Hollow Triumph

Actor Paul Henreid (most famous as resistance hero Victor Laszlo in Casablanca) produced and starred in this crime thriller—actually taking two roles: as criminal mastermind John Muller, a medical school dropout who comes out of prison with a scheme to rob a casino owned by a vindictive mob boss; and as Dr. Bartok, a chilly psychiatrist who is Muller's exact double, differentiated only by a scar running down his cheek. When the heist goes bad and Muller flees into hiding, he hatches a plan to kill the doctor and put his medical training to use by taking over the physician's identity. This low-budget 1948 noir, directed by Steve Sekely, boasts a couple of clever twists, some memorable nocturnal Los Angeles location shots by the great stylist John Alton, and a confident Joan Bennett in a supporting role as Evelyn Hahn, a single woman who has no illusions about dating the seductive but shady Muller. Although readily available in poor-quality editions, this “HD restoration from 35mm film elements”—while featuring visible wear on the print and crackle on the soundtrack—offers a noticeable leap in quality over previous releases. An enjoyable but minor work, Hollow Triumph did spawn the great noir line: “It's a bitter little world.” A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)