THE DARK CORNER (1946)

The Dark Corner (1946) Noir. Director: Henry Hathaway. Cast: Lucille Ball, Mark Stevens and Clifton Webb. The film features a rare dramatic role for Lucille Ball.

New York police lieutenant Frank informs private investigator Bradford, that his California friends have asked him to keep an eye on him. After hearing the news Brad, decides to go out to dinner with his secretary, Kathleen. They notice a man following them, Brad puts Kathleen in a cab, and follows him. Brad jumps the man and forces him at gunpoint to go to the office. Brad finds out that the man is working for attorney Jardine. Brad sends him on his way but decides to keep his wallet.

Kathleen finds Brad back at his office and when she tells him she wants to help. He warns her to leave and not to get involved.

Meanwhile, at a party celebrating the anniversary of art dealer Hardy Cathcart and his wife Mari, Jardine takes the opportunity to meet up with a married woman, who he is blackmailing.

The next evening, the same man follows Brad and Kathleen from a nightclub to her apartment, outside the apartment, the man tries to run Brad over with his car. Brad gets a partial license plate number, while he and Kathleen, wait for the police at the corner cafe. He tells her about his ex-partner Jardine, stealing money from the firm. When Jardine offered to drive Brad back to his house to pay back the money, he knocked him out and put him behind the wheel of his car, where he had an accident, killing the driver of a truck. Brad received a two-year sentence for manslaughter.

Later that evening, having gotten Jardine's address from the police, Brad goes to confront Jardine and knocks him out after he denies hiring someone to follow him. Will Brad ever get the truth out of Jardine and prove his innocence?

I watched the classic film, The Dark Corner, for the first time. It kind of reminded me of the film noir Laura. Probably because Clifton Webb's, character had similar characteristics to Waldo. I also thought Bradford Galt, character had some similarities to the Dana Andrews detective character.