Nicholas Ray's Party Girl is a beautiful, technicolor dream, chronicling the life of Lawyer Thomas Farrell, a criminal lawyer whose made a career defending the worst-of-the-worst. Being the primary lawyer for Chicago crime Rico Angelo, Thomas has successfully managed to keep his high profile defendants out of prison, being a man who is hated and respected by politicians while feared by the judges and prosecutors. When Thomas meets Vicki Gayle, a dancer who doesn't approve of his shady professional decisions, he becomes convinced that he is a better man than his reputation, which leads to trouble with mob boss Rico Angelo, a man who insists he finishes his services. Given the dark, gritty nature of Party Girl's storyline, Nicholas Ray's use of technicolor stands out as a brave and fascinating decision. While many films dealing with the subject matter use shadows and shades of gray to evoke a sense of danger, Ray juxtaposes this treacherous setting with a bright color palette, almost as if he is trying to visually represent the world of Thomas Farrell, where danger that lurks underneath the surface of success, respect, and fortune that exists. Nicholas Ray's ability to express emotion through direction and striking visuals is very much a part of what makes Party Girl so compelling, with my favorite sequence being when Vicki Gayle has a brief encounter with Thomas' wife, a woman whom he wants nothing to do with. A minor sequence to the casual viewer, Ray frames the sequence, using mirrors, in such a way that Vicki's body is completely encompassed by the wife's physical presence, visually expressing Vicki's vulnerability in this situation, regardless of the fact that she really has nothing to fear. It's extremely tough to wash your hands of corruption and escape unharmed, and with Party Girl Nichols Ray has created a film with two characters who have unique vulnerabilities, each being very much in love with one and other, each fearing the worst in a situation where they find themselves surrounded by not the most upstanding individuals. While Vicki's character can at times fall victim to some rather out-dated gender stereotypes, I particularly loved the characterization of Thomas, a man suffering from a debilitating hip, which finds him having trouble walking upright at times. Ray uses this character anecdote to great effect, painting a portrait of a man whose physical shortcomings could be interpreted as another aspect as to why he values the respect and power he has garnered, and why, at first, he is so reluctant to escape his role as lawyer for powerful crime boss Rico Angelo. While both Robert Taylor and Cyd Charisse's performances are great, Lee J. Cobb's performance as crime boss Rico Angelo really steals the show, delivering a calm, menacing presence that is truly memorable. Beautifully photographed, acted, and directed, Party Girl is just another great film by Nicholas Ray, one of the best american filmmakers of all time.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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