Alias Nick Beal (1949)

From 1949, we have Ray Milland, Thomas Mitchell, Audrey Totter, and George Macready in "Alias Nick Beal." Thomas Mitchell plays Joseph Foster, an ethical DA who is working to get rid of the mob influence in his city. One day, he meets a man, Nick Beal (Milland) who offers him evidence against a mobster he is trying to put away. But he has to obtain it illegally, and he does.After that, Foster is put forward for governor, and he acquires an attractive secretary (Totter) and becomes distant from his wife. Meanwhile, a reverend friend, Thomas (Macready) is suspicious of Beal and can't help thinking he's seen him before.A riff on the Faust story, this is a very good noir with an excellent performance by a soft-spoken, unflappable Milland as Beal. Thomas Mitchell could always do pathetic well. Totter, a frequent noir actress, is excellent as the pawn of Nick Beal, doing his bidding for a gorgeous apartment and beautiful clothes.The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. Here he's clothed as Nick Beal. Fine film, recommended.

Thomas Mitchell (Foster) wants to run for Governor and rid the town of corruption, but corrupt Fred Clark (Faulkner) stands in his way. Enter Ray Milland (Nick Beal). Milland can offer Mitchell what he needs to take power.Tony Blair's PR spin-doctor Alastair Campbell is obviously the inspiration for this film. Milland plays the role of domineering adviser to Thomas Mitchell, and Milland gets his way. The cast are all good in this film, with fallen girl Audrey Totter (Donna) getting a special mention – she is funny, intuitive and tragic all at the same time. I thought the film was a bit talky at the beginning but it does seem necessary in order to set the scene. And there certainly is an air of mystery when Milland appears. There are various good scenes, my favourite being when Totter ends up speaking the dialogue that she has just rehearsed with Milland. At first she dismisses Milland for talking nonsense, but there comes a moment when she is with Mitchell and she realizes what is happening. Some of the rehearsed dialogue did not make sense to her when first repeated. But it all fits now. It's well acted and directed and it's the most memorably chilling moment for me. Good direction, effective camera shots and a good music score round out the other film highlights.So, if you fancy running for any kind of position of power in the political arena, just remember to carry a bible with you……..or there may be trouble.

A super triple-plus cheer for the 1949 "Alias Nick Beal"! Director John Farrow told me this was his favorite film. "Everything came out right for once! Every scene was played, set, photographed and edited exactly the way I wanted it." And Ray Milland told me the same thing. "Alias Nick Beal!" he exclaimed. "I loved that movie!" And so right they were both were! Admittedly, I told Farrow I preferred "The Big Clock" as his finest achievement, but "Nick Beal" is definitely number two. Milland is perfect in the title role, and Totter almost equally wonderful as the floozy, but Macready had a far more winning role in the earlier film and Thomas Mitchell is no match at all for Charles Laughton. However, as superbly photographed by Lionel Lindon (who worked with Farrow again on the far less interesting "Submarine Command"), this movie definitely still comes across as a rivetingly atmospheric, film noir masterpiece.

Nick Beal (not his real name) has a haunting way of whistling in the fog, in which he seems at home. It's a symbol of the mystery of the man, which softly, like the fog itself, reveals itself to us. There are absorbing scenes involving Ray Milland's interplays with George Macready, Thomas Mitchell and Audrey Totter, and there is Franz Waxman's soundtrack score, all contributing to the mood of apprehension which prevails throughout in this quiet study of power. Anything said further here would reveal what we soon learn of .... well, of the man who whistles. Highly recommended.