Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by rico (A) on July 21, 2007 at 10:57:48

MGM leased the CinemaScope process from Fox but still felt so unsure of the new widescreen technique that the film was shot simultaneously in a 4 x 3 aspect ratio which was never released. The opening train sequensce was added after test audiences didn't like the original opening. In the film it is 1945 and a one armed government agent (Spencer tracy in his last MGM movie) comes to a tiny barren western town to investigate an deep secret everyone seems to know about and goes to great lengths to protect. an array of Hollywood heavies led by Robert Ryan tries everything to thwart the dogged digging of Tracy. I found the film lacking any humor and relentless in its seriousness. Despite the double filming mentioned above many wide screen shots are particularly well framed.