned, it's the film ability at capturing the complexities of love between two conflicted humans that elevates it. And with Bogart at his best (Reflect on that: "Bogart at his best"), it's simply unmissable.