The Sound of Fury/Try and Get Me!

The Sound of Fury is a fine, 1950 film noir. It has all of the marking of noir, and although it is devoid of striking camera movements, it is at times inventive with them while maintaining the main theme of film noir. This is, of course, the average man who is sucked into evil by unfortunate circumstances. And so we are left to consider Howard Tyler (Frank Lovejoy). He is unemployed but dearly loves his family and their approval. Seeing no alternative, Howard turns to crime for the allure of big bucks is to much to pass up. He gets mixed up with Jerry Slocum (Lloyd Bridges, father of Jeff Bridges). Slocum and Howard end up robbing a few minor stores, but pulling in a decent heap. The media makes a big deal out of all of this, instigated mostly by a journalist played by Richard Carlson. Eventually, things begin to go downhill for Howard, as the evil of his actions begin to arise. Now, the beginning of The Sound of Fury is quite good. The family portrait and the descent into shadiness is well done, and the opening title is a wonder. The film is especially good at conveying the normality of man, and how it can be twisted around to form spectral figures in our heads that we can demonize. This is not a great film, however, because the end finally feels preachy and self-righteous. Not to minimize some truly great scenes that come before this however, The Sound of Fury is a good film.
The Sound of Fury/Try and Get Me!: ★★★