Road House (1948) – Ida Lupino, Cornel Wilde, Richard Widmark, Celeste Holm



A night club owner becomes infatuated with a torch singer and frames his best friend/manager for embezzlement when the chanteuse falls in love with him.

source

27 Replies to “Road House (1948) – Ida Lupino, Cornel Wilde, Richard Widmark, Celeste Holm”

  1. Where did they cone up with ‘Jeffty’ as a name? Never heard it before or since.

    Celeste Holm is the Ralph Bellamy of movies. She never lands the guy. Not even in A Letter to 3 Wives.

    Great cast and movie.

  2. Terrific film noir. Ida Lupino was a British-accented actress who did American accents better than anyone and was great as a 'tough gal'. Richard Widmark was a nice guy off-screen who specialized in playing heels and had the most sinister laugh of anyone on-screen. And Cornell Wilde in a typically solid role.

  3. This movie is a joy! Lupino's character feels so up to date. Lily isn't even particularly likeable. The messiness with the cigarettes is especially obnoxious. She's Chicago-style tough but also fundamentally kind. Even the bartender wants to bend Lily's ear. I agree with those who commented as to how authentic it feels to have Lupino sing everything herself. Such soulful interpretations! I also agree with the comment regarding the scene at the station — that slap and clever comeback. And I love it that she keeps buy-off dough anyway!

  4. Of course the charges against Pete were entirely circumstantial, any one of three people could have pocketed that money and Pete was only one of them. In the real world the love triangle would have come out as evidence and no jury would convict.

  5. I thoroughly enjoyed finding this movie. I was impressed by all the characters, especially Ida Lupino. What was clearly satisfying was that the director Jean Negulesco or somebody chose to insert music, but that music playing over the course of the movie wasn't needed . Good noire films don't need it.

Comments are closed.