It's not hard to figure out why this one is a firm favorite with cultists on the one hand and yet is despised by critics and the general picturegoing public on the other. A picture that makes a glamor hero of a brutal baby-killer is not likely to win many friends except among the corduroy set. Nor is its sassy heroine who twists the law into her own brittle hands and easily outshines the nominal hero in righting wrongs going to be adopted as idol-of-the-month by the Bible belt (despite a number of Biblical precedents).
This said, however, for those of us who like to see and even more especially to hear Joan Bennett brilliantly outclass rushing hither-and-thither Cary Grant and debonair detective-about-town Walter Pidgeon, "Big Brown Eyes" (I assume the title refers to Joan) is a must.
Also to be reckoned with are Lloyd Nolan who manages to pull off an extremely difficult role, and Douglas Fowley giving the best performance of his career. If you don't literally jump out of your seat like I did during the scene in which Fowley exits the friendly police station, you shouldn't be watching vintage movies.
Raoul Walsh has directed all the proceedings here with admirable style, polish and economy. Production values are absolutely first class.
This said, however, for those of us who like to see and even more especially to hear Joan Bennett brilliantly outclass rushing hither-and-thither Cary Grant and debonair detective-about-town Walter Pidgeon, "Big Brown Eyes" (I assume the title refers to Joan) is a must.
Also to be reckoned with are Lloyd Nolan who manages to pull off an extremely difficult role, and Douglas Fowley giving the best performance of his career. If you don't literally jump out of your seat like I did during the scene in which Fowley exits the friendly police station, you shouldn't be watching vintage movies.
Raoul Walsh has directed all the proceedings here with admirable style, polish and economy. Production values are absolutely first class.