Fritz Lang directs Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas and Robert Ryan in this drama where a woman returns to the port town she grew up in and finds herself caught between two middle aged losers.

The Filmhouse did a Rare Marilyn season and we caught this early appearance. She is smoking hot in her half a dozen scenes and actually turns in a vivid, legitimate performance as a cannery worker orbiting all the adultery and toxic masculinity. The main story itself is a stew of immorality. Kinda like if Ayn Rand tried to write a Steinbeck novel. It is a little overblown for a domestic drama and false reminded me of the self important plays about the working man I always imagined Barton Fink wrote.

6

Perfect Double Bill: You Only Live Once (1937)

I write regular features about live comedy for British Comedy Guide here https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/bobby_carroll/features/ and my own Substack https://substack.com/@edinburghlaughterbulletin