Saturday, May 25, 2019

The Great Flamarion (1945): Erich Von Stroheim


     Told in flashback form, The Great Flamarion (1945) has a great sense of tone and mood, typical of the Noir-style films of the period. Directed by Anthony Mann, the film has wonderful timing and a good cast, including Mary Beth Hughes as the femme-fatale and Dan Duryea. Erich Von Stroheim is in a league of his own in the title role, however. He was born to play the hard-nosed, disinterested, infallible guy. Everything about him screamed it. From his posture and facial expressions to the harsh accent and tone of his voice, he seemed an impenetrable, stone wall that only the loveliest of ladies could break through or scale.
     Flamarion (Erich von Stroheim) is a traveling vaudeville performer whose talent is astounding skill and accuracy in acts of sharpshooting... 

The Great Flamarion. 1945: Erich Von Stroheim

     His assistants, Connie (Mary Beth Hughes) and Al (Dan Duryea), are a husband and wife team, who perform a skit as Flamarion shoots around them and at various items of their apparel... 

The Great Flamarion. 1945: Erich Von Stroheim

     Connie has grown sick of her husband's heavy drinking, however, and comes up with a scheme to get rid of him... 

The Great Flamarion. 1945: Erich Von Stroheim

     She convinces Flamarion that she is really in love with him. Reluctant and hesitant at first, Flamarion eventually caves in and reciprocates her love... 

The Great Flamarion. 1945: Erich Von Stroheim

     The scheming, seductive temptress persuades Flamarion into thinking that the only way for them to be together is for him to "accidentally" shoot her husband on stage... 

The Great Flamarion. 1945

     Blinded by love, Flamarion concedes and kills Al. After the investigation, Flamarion is cleared, but Connie has skipped town, leaving him with the realization that he has been double crossed and she was lying and using him all along. He must track her down to enact his revenge...

The Great Flamarion. 1945: Erich Von Stroheim

The Great Flamarion. 1945: Erich Von Stroheim