MovieChat Forums > The Sniper (1952) Discussion > The Falling Chimney Painter

The Falling Chimney Painter

posted 10 years ago by liambean
6 replies | jump to latest

One of the things I noticed about this film is that there were not a lot of special effects and almost no action scenes. This did not spoil the film for me because the story itself was so strong.

Just when I was getting used to the shock of watching an attractive woman get shot, simulated by having the woman fall down or fall into something, our troubled Mr. Miller shoots and kills the man painting a chimney. The chimney is at least fifteen stories tall. At first our painter falls slowly, as if he's using the rope to slow his descent. But the last twenty feet he comes down rather fast. I really appreciated this effect because it added yet another shock to an already shocking series of murders.

Who performed that stunt? It was quite effective.

[–] jarrodmcdonald-1 10 years ago

Yes-- you described it perfectly. It was more harrowing to watch this scene in THE SNIPER than anything in VERTIGO where Hitchcock often used process shots. Talk about dizzying heights! And the way it was staged with him watching from the bottom left hand corner of the frame, seeing that he had brought the painter done with such a sudden act of violence was chilling.

[–] jellyree 10 years ago

Amazing stunt work.

[–] franzkabuki 9 years ago

Certainly a nice, creative little touch in a film that had many (like the first two killings - Mary Windsor's head brutally smashing into a window with a portrait of herself/the gunshot coinciding with a thunderbolt. And of course the final shot of the movie).

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

[–] fredcdobbs5 9 years ago

Who performed that stunt? It was quite effective.

The guy's name is Ralph O. Clark, and it's the only credit he has on IMDb. However, I remember reading an article about the film years ago that mentioned him, and it said that he was a local in San Francisco who did stunts in movies and TV shows that filmed in the San Francisco area. But for some reason--I don't recall if they even mentioned it in the article--he didn't want to go to Hollywood, where he would have obviously gotten a lot more work. Guess he made enough money to satisfy him doing whatever it was he did in the Bay area, or he just liked staying close to home. Who knows? It was a great stunt, though.

[–] Mad_Monkey 8 years ago

Due to the tight filming schedule and low budget, they didn't have time or money to set up an elaborate stunt. So, without telling the actor on the chimney, they just shot him for that touch of realism.

[–] Jonny_B_Lately 8 years ago

😀😁😀

Watta ya lookn here for?