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An unemployed drifter, Eric Stanton wanders into a small California town and begins hanging around the local diner. While Eric falls for the lovely waitress Stella, he also begins romancing a quiet and well-to-do woman named June Mills. Since Stella isn't interested in Eric unless he has money, the lovelorn guy comes up with a scheme to win her over, and it involves June. Before long, murder works its way into this passionate love triangle.
A drifter named Eric Stanton arrives in a small seaside town and quickly becomes involved with two women: the demure waitress Stella and the wealthy socialite June. When June rejects him, Stanton contrives a plan to exploit her, leading to a series of misunderstandings and a murder investigation that threatens to ruin him.
Fallen Angel was met with mixed reviews upon its release. While some critics praised Otto Preminger's direction and the performances of the lead actors, particularly Dana Andrews, others found the plot convoluted and the tone inconsistent. Over time, it has gained recognition as a solid, if somewhat underrated, entry in the film noir genre, appreciated for its atmospheric tension and dark themes.
Praised for its atmospheric direction and noir sensibilities.
Dana Andrews' performance as the morally ambiguous protagonist is often highlighted.
Some critics found the narrative somewhat predictable or less impactful than other films of the genre.
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Alice Faye was initially reluctant to play the role of Stella, as it was a departure from her typical musical comedy roles. She was persuaded by director Otto Preminger and producer Darryl F. Zanuck to take on the more dramatic part.
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Dana Andrews is "Eric Stanton", broke, bumming his way around the country, charming, fibbing and embellishing his way to food and lodgings where he can. He is chucked off a Greyhound bus (by a driver who looked remarkably like Ward Bond) in...
Then love alone can make the fallen angel rise. Fallen Angel is directed by Otto Preminger, with cinematography by Joseph LaShelle, who also worked with Preminger on the film Laura the year before. The film stars Alice Faye, Dana Andrews...
The Film Noir of the Week is Fallen Angel -- the 1945 film directed by Otto Preminger. The cast includes Dana Andrews (Boomerang! (1947) and Laura (1944), Charles Bickford Brute Force (1947), Linda Darnell Hangover Square (1945), Anne Rever...