Strange Fascination
Strange Fascination (1952) – 6/10
Here is another film produced, written, directed and acted by Hugo Haas.
Was he a film auteur? I would think by most definitions he is. He was clearly
the creative force behind the series of films he made in the 1950's (13
films). He was an independent producer scrounging up money to get his stories
on screen. They may have been low-budget and not very successful but he kept
trying with themes that explore slightly tawdry relationships with women
willing to go after what they want. Strong if somewhat devious women have
center stage in his films.
Strange Fascination appears to have a better budget than the other two
films of his I have seen - Pickup and One Girl's Confession - and though
noir elements are sprinkled about like seeds they never sprout to fruition.
This is more of a straight out drama that has echoes of Blue Angel around
it but with more of a cheerful outcome for all.
An older man and a young hot blonde. Combustible combination in film. And
more often than not in life. Haas plays a classical pianist in Europe who
is sponsored by a socialite (Mona Barrie) who brings him to America where
he is very successful. On a tour his fate is sealed when he goes into a
hotel bar and a blonde (Cleo Moore) is dancing professionally. She goes
for him like a kitty for catnip and though knowing he is too old he finally
surrenders. Then his career starts to dip but his fascination for her becomes
obsessive. Not so much the other way and it goes like these things often
do.
As I mentioned in another review, Haas is often referred to as the "foreign
Ed Wood" but nothing could be further from the truth. The dialogue in his
scripts is well written and his directing is certainly competent if not
imaginative (though he likes giving the audience striking close-ups of his
blonde starlets). The acting in this from him and Barrie is quite good and
even Cleo is passable in a pleasing way. You know she is supposed to be
a bit nastier but I just don't think she is capable of expressing that emotion
on screen.
