TCM’s Film Noir of the Week Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at Midnight and 10 a.m. ET is Robert Stevenson’s The Woman on Pier 13 (1949), with Robert Ryan, Laraine Day, Janis Carter, John Agar, Thomas Gomez and William Talman

By David in TN
friday, july 12, 2024 at 8:35:00 p.m. edt

TCM’s Film Noir of the Week Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at Midnight and 10 a.m. ET is Robert Stevenson’s The Woman on Pier 13 (1949), with Robert Ryan, Laraine Day, Janis Carter, John Agar, Thomas Gomez and William Talman.

Film Noir Guide: “Ryan, the newly married vice-president of a shipping company has a secret past: As a young member of the Communist Party, he killed a man during a Party-agitated riot. Unfortunately for him, Commies Gomez and Carter (Ryan’s former lover) want him back now that he holds such an influential position. They blackmail him into sabotaging labor negotiations with the longshoreman’s union, forcing a strike.

“Ryan’s bride (Day) is in the dark about his tainted past and is justifiably confused by his violent mood swings. Her impressionable brother (Agar) falls in love with Commie temptress Carter and begins spouting Party propaganda at union meetings. Carnival worker Talman doubles as a contract killer for the Party.

“Also known as I Married a Communist, this standard Red hysteria film was produced by billionaire Howard Hughes (see Hughes’ other Red films I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. and The Whip Hand. Carter is enjoyable as the Party’s femme fatale.”

David in TN: Well, what can you expect from Film Noir Guide? We’ll see what Red Eddie Muller does with this one. Years ago, the late Robert Osborne showed it in prime time and blasted it with the usual epithets— “Paranoia,” “Witch Hunts,” “Failed at the box office,” etc.

Robert Ryan was, as you said, a “crypto-communist,” whom Eddie will slobber over. Laraine Day was a conservative Republican, very anti-Communist. We’ll see what Red Eddie says about her.

On Sunday night, TCM shows a Robert Siodmak double bill, starting at 8 p.m. ET, The Killers (1946), and Criss Cross (1949). Burt Lancaster gives a similar characterization in both.

N.S.: I liked Robert Osborne, as long as he didn’t talk politics. He was another Red, and I’m not even sure he was “crypto.”