‘Framed’ or — Curves Ahead?
(No spoilers)
‘Framed’ (1947) has a blinder of an opening — Glenn Ford’s Mike Lambert is desperately trying to stop the speeding truck with failed brakes he’s “driving “ from killing anyone, including himself, as it careens down a hill with dangerous curves. Mike brings the vehicle to a halt in town but not before denting the fender of mining prospector Jeff Cunningham’s pickup. Mike is arrested for dangerous driving, the trucking company washing their hands of any accidents their employees might cause.
Mike is spared a prison sentence when his fine is paid by a mysterious woman called Paula, who looks far too sophisticated to be working in the bar she does. Not only that but Paula buys Mike a drink and even pays for a hotel room when Mike becomes blind drunk. That’s very nice of her. This Paula must obviously be a decent and selfless person.
The next day Paula quits her job at the bar and meets with her friend Steve Price, vice president of the local bank. She tells Steve she’s finally found him, a man that’s exactly the same height and build as Steve… and she’s got him neatly tucked away in a little hotel room. This Paula might not be so decent after all!
What follows is a nicely twisty, not wholly predictable, small town (almost rural) Noir as we try to figure out why Paula and Steve want Mike so badly, what they’ll do when they get him and what the hell is going to happen when things, not surprisingly, don’t quite go to plan. Chances are it’s got to do with the bank. Or maybe that new silver mine? And what’s up with Steve’s wife? I’m deliberately trying to be vague.
‘Framed’ is one of those enjoyable thrillers where the fun comes not so much from the originality of the story but the buzz from being manipulated during the telling, much like Mike himself experiences. Ford’s Mike is a decent guy, determined to sort himself out and settle down whilst Paula is obviously bad news, the sort of bad news Mike’s been wanting to avoid. But Mike is also forgiving and open minded. He doesn’t care if Paula’s resorted to some unseemly acts to get by in the past. Nobody’s perfect but is Paula simply a flawed human or is she something a little darker? Or maybe it’s that Steve guy?
The acting is good here with Janis Carter managing to keep Paula’s motives ambiguous until they’re ready to be revealed whilst also allowing glimpses of humanity to come through. Barry Sullivan provides a decent turn as the condescending Steve and Glenn Ford is on great form as Mike Lambert, his compact size and boyish looks giving him the appearance of a permanently angry Marty McFly.
The directing and cinematography are effective and energetic, the script’s pacing is tight, the story is clear and characters well defined. It’s a brisk 82 minutes without a single ounce of fat or slightest hint of lag. Much like a truck with failed brakes, ‘Framed’ isn’t going to slow down much for anyone.
‘Framed’, aka ‘Paula’, is a great thriller with just enough surprises to keep you guessing. Like driving a car along a crooked road at night, we know there are curves and twists ahead but we can only just make them out in time in the circular glow of our headlights. Drive carefully, folks.
