Three Beautiful Things 02-13-2023: Procedure Prep and Word Puzzles, *The Suspect*, *Phantom Lady*

 1. Well, I'll be heading up to the Shoshone Medical Center for a colonoscopy on Feb 14, so today, Monday, I centered the day on preparation. No gory details. I just tried to figure out ways to make time go by enjoyably. I spent quite a bit of time playing word games online, trying Wordle-like games I hadn't tried before, and I got out a book I bought quite a while ago of Jumble puzzles and worked some of them.

This approach worked. 

2. In addition, I decided to take a day off of reading about American extremism, and watched two movies from the 1940s. The Criterion Channel is offering a four film collection of Robert Siodmak movies, a film noir pioneer. 

First, I watched The Suspect (1944). It's a murder story centered around an ordinary man, Philip Marshall, played by Charles Laughton, who is in a loveless marriage and engages in a string of Platonic dinner and theater meet ups with a woman named Mary Gray,  played by Ella Raines. Marshall's wife dies in what the coroner determines was an accidental fall, but an inspector from Scotland Yard isn't convinced it was an accident and Philip Marshall becomes a suspect. 

As far as plot, I'll leave it that. 

I enjoyed watching The Suspect. I enjoyed its often shadowy atmosphere, the way the apparent mismatch between Philip Marshall and Mary Gray developed, and every scene when the crafty and, for Philip Marshall, pesky Inspector Huxley popped up. He's an ingenious detective with superb instincts and was an astute judge of character. 

3. Next, I watched Phantom Lady (1944), a darker movie than The Suspect and a much deeper examination of criminality, darkness, and deception. The movie centers around a man named Scott Henderson, played by Alan Curtis. He's accused of murdering his wife, but his secretary, Carol Richman, played by Ella Raines, can't believe he did it and goes to work, with the aid of a police officer, Inspector Burgess, played by Thomas Gomez, to prove Henderson's innocence. 

I had a great time watching Phantom Lady, not only for its storyline, but even more for its portrayal of Manhattan night life and for its moody and shadowy cinematography. The movie takes us into a cozy bar and grill, the production of a Broadway music and dance revue, and into a cramped jazz club. It is as if Carol Richman's search for the truth about the murder of her boss's wife leads her into the dark reaches of Hades where she faces grave danger, but is never deterred. 

If you decide to watch this movie, Franchot Tone's work as Scott Henderson's close friend is memorable and deepens the darkness of this early film noir.