The Chase

press release: 

THE CHASE

USA | 1946 | 35mm | 86 min.

Director: Arthur Ripley; Cast: Robert Cummings, Peter Lorre, Michele Morgan

In this unpredictable, weird, and stylish thriller, based on a book by Cornell Woolrich (Rear Window), a chauffeur (Cummings) runs away to Havana with his gangster boss’ wife (Morgan) and is later accused of her murder. "The Chase, long a cult film maudit, is for some aficionados the ultimate noir” (David Bordwell). The screening will be preceded by a one hour lecture and discussion from Professor Bordwell, author of Reinventing Hollywood: How 1940s Filmmakers Changed Movie Storytelling. 35mm restored print courtesy of the UCLA Film & Television Archive. Restoration funding provided by The Film Foundation and the Franco-American Cultural Fund.

Sunday Cinematheque at the Chazen: Reinventing Hollywood

This lineup of great entertainments draws its inspiration from David Bordwell’s captivating new book, Reinventing Hollywood: How 1940s Filmmakers Changed Movie Storytelling. The book and this series focus on just some of the storytelling methods that made the 40s period exciting, in particular the outrageous and outlandish use of flashbacks and subjective viewpoints, as well as an exploration of character psychologies and neuroses. The series begins on January 28 with a special lecture from Professor Bordwell and a screening of The Chase (1946).

All Cinematheque screenings are free and open to the public.