On M List of Movie Reviews
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Mirage (1965)
Rate:
8
Viewed:
5/25
5/25:
Mirage accomplishes the impossible: start out poorly and recover to become thrilling.
The only other picture I can recall to do so is Vertigo. Instead of Alfred
Hitchcock, it's Edward Dmytryk who directed the film noir, causing me to say, "Finally," given his long
run of stinkers. I honestly had no hope for him from the get-go.
It's among Gregory Peck's best films, easily beating out Spellbound.
The genius is starting out in the abstract manner but the mystery is cleared up more when the next scene connects
everything together in a Memento way except it keeps going forward.
Where Mirage falls short is the ending; it's a bit weak, making me want to see the film again later.
How the amnesia started is that David Stillwell suffered from a traumatic episode, leading to Charles Calvin's
27-story fall to his death. Therefore, he stopped remembering a lot of stuff beforehand and needed other
people's help to recall bits of memories here and there until they finally came together. Certainly, it's a
classic Freudian story. Kudos to Howard Fast, under the pseudonym of Walter Ericson, for coming up with it in his
novel called Fallen Angel.
Meanwhile, I like the cast involving three Oscar winners (Gregory Peck, Walter Matthau, and George Kennedy)
along with the supporting players: Diane Baker, Kevin McCarthy, and Jack Weston. As an added bonus unlike many
Hitchcock's films, the exteriors were 100% shot on location in New York City. The photography is consistently
excellent, and the editing goes a long way, too.
All in all, forget Charade and
Arabesque; Mirage is the one to see.