This movie could have had the ingredients to be in the

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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Clash by Night

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BillieDove — 17 years ago(July 02, 2008 11:40 AM)

This movie could have had the ingredients to be in the
Streetcar Named Desire
tradition, with a few modifications.
First, get Karl Malden to play the husband. Paul Douglas didn't really seem to grasp me as Karl would have. I know it's typecasting, but he really shined in those kind of roles, and I'm sure he would have given depth to the character, and changed him into someone we could really care about.
Second, remove all those silly metaphors from the script.
The little bee is buzzing, buzz, buzz, buzz
What? I know we're not supposed to like that character anyway, but you don't have to make him look like a guy who completly lost his mind. There were way too much of those things, and every character seemed to act like it was perfectly normal to compare everyone to animals.
Third, show us more of the relations. We'd like to know why she wants to leave her husband for. She hates him, but is attracted to him, suddenly she loved him, and forgets all of his faults, and suddenly she hates him again
I'd like to see more of the way those characters relate to eachother, if we're into a "character" drama.
Anyway. I still liked it, it was entertaining, but it could have been great.
I
think
it would be fun to run a newspaper.

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gbennett5 — 17 years ago(August 08, 2008 12:30 AM)

Douglas was a sensational actor, and perfectly essayed a plump, insecure
"teddy bear" like man. Malden would NOT have improved anything, for
heaven's sake.

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Tedium1 — 17 years ago(November 25, 2008 04:43 AM)

I think it would have improved with a different finale, maybe when Stanwyck walks in Douglas strangling her lover, she could have gotten accidentally killed by Douglasthen, full of remorse and looking for redemption, the lover takes the blame so Douglas can raise his daughterwhat you think?
Well, isn't it comforting to know that being miserable is still better than being an idiot?

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gbennett5 — 17 years ago(January 29, 2009 08:49 AM)

Yes, the ending doesn't really work, as Stanwyck's character never really
solved the main conflict: she did NOT love this man and would've simply
fallen into more affairs.

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hodie — 16 years ago(June 08, 2009 02:30 PM)

Oh, I don't know. She'd narrowly escaped a disaster, and I think she was smart enough to realize that affairs would lead to happiness.
Her expression at the end was full of hope.She was luminous.
God save Donald Duck, vaudeville and variety

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dr-kandimba-1 — 9 years ago(April 03, 2016 06:51 AM)

You know, gbennett5, you do NOT have to capitalize the word "not" every time.

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marhefka — 12 years ago(March 09, 2014 09:18 AM)

Tedium1,
You've really got a flair for different endings. I think I like this ending better than your other ending - the one where Douglas kills Ryan and then is hunted down like an animal on his boat.

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franzkabuki — 15 years ago(March 22, 2011 07:10 PM)

I think its better than Streetcar - in large part because, unlike Vivien Leigh, Stanwyck isnt grating on the nerves.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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ossyguy — 12 years ago(March 26, 2014 11:05 PM)

I'm just glad the baby didn't you know .like the story at the start.
I think the Stanwick character all the way through was looking for a chance to not run away.romantic.
Old Bee Party V Swirled

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prplayer — 9 years ago(September 11, 2016 05:56 AM)

less melodrama and overacting is a start
so many movies, so little time