Walk Softly Stranger

"Walk Softly Stranger" (1950) is one of those films I wanted to see again just as soon as the end credits finished. It played at the Egyptian recently as part of the Film Noir Festival and it was bewitching.

Joseph Cotton plays a man who comes to a small town, rents a room in a lovely house from a nice old lady, gets a decent little factory job, and falls in love with the local heiress. Oh, and she's in a wheelchair.

All is well until his gambling, thieving past catches up to him.

It is an interesting portrayal because Cotten's character is hard and cold, even self loathing, yet he wants to change. To start over.

Alida Valli plays the ric woman he falls for. Once leading the life of a well traveled debutante, she is now sulky, withdrawn, morose and confined to the wheelchair with no hope. But they slowly melt each other's hardened exteriors and their conversations become strangely existential in nature (odd for a film noir), in sharp contrast to the witty banter Cotten has with his landlady, the neighbor kid, Valli's maid, and Paul Stewart, his ex-partner in crime.

Both Stewart and Cotten had promised to stay apart and out of sight after their last job together, but now he has somehow found Cotten and begs for more money. Everything about Cotten's new life is now at risk.

FAVORITE LINE:
Stressed out Paul Stewart chuckles helplessly as he tells a not-so-amused Joseph Cotten that he once heard a "successful" mobster say "I just want a nice house with a front lawn I can mow---without getting mowed down myself."

FAVORITE SCENE:
Cotten finally talks Valli into going out with him to a nightclub on a date. Unfortunately, the blonde date he had stood up is also there. The blonde is incensed when she sees Cotten there with someone else, so Valli generously tells Cotten that he at least owes the girl a dance. He reluctantly succumbs.

You can buy or read more about Walk Softly Stranger [VHS] on Amazon.

He dances her right over to Valli in her wheelchair. She smiles at first, watching the two. Then the camera concentrates on the hips in the silky dress right in front of her, undulating sensuously to the mambo music against Cotten as they dance. Valli's eyes well up with tears. Cotten is oblivious.

Return to the Film Noir Blog.

Back from the Walk Softly Stranger page to the Film Noir Alley home page.