Author: Cornell Woolrich

 

Cornell George Hopley Woolrich was an American novelist and short story writer. He sometimes used the pseudonyms William Irish and George Hopley. His biographer, Francis Nevins Jr., rated Woolrich the fourth best crime writer of his day, behind Dashiell Hammett, Erle Stanley Gardner and Raymond Chandler.

Bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Woolrich 

The Chase (1946)

 

Chuck Scott gets a job as chauffeur to tough guy Eddie Roman; but Chuck's involvement with Eddie's fearful wife becomes a nightmare. 

Odd Cornell Woolrich adaptation hold's our attention with good Noir atmosphere, a capable cast and some suspense, but the disappoints with an unnecessary twist ending.

Halliwell*: "Weird Cuban-set film noir with a strange cast and stranger atmosphere. A genuine bomb, but worth a look for its pretensions, its cast, and its trick ending."

Maltin**1/2: "Mildly diverting melodrama..." 

 

Fear in the Night (1947)

A man dreams he committed murder, then begins to suspect it was real.

Good Cornell Woolrich adaptation with a capable cast captures the author's nightmarish noir atmosphere quite well.

Halliwell**: "Intriguing small-scale puzzler later remade to less effect as Nightmare. Adequate performances and handling, but the plot's the thing."

Maltin***: "Nifty chiller..."

Black Angel (1946)

When a man is convicted of a singer's murder, his wife tries to prove him innocent...aided by the victim's ex-husband.

Exemplary Film Noir gem, and an excellent Cornell Woolrich adaptation, complete with a 'happy ending' that isn't happy at all. 

On second view: Good little Noir thriller, a bit pedestrian, but reaches Woolrich dimensions of dark dread in the finale.

Halliwell*: "Stylish but empty version of a tired theme, interesting for performance and atmosphere."

Black Angel (1946)

When a man is convicted of a singer's murder, his wife tries to prove him innocent...aided by the victim's ex-husband.

Exemplary Film Noir gem, and an excellent Cornell Woolrich adaptation, complete with a 'happy ending' that isn't happy at all.

Halliwell*: "Stylish but empty version of a tired theme, interesting for performances and atmosphere."

Nightmare (1956)

A musician was hypnotised in order to commit a crime.

True to the original Cornell Woolrich short story, which it's based on, this is a competent nightmarish noir movie.