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Nightmare Alley (1947)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
28 October 1947 (USA)
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Tagline:
He was all things to all men ... but only one thing to all women!
Plot:
Stanton Carlisle is an ambitious carnie who plays scams alongside phony mentalist Zeena and her alcoholic husband Pete...
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| full synopsis
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
The Best Films You’Ve Never Seen – James Napoli’s rental of the week -- This week: Nightmare Alley (1947)
(From Collider.com. 19 April 2009)
Power-ful Films
(From New York Post. 22 July 2008, 12:49 AM, PDT)
(From Collider.com. 19 April 2009)
Power-ful Films
(From New York Post. 22 July 2008, 12:49 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Among the Greatest of Films Noirs
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Cast
(Complete credited cast) | Tyrone Power | ... | Stanton 'Stan' Carlisle |
 | Joan Blondell | ... | Zeena Krumbein |
| Coleen Gray | ... | Molly |
| Helen Walker | ... | Lilith Ritter |
| Taylor Holmes | ... | Ezra Grindle |
| Mike Mazurki | ... | Bruno |
| Ian Keith | ... | Pete Krumbein |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
110 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Certification:
UK:A (original rating) |
UK:PG (video rating) |
South Korea:15 |
Finland:K-16 |
USA:Approved (PCA #12396)
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The telephone numbers of the Helen Walker character, Consulting Psychologist Lilith Ritter, are STAte 9862 (for her Office in the Lakeshore Building) and ROGrs Pk 8685 (for her Residence in the Belmont Apartments), both adjacent to the Lake Michigan waterfront on the near north side of Chicago.
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Goofs:
Continuity: During Powers's cab ride away from Walker's apartment, the Chicago Theater is visible in the rear-projection behind the car. After several more minutes of driving, the cab turns around in front of the same theater.
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Quotes:
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Sanford and Son: Brother, Can You Spare an Act? (#5.6)" (1975)
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Soundtrack:
Sobre las olas (Over the Waves)
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (65 total)
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NIGHTMARE ALLEY works like a gigantic fate-driven machine. We see the main character, Stanton Carlyle (memorably enacted by Tyrone Power whose physical beauty underlines his tragic persona) become caught up in the cogs of this machine early on, when he gets the idea of taking over the mind-reading act. Henceforward, it's a dark, descending spiral. A fascinating spiral, since it appears to be going upward at first. Power and the beautiful Colleen Gray enter in to the venues of the ultra-rich with their glorified carnival act. Then Gray and and earlier amanuensis Joan Blondell are supplanted by the controlled, mysterious Helen Walker (in a knockout performance). What is so intriguing now, is how Carlyle begins to believe in his own manufactured powers. Thinking himself in control of the cynical ploy concocted by himself and Walker, Carlyle is tossed into a pit of dejection and humiliation, when Gray foils the scheme. Back on the carnival skids--but this time far lower than he was before--Carlyle can find only the possibility of redemption in Gray's embrace.
It is tempting to wish the film would end with Gray turning away from the horrific spectacle of the new geek. For this would be the darkest of noir conclusions. I seem to remember the studio (Fox) insisting on the glimmer of hope on Power's face.
Its conclusion aside, the film impresses in its use of expressionistic lighting, set design and music to create a feeling of inescapable, malevolent force driving Stanton Carlyle to ultimate degradation. This is a film in which no production element seems wasted. It's almost too good be be true, an ideal 'dark film', grotesque, yet hauntingly beautiful.