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DramaCrimeFantasy

Alias Nick Beal

- No man ever held more terrible power over women than this tall dark handsome stranger from nowhere!

After straight-arrow district attorney Joseph Foster says in frustration that he would sell his soul to bring down a local mob boss, a smooth-talking stranger named Nick Beal shows up with enough evidence to seal a conviction. When that success leads Foster to run for governor, Beal's unearthly hold on him turns the previously honest man corrupt, much to the displeasure of his wife and his steadfast minister.

Release Date : 1949-03-04

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : The Contact ManDark CircleStrange TemptationAlias Nicky Beal

Cast

Ray Milland

Character Name : Nick Beal

Original Name : Ray Milland

Gender : Male

Audrey Totter

Character Name : Donna Allen

Original Name : Audrey Totter

Gender : Female

Thomas Mitchell

Character Name : Joseph Foster

Original Name : Thomas Mitchell

Gender : Male

George Macready

Character Name : Thomas Garfield

Original Name : George Macready

Gender : Male

Fred Clark

Character Name : Frankie Faulkner

Original Name : Fred Clark

Gender : Male

Geraldine Wall

Character Name : Martha Foster

Original Name : Geraldine Wall

Gender : Female

Henry O'Neill

Character Name : Judge Ben Hobbs

Original Name : Henry O'Neill

Gender : Male

Darryl Hickman

Character Name : Larry Price

Original Name : Darryl Hickman

Gender : Male

Nestor Paiva

Character Name : Karl

Original Name : Nestor Paiva

Gender : Male

King Donovan

Character Name : Peter Wolfe

Original Name : King Donovan

Gender : Male

Charles Evans

Character Name : Paul Norton

Original Name : Charles Evans

Gender : Male

Ernö Verebes

Character Name : Mr. Cox

Original Name : Ernö Verebes

Gender : Male

Douglas Spencer

Character Name : Henry T. Finch

Original Name : Douglas Spencer

Gender : Male

Arlene Jenkins

Character Name : Aileen

Original Name : Arlene Jenkins

Gender : Male

Pepito Pérez

Character Name : Poster Man

Original Name : Pepito Pérez

Gender : Male

Joey Ray

Character Name : Tommy Ray

Original Name : Joey Ray

Gender : Male

Leon Alton

Character Name : Supporter

Original Name : Leon Alton

Gender : Male

Edward Biby

Character Name : Party Guest

Original Name : Edward Biby

Gender : Male

Danny Borzage

Character Name : Accordionist

Original Name : Danny Borzage

Gender : Male

James Burke

Character Name : Bum

Original Name : James Burke

Gender : Male

James Carlisle

Character Name : Man at Press Conference

Original Name : James Carlisle

Gender : Male

Helen Chapman

Character Name : Stenographer

Original Name : Helen Chapman

Gender : Male

James Conaty

Character Name : Man at Press Conference

Original Name : James Conaty

Gender : Male

Frank Darien

Character Name : Assistant Tailor

Original Name : Frank Darien

Gender : Male

James Dime

Character Name : Barfly

Original Name : James Dime

Gender : Male

Ray Dolciame

Character Name : Tony

Original Name : Ray Dolciame

Gender : Male

Lester Dorr

Character Name : Commercial Fisherman

Original Name : Lester Dorr

Gender : Male

Jimmie Dundee

Character Name : Tough Politician

Original Name : Jimmie Dundee

Gender : Male

Franklyn Farnum

Character Name : Supporter

Original Name : Franklyn Farnum

Gender : Male

Julia Faye

Character Name : Reformer

Original Name : Julia Faye

Gender : Female

Al Ferguson

Character Name : Pedestrian

Original Name : Al Ferguson

Gender : Male

Charles Flickinger

Character Name : Page Boy

Original Name : Charles Flickinger

Gender : Male

Bess Flowers

Character Name : Woman at Press Conference

Original Name : Bess Flowers

Gender : Female

Maxine Gates

Character Name : Josie

Original Name : Maxine Gates

Gender : Female

Everett Glass

Character Name : Party Guest

Original Name : Everett Glass

Gender : Male

Dick Gordon

Character Name : Man at Press Conference (uncredited)

Original Name : Dick Gordon

Gender : Male

Herschel Graham

Character Name : Campaign Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Herschel Graham

Gender : Male

Theresa Harris

Character Name : Opal

Original Name : Theresa Harris

Gender : Female

Percy Helton

Character Name : Lawyer

Original Name : Percy Helton

Gender : Male

Stuart Holmes

Character Name : Minister

Original Name : Stuart Holmes

Gender : Male

Jerry James

Character Name : Phone Worker

Original Name : Jerry James

Gender : Male

Richard Kipling

Character Name : Reformer

Original Name : Richard Kipling

Gender : Male

Ethan Laidlaw

Character Name : Commercial Fisherman

Original Name : Ethan Laidlaw

Gender : Male

Orley Lindgren

Character Name : Boy Who Brings Note

Original Name : Orley Lindgren

Gender : Male

Alyn Lockwood

Character Name : Woman in China Coast Cafe

Original Name : Alyn Lockwood

Gender : Male

Frank Mayo

Character Name : Committee Man

Original Name : Frank Mayo

Gender : Male

Russell Meeker

Character Name : Supporter

Original Name : Russell Meeker

Gender : Male

Harold Miller

Character Name : Man at Press Conference

Original Name : Harold Miller

Gender : Male

Howard M. Mitchell

Character Name : Committee Man

Original Name : Howard M. Mitchell

Gender : Male

Ralph Montgomery

Character Name : Pedestrian

Original Name : Ralph Montgomery

Gender : Male

Frances Morris

Character Name : Reformer

Original Name : Frances Morris

Gender : Female

Richard Neill

Character Name : Supporter

Original Name : Richard Neill

Gender : Male

Monty O'Grady

Character Name : Campaign Worker

Original Name : Monty O'Grady

Gender : Male

Pat O'Malley

Character Name : Committee Man

Original Name : Pat O'Malley

Gender : Male

Steve Pendleton

Character Name : Det. Sgt. Hill

Original Name : Steve Pendleton

Gender : Male

Pat Phelan

Character Name : Photographer

Original Name : Pat Phelan

Gender : Male

Elaine Riley

Character Name : Telephone Woman at Mitchell's Election HQ

Original Name : Elaine Riley

Gender : Female

Jean Ruth

Character Name : Adding Machine Worker

Original Name : Jean Ruth

Gender : Female

John Shay

Character Name : Assistant District Attorney

Original Name : John Shay

Gender : Male

John Sheehan

Character Name : Reformer

Original Name : John Sheehan

Gender : Male

Don Shelton

Character Name : Banker

Original Name : Don Shelton

Gender : Male

Charles Sherlock

Character Name : Campaign Worker

Original Name : Charles Sherlock

Gender : Male

Billy Snyder

Character Name : Politician

Original Name : Billy Snyder

Gender : Male

Cap Somers

Character Name : Campaign Worker

Original Name : Cap Somers

Gender : Male

Robert R. Stephenson

Character Name : Truck Driver

Original Name : Robert R. Stephenson

Gender : Male

Bert Stevens

Character Name : Supporter

Original Name : Bert Stevens

Gender : Male

Sid Tomack

Character Name : Bartender

Original Name : Sid Tomack

Gender : Male

Philip Van Zandt

Character Name : Watchman

Original Name : Philip Van Zandt

Gender : Male

Harold Vermilyea

Character Name : Chief Justice

Original Name : Harold Vermilyea

Gender : Male

Joe Whitehead

Character Name : Minister

Original Name : Joe Whitehead

Gender : Male

Bob Coleman

Character Name :

Original Name : Bob Coleman

Gender : Male

James Cornell

Character Name :

Original Name : James Cornell

Gender : Male

James Davies

Character Name :

Original Name : James Davies

Gender : Male

Donya Dean

Character Name :

Original Name : Donya Dean

Gender : Male

Allan Douglas

Character Name :

Original Name : Allan Douglas

Gender : Male

Tom Dugan

Character Name :

Original Name : Tom Dugan

Gender : Male

Howard Gardiner

Character Name :

Original Name : Howard Gardiner

Gender : Male

Jack Gargan

Character Name :

Original Name : Jack Gargan

Gender : Male

Bret Hamilton

Character Name :

Original Name : Bret Hamilton

Gender : Male

Sam Harris

Character Name : Supporter at Campaign HQ (uncredited)

Original Name : Sam Harris

Gender : Male

Weldon Heyburn

Character Name :

Original Name : Weldon Heyburn

Gender : Male

Geraldine Jordan

Character Name :

Original Name : Geraldine Jordan

Gender : Male

Jean Marshall

Character Name :

Original Name : Jean Marshall

Gender : Male

Diana Mumby

Character Name :

Original Name : Diana Mumby

Gender : Male

Anton Northpole

Character Name :

Original Name : Anton Northpole

Gender : Male

Tim Ryan

Character Name :

Original Name : Tim Ryan

Gender : Male

Louise Saraydar

Character Name :

Original Name : Louise Saraydar

Gender : Male

Bill Sheehan

Character Name :

Original Name : Bill Sheehan

Gender : Male

Kippee Valez

Character Name :

Original Name : Kippee Valez

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Old Nick - Crafty Devil. Alias Nick Beal (AKA: A few other titles...) is directed by John Farrow and adapted to screenplay by Jonathan Latimer from the Mindret Lord story. It stars Ray Milland, Audrey Totter, Thomas Mitchell and George Macready. Music is by Franz Waxman and cinematography by Lionel Lindon. It's the Faustian legend filmed through film noir filters as Thomas Mitchell's politician unwittingly makes a deal with Ray Milland's suspicious Nick Beal. Nicholas Beal - Agent. It's all fogs, smogs and smoky pubs here, it's 1949 and John Farrow and his team are having a great time of things blending Faust with politico machinations. Narrative thrust comes by way of corruption and character disintegration, sprinkled naturally with your good old cinematic staple of good versus evil in bold type. Don't touch him! He doesn't like it! Milland is superb here, his Nick Beal is the ultimate Machiavellian Mannipulator, and the chief film makers really bring these traits to the fore. Beal is a bundle of smug grins and glinting eyes, he just appears in scenes, Farrow cunningly using various props and persons to suddenly unleash his little old devil when he is least expected. Around Nicky there are subtle changes of clothes and snatches of dialogue that hit the requisite devilish notes, Totter is our darling who is caught in Old Nick's trap, Mitchell (great) even more so. The last time I was here was quite exciting. City was on fire. Picked up quite a lot of recruits that night. Made quite a transportation problem. Lionel Lindon and Franz Waxman are also key components to what makes the pic work. Waxman (Sunset Blvd.) deftly shifts between big bass drums for thunder clap effects, to delicate swirls that give off other worldly - eerie - effects. Lindon (I Want to Live!) does great work isolating the eyes in light, while his fog and shadows work wouldn't be amiss in a Val Lewton picture. This is a criminally under seen movie, it's far from perfect because the collage of genre influences give it a very unbalanced feel, but there's so much fun, spookiness and technical craft on show to make it a must see movie for fans of the stars, noir and supernatural tinged pictures. 8/10