Visitors Review

dougdoepke (2012-05-22 10:50)

Worth a Closer Look

Despite a catch-penny tile, "Try and Get Me" (aka Sound of Fury)remains a truly frightening movie whose disturbing imagery lingers longafter the voice-over reassurances subside. The director, Cy Endfield,was one of the lower profile victims of the Mc Carthy purges. Viewingthis movie now, it's easy to see why. Family man and returning vet Howard Tyler (played by the always low-keyFrank Lovejoy) is recruited into a life of crime by no more thanordinary desires for the American Dream. Desperate and unemployed, hefalls into the clutches of a swaggering stickup man superbly played bya preening Lloyd Bridges. (Notice how subtly Bridges bends Tyler to hiswill on their first meeting at the bowling alley.) Joining Bridges,Tyler finally gets the standing he desires, but the spiral he hasentered dooms him and his family's share of America's promise. (Notethat conspicuous among the lynch mob's vanguard are fraternity boys,true to the actual event on which the movie is based.) Throughout, the lighting and photography effectively undermine thefacile voice of reason that the producers probably felt obligated toinclude. Endfield may have wanted an anti- violence film, but theresulting visual landscape implies a world of endemic violence. A senseof powerlessness pervades the film, one that mere admonishments cannotovercome. As a result, the characters appear caught in some terriblemetaphysical web from which there is no escape. Events marchrelentlessly on to a conclusion that remains one of the most harrowingin Hollywood history. This is film noir at its darkest and mostfrightening. Something should be noted in passing about the compellingly exoticperformance of Katherine Locke as Hazel the manicurist. Watch herfacial expressions as this highly repressed plain-faced womanexperiences yet one more rejection in what a paste-on smile shows to bea lifetime of rejections. Never has a blossom perched so precariouslyon a cheap hairdo conveyed as much lower-class longing as hers, whilethe car ride with a guilt-ridden Tyler could serve as tawdryinspiration for a dozen feminist tracts. What ever became of thisunusual actress, I wonder. Without doubt, however, the film's dramatic high point is the lynchmob. It's one of the most coldly unnerving 20 minutes in movie annals,far surpassing (in my view) the better-known Fury (1936) in itsdepiction of mass violence. The fact that the mob is made up ofordinary citizens brought to fever pitch is especially telling.Unthinking violence is thus shown as potentially present in us all. At the same time, the screenplay refuses to take the easy way out. Infact, Howard and Jerry are guilty, unlike, say, the three unfortunatecowboys in The Oxbow Incident (1943). Thus, what repels us is not thefact that innocent men are killed for a crime they didn't commit. Thatwould be too easy. Instead, I think we're unnerved by how the crowdappears to celebrate the brutality of vigilante justice. Endfieldsucceeds in making this aspect especially ugly. Yes, in a very generalsense, justice is served—murderers are in fact punished for theircrime—but if so, justice is served in a particularly barbaric way evenif the act does have popular support. In my little book, Endfield hasfashioned the most effective of all anti- lynching movies, in partbecause it doesn't take the easy way out.That Endfield exiled himself to England and a conventional career withStanley Baker, shows how much was lost among those purge victims whosedisappearance, unlike many others, went generally unnoticed. Just acouple of years after the remarkable "Try and Get Me" (and Endfield'salso provocative "Underworld Story"), Hollywood began sanitizing thescreen with the escapism of period spectacles, Technicolor westerns,and full-cleavage sex goddesses. Indeed times had changed. As Endfieldalready knew, the studios had to fight the Cold War too. There would beno more thought-provoking Try and Get Me's.

ccthemovieman-1 (2012-05-21 21:47)

Try And Get Me!

The subject headline - Try And Get Me! - is the title of the movie, asI know it.Man, this is a different kind of film noir story, mainly because of theending. It centers around two crooks, played by Lloyd Bridges and FrankLovejoy. Of the two, Bridges is the more fun guy to watch. He and hisgirlfriend (played by Adele Jergens) have some very good dialog.Lovejoy and his potential girlfriend have some lines that are so badthey are laughable! It almost reminded me of poor Elisha Cook verballyduking it out with tough-gal Marie Windsor: in other film noirs cornybut fun stuff.This was an entertaining film almost from the start. The last 30minutes are really intense after Lovejoy cracks, stupidly admits hiscrime and is unfairly accosted as the murderer (he was the accomplice,not the murderer.) Then, the townsfolk, fueled by sensationalistjournalism by the local paper, form into a huge lynch mob and storm thejail after the two criminals. The scenes of that, and what happens, arehorrific. I am not exaggerating. In fact, it was one of the mostdisturbing scenes I've ever seen on film, especially for a classicmovie. The cheers from the crowd when they kill the two men (which isnot shown) are downright chilling.The film obviously is a powerful indictment on yellow journalism and ofmob mentality. The last scene was so distasteful that I have neverwanted to watch this movie again!

harrisonransom (2012-05-20 09:48)

A Stellar Noir Film with a Message as Strong Today as in 1950

An awesomely powerful look at the divide between social classes in theUS circa 1950 culminating in the transformation of law-abiding citizensinto a violent, blood-thirsty mob bent on taking the law into their ownhands. The mass psychology of mob violence couldn't be betterportrayed. I have no idea how this truly moving film could have falleninto obscurity. It's message that violence never resolves conflict isas painfully current today as it was in 1950. Will we never learn fromthe past? One of the darkest Noir films I've seen. Generates asuccessive waterfall of emotions spanning the spectrum of humanexperiences, needs and drives. Well acted and well worth watching. Veryhighly recommended.

(2012-05-20 00:30)

Just as long as nobody gets hurt.......

The title is weak and the ending is lame with the voice over moral hitting you over the head. There is NO nuance here. Every actor has one note.But, the first half of the film is very entertaining with cool as a cucumber hold up guy [Lloyd Bridges]corrupting weak kneed common man [Frank Lovejoy].This is a sure to lose partnership if there ever was one. Lloyd Bridges is a standout with just the right amount of swagger to make it credible.

bobj-3 (2012-05-18 00:43)

A haunting film, after all these years.

I, too, saw this picture as a child, on television, alone, late at night,and I can still recall the powerful impression it made. Truly frighteningin its revelations of human depravity and mob violence. Lloyd Bridges'bestperformance by far, he is absolutely gripping as the deranged and heartlessmurderer. The scene in which he is in his cell, with the mob breaking intothe prison and coming to get him, is stunning in its power. I haven't seenthe film in a half century, but I still remember thosemoments.

(2012-05-17 04:54)

Fearless political noir.

'The Sound of Fury' (a.k.a. 'Try and Get Me') surpasses those three classics of lynch-mob terror - Lang's 'Fury', Wellman's 'The Ox-Bow Incident' and Corman's 'The Intruder' - in its savage melodramatic power; its determination to galvanise its audience; its political integrity (the journalist who influences the mob is a civilised bourgeois cosy with the corrupt elite; with the anti-hero an ex-army prole in a near-Depression small-town, with an immigrant wife), its visual sense of America, its forgotten, anonymous small towns, its bowling alleys, petrol stations, caravan camps. There is one extraordinary sequence, the equal of the bank robbery in 'Gun Crazy' (no higher praise, etc.): we watch a petrol station hold-up through the window behind the getaway driver, the camera held on Frank Lovejoy's nervy, sweaty face, the second drama playing out in miniature. The seamless move from relentless film noir to complex, undogmatic social tract is invigorating.

(2012-05-16 15:18)

Try and Get Me

This film includes some classic noir story lines. The protagonist (Frank Lovejoy) is drawn into a world of petty crime when his search for a blue collar job results in despair,confusion, and rejection. Lovejoy's conscious becomes embroiled in turmoil when the values and convictions of an honest man fall short of providing security for his wife and son. Lovejoy meets a two bit hood in a bowling alley who convinces him that the workingmans' plight is a life filled with nothingness and unfulfilled dreams. They embark on a series of gas station robberies and enjoy the excitement of quick cold cash. Unbeknownest to his wife who thinks that he is working the late shift at a factory, the family settles into a temporary state of middle class bliss. But this is short lived, an eventual murder charge is brought aginst Lovejoy. The film then moves at a rapid pace, where prosecutors, newsmen, women, and victims are woven into Lovejoy's frozen conscious. Lloyd Bridges gives an indelible performance as the maniacal street hood who justifies crime as a means to achieve a higher class in an unforgiven society. The acting, camera work, lighting, and, editing is superb as the two are held and trapped in a town jail where ironically an angry mob seeks entrance and ultimate revenge. This film is a must see for noir enthusiasts. Critics argue that Richard Widmark's performance in Kiss of Death transformed the criminal figure into a warped and brutal character whose proclivity for violence was unrestrained. Lloyd Bridges's performance in Try and Get Me reaffirms this image, albeit, more convincingly.

(2012-05-15 23:10)

Try to get it

I was searching for this flick for a long time and finally got my hands on it. Let me just say, it was worth the effort. This noir gem stands along side Fritz Lang's "Fury" as the best presentation of mob violence on film. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but all the crucial elements of prime noir are present: exceptional lighting, imaginative framing, taunt acting and an ending that doesn't compromise. Also of note is Lloyd Bridges. He gives an outstanding performance as a slick hood with big ideas. I just wish they kept the film's original title, "The Sound of Fury." "Try and Get Me!" sounds too much like a romantic comedy. Still, this movie rocks.

(2012-05-09 12:43)

Wrenching

Despite a catch-penny tile, "Try and Get Me" remains a truly frightening movie whose disturbing imagery lingers long after the voice-over reassurances subside. The director, Cy Endfield, was one of the lower profile victims of the Mc Carthy purges. Viewing this movie , it's easy to see why. Family man and returning vet Howard Tyler (played by the always low-key Frank Lovejoy) is recruited into a life of crime by no more than ordinary desires for the American Dream. Desperate and enemployed, he falls into the clutches of a swaggering stickup man superbly played by a preening Lloyd Bridges. (Notice how subtly Bridges bends Tyler to his will on their first meeting at the bowling alley.) Joining Bridges, Tyler finally gets the standing he desires, but the spiral he has entered dooms him and his family's share of America's promise. (Note that conspicuous among the lynch mob's vanguard are fraternity boys, true to the actual event on which the movie is based.)Throughout, the lighting and photography effectively undermine the facile voice of reason which the producers probably felt obligated to include. Endfield may have wanted an anti-violence film, but the resulting visual landscape implies a world of endemic violence. A sense of powerlessness pervades the film, one that mere admonishments cannot overcome. As a result, the characters appear caught in some terrible metaphysical web from which there is no escape. Events march relentlessly on to a conclusion that remains one of the most harrowing in Hollywood history. This is film noir at its darkest and most frightening.Something should be noted in passing about the compellingly exotic performance of Katherine Locke as Hazel the manicurist. Watch her facial expressions as this highly repressed plain-faced woman experiences yet one more rejection in what a paste-on smile shows to be a lifetime of rejections. Never has a blossom perched so precariously on a cheap hairdo conveyed as much lower-class longing as hers, while the car ride with a guilt-ridden Tyler could serve as tawdry inspiration for a dozen feminist tracts. What ever became of this unusual actress, I wonder.That Endfield exiled himself to England and a conventional career with Stanley Baker, shows how much was lost among those purge victims whose disappearance, unlike many others, went generally unnoticed. Just a couple of years after the remarkable "Try and Get Me" (and Endfield's also provocative "Underworld Story"), Hollywood began sanitizing the screen with the escapism of period spectacles, technicolor westerns, and full-cleavage sex goddesses. Indeed times had changed. As Endfield already knew, the studios had to fight the Cold War too. There would be no more thought-provoking Try and Get Me's.

Robert J. Maxwell (2012-05-09 01:11)

Brutal Moralistic Crime Drama

Frank Lovejoy is a veteran who never was sent overseas during the war.He can't find a job to support his wife (Kathleen Ryan) and little boy.Angry, embittered, and perhaps a little guilty, he falls in with badguy Lloyd Bridges who sport platinum cuff links and seems to beenjoying himself all over the little California town. Bridges offersLovejoy a job as his wheel man. Just a couple of minor stick-ups,nothing serious. But the robberies escalate into the kidnapping of acollege boy from a rich family. Bridges, an envious psychopath, killsthe kid out of spite. Both Bridges and Lovejoy are caught and jailedbut several thousand people break into the jail, beat the men, and passthem outside overhead like serving platters where they meet vigilantejustice.I haven't seen it since I was a kid but the memory of that climacticcollective murder still makes me wince.It's impossible to comment on the performances, or on much else forthat matter, after the passage of so many years but unless my brain hasturned to tofu, I'm compelled to recommend the film.It was made at the height of the anti-Red hysteria in Hollywood, a timewhen subliminal pro-communist messages were being read into cinematictrifles. And the advertising campaign that accompanied this releaseseemed almost to goad the audience into mindless mob action. Get in onthe ground floor of the explosive rage for justice! That sort of thing.In other words, hang the Reds.It was completely at odds with the message of the movie itself, whichwas that ordinary guys can get sucked up by circumstances and findthemselves suffering the same fate as those who are truly evil. Oh --and mobs can be dangerous. (If you're a social psychologist, think"risky shift".) Out of all the simple black-and-white crime melodramasthat appeared in the post-war period, this is one of the few that hadme by the lapels.Based on a real incident in 1930s San Jose, California.If it shows up, be sure to catch it.

rvbunting-1 (2012-05-03 04:18)

Lovejoy and Bridges at their best

This is a true sleeper in the film noir category, because so few peoplesaw it in original distribution. There was a legal dispute caused bythe original title, "Sound of Fury" which some felt was too close toFritz Lang's "Fury" filmed earlier.Much of this picture was filmed in Phoenix, and the old city courthouseis very prominent, with it's beautiful copper doors. A true 'dive'nightclub, the "La Jolla Club" later known as the "Guys and Dolls" wasused for a key scene.Lloyd Bridges showed his wonderful range and capability as a wild-eyedpsycho, and Lovejoy was tragically sympathetic as a tortured regularguy gone terribly wrong. The cast was very strong.This is on a par with any of the noir films of the late 40s-early 50s,and holds up today.Enjoy!

Steve-602 (2012-05-02 13:31)

Rare lynching film based on an all but forgotten true story

A bit preachy in the style of the day but a remarkable film. Theopening is especially strong. Among the interesting touches, the movielynch mob is made up mainly of college students wearing their schoolt-shirts. New York Model Adele Jergens didn't have much of a Hollywoodcareer but she's right on the money in this one. Although the timeframe is post WWII, the story is based on an actual lynching in SanJose, California, in 1933. Reporter Royce Brier of the San FranciscoChronicle won a Pulitzer for his account of the event.CaliforniaGovernor James Rolph Jr. was quoted as saying he would like to turnover all jail inmates serving sentences for kidnapping to the custodyof "those fine patriotic San Jose citizens, who know how to handle sucha situation."

mackjay (2012-04-30 02:07)

"You're spiraling, Howie!"--Jerry Slocum

"Try & Get Me"--is a strong entry in the noir canon because it is highlyeffective in its use of what we now call 'noir' style elements, and alsobecause of the undiminished power of its social message.Some really marvelous acting from Lloyd Bridges (Jerry Slocum, never colderor more threatening than here) and Frank Lovejoy (Howard, the verysympathetic, tragic protagonist) is the main ingredient of the movie'ssuccess. Several scenes have a palpable noir atmosphere. Examples: when thekidnapping plot takes a sinister turn, Lovejoy covering his face with hishands in shame and horror; when the sad, lonely manicurist realizes she isin the company of a sought-after killer.Lovejoy's situation could not be more noir: it works so well, because ofintelligent, convincing writing. We believe he is desperate for money andBridges' offer seems almost irresistable. The actor expertly conveys hisconstant ambivalence about his new "job".Bridges demonstrates a gift for a realistic, malevolent transition, earlyon, when Lovejoy balks at pulling a robbery. He goes from shirtless,cocksure strutting to dandified indignancy in seconds, transmitting theresentment that so many criminals have for honest citizens.The film does recall Fritz Lang's magnificent "Fury", and according tosources, both films were based on the same true incidents. And for all thegreatness of the Lang opus, "Try & Get Me" holds its own as a depiction ofthe dark, downward spiral of a desperate man.

ionus (2012-04-29 12:54)

Noir Non-Classic

The only interesting acting in this film is Lloyd Bridges'. The writinganddirecting are workmanlike but the result is uncomfortable to watch andthereis a definite preachiness to some of the speeches (what else can you callthem?). Also, the ending sequences are a bit too reminiscent of FritzLang's"Fury" (1936, starring Spencer Tracy), even though the events turn outdifferently.

jc-osms (2012-04-27 18:17)

Gritty, multi-themed early 50's crime-drama

Interesting little B-movie thriller, which starts with the theme ofwhat an honest but desperate man will do to help his family survive,moves on to a loaded discussion on sensationalist lurid journalismbefore ending with a damning indictment of mob rule.It's quite a trip and to get us there introduces us to the memorablecharacter played by Lloyd Bridges, a cocky young psychopath whose pettycrimes take along with him on the lure of easy money, unemployed, hardup family man Frank Lovejoy. It's not long though before Bridges' truecharacter comes to light, escalating in no time to a kidnapping andbrutal murder with disastrous outcomes for all concerned.For its time, this is all pretty heady stuff, shown to us in matter offact style by director Endfield with to my mind anyway, little realdeference to noir conventions. The film is a bit slow to get startedbut once Bridges appears, it picks up on his manic energy. Some of theperipheral characters are just a bit too obvious, like the humanistprofessor friend of the sensationalist journalist whose screamingheadlines, the film would have it, egg the local townsfolk to stormingthe jail while said journalist's own realisation of his part in themayhem is also a little laboured but these are counteracted in somemeasure by some effective low-key character acting by Lovejoy andKatherine Locke as the lovelorn girl with whom Bridges sets him up foralibi purposes.The concluding riot scene, (with it seems a lot of university studentsto the fore!) gets the biggest budget and is effectively staged,reminiscent of its predecessor in Lang's classic "Fury", before the bigdownbeat message is double-underlined for us as the credits roll.A very watchable and considering its era, bold movie with interestingcharacters, dealing with big subjects and ending with a thunderingmoral message to boot. Quite a lot to pack in and done pretty well allround, I'd say.

beresfordjd (2012-04-27 02:53)

performances?

Lloyd Bridges always gives good value whether as a complete villain, ashere, or as a hero- remember Sea Hunt? Sea Hunt was my favourite TVseries when I was an impressionable kid. I also loved him in theAirplane movies, showing a real talent for comedy. He is the best thingin this B movie. Most of the other actors I am sure were notprofessionals and Frank Lovejoy was not up to par either and usually Ihave quite liked his performances. I am watching it as I type this andam far from impressed by it - brave treatment of a dark subject or no.The actress who plays the manicurist is close to appallingly bad. Wherewere the razzies when we needed them? I am interested enough to see itthrough ,however, so it cannot be quite as bad as I am painting it.There are lots of film noir movies from this era that were so muchbetter. This could have been superb with a better, more able cast(Lloyd Bridges aside). I think a lot of this was dubbed later so itaffects the acting and atmosphere.