Rating: 
Summary: HAUNTING, FLAWLESS and SPELLBINDING!
Review: "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is a mystery thriller about two misguided lovers (John Garfield and Lana Turner), who bungle the job of successfully bumping off Ms. Turner's husband, en route to their own immoral gratification. Based on the novel by James M. Cain, this version (for the sake of censorship), alters a few of Cain's original concepts, but is considerably more thrilling than the Jack Nicholson remake from the 1980's. Lana Turner - as always - is a vision. Garfield gives yet another solid performance in his acting canon.
TRANSFER: Warner Brothers gives us a beautiful looking print of this chilling classic. The gray scale is superb with rich blacks, excellent contrast levels and minimal film grain throughout. There is a hint of fine detail shimmering but it is so slight it seems inconsequential to mention. There are no aliasing or edge enhancement effects for an image that is smooth, crisp and fully realized in fine details. The audio is mono and nicely presented.
EXTRAS: A fantastic documentary on John Garfield and an audio commentary.
BOTTOM LINE: This is about as good as vintage Hollywood film making gets. With a gorgeous transfer to boot, "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is an absolute must.
Rating: 
Summary: "You've been trying to make a tramp out of me."
Review: "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is one of the best-known entries in the Film Noir genre. The film, directed by Tay Garnett is based on the James Cain novel. Cora Smith (Lana Turner) is married to Nick Smith. It's an incongruous match, and drifter Frank Chambers (John Garfield) certainly thinks the Smiths are wildly mismatched when he arrives in the Smiths' petrol station/roadside cafe. Frank has no intention of staying, but when he gets an eyeful of the scantily clad Cora, he decides to stick around and accepts a job from Nick Smith. Before too long, Cora and Frank are embroiled in a hot affair under her husband's nose. He's blissfully unaware that Cora and Frank are hot and heavy. In some situations, perhaps, this affair would continue on for years, but circumstances force Frank and Cora to take action. When the decision is made to murder Nick, Frank and Cora's relationship is put to the test. Lana Turner was great in the role of Cora. She is obviously extremely unhappy with Nick--even before Frank comes along. This is glaringly obvious to everyone except Nick, and as it turns out, he has entirely different plans for Cora. Cora tries to fight the attraction to Frank, but they are too much alike and they are inevitably drawn to one another. Under different circumstances, they would probably meet and have a passionate brief affair. Somehow, I don't think ambitious Cora would really give Frank much of a second glance if she had the world of men to choose from. This film works so well thanks to the strong characterization and excellent acting. Bleached blonde Cora just doesn't look right in her neat, little white Twin Oaks uniform--she was built to languish on a velvet chaise, but fate has her stuck in a poky hole-in-the-ground cafe. One conversation between Cora and Frank hints at Cora's past as she explains away her marriage. It's only a matter of time before some man comes along, takes one look at Cora and decides to liberate her from Nick's company. Just as Cora married Nick for security, Nick has his own reasons for marrying Cora, and love does not seem to be one of them. Frank, the drifter, is suitably rough-around-the edges. He's so enamored with Cora, that he takes her bidding--but also nurses a vague resentment at the same time. Hume Cronyn and Leon Ames are both excellent in their supporting roles--both actors are scene-stealers. The DVD also includes many worthwhile extras about the career of John Garfield. I recommend this film highly if you are interested in Film Noir or just want to watch a riveting film--displacedhuman
Rating:
Summary: HAUNTING, FLAWLESS and SPELLBINDING!
Review: "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is a mystery thriller about two misguided lovers (John Garfield and Lana Turner), who bungle the job of successfully bumping off Ms. Turner's husband, en route to their own immoral gratification. Based on the novel by James M. Cain, this version (for the sake of censorship), alters a few of Cain's original concepts, but is considerably more thrilling than the Jack Nicholson remake from the 1980's. Lana Turner - as always - is a vision. Garfield gives yet another solid performance in his acting canon.
TRANSFER: Warner Brothers gives us a beautiful looking print of this chilling classic. The gray scale is superb with rich blacks, excellent contrast levels and minimal film grain throughout. There is a hint of fine detail shimmering but it is so slight it seems inconsequential to mention. There are no aliasing or edge enhancement effects for an image that is smooth, crisp and fully realized in fine details. The audio is mono and nicely presented.
EXTRAS: A fantastic documentary on John Garfield and an audio commentary.
BOTTOM LINE: This is about as good as vintage Hollywood film making gets. With a gorgeous transfer to boot, "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is an absolute must.
Rating:
Summary: "You've been trying to make a tramp out of me."
Review: "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is one of the best-known entries in the Film Noir genre. The film, directed by Tay Garnett is based on the James Cain novel. Cora Smith (Lana Turner) is married to Nick Smith. It's an incongruous match, and drifter Frank Chambers (John Garfield) certainly thinks the Smiths are wildly mismatched when he arrives in the Smiths' petrol station/roadside cafe. Frank has no intention of staying, but when he gets an eyeful of the scantily clad Cora, he decides to stick around and accepts a job from Nick Smith. Before too long, Cora and Frank are embroiled in a hot affair under her husband's nose. He's blissfully unaware that Cora and Frank are hot and heavy. In some situations, perhaps, this affair would continue on for years, but circumstances force Frank and Cora to take action. When the decision is made to murder Nick, Frank and Cora's relationship is put to the test. Lana Turner was great in the role of Cora. She is obviously extremely unhappy with Nick--even before Frank comes along. This is glaringly obvious to everyone except Nick, and as it turns out, he has entirely different plans for Cora. Cora tries to fight the attraction to Frank, but they are too much alike and they are inevitably drawn to one another. Under different circumstances, they would probably meet and have a passionate brief affair. Somehow, I don't think ambitious Cora would really give Frank much of a second glance if she had the world of men to choose from. This film works so well thanks to the strong characterization and excellent acting. Bleached blonde Cora just doesn't look right in her neat, little white Twin Oaks uniform--she was built to languish on a velvet chaise, but fate has her stuck in a poky hole-in-the-ground cafe. One conversation between Cora and Frank hints at Cora's past as she explains away her marriage. It's only a matter of time before some man comes along, takes one look at Cora and decides to liberate her from Nick's company. Just as Cora married Nick for security, Nick has his own reasons for marrying Cora, and love does not seem to be one of them. Frank, the drifter, is suitably rough-around-the edges. He's so enamored with Cora, that he takes her bidding--but also nurses a vague resentment at the same time. Hume Cronyn and Leon Ames are both excellent in their supporting roles--both actors are scene-stealers. The DVD also includes many worthwhile extras about the career of John Garfield. I recommend this film highly if you are interested in Film Noir or just want to watch a riveting film--displacedhuman
Rating:
Summary: The best noir ever made
Review: .
At the beginning of the movie, when Frank (excellent John Garfield)arrives to the lonely gas station, a sign makes explicit the movie plot: "Man Wanted". Cora (Lana Turner) needs desperately a man to satisfy her and kill her husband. This is a criminal drama marked by destiny, thanks to James Cain, and exasperated by Niven Busch, greek tragedy and alarm signs lover: Cora first appears with a blindy white dress, and Frank's hamburger is burning. And, as it must be, a black cat starts the fatality of treason. This movie is EXCELLENT, undoubtly the best NOIR there's ever been. John Garfield, before being accused of being a communist by senator McArthy, gave life to Frank, a handsome tramp that gets a job at a gas station where a "man is wanted". Lana Turner steals the show performing Cora, the beautiful and dreadful wife of the gas station owner, Cecil Kellaway. This is Tay Garnett's best work, and the cinematography is perfect for a movie that it's literally creepy, dark, desperate and lusty. Definitely in myy Top 10 of all time. A TIMELESS CLASSIC!!!!
Rating:
Summary: LUST & THE LAW....
Review: Good adaption of James M.Cain's novel that manages to get the job done considering the censorship restrictions of 1946. Filmed before in 1942 in Italy as "Ossessione" by Luchino Visconti, this version isn't as explicit but features the teaming of beautiful but frustrated Lana Turner and restless drifter John Garfield as the illicit lovers who plot the murder of Turner's friendly but stodgy cafe-owner husband (Cecil Kellaway). Morbid overtones, like the accidental electrocution of a cat ("deader'n a doornail"), set the tone for the couple's plans going awry. Turner is stunning with platinum hair and tight fitting white costumes---the perfect flame to which the moth (Garfield) is uncontrollably drawn. Leon Ames is the dogged DA hot on their trail and Hume Cronyn is a wily attorney for the defense. Of the three films based on Cain's novel, this and "Ossessione" are the best. 40's film lovers will note that Turner truly was gorgeous. The DVD is a good buy for collectors.
Rating:
Summary: LUST & THE LAW....
Review: Good adaption of James M.Cain's novel that manages to get the job done considering the censorship restrictions of 1946. Filmed before in 1942 in Italy as "Ossessione" by Luchino Visconti, this version isn't as explicit but features the teaming of beautiful but frustrated Lana Turner and restless drifter John Garfield as the illicit lovers who plot the murder of Turner's friendly but stodgy cafe-owner husband (Cecil Kellaway). Morbid overtones, like the accidental electrocution of a cat ("deader'n a doornail"), set the tone for the couple's plans going awry. Turner is stunning with platinum hair and tight fitting white costumes---the perfect flame to which the moth (Garfield) is uncontrollably drawn. Leon Ames is the dogged DA hot on their trail and Hume Cronyn is a wily attorney for the defense. Of the three films based on Cain's novel, this and "Ossessione" are the best. 40's film lovers will note that Turner truly was gorgeous. The DVD is a good buy for collectors.
Rating:
Summary: Start watching and you won't be able to stop
Review: Great black and white photography
Excellent tension between Garfield and Turner.
Great storyline.
If you start watching this film you won't be able to stop. I have always thought Lana Turner is fun to watch but sometimes of I find her performances -over the top- but,
she is pitch perfect in this film. With her whiter than white hair and clothes she seems like the unattainable female. She works in this greasy spoon but she is incredibly groomed and perfectly desirable to the drifter played by John Garfield. My favorite scene is when she and John Garfield leave together the and then decide to return. Lana's character explains her motivations--the dialogue and her delivery seem so real and you sympathize with her character (a woman who plots to kill her husband!) I also like the setting of early Southern California...orange groves and empty beaches. This is a must see film
Rating:
Summary: The Sexiest Film Noir
Review: I love all film noirs because of the way they were filmed and acted. The setting were always fantastic and the plots always teeming with murder, blackmail, and alienation. The characters were low-lifes, detectives, or femme fatales. In all film noirs, there is romance, but the sexiest film noir, by far, is the original version of The Postman Always Rings Twice. The on-screen chemistry between platinum blonde Lana Turner and drifter John Garfield is enough to carry a 113 minute movie. Throw in Cecil Kellaway and Hume Cronyn as part of the great supporting cast, a wonderful story by James M. Cain, and tragic irony and the result is one of the fastest moving, most enjoyable film noirs produced in the golden age of Hollywood. Lana Turner's Cora ranks as one of the most seemingly innocent and utterly drop-dead beautiful goddesses ever to touch the silver screen.
Rating:
Summary: Naughty, naughty, naughty.
Review: I may be old fashioned but I still find this movie a little shocking. And while the end is a dissapointment, it was probably made necessary by the censors. Its also an element of Film Noir that everything ISN'T going to be ok. It all works because of Lana Turner. Ms. Turner takes a simple--and hopfully, implausible--story and makes it cheap, tawdry and hotter than hell. Man, this must have been something in 1946! I'll bet a lot of couples gave each other a long look as they left the theatre....
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