Ever wonder what happened after Anna walked past Holly Martins in the final shot of the 1949 masterpiece The Third Man? Well, apparently, Holly followed her and broke her legs...
In Walk Softly, Stranger, Joseph Cotten plays a crook who assumes a new identity in a small town in order to start a new life. Gangsters whom he robbed are after him, and with the money he stole he believes that he can live a peaceful life. In this town, he meets a young paraplegic woman played by Valli. She was also a gambler, but her wild days were over after she took a tragic spill while skiing. The two begin to fall in love. It's probably the only time a disabled character ever had a major role as a love interest in classical Hollywood. Heck, if someone were to play the same role today, she'd probably win an Oscar! Soon, Cotten's old partner turns up in the town broke, begging for more money. He accidentally let spies track him.
The film is very low-key. In fact, it may be too low-key. The romance between Cotten and Valli is effective. It's difficult to know whether or not he is just taking her for a ride for a long time (she's wealthy). The dialogue is sometimes quite clever (and, then again, it's also sometimes too clever). It's the crime part of the picture that's particularly pedestrian. And the end is kind of lame. All in all, it's only 80 minutes long, and it's entertaining enough to maybe sustain that. Valli and Cotten were so much better in The Third Man, but fans of that film might delight in seeing the two as a couple here. Still, with the way that The Third Man ends, it's actually a little disappointing seeing the two actors on screen. The final scene of that film should have been the final word. 6/10.
In Walk Softly, Stranger, Joseph Cotten plays a crook who assumes a new identity in a small town in order to start a new life. Gangsters whom he robbed are after him, and with the money he stole he believes that he can live a peaceful life. In this town, he meets a young paraplegic woman played by Valli. She was also a gambler, but her wild days were over after she took a tragic spill while skiing. The two begin to fall in love. It's probably the only time a disabled character ever had a major role as a love interest in classical Hollywood. Heck, if someone were to play the same role today, she'd probably win an Oscar! Soon, Cotten's old partner turns up in the town broke, begging for more money. He accidentally let spies track him.
The film is very low-key. In fact, it may be too low-key. The romance between Cotten and Valli is effective. It's difficult to know whether or not he is just taking her for a ride for a long time (she's wealthy). The dialogue is sometimes quite clever (and, then again, it's also sometimes too clever). It's the crime part of the picture that's particularly pedestrian. And the end is kind of lame. All in all, it's only 80 minutes long, and it's entertaining enough to maybe sustain that. Valli and Cotten were so much better in The Third Man, but fans of that film might delight in seeing the two as a couple here. Still, with the way that The Third Man ends, it's actually a little disappointing seeing the two actors on screen. The final scene of that film should have been the final word. 6/10.