Surprisingly good flick ...an overlooked gem.
I just watched The Dark Corner last night for the first time. In fact, I never had heard of it before until Netflix suggested it to me. I'm no film noir addict, but I found myself enjoying this film on several levels. In fact, I watched it twice!
Like previous observers in this forum, I noted several borrowings from that film noir classic, Laura. Not only does the movie feature Clifton Webb as the surprise "bad guy", but his character (wealthy art dealer Hardy Cathcart) has similar characteristics to Waldo Lydecker -- a sneering devotion to art, society and good living, plus he's extremely possessive and jealous about his beautiful wife Mari (played by Cathy Downs); she's a kept woman who wants out. His desire for her is so extreme, he's even purchased a portrait (allegedly a Raphael) of a woman who resembles her (and keeps it in a vault).
Bradford Galt (played by Mark Stevens) also bears some similarity to the Dana Andrews' detective character in Laura; a tough-guy investigator in turmoil. I've seen tons of movies, but never encountered Mark Stevens before; while his voice reminds me of Alan Ladd, he is a good actor but one who just doesn't project the star quality or presence to be compelling. I wonder if this movie would have been a bigger hit in its day had his character been played by Bogart or even a Robert Ryan. It's notable that Lucille Ball -- who's truly great and looks gorgeous -- got top billing over him. As we all know, she's famous for her comedy -- but as Kathleen in The Dark Corner, she demonstrates both innocence and guile (plus a delightful hint of wit) that is thoroughly enjoyable.
It was also intriguing to see William Bendix playing the heavy, a low-life and grubby private eye. I'm old enough to remember him in TV's sitcom The Life of Riley, and recall him in many humorous roles in films like Kill the Umpire, A Connecticut Yankee, and even Guadalcanal Diary. In The Dark Corner, he's both menacing and a sleaze, and a convincing one at that.
Although the plot is a familiar one -- a good man is framed, and must find a way to prove his innocence -- there are plenty of twists and turns to keep it moving. Plus there are plenty of clever little scenes and suggestive lines, such as when Galt is talking with Kathleen (Lucille Ball) outside a movie theater, and mentions how they spent the night together in his apartment. The eaves-dropping ticket-seller's facial expressions are hilarious as she hears Kathleen complain about "being left hanging by her nylons ..."
One easily-overlooked feature of this film I enjoyed was the use of urban background sound. Throughout the entire movie, you constantly hear car horns honking or buses and trucks rumbling by when the characters are out-of-doors, or the windows are open in an apartment. Cities are noisy, yet you'd never know that from most films. The darkness of night and shadowy rooms are a constant in film noir, but The Dark Corner makes great use of night sounds to add to the drama and tension.
Overall, I'm still amazed I'd never heard of this film before, nor knew anything about it until I viewed it last night. If you like the film noir of Mark Hellinger (Naked City, The Killers) then I'm sure you'll enjoy Henry Hathaway's The Dark Corner.