Nightmare Alley

Especially dark film noir about a small-time grifter who aims to pull a long con on New York society with the mentalist tricks he acquires during his stint as a carny is unique due to its big-budget and A-list cast. Tyrone Power ditches his swashbuckling matinee star image for his most sinister role in which he gives an excellent performance. Joan Blondell, also shifting from the wisecracking sidekick she was known for into the first of many mature roles, also shines as the carnival clairvoyant who teaches Power the tricks of her trade. The production code prevents director Edmond Goulding from getting into all the seedy details of William Lindsay Gresham’s novel. But legendary scribe Jules Furthman crafts an excellent script from the material.