Review of The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) by Adrian B — 30 Mar 2011

Lana Turner and John Garfield plot to kill the owner of a roadside lunch diner in this M-G-M film noir thriller based on James M. Cain's classic crime novel. Although it was produced in 1946, "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is a memorable sizzler about adultery, murder, and trial deceptions.

Clearly, this is Tay Garnett's best film of his long career. Clocking in at an hour and fifty-three minutes, this black & white nail biter was sensational stuff when Hollywood belated got its hands on the novel after the French and then the Italians made versions of it.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer borrowed tough guy John Garfield from Warner Brothers and he brings a callous presence to the role of a drifter whose feet are always itching to carry him somewhere. One day Frank Chambers (John Garfield of "Air Force") stops at the Twin Oaks Diner when he spots a sign out front: MAN WANTED.

Frank has no idea what he is getting into when the friendly owner, a middle-aged Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway) convinces him to take the job. Nick is cooking a hamburger on the house for Frank when a customer rolls up and Frank tells him to attend to the customer while he watches the burger on the grill.

Cora (Lana Turner) shows up in a two piece white outfit and is applying lipstick when Frank turns and notices her. She drops the lipstick tube and it rolls up to Frank. Naturally, she expects Frank to bring her the lipstick, but he forces her to fetch it.

After she walks away, Frank smells the burger burning on the grill and throw it away. The stench of the burger could well be Frank's life going up in smoke. Initially, Cora doesn't want Frank to hang around and tries to persuade Nick to fire him.

Eventually, however, Cora takes a shine to Frank and explains that she doesn't love Nick. One day, Cora and Frank leave, but they don't get far before Cora realizes the error of their way and they head back.

Nick cruises toward the diner and nearly collides with a truck. Watching Nick's near fatal accident, Frank wonders aloud if things wouldn't be better if Nick had died. Cora is appalled, but she advocates his death later and they plot to kill Nick in the bath room.

This grim, unsavory melodrama is paced for maximum dramatic impact and Turner is terrific. The ending is a humdinger! Leon Ames is particularly good as the district attorney and Hume Cronyn is mighty slippery as the defense lawyer.