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Lower East Side in 1950's


Many views of the Lower East Side in the 50's brought back memories. There is a brief view of "Sussman's". This is on the NE corner of Henry and Clinton Streets. Sussman's was a wonderful Jewish bakery. A little down Clinton on the left, behind the woman seated on the chair, one can also see "Benny's Candy Stand" adjacent to the building. One could always satisfy their penny and nickel candy needs at this location, and I recall the glass-windowed case in front with small toy items - a lot of retailing packed into a very small space. Benny and his wife, who also worked at the stand, were the friendliest of people. Anybody else familiar with this location?

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This is a fascinating film. Along with the fine directing and performances, I thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful black and white cinematography of New York City. There's nothing that compares to New York in black and white. I remember the first thing that came to mind when I first viewed this film many years ago. It was the ' Naked City ' tv series ( one of my very favorites ). I grew up in Connecticut, but I spent a lot of time in ' The City '. A lot of great memories.

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srklondie, the NAKED CITY TV series was great, but THE NAKED CITY movie was superb, and was largely filmed on the lower East Side around Delancey St. The Williamsburg Bridge even has a "starring role" in this film. I remember after first seeing the film on TV years after its release, I went to the Williamsburg Bridge and even tried to find the exact spot where Garza's shot would have hit the pavement as he shot at cops Barry Fitzgerald, et al from the Bridge's tower. Of course, that was special effects, but I wanted to see if I could find the location, anyway - and I believe I did.

I'd guess that actual New York scenes have provided the settings for more films than any other location on Earth including Paris, Rome, London, LA, or SF. The older views, from the 40's ans 50's, are the most fascinating for me, and I can recall many of the scenes in the older films that no longer exist in the present day.

BTW, I think Timothy Carey would have been an excellent second choice to play "Garza" in THE NAKED CITY, but Ted de Corsia, with his athletic build and ability was the obvious top choice. Also, Ralph Meeker and Carey did appear, as I know you know, in PATHS OF GLORY together, which is one of my top favorite films.

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Ted de Corsia had such a great puss, although I would urge IMDb to choose a better image for his page. It's not nearly as bad as the image of John Garfield, though. Anyway, I agree you about The Naked City. It's in my collection, along with the complete Naked City tv series. Jules Dassin was a fine director. Along with The Naked City, Rififi, Theives' Highway, The Canterville Ghost, Night and the City and Brute Force are amongst my favorites; all of which are also in my collection.

It would probably take most of the rest of my existence to watch all of the films that were shot on location in New York. I'll start with the black and white ones.

I agree with you about Timothy Carey. Boy, he was a kick! If I didn't know who he was and I saw him approaching me on the sidewalk, I'd probably make a bee line for the other side of the street. You should go to YouTube and watch the two sub-5 minute tributes to Meeker. They're both great. There's also one that's about an hour and a half, but I haven't had a chance to view it yet. Paths of Glory is in my ' top 10 '. I'm not a hardcore Kubrick fan, but Paths of Glory, The Killing and Lolita are all great productions.

I watched Jack Garfein cohost with Robert Osborne last night, as they played and discussed both of his films. I know that he was busy with other stuff ( Broadway and such ), but I can't help but feel some sort of loss, given that Something Wild and The Strange One were all he gave us. He was a most enjoyable interview, by the way.



If you play Jaws backwards, it becomes a film about a shark that keeps spitting up people until they're forced to open a beach.

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I saw the interview last night, too. Very interesting, and it was a surprise to learn that Garfein was married to Carroll Baker.

The Strange One and Something Wild are among the most dark and depressing films I know. I hadn't seen The Strange One in a while, and had forgotten how depressing it could be. Ralph Meeker was "superbly depressing" in Something Wild, which is undoubtedly a testament to the script and the acting. Sad, sad, sad! I still don't know whose kid Baker was pregnant with, but I assume it was the rapist's since there was never any mention of her going to a hospital or getting treatment after the rape. I've heard that women who are raped often keep it secret out of shame or whatever, but to see Baker on the screen following this pattern, was both extremely sad and puzzling. Also, I wonder if her ultimately marrying Meeker could have been a consequence of what we now call the "Stockholm Syndrome" taken to the extreme.

Alright, enough with such dark and depressing films for a while. I think I'll go turn on the news . . . .

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" I think I'll go turn on the news " Do I detect a hint of facetiousness?

You can probably add Crossfire ( '47 ), In Cold Blood ( '67 ), M ( '31 ), Nightmare Alley ( '47 ) and The Pawnbroker ( '64 ) to that list of dark and depressing films.

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I'd add Detective Story, Ace in the Hole, D.O.A., Sunset Boulevard, and a host of others. Noir, Noir, Noir!

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Good choices

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the doctor did make a house call but I don't know if she told him of the rape. She did not tell anyone else. Her fainting was the day after the rape which was too soon to be caused by pregnancy. I think too much time had passed for it to be from the rapist. She had been at his place long enough to lose weight...he mentioned it...she wasn't eating. When she escaped...she had a coat with her that she had taken off when she went back and kids were outside playing in water from the fireplugs. Men are also sitting around in short sleeves. The next scene is when her mother visits and she tells her she is pregnant. At this time, there is snow on the ground. She did not look pregnant yet...so I think it was her husband's

As for Stockholm Syndrome.....if she had that....I don't think she would have gleefully ran out of there as soon as she found the door was open. She would have been too attached to him and fearful; it would have taken her longer to creep out of there and she would not have been as friendly with strangers.



I had the chance to work with Michael Jackson who was as brilliant as they come.
Tommy Mottola

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"I think too much time had passed for it to be from the rapist."

I don't believe the time frame (between the rape and the marriage) was made clear or explicit, perhaps deliberately so in order for the audience to reach its own conclusion. If the pregnancy resulted from her association with Meeker, I think that would have been made clear, or clearer, with even some hint that she had sought medical attention after the rape. The mother had sent for the doctor, but nothing was mentioned of the rape.

Remember those girls who were held convicted in secret locations in a Cleveland house for years, not too long ago? The kidnapper (Ariel Castro) killed himself, in prison not long after. One of the girls, even after years of imprisonment, did take advantage of an opportunity to get out of the house, even though remaining captive for so long was attributed by some to the Stockholm Syndrome. Perhaps Baker's coming back even after she had been freed, indicates that she did, in truth, experience the Stockholm Syndrome but could not rid herself of its influence. She even ended up marrying her kidnapper!

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