The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

 

(hb; 1934)

Review

Postman is an excellent, no-words-wasted, twisted tale of raw sexuality, adultery and murder, with two main characters who, in spite of the seeming amorality, are relatable (at least for this reader), who aren’t evil just unhappy, and willing to do what they need to do to achieve it. Simple (but not simple-minded), entertaining and darkly clever, this is one of the best pulp novels I’ve read. Worth owning, this.

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Two film versions of Postman resulted.

The first version was released stateside on May 2, 1946. Tay Garnett directed it, from a screenplay by Harry Ruskin and Niven Busch.

John Garfield played Frank Chambers. Lana Turner played Cora Smith (in the book her married surname was Papadakis). Cecil Kellaway played Nick Smith.

Hume Cronyn played Arthur Keats. Leon Ames played Kyle Sackett. Audrey Totter played Madge Gorland. Alan Reed (who later voiced an animated Fred Flintstone) played Ezra Liam Kennedy. Jeff York played Blair.

The second version, directed by Bob Rafelson from a script by David Mamet, was released stateside on March 20, 1981.

Jack Nicholson played Frank Chambers. Jessica Lange played Cora Papadakis. John Colicos played Nick Papadakis.

Michael Lerner played Mr. Katz. John P. Ryan played Kennedy. William Traylor played Sackett. Anjelica Huston played Madge. Thomas Hill, billed as Tom Hill, played Barlow.

The Glass Key by Dashiell Hammett

 

(pb; 1931)

From the back cover

“Paul Madvig was a cheerfully corrupt ward-heeler who aspired to something better; the daughter of Senator Ralph Bancroft Henry, the heiress to a dynasty of political purebreds. Did he want her badly enough to commit murder? And if Madvig was innocent, which of his dozens of enemies was doing an awfully good job of framing him?”

 

Review

Glass is an excellent, twisty, fast-moving, and character-interesting read─no shock, considering its author. This is one of Hammett’s easier-to-follow novels (some of the sharp plot turns in his Continental Detective Agency works and The Maltese Falcon can be hard to follow). Not only that, Glass is perhaps my work of his thus far, with characters who are corrupt but relatable, even the more cruel ones (e.g., Shad O’Rory─called Nick Varna in the superb 1942 film─and Jeff Gardner, an apish thug). Worth reading and owning, this.

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Two film versions have been made.

The first version was released stateside on June 15, 1935. Frank Tuttle directed the film from a screenplay by Kathryn Scola, Kubec Glasmon, with additional dialogue provided by Harry Ruskin.

George Raft played Ed Beaumont. Edward Arnold played Paul Madvig. Claire Dodd played Janet Henry. Rosalind Keith, billed as Rosalind Culli, played Opal Madvig. Emma Dunn played “Mom” Madvig.

Robert Gleckler played Shad O’Rory. Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams, billed as Guinn Williams, played Jeff Gardner.

Charles Richman played Senator John T. Henry. Ray Milland played Taylor Henry. Tammany Young played Clarkie. Ann Sheridan played “Nurse.”

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The second version was released stateside on October 23, 1942. Stuart Heisler directed the film from Jonathan Latimer’s screenplay.

Alan Ladd played Ed Beaumont. Brian Donlevy played Paul Madvig. Veronica Lake played Janet Henry. Bonita Granville played Opal Madvig.

Richard Denning played Taylor Henry. William Bendix played Jeff Gardner. Francis Gifford played “Nurse.” Joseph Calleia played Nick Varna.