The Dark Corner

While Lucille Ball is most recognized for her extraordinary talent as a comedienne, she was also a very good dramatic actress whose more serious roles tend to be overshadowed by her comedic ones. Before the whirlwind success of I Love Lucy, Lucille was known as "Queen of the B's"--the "B" movies, that is.  She played several notable supporting roles in "A-list" films such as Stage Door, Without Love, and  Easy to Wed, but never really got the lead in an A-list film until after her popularity increased, due largely to the success of I Love Lucy.

 The Dark Corner is a Twentieth Century-Fox Picture from 1946, and is an excellent example of Lucille's capabilities as a serious dramatic actress.  In this film noir, starring Lucille Ball as Kathleen Stuart, and Mark Stevens as Bradford Galt, the film focuses around Brad's history as a Private Eye and around his developing romance with sincere secretary, Kathleen.  Negligent to tell Kathleen about his shady history (being convicted of manslaughter), she eventually convinces him to open up to her when it is discovered that someone is trying to kill him.  Matters only get worse when Brad wakes up in the floor, beside his murdered ex-partner, only to realize that he has been framed for it.  Brad and the ever-loving Kathleen work tirelessly together to uncover who is framing him for murder.  Through several twists and turns of the plot, the perpetrator is discovered (played by the masterful Clifton Webb) and the matter eventually resolved. Finally, Brad and Kathleen are able to happily get married. 

Unfortunately, this film would not be a happy memory for Lucille.  At the time of filming, she was in negotiations with her agent and studio.  Desi was also frequently gone from home, making the entire period of filming very stressful. It is rumored that she never actually viewed the film herself because of the stress associated with it.

Regardless of whether you are a Lucy fan or a fan of film noir (my favorite genre), if you like either, you are sure to like The Dark Corner.  Interestingly, it was released in one of film noir's most productive years. Other films also released that year, which have come to be noir classics, include: The Big Sleep, Gilda, Notorious and (one of my absolute personal favorites) The Postman Always Rings Twice.

* Los Angeles Examiner quote taken from Lucy at the Movies: The Complete Films of Lucille Ball

**This film is available for Instant Streaming on Netflix!