The Interrupted Journey

I was leaning towards giving this film a solid three stars for the well-crafted story, but the way the filmmakers played me by the end bumped it up to four. While it’s not a classic noir in the traditional sense, it definitely carries some noir elements. I always enjoy trying to figure out the culprit before the film reveals them, and if Daniel Birt intended to pull a fast one on viewers like me, he absolutely succeeded — even after nearly eighty years. Modern writers and directors could learn a thing or two from these old films about keeping the audience on edge until the very end. Sure, the film has its flaws (like the overly theatrical display of emotions), but the misdirection was masterful. / Lesson learned: If you’re naturally indecisive, avoid making big decisions. (08/26/2024)

It has the façade of a film noir and actually incorporates some noir elements, especially in terms of mystery and the unexpected, but it's definitely not in the hard-boiled school of noir. Instead, it's more akin to something Hitchcock might have directed, although Hitchcock's work tends to be more convincing and impactful. Still, the film is very good and I watched it from beginning to end. (12/31/2016)