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| Veteran star Fred MacMurray & starlet Kim Novak in 1954’s movie noir, “Pushover.” |
The
story of an authority determine going dangerous for large bucks and a stupendous broad is
nothing new. In its time, Pushover
was a B+ film with a veteran star who was a number one man for 20 years, solid
reverse a newcomer starlet with no appearing expertise. Fortunately, Pushover had a robust story taken from
two novels, a handy guide a rough, grownup script and path, and people stars occurred to
be Fred MacMurray and Kim Novak. MacMurray was within the course of from going from
main man to character roles to future household star through Disney and sitcom My Three Sons. Novak went from minor
mannequin to main movie star with the discharge of Pushover. A sleeper hit on the time, Pushover is taken into account by many a noir basic as we speak.
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| Be aware how Kim Novak’s outfit and make-up differ on this p.r. photograph than the precise scene depicted on the high from 1954’s “Pushover.” |
Richard
Quine directed this crime noir tautly and stylishly. He went from appearing to
directing about this time, and received reward for dealing with one other B+ movie noir
with a veteran star: Journey a Crooked Mile
with Mickey Rooney. After Pushover,
he surprisingly went on to direct largely romantic comedies. Quine started a
skilled and sometimes private affiliation with Kim, and dealt with her
fairly nicely as an actress. Kim was a mannequin with two movie credit as an additional to her
resume. He labored along with her strengths, which was her magnificence, sensuality, and
vulnerability, which just about remained her calling card as an actress.
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| Kim Novak spends a lot display screen time silently as Lona McLane in 1954’s “Pushover.” |
Kim
Novak, just like the later Tippi Hedren, turned a star earlier than she developed abilities
as an actress. Director Quine gave her as little dialogue as doable,
photographing her considered by cops via binoculars, or silently driving within the
evening, and gazing at herself in mirrors. From the get-go, Kim’s first position as
Lona McLane was as an object of want, which Hitchcock utilized greatest 4
years in Vertigo. In much less voyeuristic
methods, Kim was the gorgeous prize in her breakout star position in Picnic, Jeanne Eagels, Strangers When
We Meet, and even her remaining huge film, The
Legend of Lylah Clare. Novak was on the eve of turning 21 throughout filming of
Pushover. Kim is slim, but curvy and
very fairly, although caught with studio meeting line make-up and hair that make
her look a bit tarty—nevertheless, it match the position. Quickly after, she’d get the large
studio makeover. Regardless of her trance-like efficiency, Kim elicits empathy as
she goes from a stored girl who schemes to get her financial institution robber boyfriend’s loot,
to a lady who genuinely cares a couple of crooked cop, performed by Fred MacMurray.
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| Fred MacMurray appeared frankly midde-aged as soiled cop Paul Sheridan in 1954’s “Pushover.” |
Most
actors would not need to be solid as middle-aged, even when they really have been. However
Fred MacMurray performs the position of Paul Sheridan with no script or visible
camouflage. His veteran cop is a bitter about his lot in life, in comparison with
his youthful companion, performed by Phil Carey. Paul needs to get his fingers on the
financial institution robber’s money stash. MacMurray is photographed jowls and all in his mid-40s,
in comparison with 25 years youthful Novak, who get the beautiful close-ups. Fred’s soiled
cop first performs Kim’s stored woman, solely to fall in love along with her. Later, you discover
out the sensation is progressively mutual from Lona. MacMurray performs
principally an older model of his character from Double Indemnity, however extra realistically than his earlier cad. I
by no means discovered Fred probably the most thrilling actor on the earth, however at all times thought him
extra attention-grabbing because the dangerous man.
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| Earlier than he was cleaning soap dangerous man Asa Buchanan, Philip Carey was a superb & handsome cop companion in 1954’s “Pushover.” |
As
for Philip Carey as McAllister, I’m wondering why he did not turn into an enormous, mid-century
film star. He was gifted, masculine, charismatic, and handsome. I can
consider a variety of younger actors from the late ’40s and early ’50s who have been
given the main man remedy, however ended up character actors as a result of audiences
weren’t shopping for. Carey at all times labored, however usually in westerns and TV visitor pictures. A lot
later, Carey turned a star, as daytime’s model of J.R. Ewing, Asa Buchanan on
One Life to Stay.
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| Earlier than Dorothy Malone went platinum, she was the great nurse subsequent door to intercourse bomb Kim Novak in 1954’s “Pushover.” With good cop Phil Carey! |
Dorothy
Malone, who had been kicking round Hollywood for a decade, versus Kim’s
immediate rise, performed the brunette neighbor nurse of Novak’s stored girl. A
decade older than Novak, Malone makes probably the most of her second feminine lead. It is
additionally amusing that Carey’s good cop is peeping on her Ann Stewart, whereas dangerous cop
MacMurray is peeping on Novak’s Lona. A straightforward technique to change a golden period
actress’ picture was to dye her hair. Lana and Marilyn’s careers took off as soon as
they went platinum, and Joan Bennett received a brand new profession by going brunette. This
was Malone’s final position as with darkish hair. She went platinum for 1955’s Younger at Coronary heart. Her profession took off, successful an Oscar for her dangerous woman in Written on the Wind.
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| Like Marilyn Monroe, Kim Novak did not have a lot use for bras, both! With Fred MacMurray because the cop who falls for her, in 1954’s “Pushover.” |
One
factor that shocked me was how a lot received previous the censors in Pushover. The manufacturing code was
beginning to erode, however nonetheless very a lot in place. However a number of the double
entendre dialogue, ala Double Indemnity,
isn’t very delicate. Plus, Kim is clearly bra-less in a number of outfits, on
which the digicam lingers. Each Novak and Malone’s characters get some recent
consideration directed at them, quite blatantly. Not that I am complaining! I roll
my eyes at previous films the place prostitutes needed to be known as hostesses or fashions, however
it’s simply stunning right here.
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| Who’s playin’ who? In movie noir, it may be laborious to inform! Fred MacMurray & Kim Novak in 1954’s crime drama, “Pushover.” |
The
backside line with 1954’s Pushover is
that whereas it is nothing new, it was filmed and carried out in positive noir
fashion. The story is informed in a really grownup method for its time, which is one among
the explanations it nonetheless holds up. One more reason Pushover nonetheless appeals is it’s the primary time audiences received to see Kim
Novak on movie.
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| Kim Novak’s final close-up because the dangerous woman gone good, in 1954’s “Pushover.” |
Right here’s
a superb grownup cleaning soap, starring Kim Novak and Kirk Douglas, directed by
Richard Quine: https://ricksrealreel.blogspot.com/2019/02/kim-kirk-team-for-suburban-soap-opera.html
