In a Lonely Place

In a Lonely Place(1950) - Nicholas Ray

We’ve all been in relationships that progressed a little too quickly and found ourselves thinking “who is this fucking maniac I’m dating?”. In a Lonely Place is a film about a screenwriter who is suspected of murder, but has an alibi in his seductive neighbor whom he starts dating after they meet at the police station. Bogart stars opposite Gloria Grahame and they really bring out the best in each other. In some ways, Bogart is doing his typical Bogart performance and gets to say cool things like “I’ve killed dozens of people…in the pictures”, but he also offers a real glimpse into despair and madness. In a Lonely Place goes to some surprisingly dark places and becomes a type of existential noir. Gloria Grahame gives a wonderful performance as well, transforming from statuesque beauty to tortured wreck. In a Lonely Place isn’t exactly obscure, but it doesn’t get talked about nearly as much as other Bogart films like Casablanca, The Big Sleep, or The Maltese Falcon and it’s just as good.