B-movie auteur Edgar G. Ulmer managed to direct a few A-pictures during his long career; he was personally selected by Hedy Lamarr to helm this big-budget thriller, a project she put together to change her image as a starlet whose sex appeal outweighed her acting abilities. Set in the early 19th century, The Strange Woman takes place in Bangor, Maine, where logging and lumber mills have made the town prosperous. Jenny Hager (Lamarr) has grown up in Bangor, not far from the watchful eye of wealthy Isaiah Poster (Gene ...
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B-movie auteur Edgar G. Ulmer managed to direct a few A-pictures during his long career; he was personally selected by Hedy Lamarr to helm this big-budget thriller, a project she put together to change her image as a starlet whose sex appeal outweighed her acting abilities. Set in the early 19th century, The Strange Woman takes place in Bangor, Maine, where logging and lumber mills have made the town prosperous. Jenny Hager (Lamarr) has grown up in Bangor, not far from the watchful eye of wealthy Isaiah Poster (Gene Lockhart). The fact that Jenny is twenty years Isaiah's junior does not stem his amorous intentions, and when she's finally out of her teens, Jenny accepts his proposal of marriage. But beneath her sweet exterior, Jenny is a shrewd, conniving women, and while she makes a fine life for herself with Isaiah's money, she obviously doesn't care for him. When Isaiah's son Ephraim (Louis Hayward) visits from college, Jenny is immediately attracted to him, and she tells him that she'll marry him if he murders his father. But, unknown to Ephraim, Jenny is already scheming to win the affections of businessman John Evered (George Sanders), even though he's pledged to marry her best friend Meg (Hillary Brooke). Based on a novel by Ben Ames Williams, The Strange Woman was generally considered one of Hedy Lamarr's best performances, although her best-known performance would continue to be in Ecstasy (1933), largely because of her then-daring nude scenes. Mark Deming, Rovi
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Add this copy of The Strange Woman to cart. $10.50, new condition, Sold by groovaciousrecords rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Cedar City, UT, UNITED STATES, published 2014 by Film Chest.
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Seller's Description:
Hedy Lamarr, George Sanders, Louis Hayward, Gene Lockhart, Hillary Brooke. New in new packaging. Language: English. Run time: 100 mins. Aspect ratio: 1.33: 1. Originally released: 1946. factory sealed brand new not a promo or cutout
I had seen this 1946 film "The Strange Woman" at a Noir film festival a few years ago and took the opportunity to see it again through Amazon Prime. The film is set in Bangor, Maine from the 1820s through the 1840s. I have been to Bangor and was interested in seeing the city portrayed during its early years. In the film, Bangor is a rough, growing lumber town on the river filled with violent, crude workers in the woods, taverns, and prostitutes, together with wealthy people and sanctimonious preachers.
Edgar Ulmer directed "The Strange Woman" which is now in the public domain. Ulmer usually directed B noir films including his most renowned work "Detour", but he had a large budget for this movie. The attraction of the film was Hedy Lamar who wanted to show her acting ability in addition to her smoldering sexuality. The film is highly melodramatic noir, but Lamar succeeded in bringing the complex character she played, a femme fatale named Jenny Hager, to life.
Young Jenny was raised by an alcoholic father. From childhood she realizes her power over men and is on the lookout for the path to wealth. She works her way into the affections of an elderly wealthy widower, Isaiah Poster (Gene Lockhart) after she had been romantically involved with Poster's weak son, Ephraim. Jenny conspired with Ephraim to have him kill his father only to stormily turn on Ephraim in favor of another man, John Evered (George Sanders) who is engaged to Jennie's best friend. Throughout the film, Jennie is portrayed as cunning, manipulative, and cruel, with full awareness of the power her sexuality asserts over men. The film also portrays a different side of Jenny, as she is shown as concerned with the poor of Bangor. She gives of herself and of Isaiah Poster's large fortune to work for their welfare. She also appears at the end of the film to have genuine love for Evered, the third man whose life she has ruined.
The noir character of the film is brought out through the shadows of its black and white cinematography. There are scenes in large, gothic houses, many settings in the night and in the woods, and several important scenes in a driving, cold rain. The male actors in this film are adequate at best and sometimes wooden. Hedy Lamar gives a convincing performance of a highly complex woman, a femme fatale, but more. I enjoy exploring noir in its many settings, including this film set in Bangor, a place I saw briefly and remember fondly. This film will have most appeal to admirers of Hedy Lamar and of film noir.
Robin Friedman
BD0407
Dec 26, 2012
GOOD PERFORMANCE BY LAMARR. STORY SORT OF SAGS - HAPPY TO HAVE THIS ITEM.