“The Great Flamarion” is a film noir released in 1945, directed by Anthony Mann and starring Erich von Stroheim, Mary Beth Hughes, and Dan Duryea.
The story follows a sharpshooter named Tony (Erich von Stroheim) who performs in a traveling carnival with his assistant, the beautiful Connie (Mary Beth Hughes). Tony is a cold and calculating man who is dissatisfied with his life and his work. He sees himself as a superior marksman who deserves better than performing in a traveling show.
One day, while performing in a new city, Tony meets a wealthy woman named Alicia (Lester Allen), who is interested in his act and invites him to perform at her home. Alicia’s husband, Charles (Dan Duryea), is a gambler who is cheating on her with Connie. When Tony learns of their affair, he decides to use it to his advantage and devises a plan to get rid of both of them and take their money.
Tony convinces Alicia to invest in a phony gold mine and to have Charles go on a trip to the mine to verify its existence. While Charles is away, Tony plans to kill him and make it look like an accident. However, things don’t go as planned and Tony ends up getting caught in his own web of deception.
“The Great Flamarion” is a classic film noir with a twisted plot and a tragic ending. The film’s themes include greed, jealousy, and the corrupting influence of money. The performances of the cast, particularly Erich von Stroheim, are outstanding and add to the film’s dark and foreboding atmosphere.
Directors:
Anthony Mann
Writer:
Anne Wigton, Heinz Herald, Richard Weil
Stars:
Erich von Stroheim, Mary Beth Hughes, Dan Duryea
