Pitfall (1948)

In Italy Pitfall's title was translated to Tragedy in Santa Monica. And that it is, but it plays out as a typical, everyday tragedy, it is far from Shakespearian. John Forbes (Dick Powell) is sorely tired of the monotony of his life: A wheel within a wheel within a wheel so to speak. And he is tired of being the so-called "backbone of the country" employed at Olympic Mutual Insurance Company.

He has a steady job and all, a beautiful, loving wife (Jane Wyatt) and a cute little son Tommy. He's your prototypical middle class man from your typical middle class family. That's what's wrong with his wife. To put it plainly he's in a rut and desperately wants to get out.

Pitfall is a  bit of a riff off of Double Indemnity. There is some of the same framework but very different variables and outcomes, but that's enough comparison.

Things get interesting when Mona Stevens (Lizabeth Scott) comes into the picture. She is a model with a boyfriend who was just recently put into prison for embezzlement. Now Forbe's company is charged with getting back some valuables from Stevens and she gives them up willingly. Along the way hired private investigator named Mac (Raymond Burr) takes a liking for her, but the feelings are not reciprocated. That's before she meets Forbes.

When they meet Forbes is immediately struck by her and she takes a liking to his goodwill. Everything would be great in another world. Except in the real world Forbes is married and Mac is jealous. After he gets accosted by Mac, Mona finds out about her fling's home life. Surprisingly she lets him off the hook, but Mac won't let her off.

Forbe's overall demeanor changes and he feels reinvigorated even back at home and in the office. But it's never that simple and things begin to get messy as Smiley finally gets his ticket out of the clink. Mac has been his constant visitor filling the paranoid brute with ideas. He thinks Mona has been unfaithful and he wants to get the guy she was with.

The ending of Pitfall is far more painful than a multitude of meaningless deaths in a monster movie. The reason being these characters actually have some importance. There is a sense that human life is sacred and if anyone dies it is a big deal whether they were "good" or "bad."

Furthermore, there are hardly words to describe the look on Jane Wyatt's face when she finds out the truth. This is one instance when father did not know best and their marriage was shook to the core. It feels very real. However, this film's denouement is not quite as fatalistic as Double Indemnity. There still is a tinge of hope that these two individuals can salvage something out of a very difficult situation.

This is yet another feather in the cap of Film-Noir. So simple and yet so potently effective. I cannot wait for more with Dick Powell or otherwise.

3.5/5 Stars