Repeat Performance

Repeat Performance is on a short list of the most underappreciated films of any era. A superatlive work produced by Eagle Lion, it stars Joan... , who had been virtually blacklisted by the studios as a result of her feud with Jack Warner. But, here, she emerges an a stunning adult actress who can carry the intense load of this noirish drama, with an opening scene that is even better than Wyler's similar one in The Letter. Leslie is superb, showing her ability to outdistance herself from most of the lightware fare at Warners. (Of course, she could carry her own in superlative works like Hey Sierra, The Hard Way, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and the flawed but beautiful Rhapsody in Blue. There are other plus factors in this fascinating film that sends our heroine spinning through the re-living of a year, with, perhaps, a chance to change its dire conclusion. Richard Basehart is excellent in one of his first, and best, roles. Louis Hayward is as good as he usually has been in playing heels. And there are T om Conway, Natalie Shaefer, Virginia Field, and Benay Venuta, all pros. Alfred Werker's direction should be studied....and the camera work (New Year's Eve on Broadway) is very fine. An excellent film. Too bad that the beautiful Ms. Leslie was given only a few more chances (she wound up at Republic, hardly the best place for such a talent, especially in 'support' of the likes of Vera Ralston! But ssee Leslie turn in the best performance in Born To Be Bad where Nicholss Ray's fine direction sees her character dwarf those of Joan Fontaine (who is good), Robert Ryan, Zachery Scott. Mel Ferrer also responds well to Ray. Leslie's comic ability is a glowing part of The Skipper Surprised His Wife (at MGM opposite Robert Walker)...and her dancing skills are most evident when she teams with Astaire in the neglected The Sky's the Limit, a film which produced the great songs My Shining Hour, and One For the Road. Full Review