Ida Lupino's Wellesian Style

[Harvey Chartrand]

Just came across this interesting observation on the Mobius Sci-Fi, Horror & Fantastic Cinema Web board (in a thread on BORIS KARLOFF'S THRILLER):

"Ida Lupino was the Orson Welles of 50s anthology drama - fabulous skewed camera angles, chiaroscuro lighting, great camera movement, and a really pessimistic claustrophobic tone. Unlike Jack Arnold, whose TV episodes lacked some of the flair of his movie work, Ida really brought her film noir sensibility with her to the small screen, I think." — Kevin Heffernan

[Sir Bygber Brown]

Was she the one in those early Bogart flicks?

[Glenn Anders]

Yes, Sir Bygber, and Ida Lupino, the daughter a famous British comic stage performer, was one of the most itelligent actresses of the period. Also, in 1939, she played opposite Welles as the great love of Pancho Lopez in the Campbell Playhouse production of "The Bad Man," an original script for Radio, I believe.

She was the first successful Post-War woman director, the skills for which she carried over into TV.

Glenn

[Sir Bygber Brown]

Interesting. i didn't know that. So what is her most famous movie, and what, do you think is her best movie?

[Harvey Chartrand]

Ida Lupino's best and best-known films as a director would be THE HITCH-HIKER and THE BIGAMIST; both are film noirs starring Edmond O'Brien and released in 1953. She also directed episodes of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS. Most of her work was in series television.

[Glenn Anders]

Right. OUTRAGE and HARD, FAST AND BEAUTIFUL got her first notice as a director, but they were stiff compared to the later films you mention. Her second husband was Producer Collier Young, which helped get her financing.

As an actress, she is also very good in LADIES IN RETIREMENT, ROADHOUSE and THE BIG KNIFE.

Glenn