ROAD HOUSE (1948)
go the your netflix account and add all the ida lupio movies
to your queue, get 'em in the mail and watch 'em all
i'm sorry to say, but if you're not that familiar with her work
- well, she works it, and works well, especially in road house
this movie is a classic love triangle tail that seems
so much like it would be an old warner bros. production
but it's not, it's from 20th century fox... enter darryl zanuck
zanuck was the head of production at warners
until he had a falling out with the brothers, especially jack
he left warners in 1933 and headed to 20th century fox
the impetus for this movie was really ida lupino, she was on
contract at warners but zanuck brought her with him to fox
he bought out her contract for $100,000 and also spent an
additional $30,000 for the rights to a screenplay she had
had commissioned called dark love
this film road house is based on that screenplay
lupino went on to form a film company and became one of
the very first important woman directors in hollywood
she produced a series of successful films in the 40's & 50's
in this film, which is only richard widmark's third role
he brilliantly plays jefty, a spoiled brat man-boy who owns a
bar/bowling alley roadhouse - but plays most of the time
plays with the weekly earnings and with most of the hired help
jefty hires sultry, tough-talking torch singer lily stevens
played by lupino, against the advice of his manager, pete
jefty is smitten with lily, who in turn exerts her charms
on the more resistant, tough as nails manager, pete
when pete finally falls for her and she turns down jefty's
marriage proposal, the trouble really begins
and now they must face jefty's murderous jealousy
that's when things really start to sizzle and what happens next
is what you have to find out for yourself, that is
if you can find it to rent, 'cuz this is a rare one
and a very good one - call netflix!
NOTE:
IS OVER FOR ANOTHER YEAR
BASED ON THE NEARLY FULL THEATER
FOR NEARLY EVERY SCREENING
THIS TRULY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS
PLAN ON BEING THERE NEXT YEAR