Nightmare Alley review

[Westside Steve]

Nightmare Alley

Searchlight

R.       150 min

 

Let me admit this, I am an absolute sucker for 1940s Noir, swindlers, grifters and con man and I'm always intrigued by the creepy side of the old-time traveling carnival. I've seen the original 1947 film starring Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell a few times, read the 1946 novel by William Lindsey Graham and loved it all. I've always believed it was such a great story somebody should have made a remake long ago. Now thanks to Searchlight Pictures and director Guillermo del Toro my wish has come true. As I mentioned in this issues WEST SIDE STORY review too often remakes oh, how can I say this gently, suck out loud. Saints be praised this makes two resurrections in a row that have been just brilliant.

As a matter-of-fact last week, I believed WEST SIDE STORY was the best pictured I'd seen in a couple years but no longer. This week NIGHTMARE ALLEY owns that distinction.

Bradley Cooper takes over the role of Stanton Carlisle, a small-time crook whose closet is actually filled with skeletons. On the lam he winds up with a job at a shady carnival where he endears himself to Zeena (Toni Collette)and Pete (David Strathairn) who run a cheap little clairvoyant act. Pete is a good-hearted old fellow but the love of the bottle has made it almost impossible for him to hold up his end of the show and that's where Stan comes in. Years ago Pete  had designed an  amazing but complex system using numbers and words and references to let the mentalist know what was in the questions handed to the assistant.  The pair made good money on the vaudeville circuit until the  booze finally got the better of Pete and they had to settle for the rube circuit again. Zeena will always love and look after Pete but she does allow Stan into the act and her bed.  Meanwhile Stan’s wandering eye falls on Molly (Rooney Mara) an innocent young girl working another attraction.  I think he really loves her at the outset but before long she becomes  little more than a prop in his fledgling mentalism act and later on a full blown drag. You see after Pete’s sudden death  from drinking some “bad booze”  Stan gives Zeena the brush and leaves the carney with Molly and the mind reading system.  They are making plenty of money but soon Stan longs for the big con.  Besides he’s tired of Molly and her Goody 2 shoes attitude about the people that  get hurt.  That's all I'm going to tell you right now because at this point NIGHTMARE ALLEY is just beginning to crest the roller coaster of infidelity and greed this film is on.

 Actually, the novel has quite a bit more back story then you will get in either of the motion picture versions,  but del Toro does a wonderful job of just hinting at them enough to give you the understanding that something really bad has gone on. Also even though the Tyrone Power has some big shoes to fill Cooper's blend of arrogance charisma and psychological torment add up to  his best performance yet.   Mostly because I want you to go see the film I haven't I haven't mentioned Kate Blanchett who turns in a riveting  performance at the turning point of the film.  As a matter of fact, the entire cast is wonderful featuring such powerful actors as Ron Pearlman William Defoe and Mary Steenburgen.

A+ (and I don't give up many of those)

WSS