Man in the Dark (1953)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

If you approach this movie with the expectation that it's a noir crime classic, you'll be disappointed. But if you come to this film for what it was at the time -- the first 3-D movie barely over an hour long, that was rushed through production to beat out a better-known movie to theater audiences -- a low budget but not cheap crime noir with snappy, clever dialogue that Tarantino wishes he wrote -- a black/white crime caper that skillfully blends backlot scenery (the rooftop chase scene must have been literally on top of the actual movie studio soundstages and offices) with Los Angeles street scenery, with genuine 1953-Lost Angeles street scenes, fashions and architecture -- all topped off with solid acting from star and superlative actor O'Brien, supported by journeymen character co-stars -- and for dessert -- the first glimpse of action choreography designed specifically to showcase the brand new 3-D technology (something we still see too much of in modern 3-D flix) -- then what we have is a movie whose parts are better than the sum total. Oh, and did I mention the crazy fun dialogue? If this movie is watched with an eye toward film history, then it goes from a rating of 6, to a rating of 8. This movie is a remake of a 1930s plot, then it was remade as a TV episode. Expect to see it again someday in a modern movie or tv show. It's a solid plot with all kinds of fun possibilities.

The 3D "Bwana Devil" had proved a surprising success and Hollywood now felt it had a secret weapon in it's fight against the infiltration of television. "Man in the Dark" was one of only two noirs filmed in 3D (the other being "I, the Jury") and it was quite an expensive process for what was really just a programmer. From the start, with punches flying and guns exploding in front of the camera, it was quite different to the usual Lew Landers production. Mobster Steve Rawley (Edmond O'Brien) is due to be operated on as part of a unique brain experiment to see if his murderous criminal tendencies can be stopped. It reminded me a bit of "The Crime Doctor" - you know, the first one of the series where Warner Baxter, originally a crime boss, is hit on the head and wakes up in hospital, not knowing who he is or what happened to the stolen money.Only Edmond O'Brien, being a much superior actor is able to imbue this gritty little noir with much edginess. In his case it is $130,000 and both his old gang and the insurance assessors are all eager to find out where he has hidden the loot. The only thing is he has lost his memory so even though his old gang get to him first and give him a thorough beating it does them no good. His old girl friend, hard boiled tough girl Peg (as only Audrey Totter can play her) is bought in to try to soften him up but she likes the new, gentle Steve and now wants no part of the money.Just so you don't forget it was originally a 3D movie, there are punches thrown, a bird flies toward the camera, an exciting gun fight from a speeding car with guns levelled right at the cameras and a man hurtling feet first toward the camera from a roller coaster ramp which must have given the original audience a few thrills. Steve starts to regain his original hardness and through a vivid dream, his memory of a chase through an amusement park. The roller coaster ride could have been inspired by the opening shot in the recently released "This Is Cinerama" but a couple of years previously in "Woman on the Run" (1950), the climax came with Ann Sheridan in a particularly scary roller coaster ride filmed at the same Pacific Ocean Park. Peg, now aligned with the police and assessors can only watch as Steve battles his greedy partners atop the ride.This is a pretty excellent movie with O'Brien, seemingly still on the run (like he was in "D.O.A"). In the original prints Columbia advertised the movie as made in "glowing monocolor" - in reality it was sepia, but prints don't even have that now, just plain black and white.Recommended.

Edmond O'Brien stars in "Man in the Dark," a 1953 film also starring Audrey Totter. O'Brien plays Steve Rawley, a prisoner who undergoes experimental surgery that's supposed to erase the criminal elements of his brain. It also wipes his memory of past events.Unfortunately Steve and some other thugs committed a big robbery and Steve hid the money. Now that he has no memory, he doesn't know where he put it. His old gang kidnaps him and tries to find out his hiding place. His old girlfriend Peg (Totter) is around, and she wants him to forget the whole thing and go away with her.Steve starts remembering things in the form of bizarre dreams. He and Peg attempt to follow the clues in the dreams to track down the money.Edmond O'Brien made a lot of these B films for Columbia. This one is no better or worse than many of them. The last part of the film takes place in an amusement park, and it's very good.Originally this film was in 3-D, and like some other films, it was filmed in the seen-better-days area of Ocean Park near Venice, CA. I always like seeing the old LA, and this film has lots of shots of it.I had one major problem with this film, and it's a major plot hole. If you had stolen a lot of money and hidden it, why would you agree to a surgery that is going to clean out your memory so that you don't remember where you hid it? I don't know the answer.

After reading some negative reviews of this film, I expected it to be a pretty stale B-movie about gangsters and stolen dough. However, I found this to be a pretty entertaining B-movie with some humorous 3-D effects, and some wonderful footage of an amusement park circa 1953.The script for this film, is indeed pretty routine with the typical gangster stereotypes seen in most films of the period. Edmund O'Brien gives a very good performance, however. There are also a few other familiar character actors in the film, which make for interesting viewing.The 3-D gimmicks utilized throughout (scalpels, cigars, guns, a flower pot, roller coaster) are fun to spot, and good for a laugh. The greatest asset this film has though, is it's use of location filming. There is an interesting chase across some rooftops which works very well, but best of all are the amusement park scenes, including a roller coaster ride, and some really nice close-ups of the Fun House Laughing Sal figure. If for no other reason, see the film for her presence.