Pushover (1954)

[dave jenkins]

Pushover (1954) - A poor man's Double Indemnity. Fred MacMurray conspires with a larcenous Blonde to bump off her old man and split a large payday. Will this sap never learn? The slick b&w widescreen photography can't hide the fact that the whole film is shot on about 4 sets (and one backlot location). This movie doesn't have much, except for Kim Novak in her first credited appearance--but that's enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCTC-KWh2cE

[dave jenkins]

Pushover (cont.)
titoli, in an uncredited cameo, tries out his usual material:


the usual tropes regarding narcissism and self-reflexivity are employed:


That Vertigo Moment:

[dave jenkins]

Pushover (concluded):







"He killed for money and a woman. He didn't get the money and he didn't get the woman."

[T.H.]

I like Pushover. It's a solid mix of Rear Window and (obviously) Double Indemnity. It has a snappy pace, a nice look and Kim Novak.

[Groggy]

Pushover (cont.)
titoli, in an uncredited cameo, tries out his usual material:

He's the arm on the left right?

[dave jenkins]

He's the arm on the left right?

This is a case where a comma would really have saved this reader a lot of time.

[Groggy]

You sure it's worth the effort?

[drinkanddestroy]

saw the movie, was decent, nothing special, I'd give it a 6.5/10

Yeah, Kim Novak is always good. I recently saw another of her early movies, 5 Against the House, with Guy Madison. That was a better movie. And she looks so young in these - it's amazing that she's only 4 years away from making Vertigo.

[drinkanddestroy]

You sure it's worth the effort?

A doctor once walked into a patient's room and said, "The foot to be amputated is the left?" "Right," answers the patient.

That's one place it would have been worth the effort.

[dave jenkins]

Yeah, Kim Novak is always good. I recently saw another of her early movies, 5 Against the House, with Guy Madison. That was a better movie. And she looks so young in these - it's amazing that she's only 4 years away from making Vertigo.

If you haven't seen Bell, Book, and Candle, you should give that a whirl.

[drinkanddestroy]

Yeah, Kim Novak is always good.

I've changed my mind on Novak in the past 3 months. She has some real good performances and some not so good. Lately, I've been annoyed at the way she talks. In Vertigo, I loved her as Madeliene (where she has a different way of speaking.... and manner) but not as Judy, where she reverts to her normal diction. CJ once said Novak is very hit-or-miss, and I now agree.

[dave jenkins]

I've changed my mind on Novak in the past 3 months. She has some real good performances and some not so good. Lately, I've been annoyed at the way she talks. In Vertigo, I loved her as Madeliene (where she has a different way of speaking.... and manner) but not as Judy, where she reverts to her normal diction. CJ once said Novak is very hit-or-miss, and I now agree.

"normal diction"? What do you mean? Are you saying that the way Judy talks is Novak's normal speaking voice? Or do you just mean the character's normal voice?

Obviously, the Madeleine voice is put on, but it's interesting that Novak uses it in other films (again, check out Bell, Book and Candle). This was probably the voice that Novak developed through her elocution classes or whatever as she was being groomed for stardom. I'm not sure if the Judy voice is also put on, but I'm pretty sure it is. The great thing about Novak's performance in Vertigo is that she not only looks like two different women, she actually sounds like two different women. That kind of care was not usually taken in films of that vintage which concerned characters with multiple identities/personalities. Bravo, Novak. Bravo, Hitchcock.

[drinkanddestroy]

"normal diction"? What do you mean? Are you saying that the way Judy talks is Novak's normal speaking voice? Or do you just mean the character's normal voice?

Obviously, the Madeleine voice is put on, but it's interesting that Novak uses it in other films (again, check out Bell, Book and Candle). This was probably the voice that Novak developed through her elocution classes or whatever as she was being groomed for stardom. I'm not sure if the Judy voice is also put on, but I'm pretty sure it is. The great thing about Novak's performance in Vertigo is that she not only looks like two different women, she actually sounds like two different women. That kind of care was not usually taken in films of that vintage which concerned characters with multiple identities/personalities. Bravo, Novak. Bravo, Hitchcock.

I mean to say that the Judy voice is basically the normal way Novak talks. (it may be that she is making it a bit snottier, as the movie's way to distinguish even further between Madeleine and Judy. But that way of speaking is – very close, if not 100% – the normal way that Novak speaks, which often annoys me.) Heck, maybe that makes Vertigo even better – the fact that Hitch made me actually love the "put on" version of a woman who in real life annoys me 

[titoli]

I like Novak in this one. But the plot is overcomplicated and perfectly in accord with the Murphy's law. 5\10

[dave jenkins]

Added youtube link to the full movie at the top of the thread.