Pitfall

Dick Powell, a light romantic leading man of numerous 1930s musicals, redefined himself in the 1940s as a weary, witty tough guy in a series of lean crime thrillers that we now call (in hindsight) film noir. In fact, the genre was such a good fit that Powell decided to develop his own projects. The 1948 film Pitfall was the first of his independently produced features and one of the most adult and underappreciated film noir entries. Powell stars as middle-class insurance man John Forbes, a white-collar husband and father living in suburbia who is bored with the routine of his life. Forbes winds up in what looks like an affair with a model (smoky-voiced Lizabeth Scott) who received stolen property from an embezzling banker. Afternoon meetings in dive bars ensue, as do fights with a seedy private detective (Raymond Burr at his sleaziest) who becomes obsessed with the model, and the shadows of Forbes's city sins follow him home. Director André De Toth, who brought a hard edge to his work, focuses here more on consequences and responsibility than the spectacle of violence. And while some scenes play out memorably in the dark of night—with slashes of light picking the players out of the shadows as in any great noir—much of the film takes place in the light of day in familiar settings: home, office, and the busy streets of Los Angeles, placing the drama in the world of everyday people. Extras include an audio commentary by film noir historian Eddie Muller. A rediscovered classic recently restored by UCLA Film & Television Archive and The Film Noir Foundation, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)