Lured (1. 94. 7) - User Reviewslured. It's stylishly done, with an uncharacteristic, but welcome, low key Lucille Ball performance, and the usual good work from pros like George Sanders (playing a hero, for a change) Charles Coburn, Cedrick Hardwicke, and Boris Karloff. Yes, you read that right.
At one point in this movie, Frankenstein meets Lucy Ricardo, and it's my favorite scene. On the down side, it's not very suspenseful or scary (afraid the usually fine director Douglas Sirk's to blame for this) and I tabbed Hardwicke as the villain about a third of the way through Leo Rosten's merely ok screenplay. And somehow a Sirk film without color, and not set in 5. America, just seems kinda bland. So let's give it a C plus.
Lured. I was so pleasantly surprised one evening when passing time I tuned in to this light mystery, Lured. I really got into it and wanted so to finish it, however was called away before the ending. Now I am abashed at not having the satisfaction of knowing the "who done it" and how the clues led to finding him. When will it play again? Darn Good Flick. Lucy does well as dime- a- dance girl turned undercover cop. George Zucco an absolute delight in every scene he's in! Glad to see him as other than evil Prof Moriarty in Adv Of Sherlock Holmes.
Lucille Ball is an American girl working as a taxi dancer in London, who volunteers to work as a decoy for Scotland Yard to land a serial killer. Ball does. Lured. 1947 Directed by Douglas Sirk. Synopsis Don't answer. Between an uncredited debut in 1933's 'The Bowry' and this 1947 mystery thriller directed by Douglas. 1947 film noir starring Lucille Ball and George Sanders, directed by Douglas Sirk. The latest critic and user reviews, photos and cast info for Lured. Overview of Lured, 1947, directed by Douglas Sirk, with George Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn, at Turner Classic Movies.
Read user reviews of Lured, 1947, directed by Douglas Sirk, with George Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn, here at TCM. Lured is a 1947 film noir directed by Douglas Sirk and starring George Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn, and Boris Karloff. The film is is a remake of Robert. 1,339 videos Play all 100s of AMERICAN & BRIT CLASSIC OLD Black and White FULL LENGTH MOVIES FILMS late 1920s,1930s, 1940s, 1950s PUBLIC DOMAIN. Directed by Douglas Sirk. With George Sanders, Lucille Ball, Charles Coburn. Visit IMDb for Photos, Showtimes, Cast, Crew, Reviews, Plot Summary, Comments.
George Sanders not his usual cad, and Sir Cedric- well, the last to be suspected. Just wonderful.. This film presents the best of so many actors, Ball, Coburn, Zucco, Calleia, Sanders, Mowbray, Hardwicke and Karloff. And it makes you understand how a young Douglas Sirk went on to fame and fortune, despite how incongruous this feature is with what he later became known for. The movie walks a wonderful thin line between a police procedural and a romantic mystery. Ball is the glue that holds it all together and she was never better. Zucco had a go at (for once) not being the "weird bad guy with glasses." Karloff's turn as a jilted designer of couture is a bit of a stretch and perhaps the movies lone odd bit, but hey, any scene that includes Lucille Ball, Boris Karloff and a somewhat cranky Bulldog can't be all bad! I sense that this movie is overlooked - - and it should not be.
It is a delight! Happy Accident. I took the wrong DVD off the shelf at the library.
I got home and found myself with a copy of Lured instead of another film. Decided to watch it anyway. Hey, it had Lucy ( who made some very good noir films) George Sanders ( a favorite from All About Eve) and Charles Coburn ( who did films with Jean Arthur). To my surprise this was a nice little thriller done by Douglas Sirk. Try it the next time it is on TCM. Currently it can only be had by ordering from foreign sources. Darkness, thick plumes of fog, nearly empty night streets o' London ..
Rita Hayworth's "Tonight and Every Night". Sirk telegraphs a real sense of forboding in these dark early scenes. Not unrealistic for the mid- forties, and just shows us how the bright lights of today take away from the allure of Old London town.
It's not the Grapes of Wrath, but it's a decent little movie carried by wonderful actors and good sets and Sirk's vision. Give me heavy mist! Five indulgent stars, thank you very much, ma'am. Lured(1. 94. 7)All- Star Cast transcends average script with captivating chemistry and fascinating study of character. Normally an average film at best, but with the likes of Lucille Ball, George Sanders, Charles Coburn, Boris Karloff, George Zucco,Alan Mowbray, Cedric Hardwicke, Alan Napier and above average background actors, the movie sizzles with curiosity and intrigue. The intrigue is mainly on the main Actors, and how they integrate . Lucille Ball is trying to catch a killer in England and she is lovely.
Lucy displays depth in her acting and keeps the viewer totally interested. A sound track that is more annoying than helpful holds the film back, but add more bass and it will make it more enjoyable. A nice little gem that will bring smiles to your face and pleasure to your life. This film is truly a "guilty pleasure." 5 out of 5 stars.
Lured (1. 94. 7)Solid mystery thriller, very well cast. Lucille Ball is terrific in a dramatic role. Good photography and lighting. Great pace and it's always interesting.
LUCILLE BALL AS NEVER SEEN BEFOREHow refreshing to see Lucille Ball in this dramatic, glamorous role. It is a welcome change from all of her future comedic roles that made her famous and a household name. Charles Coburn is his usual charming self as the Inspector. Sandra Carpenter" wears some fabulous, eye- catching gowns and looks beautiful in them.
Gorgeous Lucille Ball Lures Killer. This film is top notched in every way from glamour and humor to suspense. Ms. Ball is a real dish in this film. She's funny, playful, smart and quite a sight in an off the shoulder sculpture fitting gown. The rest of the character actors are a treat but George Sanders performance displays a vulnerability rarely shown by him. This film is pure entertainment- a real delight! Mysterious and suspenseful film!
Lured is a great film noir that showcases shadow and light in dark places like never before. Setting in the streets of London, the film provides terrific suspense and mystery. Lucille Ball is amazing playing as a brave and strongheaded dancer who is used to lure in the serial killer. This film needs to be shown on TCM for viewers to see!!
LURED (1. 94. 7) - Deep Roots Magazine. Director: Douglas Sirk.
Producers: Henry S. Kesler, James Nasser, Hunt Stromberg. Writers: Leo Rosten (screenplay)Jacques Companéez (from a story by) (as Jacques Companeez) & Ernst Neubach (from a story by) (as Ernest Neuville) & Simon Gantillon (from a story by)Music: Michel Michelet. Cinematography: William H. Daniels. Cast (Actor, Role)George Sanders (as Robert Fleming)Lucille Ball (as Sandra Carpenter)Charles Coburn (as Inspector Harley Temple)Boris Karloff (as Charles van Druten)Cedric Hardwicke (as Julian Wilde)Joseph Calleia (as Dr.
Nicholas Moryani)Alan Mowbray (as Lyle Maxwell)George Zucco (as Officer H. R. Barrett)Alan Napier (as Detective Gordon)Tanis Chandler (as Lucy Barnard)Annette Warren (as the singing voice of the blonde nightclub singer played by Ethelreda Leopold)Cyril Delevanti (as the Medical Examiner)Herbert Evans (as Fleming’s butler)Alex Frazer (as Prof. Harkness)The title was changed to Personal Column midway through the original U.
S. theatrical release because staff at the Production Code Administration thought the word “lured” sounded too much like “lurid.” Director Douglas Sirk felt the title change confused potential audiences and led to the film’s box- office failure. Lucille Ball, director Douglas Sirk and Cedric Hardwick on the set of Lured. Douglas Sirk, Lucille Ball & A Serial Killer Concoct an ‘Eccentric Original’By Jeff Stafford for Movie Morlocks (powered by TCM), posted on January 2.
That unlikely combination is just part of the quirky appeal of Lured, a 1. United Artists that is also equal parts comedy and romance (It was a remake of the French film Pieges [1. Robert Siodmak and starred Erich von Stroheim, Marie Déa and Maurice Chevalier). Most biographers of Lucille Ball and director Douglas Sirk have routinely dismissed it as an insignificant film in their careers but I think part of the problem was that critics and audiences expected a genuine thriller and got something else entirely.
It is an eccentric original and highly recommended for anyone who wants to see Lucille Ball in one of her most underrated and accomplished performances as a dance hall hostess hired by the police as an undercover female detective and “bait” for a London serial killer. For Sirk, Lured is a success d’estime but a box office flop (he attributes its poor showing to the studio changing the name from Lured to Personal Column in order to avoid any salacious association with the word ‘lurid.’ In the’5. Sisk would make the most effective use of bold,primary colors of any director this side of Vincent Minnelli in delivering over- the- top melodramas such as Written On the Wind and Imitation of Life. It took learned, insightful, passionate essays by critic Andrew Sarris and director Jean- Luc Godard praising Sirk’s auteur brilliance to inspire a well- deserved critical re- evaluation of the director’s oeuvre. In Lured, he shot in atmospheric black- and- white (on a back lot meant to depict London) and got wonderful performances from a stellar cast, one of the finest of any ’4. Boris Karloff provides the comic relief in a send- up of his own horror film persona; he plays a mad- as- a- hatter dress designer who stages fashion shows for an imaginary Royal audience and his dog.
In addition, George Sanders is a hobnobbing playboy entrepreneur with a reputation as a ladykiller, Sir Cedric Hardwicke is his anal- retentive business partner, Charles Coburn plays a Scotland Yard inspector with a mind like a steel trap, George Zucco (usually cast as a psychotic killer) plays against type as an intrepid, crossword puzzle- loving detective in disguise (he has a delightful scene with Lucy in trying to come up with a particular word for one puzzle), Alan Mowbray is a suspicious high society butler with a side business in the white slave trade and scar. Y Joseph Calleia is the malevolent brains behind the latter operation. For those into telling coincidences, Alan Napier plays Detective Gordon–an unremarkable fact on the surface, but pause for a moment to consider this: in Tim Burton’s first Batman movie, Jack Napier becomes The Joker, and any Batman aficionado well knows the Caped Crusader’s sometime foe- sometime ally Detective Gordon. Moreover, Alan Napier’s most extensive acting credit is as Alfred the butler in the iconic 1. Batman TV series, a role he reprised in the movie spinoff of that pop culture phenomenon. Lucy with George Sanders.
What is most interesting about Sirk’s direction of Lured is his decision to play up the red herrings in the script to such an absurd degree that they overshadow the initial premise, but it’s actually part of the film’s odd appeal. After an opening set- up of the anonymous murderer who preys on young, single women he contacts through personal columns and then sends poems by Baudelaire to Scotland Yard to announce his latest victim, the film shifts the focus to Lucille Ball as Sandra Carpenter, a working class showgirl stranded in London after her show from the states went bust. Sirk parades Ball through a series of misadventures before finally circling back to the serial killer in the final third of the film. But we don’t care because we become more interested in the eccentric personalities on display and the mystery becomes secondary which was probably Sirk’s intention. In fact, you’ll probably be able to guess who the murderer is after his first introduction as a suspect.
Ball’s performance here is somewhat reminiscent of her brassy, aspiring actress in Stage Door but displays a wider range of emotions, shifting easily from witty repartee with George Sanders to a worried but game acceptance of her undercover activities to panic when she is finally cornered, all of which is accomplished without the broad comic theatrics of the character she would play on I Love Lucy. Her scenes with George Sanders in particular have a spark to them and their chemistry together is so potent that it’s a shame they weren’t paired together as a team for other movies.
Offscreen Ball and Sanders got along famously too, leading to rumors that they had an affair during Lured. Although Lucille would deny it over the years,” according to Kathleen Brady’s biography, Lucille: The Life of Lucille Ball, “Zsa Zsa Gabor, who married Sanders a few years after her divorce from Conrad Hilton, was certain they had an affair. Zsa Zsa became suspicious when she picked up an extension phone at his home to hear Lucille demanding, “What are you doing with that Hilton woman? You know I know you.
She’s too young for you!”Ball has rarely looked more glamorous than in Lured, due in large part to William Daniel’s lighting and camerawork; this was the famous MGM cinematographer who lensed most of Greta Garbo’s features (Anna Christie, Camille, Ninotchka, Anna Karenina, etc.) and many with Norma Shearer (A Free Soul, Marie Antoinette, Romeo and Juliet), Jean Harlow (Dinner at Eight, Personal Property), and Margaret Sullavan (The Shopworn Angel, The Shop Around the Corner, The Mortal Storm). The other major MGM connection behind the camera on Lured was producer Hunt Stromberg who began working at Metro- Goldwyn- Mayer in the silent era and helped shape the first four installments of The Thin Man series whose mixture of crime, comedy, romance and witty dialogue is duplicated in this 1. Stromberg left MGM in the early forties to pursue a career as an independent producer and some of these later efforts included such crime and noir thrillers as Lady of Burlesque (1. Guest in the House (1. The Strange Woman (1. Too Late for Tears (1.
Lucy and Boris Karloff. Despite Lured’s mediocre performance at the box office, Sirk was obviously fond of the movie as evidenced by his comments in Sirk on Sirk: Conversations with Jon Halliday. The director recalled, “I got on well with Hunt Stromberg, the producer. He liked my direction, and he gave me a very free hand, on the cutting and everything. I also had a great art director on this picture–Remisoff, a Russian. He did an expert job.
And this was the first time I worked with Bill [William] Daniels, a very good cameraman. The cast was right. I tried with Karloff to do something like I had done with [Edward Everett] Horton in Summer Storm, and Karloff was very pleased with the role. It was a bit the same with Charles Coburn, who was considered a comedy actor, and this gave the part of the detective an added quality, with his bonhomie.
Lucille Ball, too, was known as a comedy actress. Here…I think I got some irony into the character, and some of the shifting identity…: all three of them seem to others to be something different from what they really are. In the casting I was operating on a two- layer principle. And it was my first attempt at a crime picture.”After Lured went into release, United Artists had second thoughts about the title and changed it to Personal Column. Sirk commented, “They changed the title during the run in America as well.
Lured was a great title, it has a sound to it. The picture had been doing very well, and the change ruined the run. Personal Column sounds like Hedda Hopper [Hollywood gossip columnist] to me. Stromberg wanted something ‘more dignified.’”The film has since reverted to its original title and is currently distributed on DVD by Kino International. It is an acceptable print but could certainly use a Criterion quality remastering. Perhaps Criterion’s Eclipse label could do a boxed set of the lesser known Sirk films during his early years in Hollywood– Summer Storm, Scandal in Paris, Lured and Sleep My Love. Annette Warren: The Singing Voice of Lucy, Ava, Iris & ‘Lured’In the nightclub scene in Lured, the blonde nightclub singer is played by Etheldra Leopold but her singing voice is supplied by Annette Warren in what was her first film dubbing assignment.
A year later, 1. 94. Iris Adrian’s singing voice in The Paleface, starring Bob Hope. She would then dub Lucy’s singing voice in two movies also starring Bob Hope (1. Sorrowful Jones and 1. Fancy Pants), and in 1.