Underworld Story (1950) starring Dan Duryea and Gale Storm written by Craig Rice

The Underword Story (1950)
1 hr 31 mins.
Written by Craig Rice
stars Dan Duryea
Herbert Marshall
Gale Storm

directed by Cy Endfield

IMDb ref: tt0043088

IMDb summary:
Mike Reese, yellow journalist and antihero, prints a story that leads to a gang killing, and is blacklisted from the city papers under suspicion of ties with racketeer Carl Durham. So, with a shrug, he makes the suspicion come true, then elbows his way into the editorship of the local paper in a small town where, opportunely, a sensational murder case threatens to destroy the family of newspaper magnate E.J. Stanton. When a black servant is made the patsy for this killing, Reese helps himself by helping her...but proves a dangerous ally. Written by Rod Crawford

Wiki for the film:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Underworld_Story

wiki for Craig Rice quoted:

Craig Rice (1908–1957); born Georgiana Ann Craig; was an American author of mystery novels and short stories, sometimes described as "the Dorothy Parker of detective fiction." She was the first mystery writer to appear on the cover of Time Magazine, on January 28, 1946.


My notes:


Here is an excerpt from the dvd box notes not available elsewhere:

"...One of this noiriush film's lines of dialog refers to ancestral witch burnings. Intentionally or not the line unscores the imminent blacklisting of The Underworld Story's costar Howard Da Silva plus the director and screenwriter. The intriguing story is by Craig Rice, famed female mystery writer of the 40's and 50's who was the cover story subject of Time's January 1946 issue."


"Craig Rice" was the pseudonym of a woman writer working in this period. I note this because it is so rare but not unique. I have learned that Ida Lupino whose wiki is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_Lupino

was a writer, producer and director as well. Why is this important? Because unlike today the position of women in production as directors and writers was virtually unknown. Lupino, for instance was a leiutenant in the ambulance corps in Britain during world war II which, it can be assumed, was where she learned how to give orders. That experience, translated to Hollywood, meant the need to craft a glamour girl image while learning the craft of filmmaking.

While not wanting to get into film enthusiasts' eccentricities, I think it is worthwhile to see films like The Underworld Story and various Ida Lupino films such as the one with my favorite title; "Private Hell Number 36" and understand how women contributed to this popular style of noir/detective thrillers.


Notes written December 28th 2012