CrimeDramaThriller

Slightly Scarlet

- Out of the shadows of a vice-ridden city comes James M. Cain's most explosive drama!

Kleptomaniac Dorothy Lyons is paroled from prison into the custody of her sister June, secretary to "reform" politician Frank Jansen. Ben Grace, associate of crime boss Sol "Solly" Caspar, sees this as a way to smear Jansen's campaign. Seductive Dorothy will do anything to get what she wants, which includes having a good time with Ben-- whom June is now in love with.

Release Date : 1956-02-29

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : RKO Radio PicturesBenedict Bogeaus Production

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : John Grace

Original Name : John Payne

Gender : Male

Character Name : June Lyons

Original Name : Rhonda Fleming

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dorothy Lyons

Original Name : Arlene Dahl

Gender : Female

Character Name : Frank Jansen

Original Name : Kent Taylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Solly Caspar

Original Name : Ted de Corsia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gauss

Original Name : Lance Fuller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lenhardt

Original Name : Buddy Baer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Martha - June Lyons' Maid (uncredited)

Original Name : Ellen Corby

Gender : Female

Character Name : Roos (uncredited)

Original Name : George E. Stone

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Fred Aldrich

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Murray Alper

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Albert Cavens

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Paul Cristo

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Sam Flint

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Curt Furberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hood (uncredited)

Original Name : Rudy Germane

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Frank Gerstle

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Kenneth Gibson

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Roy Gordon

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Myron Healey

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Frank Jenks

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Mathew McCue

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : William Meader

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Barry Norton

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : William Phillips

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Hal Taggart

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Arthur Tovey

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Gloria Victor

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : George D. Wallace

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Chiseler's and Smouldering Redheads. Slightly Scarlet is directed by Allan Dwan and adapted to screenplay by Robert Blees from the novel Love's Lovely Counterfeit written by James M. Cain. It stars John Payne, Rhonda Fleming, Arlene Dahl, Kent Taylor and Ted de Corsa. A Technicolor/SuperScope production, music is scored by Louis Forbes and cinematography by John Alton. June Lyons (Fleming) is "secretary" to anti-crime campaigner Frank Jansen (Taylor), so with Jansen in the running for mayor, mob boss Solly Caspar (Corsa) looks for a way to smear Jansen. The chance arises by way of June's sister, Dorothy (Dahl), a Kleptomaniac just released from prison. So Caspar puts his main man on the case, Ben Grace (Payne), but bossing Grace around and then putting him in the middle of two fire- cracker sisters could prove detrimental to all. The story is altered from Cain's source and in truth what reads like a tricky plot, actually isn't all that it can be. Yet it's a feverish Technicolor noir, proof positive that in the right photographic/director hands, noir can thrive away from the monochrome. It plays out its tale in a whirl of simmering passions and wonderfully lurid suggestions, sparkled by eye scorching photography and a deliriously devilish production design. Psychological smarts are in the mix, with no easy answers put forward to character's outcomes, while in true noir fashion all principal characters are hard to like or are intriguingly flawed. John Alton is the key hand here, he brings rich colours to the fore whilst ensuring that light and shadow techniques are not compromised. Macho conversations are spun out in darkened rooms, the colour black prominent, foreboding like, while the home of the two flame haired sisters is adorned with purposely garish blues, reds, oranges and greens. Clothes are important to the sexuality pulsing in the piece. The girls dressed up in a number of fetching (colourful obviously) ensembles, with wide V necked sweaters, figure hugging skirts, bullet bras, leopard skin bikini and see-thru nighties! While a couple of phallic symbols form part of the art design just in case you need reminding that sex is a big issue here. Suggestive scenes are within, usually involving Dorothy who mixes Kleptomania with an obvious kink for Nymphomania. Watch how she strokes a pillow in the background as her sister engages Ben in heated conversation, how she looks as she holds a Harpoon Spear Gun in her hands (in that leopard skin bikini), or a quite delicious sequence on a couch, legs akimbo and a back scratcher used to tantalising effect. Wow! It has flaws for sure, mind. The Kleptomania/Nymphomania angle is not fully explored (ineviatbly for the period), Corsa barely convinces as the head villain, Forbes is not sure how to score it! And there are missed opportunities unbound as regards triangles involving Ben, June and Frank and also Ben, June and Dorothy. But this is still a delightful Technicolor noir, lush, lurid and deftly sordid. 8/10