Woman on the Beach(1947)

The Woman on the Beach (1947). film noir directed by Jean Renoir.Cast: Robert Ryan, Joan Bennett and Charles Bickford.



After waking up from a nightmare, Lieutenant Scott Burnett, becomes curious about the woman on the beach, named Peggy Butler, a married woman he sees on his daily patrol and the woman he sees in his nightmare. Scott asks his girl friend, Eve Geddes, to marry him that night, and though she agrees at first, she asks Scott to wait another two weeks. Later, Scott sees Peggy on the beach collecting fire-wood from an abandoned shipwreck, he stops and tells Peggy not to take the wood. She asks him if he is haunted by "ghosts" of the ship and then invites him to back to her house. Scott is touched by her understanding and compassion. Soon Peggy's husband Tod, a blind, famous artist joins them. Tod invites Scott to stay, but he thinks it best to return to his station. Later that night, Tod shows up at the station and invites Scott to have dinner at his house, and Scott, who is supposed to meet Eve in town, agrees, standing her up. During dinner, Scott and Tod talk about Tod's blindness. Later, Peggy confesses to Scott that she stays with Tod because she accidentally cut his optic nerve during a drunken fight and feels responsible for him. Scott, doubts that Tod is really blind and comes up with a plan to prove that he really can see..  Will he succeed?

I just saw the film, Woman on the Beach, for the first time yesterday on TCM. There is some beautifully haunting imagery and Robert Ryan, in my opinion, gives a strong performance as does Joan Bennett . There's an interesting love triangle going on here with a very well done mystery. Although, there are a couple of scenes that I could have done without like.... when the kids were whining about wanting candy.

Charles Bickford (January 1, 1891 – November 9, 1967) was an American actor best known for his supporting roles. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for The Song of Bernadette (1943), The Farmer's Daughter (1947), and Johnny Belinda (1948). Other notable roles include Whirlpool (1948), A Star is Born (1954) and The Big Country (1958).

Happy Birthday: Robert Ryan!

Ryan wanted a career in show business as a playwright, but had to turn to acting to support himself. He studied acting in Hollywood and performed on stage and in small film parts during the early 1940s.

In January 1944, after winning a contract with RKO Radio Pictures, Ryan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served as a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton, in San Diego, California. At Camp Pendleton, he befriended writer and future director Richard Brooks.

Ryan's breakthrough film role was in the film, Crossfire (1947), a film noir based on Brooks's novel.

The role won Ryan his sole career Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actor. On Dangerous Ground (1951) he portrayed a burnt-out city cop finding redemption while solving a murder. In the film, The Set-Up (1949), he played an over-the-hill boxer who is brutally punished for refusing to take a dive. Other important films were The Naked Spur, House of Bamboo, Bad Day at Black Rock, and Odds Against Tomorrow. He also performed in several war films including, The Longest Day (1962) and Battle of the Bulge (1965), and The Dirty Dozen. He also played John the Baptist in the epic, King of Kings (1961) and was the villainous Claggart in, Billy Budd (1962). Ryan's best known performance's were in the films, The Dirty Dozen, The Professionals (1966) and The Wild Bunch (1969).

Robert Ryan

Robert Ryan, studied acting in Hollywood and performed in small film parts during the early 1940s. In January 1944, after making a contract with RKO Radio Pictures, Ryan enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served as a drill instructor at Camp Pendleton, in San Diego, California. At Camp Pendleton, he became friends with writer and future director Richard Brooks. Robert Ryan, often played hardened cops and ruthless villains.

Ryan's first film performance was in Crossfire (1947), a film noir based on Brooks's novel. The film is about a man who is killed by a drunken, American soldier because he was Jewish. The film also shows the post-World War II issue of soldiers being released from the military with no training other than as soldiers. The role won Ryan his only Oscar nomination, for Best Supporting Actor.

In the film, On Dangerous Ground (1951) he played a burnt-out city cop finding redemption while solving a murder.


Ryan went on to perform in the film, The Set-Up (1949), where he played an over-the-hill boxer. Other important films were, The Naked Spur, House of Bamboo, Bad Day at Black Rock, Odds Against Tomorrow, The Longest Day (1962), Battle of the Bulge (1965), The Dirty Dozen, King of Kings(1961) and Billy Budd (1962).

CLASH BY NIGHT (1952)

THIS WEEKS SPOTLIGHT : CLASH BY NIGHT (1952)- a Disneyprincess, movie selection. :)

Director Fritz Lang, created a very tense realistic drama about lust and betrayal with CLASH BY NIGHT(1952), Terrific performances by Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan, and an early performance by Marilyn Monroe .

The story is about a very cynical Mae Doyle, returning home after 10 years, to the fishing village in Monterey, where she grew up. Her brother, a fisherman Joe Doyle, takes her into his home. Mae soon starts a relationship with Jerry D'Amato, a decent caring man who owns the boat where Joe works. He introduces her to his obnoxious friend Earl Pfeiffer, who works at theater in town and is married to wife that is cheating on him.. She does not like Earls jokes, but Jerry considers him his friend so she continues to put up with him. Mae accepts Jerry's marriage proposal, and one year later they have a baby girl. When the wife of Earl leaves him, he starts an affair with Mae, who is bored with her marriage. Will Mae realize her mistakes before it is too late?

Marilyn Monroe, had a small part as Joe's girl friend Peggy, who works at the local sardine cannery. She looks up to Mae, and confides to her she wants excitement in her life, and not to be controlled by men.