Chirphymium
It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional
AnhartLinkin
This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Keeley Coleman
The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
Phillim
Reportedly Ida Lupino referred to herself jokingly as 'the poor man's Bette Davis' or some such. Don't you believe it -- just listen to her croak out 'It's a Quarter to Three' at the piano her resting cigarette is burning a groove into. Heart. Breaks.Lupino plays a beat-up-by-life chan-toozy, limping in from Chicago for a gig at the biggest joint in a tiny backwater. Boss Richard Widmark likes what he sees. So does the boss's buddy/employee Cornel Wilde. Let the fun begin.There is something in the story structure of 'Road House' akin to the top-of-the-genre 'Gilda' released two years earlier: not-unattractive Boss owns the game thus owns the attractive falling-in-love employees -- who may have other ideas -- forcing Boss to prove his power. Polymorphous sexual undercurrents flow in several directions in the male-male-female triangle. One terrifying section of the film demonstrates how legally enslaving a 'have-not' is easy for a 'have' to accomplish in the modern era -- a parallel to the extended sequence in 'Gilda' where Rita Hayworth attempts to escape her 'gilda'd cage'. This is not at all to suggest 'Road House' is a copycat -- it is superior original work, and, if anything, explores variations on familiar noir themes -- lust, rot, and madness on the dark side of the moon of humanity and whatnot.I admit I never 'got' Cornell Wilde before seeing this film -- but the scene where he teaches Ida Lupino how to bowl -- masterful. The guy's got exquisite acting chops and natural sex appeal, and this is the film that lets you know it! His character has a pungent smell -- and it's not unpleasant. Richard Widmark manages to shade his megalomaniac with enough exuberant and attractive normalcy to keep it interesting. Edward Chodorov's script intelligently gives him a plausible descent from slightly-off to utter depravity. Widmark's a solid talent, and this performance compares favorably to similar heavies-with-humanity of the genre, e.g., George MacReady in 'Gilda', Thomas Gomez in 'Johnny O'Clock'.Celeste Holme as the 'nice, semi-involved bystander' character skillfully provides the supporting connective tissue between the suppurating major organs, as she decides where her sympathies lie.Director/Portrait Artist Jean Negulesco's visual sense gives the film a look you like to look at. This is a smart, sexy movie that respects and entertains, at least in the opinion of this humble (albeit somewhat demanding) audient.
Benedito Dias Rodrigues
How fantastic is noir style,another fine one,this time Richard Widmark on third role in your career portrait one more time a similar Tommy Udo's character when he bring the beauty singer (Lupino)from Chicago for act in your night club, the manager your lifetime friend (Wilde)adviced him about too expensive woman,but Jefty insist that it will be increase the profits,but Pete fail in love with her,but Jefty has another plans for Lily,the last part of the picture burning strong when Jefty has a time revenge,fantastic ending of this amazing noir directed by Jean Negulesco
nomoons11
Any time you got Richard Widmark in a noir you know you got trouble...and he delivers...yet againI think there were really only ever 2 really bad or evil characters in noir and they were...Richard Widmark and John Garfield. These guys consistently portrayed flawed and rotten characters but Widmark was about as mean and nasty as they came. He was the master of the loathsome worm -like guy who always made it miserable for every other character but his own.Jefty is a guy who owns a Road House and his best friend from childhood runs the joint. He comes back from Chicago with another girl he deems great to sing at his place at an inflated rate. His friend thinks it's another of his crush's but low and behold...she can sing. Jefty has the hots for her but she has no interest in him...only his friend. Now Jefty is a fairly nice guy but when the news is delivered they love each other, he doesn't take to it very well. After this, it's go time for Richard Widmark and his trademark Mr. Evil character to blossom...and man does it.Trust me folks, if you want sheer evil in film you should see just about any noir Widmark ever did. He shoulda done film class 101 on scumbags on film and how to do em. In this one, you'll cringe at what he does in the second half of this film.Sit back and wait for the payoff in this noir gem...it'll most certainly be worth your wait.
classicsoncall
Not only was Ida Lupino a first rate actress, but a pretty shrewd businesswoman as well. She purchased the rights to "Road House" for twenty thousand dollars, then wound up with a tidy sum of a hundred thirty grand for signing on with RKO to do the picture. Now that's putting some credibility in 'One For My Baby'.You know, I could watch Richard Widmark all day doing that maniacal laugh of his. It's great when he builds up to it like he does here, starting out as the somewhat absentee owner of Jefty's Road House, right through the complicated relationship that develops between himself, singer Lily Stevens (Lupino) and business manager Pete Morgan (Cornel Wilde). It's like he's building on his Tommy Udo character from 1947's "Kiss of Death", Widmark's first film role.Yet on the flip side, there's not a whole lot about this story that makes sense if set in the real world, particularly as it relates to that jury trial over the stolen money. How does the plaintiff get to go into the judge's chambers to seek clemency for the defendant? Didn't these guys have lawyers? And what about the 'proof' Susie claims she found when she spots the business envelope that contained the missing money? So? It was an envelope that Jefty had on him - why wouldn't he? He owned the business! But to get even that far, you had to take it on faith that the police captain never even considered that Jefty might have been setting up his manager. You could go around in circles all night like this and not make sense of the story.But, and this is the significant but, all of this is set in a noir world that sucks the viewer in with it's flawed femme fatale with the gravel voice and the mugs who want her. So you're willing to overlook the credibility defying moments, and just go along for the ride for the final payoff. Along the way you get Widmark and Wilde in that great bar room brawl, and Ida Lupino makin' it for her baby with one more for the road.
