[FilmReview]TheTarnishedAngels(1957)

Title:TheTarnishedAngelsYear:1957Country:USALanguage:EnglishGenre:Action,Adventure,DramaDirector:DouglasSirkScreenwriter:GeorgeZuckermanbasedonthenovel“Pylon”byWilliamFaulknerMusic:FrankSkinnerCinematography:IrvingGlassbergEditing:RussellF.SchoengarthCast:RockHudsonDorothyMaloneRobertStackJackCarsonRobertMiddletonChristopherOlsenTroyDonahueAlanReedWilliamSchallertRating:6.8/10THETARNISHEDANGELS,DouglasSirk’scinematicadaptationofFaulkner’sDepression-eranovelPYLON,repeatsthewinningformulaofWRITTENONTHEWIND(1956),withHudson.MaloneandStack,allreturningtothefold.Yet,forthosewhoareensorcelledbySirk’svariegatedpalette,thebigcomedownisthatitisablack-and-whitefare.HudsonplaysBurkeDevlin,ajourneyman-cum-lush,getsinterestedinthebarnstormingairshow,andmeetsRogerShumann(Stack),adaredevilWWIaceandhiswifeLaVerne(Malone),aparachutestuntwoman,andtheir9-year-oldsonJack(Olsen),plusJiggs(Carson),thegreasemonkey.Willhegetasubstantialstoryoutofhisinvolvement?Thedenouementismorethanwhathebargainsfor.LaVerneistheneglectedwife,sadlyevenhermarriageistheoutcomeofadicegame,yet,betweenthegoodol’Jiggsandastony-facedRoger,awomanisdestinedtopickthehigh-flying,handsomeherowhoisill-equippedforloveandfamily.Burke’sadventgivesheranopportunitytomakeacleanbreastofit,heisacharming,tenderreceptacleofherpent-updiscontent,theymighthaveapassionateaffair,butthatdoesn’tchangethestatusquo.Burkeisfartoorighteousamantointerfereaholyunion,andLaVernecannevergetoverherstolidPrinceCharming,isindiscriminatelyathisbeckandcall,evenforanimmoralproposition,shewillhardlydemur.ThatisthedrawofamanlikeRoger,hishard-nosed,hellbentmasculinetoxinthatginsupeligiblegirls’romanticizedfancyof“amanworthmarrying”,LaVernewouldbefarmorehappierwithJiggs,butbothinFaulkner’sheadspaceandinHollywood’spropagandamill,asofttouchlikehimhasnochanceofwinningthegirl,evensecond-handedly.Thelovetriangleisnamby-pamby,Roger’spromisedfreshstartistingedwithablaséfatalitythatevenatoddlercanoutguesswhatisinthehorizon,theemotionaltangleinTHETARNISHEDANGELSisafewnotchesbelowthetorridquotientinSirk’sotherfilms,notablythethreealsostarringHudson.Evenso,aSirk’spictureisneverunprepossessing,thestrikingchiaroscuroovershadowsthedarkcornersofone’sunsaidvice,andtheaerobaticsarebrilliantlymaneuvered(LaVerne’sbasejumpisdeceptivelyastounding)saveforthefinalcrash,obviouslythereisashallow,artificialpondrightinfrontofoureyes,howcantheynotfindthebody?Actingwise,Stackistooself-seriousanduptighttohintRoger’sinabilityofadjustingaflyboy’slifeinpeacetime;CarsonisaremarkablesidekickasJiggs,whounfairlytakestheshortendofthestickwhenallissaidanddone(whynoonewantstorecruitsuchaproficientmechanic?),youfeelssorryforhim,butinthesamebreaththinkshedeservesthemiserybecauseofhisweakness;Maloneassertsherselfglamorouslyunderthemonochromaticallure,shecouldbeatamedman-eater,orasaintlymother,butneverasksforourcompassion;finally,Hudsonappearsasasolidlead,anddeliversperchancehismosteloquentmonologueintheaftermathofthetragedy,aconventionalHollywoodleadingmaninafull-boremold,allsquareandvirtuous,notunlikeitssoft-pedaledending,extricatingawomanfromherseedyacquiescenceandhumorouslysettingupafuturereunion,oh,whatadreamboat!referentialentries:Sirk’sLURED(1947,6.5/10);WRITTENONTHEWIND(1956,8.0/10).