Starring: Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway
Director: Tay Garnett
Lana Turner stars as a blonde bombshell Cora, married to an old man who owns a diner. When Frank, John Garfield, enters their lives, looking for odd jobs, he’s quite taken with her, and slowly a romance develops. But the only way they can truly be together is to get rid of her husband. Permanently.
The title refers to the way in which you might miss the first ringing of the bell from the postman, but the second usually gets you. The secret to it is in the ending, which I don’t want to spoil for you here, but it’s a film about guilt and betrayal, love and murder, and the need to be free. Cora wants to make her own choices in life, and not be ruled by her husband, while Frank is a bit of a drifter, not tied down to any one town or place. Or woman, at least not until Cora. Turner, of course, sparkles in this film, a famous beauty for very good reason, and a classic Hollywodd star. This is, arguably, one of her finest films, where she gets to play a role that’s smart as well as sexy.
Watching this film, there’s something tragic in the two stars. Lana Turner was part of huge controversy in later years when her young daughter stabbed Turner’s husband to death in self defense, and John Garfield was about to have his career ended when he refuses to name name in the trials of the HUAC committee. They’re interesting figures on the Hollywood landscape, here their lives ahead of them as actors, but playing characters who are doomed.
See It If: film noir fans will love this one, and any of you who don’t know who Lana Turner is should start here. A great old school murder thriller.
Wildfire Movies 
This was a truly terrific movie with some outstanding performances. I have seen this one years ago, and don’t remember every single detail of it, but I do know that is was highly enjoyable watch. And just as enjoyable was this post! I did not know about the tragic backgrounds for these two great actors. Always like history, so thanks for sharing that 😊
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Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s a classic film for so many reasons. 😁
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This was great to read and a lovely review at that. I have the book by James M. Cain who has written such splendid hardboiled fiction. And the title sure is fitting like you rightly put it for reasons being..it’s a great movie that plays true to a mystery novel and one that I always love to hear ring in my ears. ☺
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I’ve never read the book, maybe I should get a copy.
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You very well could if you wish to read the original version of such a great story. It has done justice to the movie too. ☺
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I’ll look it up!
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I agree, it’ a good one to start with if you haven’t seen a Lana Turner movie.
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I love me some film noir. There’s something so darkly seductive about it.
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Absolutely agree. 😁
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Can’t beat some noir.
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Absolutely
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I need to watch some more of it now, this post has inspired.
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Good! I’m glad you feel that way. 😁
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I love checking out a variety of genres, makes movie watching so much more interesting.
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