The Postman Always Rings Twice

1946  NR  DRAMA  1h 53min

CAST— Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn, Audrey Totter, Leon Ames, Alan Reed, Wally Cassell

MUSIC— George Bassman, Erich Zeisl  DIRECTOR— Tay Garnett  BASED ON— The Postman Always Rings Twice (novel), by James M. Cain

     Absorbing tale of lust and murder in post-depression era California. An aimless drifter hires on at an up and coming diner where he meets the proprietor’s wife, a sultry dame stuck in a loveless marriage. A love affair begins between the two, while her husband remains blissfully ignorant. Eventually, they cook up a murder plot to dispose of said hubby; when this plan backfires they decide to play nice for awhile. But they soon decide to try the murder angle again, this time with more satisfying results; until they get picked up by the cops, that is. This classic melodrama plays out like film noir but delivers like a morality tale. Either way, it’s a solid dose of entertainment.

OUR RATING— ***

ORIGINAL— Le Dernier Tournant (1939), Ossessione (1943)

REMADE AS— The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)