Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

LURE OF THE SWAMP

Joan Vohs and Marshall Thompson
LURE OF THE SWAMP (1957). Director: Hubert Cornfield.

Simon Lewt (Marshall Thompson), who takes people out for boat rides in the swamp, is suddenly meeting all sorts of strangers. There's Lister (Willard Parker), who takes a suitcase into the swamp with him and later turns up dead; Steggins (Leo Gordon), who is looking for Lister; Henry Bliss (Jack Elam), a creepy type who wants Simon to help him find loot from a robbery; and Cora (Joan Vohs), who claims to be a photographer doing a story on the swamp. Then we've got Simon's nutty gal pal, Evie (Joan Lora), who is fond of taking shots at him when she's upset -- no wonder he wants to get out of the swamp! Lure of the Swamp is an odd low-budget affair (in Regalscope) that seems to exist in another universe. The performances are professional, with a vivid and interesting Jack Elam [The Girl in Lover's Lane] and Willard Parker [What a Woman] taking top honors. Former model Vohs mostly did television work; ditto for Lora. As usual, Thompson [Fiend without a Face] is an appealing performer.

Verdict: Ersatz film noir set in a swamp. **1/2.

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