HANGOVER SQUARE

HANGOVER SQUARE FEATURES THE NEARLY FORGOTTEN LAIRD CREGAR IN HIS ONLY STARRING ROLE AND HE IS WONDERFUL IN THIS EXCELLENT SUSPENSE FILM. CREGAR DIED IN HIS EARLY THIRTIES AND MADE ONLY A HANDFUL OF FILMS; BUT HE IS SPECTACULAR IN EVERY SINGLE ONE. WHEN HE IS ON THE SCREEN, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONCENTRATE ON ANYONE ELSE, SO STRONG ARE HIS ACTING SKILLS AND CHARISMA. THIS WORK, CREGAR'S LAST, IS ENTERTAINING AND ABSORBING FROM START TO FINISH. IT BENEFITS FROM GOOD PERFORMANCES BY ALL, ESPECIALLY GEORGE SANDERS, LINDA DARNELL, ALAN NAPIER, AND FAYE MARLOWE.THE LATTER ACTRESS MADE ONLY A HANDFUL OF FILMS, TOO, AND THIS IS HER BEST. SHE IS ALSO STILL ALIVE AND ON THE DVD COMMENTARY, WHICH IS A REAL PLUS. THIS MOVIE HAS A TERRIFIC SENSE OF TIME AND PLACE WITH WONDERFUL SETS AND ART DECORATION AND THERE IS ALSO A MARVELOUS BERNARD HERRMANN SCORE. HERRMAN WAS ONE OF MOVIE MUSIC'S VERY GREATEST TALENTS. VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW A THING ABOUT THIS WINNING FILM, SO THE PROOF IS IN THE DISCOVERY.AFTER THOUGHT: IF THERE HAD EVER BEEN A BIOGRAPHICAL FILM OF CREGAR'S LIFE, RAYMOND BURR WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECT TO PLAY THE LEAD. THERE IS A STRONG PHYSICAL RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN THE TWO MEN.