This is widely considered Powers greatest performance, and I can't disagree. Power's is excellent as the ambitious con-man who tries to rise too far, too fast. In fact, everyone gives an excellent performance. The movie is perfectly cast, with Helen Walker as the standout supporting actor.
Nightmare Alley is an extremely well-done movie, and I wish I had enjoyed it more. The camera work is lush and its made with great craftsmanship. Unfortunately, I dislike Carnivals, mind readers, and magic shows. And the middle part of the movie dragged for me. The film was 110 minutes, and ten minutes in the middle could've been cut. However, it ends with a bang.
And I'm dubious about the Film-noir label. Its more of melodrama. The only crimes are fraudulent cons involving speaking to the dead. Can you really have film noir without murder, detectives, or a femme-fatale?
Best Scene: Helen gives Stan $150 instead of $150,00. When he gets angry, she convinces him he's going crazy.
Best Quote: I think you're a perfectly normal human being. Selfish and ruthless when you want something - generous and kindly when you've got it.
Agee's Review:
It would be unbearably brutal if it was played for all the humor, cynicism, and social observation impicit in it, It would be unbearably mawkish if it were played too solemnly. The movie makers have steered a middle course, now and then crudely but on the whole with tact, skill and power. They have seldom forgotten that the original novel they were adapting is essentially intelligent trash, and they have never forgotten that on the screen pretty exciting things can be made of trash. From top to bottom of the cast, the playing is good. Joan Blondell, as the fading carnival queen, is excellent and Tyrone Power – who asked to be cast in the picture – steps into a new class as an actor".
About Willliam Grehsam, the Author of the Original Novel:
Gresham's life could have been the subject of a movie. Gresham had a life long battle with alcoholism, and was a communist from the late 30s (serving in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade) till the mid 40s. He spent years in pyschoanalysis , then converted to Chrisitianity, and when that didn't take, moved on to Ron Hubbarb's dianetics, and then to yoga/Hinduism. Grisham's pattern seems to have been falling for some "belief", losing his "faith", and attacking it later. His only consistency was his lifelong obession with carnivals and magic shows. He died at 53 of mouth cancer (no doubt caused by a lifetime of drinking/smoking). But he was honest about his talent:
I have no illusions about myself as an ‘author’—I am a hack writer who approaches writing as a trade like cabinet making. I have taught many classes in short story writing; the students probably learned very little but I always learned a lot, listening to myself sound off on how short fiction should be put together.
