Doris Dowling Movies
The older sister of Hollywood leading lady Constance Dowling, American actress Doris Dowling began making films in the mid '40s. Not a classic beauty in the movie sense, Dowling had a cosmopolitan attractiveness that made her useful in "this girl is trouble!" roles. Her best part was as Ray Milland's saloon pickup and erstwhile drinking companion in The Lost Weekend (1945). In The Blue Dahlia (1946), she dispensed truculence to screen husband Alan Ladd and everyone else around her for a full reel before being bumped off by a mystery killer. Not interested in continuing in such unsympathetic parts, Doris left for Italy in 1948 to appear in such neorealistic films as Bitter Rice (1948) and in such Rennaissance-drenched pieces as Orson Welles' Othello (1951), in which she played Bianca. Doris Dowling remained in European picture-making until her retirement in the late '50s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1947
In this suspense film, a detective must find the murderer of a rich and jealous wife and her husband, a doctor with a tendency to work late into the night. After many missteps and false leads, he finally finds himself confronted with a sexy former patient of the deceased doc. Is she the guilty party, or does the determined detective find another guilty party? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kent Taylor, Doris Dowling, (more)
- 1946
This neat, fast-paced perfectly cast film noir reflects the hard-boiled, grim wit of the author of its screenplay, Raymond Chandler. Johnny Morrison (Alan Ladd) returns from the war to find his wife Helen (Doris Dowling) having a party and in the arms of another man. Johnny and Helen have a terrible fight, and later Helen is found dead. Johnny must prove his innocence and he enlists the aid of Joyce Haywood (Veronica Lake), the ex-wife of Helen's lover. Pursued by the cops, and never sure if he is being set-up for the murder, Johnny finally solves the murder and clears his name. Alan Ladd is at his hard-boiled, no-nonsense best as Johnny and Veronica Lake is, as always, the perfect noir femme-fatale, mysterious and alluring. Nicely directed by George Marshall, the film moves with great pace to an exciting, satisfying conclusion. The screenplay, the only one written by Chandler directly for the screen, was nominated for an Academy Award. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, (more)
Billy Wilder's searing portrait of an alcoholic features an Oscar-winning performance by Ray Milland as Don Birnam, a writer whose lust for booze consumes his career, his life, and his loves. The story begins as Don and his brother Wick (Philip Terry) are packing their bags in their New York apartment, preparing for a weekend in the country. Philip, aware of his brother's drinking problem, is keeping an eye of him, making sure he doesn't sneak a drink before the departure of their train. Arriving at the apartment is Don's girlfriend, Helen St. James (Jane Wyman), who has tickets to a Carnegie Hall concert that night. Don persuades Wick and Helen to go to the concert without him, hoping to find one of his well-hidden bottles of booze. But when Wick and Helen go to the concert, Don discovers that Wick has gotten rid of the liquor. Don has no money, so he can't visit the neighborhood bar -- that is, until the cleaning lady arrives to reveal money hidden in a sugar-bowl. Don grabs the cash and hits the street, heading off to Nat's Bar. Nat (Howard Da Silva), a bartender who has seen it all, is surprised to see Don. But when Don shows he can pay for his drinks, Nat reluctantly serves him, telling Don, "One's too many and a thousand's not enough." Soon Don plunges in an alcoholic haze, his boozing landing him in a harrowing drunk tank, presided over by the cynical attendant Bim (Frank Faylen). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, (more)
