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Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Noir takes a trip through the carnival.
The usual stellar Criterion video and audio presentation on this classic carnival noir.
Grand ambitions, betrayal, Tarot cards, and carnival mystique surround this story of Stan Carlisle (Tyrone Power), who wants to succeed as a showman by learning the secret code that brings success to a pair of fraud mystics. When Stan manages to replace the older man in the act, he not inherits his position, but the woman who loved him. But Stan's ambitions are bigger than being the star attraction in a roadshow, and he flirts both with the big time and the acrobatic girlfriend of the strongman. Unfortunately, Stan's future is tied to disaster if he chooses to chase his dream of greater success.
The usual staples of detectives and killer dames may be missing from this film, but in every other way it feels like a noir. It's like an extended episode of The Twilight Zone that is compelling right to the end. Guillermo Del Toro has borrowed this name for a 2021 film, and maybe the plot as well, so maybe the best selling point for this film is Del Toro's enthusiasm in bringing it to a new audience. While the new film will probably be good, it's going to have a challenge before it competing with this classic black-and-white thriller.
