Moonrise (1948) Bad Killer Blood Runs Through His Veins

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Off I set on another of my travels through film. This time Moonrise from 1948. Didn’t know much about it. The way I like it. Only recently stumbled across it. A film noir it says. I guessed the usual crime filled drama affair? Had to have a love story, you can see that on the movie poster (Haha not the image I used). In I went! All nice and chilled with the opening credits accompanied with a full orchestra bashing out a melody of uplifting, stirring strings……. until then!…

It jumped straight into a terrifying montage that flash forward time through a nightmare of shadows, figures, gathered men and screaming children. Punching, beating, bullying. A hanging man and a hanging baby! Phew it’s doll! More shadows elongated against a wall. They twist and turn. More horror. Time is moving forward quick. More pain. It’s freakishly sinister. Then relax……

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For like one whole minute! Then. “You got killer blood! Haha did your daddy tell you how it feels to drop 6 feet on the end of a rope!” Smack the first punch comes like a juggernaut straight into the white suited, smug bullies chin. Floored. Damn not enough power. He’s back on his feet. Pow he lets off two haymakers, then a third. But the scrappy little kid ain’t down. He’s been here before. Beaten, bloodied and bruised. For Daniel “Danny” Hawkins (Dane Clark) these brutal beatings had come to him most of his young life. His father had killed when Danny was young. He was hanged for it. The bully, Jerry Sykes (Lloyd Bridges), was gleeful in the way he terrorised poor Danny. He tormented him about it every single time he crossed his path. They lived in a small town. Each time was many. Jerry was the bigger man. Danny was down, heavy. He sat dazed on a stack of logs. His eyes out of focus. Jerry demands “Have you had enough? Have you had enough?” Danny’s vision flashes back to a young Jerry, hands around his neck. Mocking sounds run through his head. Spurred on he goes in for another kicking. Determined he lets loose with punch after punch. He’s beating him. At last. The first time. Jerry falls. He lands by a rock, he goes to use it!……

Danny – “What if there is bad blood in me? What if it makes me do bad things?“

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Moonrise is set within the swamp filled small Southern Virginian town of Woodville. The kind of town that everybody knows you and your business. You can’t escape it. For Danny he’d endured most his life ridiculed by his peers. He’s in love with a teacher, Gilly Johnson (Gail Russell). She was going steady with Jerry. Danny had one place of sanctuary and a loyal friend. Mose Jackson (Rex Ingram) was more like a father figure. Never short of wise words for the young man as he feeds his bloodhounds or rocks in his chair. He lived by the river next to an abandoned plantation house, once grand and eloquent. The perfect place for Danny to hide out. He may need to hide or even run if his past comes to haunt him.

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Danny’s anger is so erratic. His anger ready to explode. His temperamental actions are balanced on a edge of a knife. He lashes out at everyone. At any given moment. Paranoia eats at his soul. Danny is convinced his father’s bad blood is running through his veins. Terrified his destiny is a killer. Petrified he will be swinging from a noose six feet above the ground.

Sheriff Clem Otis – “A small towns like a stomach. It’s always bubbling anger ready to digest you.“

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Things I Learnt

• I found Moonrise after being every impressed by Rex Ingram’s part in the Humphrey Bogart WW2 Tank film Sahara (1943) and went off looking for more of his work.
• Here’s a big one I didn’t know. Moonrise is directed by Frank Borzage. He has over a hundred film credits for acting and directing right back to 1912! Wow.
• Frank Borzage big claim to fame and one to remember for pub quizzes. He was the first ever director to win an Academy Award (1927-28) for his film 7th Heaven (1927). Anyone seen it?
• Moonrise was a novel written in 1946 by Theodore Strauss.
• It is part of The Criterion Collection
• Being very forceful with a gal will mean she will give in and fall head over heals in love with you! Wolfie’s words of wisdom – “Don’t try this one in real life boys!“
• This was a weird moment. The cafe attendant called Elmer is also billed as the Soda Jerk. He speaks to everyone in jive! Well until his boss comes in. “What’s buzzing cousin. Everything hot in the slot? Stash that and dig another brother. You dig it. Ain’t nothing but squares around here!” Funny thing, he’s played by Phil Brown otherwise known as Uncle Owen from Star Wars – A New Hope (1977).

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Tagline – Her arms… Her love… His only escape from a heritage of hate!

The film style is so interesting to watch. One minute it’s all pretty routine. Like a girl and boy embrace for a dance within an old manor. The next moment you are aboard a moving camera as it lifts into the air tracking to the side whilst hoovering up into the crystal lights of a chandelier. There’s another. Following the couple as they cross a fun filled fair ground. The paranoia sets in. Quick get on the big wheel! The camera finds another collection of angles that really shouldn’t of been possible with a camera of the size from those times.

But Frank Borzage and his cinematographer (Psycho (1960) John L Russell) let loose. One many occasions. Each scene is beautifully crafted but most of the time are reasonably normal shots. Then out of the blue, special effects are thrown at you, close ups and low lit shots filled with juxtaposition. To be honest nothing really prepares you for that opening sequence. Harrowing and beautiful to see at the same time. A sequence of silent movie expressionism with sound! Sure someone can tell me more about that scene?

Another thing I loved about Moonrise was the wonderful way Rex Ingram character Mose was shown. Far removed from many stereotypical portrayals of a black man of the time. Actually Mose and Sheriff Clem Otis (Allyn Joslyn) are both in fact key factors to giving some of philosophical inspired lines. Both acting like the adult father figure that poor Danny so desperately needs.

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Mose Jackson – “When I first came out here I thought I would be out of the way. I thought they’d be no one shoving me around. What I did was resign from the human race. I bet that is the worst crime there is. Only they don’t hang you for it!“

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Sheriff Clem Otis – “Sometimes, murder is like love. It takes two to commit it. The man who hates and the man who’s hated. The killer and the killed.“

I’ve only touched on a small part of this film. It has many layers. I came away thinking about it a lot. Did Danny have killer blood in veins? You will have to tune in for a watch. Hey it’s on YT if you fancy it. Or please feel free to let me know if you’ve seen it.

Keep digging for deep cool films. Thanks for reading and all the best.

Mikey Wolf

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