Moviecut—The Reckless Moment

source: The Reckless Moment

The Reckless Moment

A very different movie from Max Ophuls' masterpiece, THE EARINGS OF MADAM DE…While her husband is away for Christmas, lonely, harried housewife Joan Bennett is blackmailed by handsome, suave extortionist James Mason. Romantic complications ensue when they fall for each other. In the end, Mason dies nobly to protect Bennett's reputation, and Bennett goes back to her husband. Mason and Bennett don't even kiss, much less sleep with each other. The plot is pure Hollywood hokum, but Mason shines as always—has he ever turned in a bad performance?—and there is some of Ophuls' signature gliding camera work. Ophuls appears to be sending up the film noir genre as much as celebrating it.

Joan Bennett was one the most important femme fatale of Noir, but in this one she is no longer so young, she plays a protector mother which has an absent husband, when your teenage daughter gets involved in love with an older man, she has to take a hard decision, tries keeps away this crook who wants money to do it, but has a fatal accident and the older boyfriend gonna die, the mother moved the body to another place to protect her daughter, suddenly appears another crook (Mason) to blackmail her, maybe the latest Max Opuls success!!!!

Taut thriller. While it's not exactly 'Mildred Pierce' where Joan Crawford tried to shield her Ann Blyth, her daughter, this is definitely an interesting film where Geraldine Brooks, as a 17 year old daughter to Bennett, falls for an older guy and there can only be trouble down the road. When Bennett confronts the suave Shepperd Strudwick to stop seeing his daughter, he wants money. The part was a different one for the usual calm Strudwick. Unfortunately for him, he dies off too quickly in the film for his character to really take hold. Bennett thinks that she has resolved the accidental killing until James Mason, who is working for gangster Roy Roberts, shows up and demands blackmail from her. Here is where the movie becomes very interesting. Mason falls for Bennett, but he can't control Roberts and a series of incidents follow which shall we say may let all concerned off the hook. Interesting film with Bennett giving a very good performance as the harried mother.

An unusual film, this slow-burner starring Joan Bennett and James Mason seems like a straight-forward murder and blackmail case, but that's only part of the story. Joan Bennett is the mother living apart from her husband (he's working away), and coping with her growing son and daughter, and their maid. James Mason is an Irish low-life, who hopes to make money from Bennett's family misfortunes. From the start, where we see the 'murder' and find out what really happened, to the startling ending, this film, directed by Max Ophüls, grips. Aside from the two leads, Geraldine Brooks is good as the teenage daughter struggling with a lost love affair and the hormonal rage of puberty; and Kathryn Card is suitably condescending as she refuses to loan money to the increasingly desperate Bennett. 'The Reckless Moment' has a frisson of noir, and a strong script. It is a minor film, certainly, but a rewarding one.

Taut drama with the always underrated Joan Bennett great as the panicked mother and James Mason just right as the conflicted anti-hero. They interact so well it's a pity they only made this one film together. Wonderfully directed by Ophuls and atmospherically shot this was updated as The Deep End with Tilda Swinton also a fine film but this has a distinct allure of its own. Most of the supporting cast isn't given much to do which helps focus the film but an interesting character is the faithful maid Sybil played well by Frances Williams. Always in the background but seemingly all seeing she emerges with a nice showing of grit and understanding at a climatic moment. For fans of noir and melodrama this is a pleasure from start to finish.

Near perfect, this is a marvellous and magical non stop emotional thriller with the camera moving with such fluidity we can only stare in wonder. As the camera swirls, so does the middle class family of Joan Bennett. She is constantly keeping the plates in the air, cheering them along chiding them at dinner or suggesting changes of clothes. When trouble strikes it is she who has to confront the big bad world and visit the boat shed, the less salubrious parts of town and confront people and issues she never has before. All seems to depend upon her and James mason's character appears forcing financial worries on top of all else. Until he falls for her and begins to relent and finally even more. Not a wasted frame.