Moonrise (1948)

MOONRISE is a psychologically-focused film noir with a murder plot and bags of sleazy, fetid atmosphere. The main character is a malcontent who saw his father swing from a rope as a child, leaving him a legacy of bullying and shunning by the townsfolk. At the film's outset, he's finally had enough and commits murder, leaving a body in the woods. The typical suspense plot follows, mixing in a little romance with some police investigation, and you really wonder how it's all going to play out. The little-known cast members work hard to convince, but it's director Frank Borzage who does the finest job in terms of atmosphere.

This movie is very confused. Let's start with the miscasting. The main character is a young man whose father was hanged for murder when he was a baby and who all his life has been ridiculed and mistrusted by the other residents of his small town, who think criminality is hereditary. It's a part that calls for a handsome, charismatic, troubled actor like Dean or Brando. But who do we get? Dane Clark, with the profile of a water vole and the attitude of a schlep. Instead of being dangerously, broodingly resentful, he is so whiny that one thinks, well why didn't you ever move away, then?In other parts, Harry Morgan, that byword for dry drollness, plays a deaf mute who is also simpleminded (oh, the pathos!), and the majestic Rex Ingram is given one of those awful condescending roles, the Wise Negro Hermit of saintly demeanor who lives in the woods and comforts the troubled. The sweet-natured, charming Allan Joslyn plays a grumpy sheriff who is permanently unshaven. On top of this, Clark's character rapidly wears out whatever welcome he might have by repeating his mistakes so often and so carelessly that whatever sympathy we might have turns to exasperation. And though he is a sorehead with no prospects, and not good-looking or sexy, the girl falls madly in love with him as soon as he kisses her, even though she is engaged to a handsome, rich boy with a completely different character. None of this makes any sense, and the filmmakers didn't seem to know what they were doing--right after we are trying to shiver ourselves out of a scene of gruesome violence, we are in a dance hall, where the bandstand crooner sings the romantic title song that one is not exactly in the mood to hear. I bet that tune never troubled the Top 40!

It is well known that Terence Fisher's favorite director was Borzage. After the vision of MOONRISE last Sunday, I have clearly discover some elements to establish a positive influence of one on the other.The persecution of the the man who cannot talk nor hear in MOONRISE is describing pure sadism : such a sadism will be the Fisher's one when filming Christina's persecution by the young mens in FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN, the beggar's persecution by the castle lord in CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF.The idea of hunting men with dogs - though coming of course from THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME - will give the second part of the beginning of Fisher's THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLE, reinforced in violence since it is an innocent girl who is chased and not a criminal man.Last but not least, the positive reality of hate as evil, negative energy and pure vice or immorality coming from Satan, by night of full moon will maybe give some transitions ideas in CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF.The idea to fight evil with love - or Freudian idea to fight Thanatos with Eros or religious idea to fight Satan with God - is a success in MOONRISE but it fails in CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF as well as in many other Fisher.Thematical influences so... and aesthetic ones too, certainly : Fisher will use such expressionism in shots - sometimes full sequences - but in color movies such as, again CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF, BRIDES OF Dracula, and many others.PS : another similarity maybe between the U.S. version of LILIOM directed by Borzage (not to be confused with the Fritz Lang one shot in France, of course)and some FRANKENSTEIN (especially FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN and FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED) directed by Fisher is the use of Central Europe police in uniform and specific helmet. Such policemen have the same discreet sadism, and the same patent inutile, in both case : they do not prevent evil but they frighten innocent without protecting them. This does not mean that Fisher had not seen previous FRANKENSTEIN shot by Universal, of course : we know he did. But we do not think in the first place of the James Whale's ones, rather of the Erle C. Kenton's ones, to say the truth.

During all his childhood ,Danny had only known ragging.Being the son of a hanged man was not easy when your school pals kept laughing at you.We can comprehend Danny's hate for Jerry Snykes ,the boy born silver spoon in hand ,whose father is a banker .The resentment had been building up for years.Not only Danny was an innocent victim ,but he also showed compassion for the half-wit,the town youth's punching bag.As grandma says,he is a good guy ,and so was his father,another unfortunate victim of fate .When Danny tries to join the human race,that is to say when he falls in love with Gilly ,it's too late: "why do you always take me far from the others?" she complains.The scene at the fair could be a respite : this is a place dear to Borzage;you may remember Margaret Sullavan on a carousel in "little man what now? " and there's a similar scene in "Liliom" .But the big wheel is also a trap.Filmed in black and white ,often in the dark,in a desperate atmosphere ,"Moonrise" is an extraordinary film noir.It nearly matched the brilliance of Borzage's precedent decade.