His Kind Of Woman Blu-ray Review
“His Kind Of Woman” suffers from clumsy storytelling.
Based on a story by Gerald Drayson Adams and penned by Frank Fenton and Jack Leonard, “His Kind Of Woman” is a 1951 film noir/gangster film. The story revolves around a gambler (Dan) who has bad luck (to put it mildly). He gets a lucrative offer (50 grand) for a mysterious job that would see him leaving the US for a year to stay in Mexico. Upon arriving at a Mexico beach resort called Morro’s Lodge, he has to await further orders, but meets all sorts of characters including a singer (Lenore), a famous actor (Mark), Martin (a suspicious “author”), Myron (an investment broker), among others. Dan begins to develop a connection with Lenore even though he discovers she is at the resort for a specific person. Dan soon discovers that the job is essentially a trap for him. You see, there’s a deported gangster (Nick) in Italy who is looking to return to the U.S. In order to do so, he needs a new face and identity. Nick is targeting Dan as that man. Can Dan survive this ordeal or is he doomed?
Directed by John Farrow, “His Kind Of Woman” is a bizarrely paced movie that really feels like two movies in one. Clocking in at a 2 hours that you feel every minute of, the first half plays more like a moody and somewhat convoluted film noir in which Dan wanders around and waits for far too much time. The second half is more appealing but it has nothing to do with Dan, Lenore, or Nick. Instead, it’s the subplot involving the actor Mark that really elevates the story. The character of Mark may be famous for taking on various roles, but at this resort he is having his own larger than life adventure by hunting, spending time with a mistress, and even mounting a dangerous rescue mission. Had the movie just been out about Mark, it would have been an absolute blast because the character steals the entire film.
Speaking of Mark, Vincent Price gives one of his very best performances. Truthfully, this should be listed among his finest roles. He’s that good here. You can tell he’s having a grand time with this role too. Robert Mitchum is a bit of a bore as Dan. We’ve all seen him be a much more versatile and capable actor in other films. Maybe he just comes across as extra dull because he’s outstaged by Vincent Price and Jane Russell. Russell truly lights up the screen as Lenore and livens up several slow stretches. Raymond Burr also deserves recognition here as the villainous Nick.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.37:1 1080p. How does it look? Say what you will about the movie itself, but Warner Archive has given this B&W film a crisp new restoration. You can’t ask for better picture quality.
Audio Track: 2.0 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The audio is a little soft, but clean.
Extras:
* Original theatrical trailer
* A cartoon titled “Bunny Hugged.”
* Commentary by film historian Vivian Sobchack
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