Stylistically sharp, The Reckless Moment is possibly the most underrated entry in Max Ophüls' filmography. The German-born filmmaker successfully assigns distinctive qualities of film noir imagery and designs into a tautly claustrophobic drama. It was the last of four movies that he finished in the course of his Hollywood period in the nineteen forties, which additionally encompassed the magnificent Letter from an Unknown Woman.

It's a charming movie, albeit tainted with some slight weaknesses in some of its characterisation's. Still, its manipulation of silhouettes, extraordinary camera angles, and intense lighting entrusts the film with atmosphere and individuality. It paints an ominous and sarcastic portrait of American society where a determined woman is characterised by her mental suffering and eventually is overwhelmingly disappointed with the smothering limitations of her social environment.

female centred noir = god tier noir

A mother tries to cover up her daughters accidental murder. 

They gender switched the character roles and gave “the man of the house” to the momma and Joan Bennett literally carried the plot and film as a whole on her dang shoulders. Take away her performance then there’d be no reason to watch unfortunately. The film noir aspects are about as dry and tasteless as hard licorice. No scenes stuck out to me nor gave me that wow factor I was looking for, not even a fun silly twist. I can’t even remember the bad guy in this film. Nonetheless, no matter how dusty this film can be, Joan’s performance warrants a good enough watch, if you can handle the major flaws.

*puts a microphone extremely close to my mouth* why did they have James Mason attempt an Irish accent. he can’t do it

give it up for mothers y'all. joan bennett does a LOT in ophuls' final english-language film. her husband is away and so she's sorta left alone to raise their rebellious 17-year-old daughter, who is going out with a shady older guy... then she has to cover up a crime, is blackmailed, all while her pre-teen son is running around shirtless with a full six-pack talkin' like a middle-aged man smh.

35mm. Metrograph.

Quite a bit better than I remembered. Mason and Bennett are both really strong which helps in selling the central (non)romance, despite its unlikeliness.

Ophuls, tracking, stairways, etc. etc. Everyone's heard it before, but I do like the way the bustle of the house and the town, and even hotels and drugstores is captured by the tracking shots here. Like the performances, it adds a weight and texture that the story lacks.

A study in the mise en scene of domestic suburban spaces through windows, doorways, and staircases. Every movement (of the camera, characters, or the story) manifests itself in terms of an ongoing power negotiation between the public and the private, the illicit and the lawful, the interior and the exterior, the family and the society, or the absent and the present.

Wonderful little noir starring James Mason and Joan Bennett. The relationship twists are handled very well, and it moves along handily, leading to a genuinely satisfying ending.

Max Ophüls' last American film is a patient, mature noir drama about the nature of secrets that simmer beneath quite, white suburban life. His famed buttery smooth camera movements are very satisfying to witness. Also, seeing a strong female lead in a '40s Hollywood noir who isn't at any point slapped, punched, clocked or dealt any kind of physical assault by a male protagonist to put her in her place is refreshing to see.

irritação anacrônica: que Ophüls, chegando ao auge da sua carreira, tenha precisado filmar um roteiro noir tão medíocre

Dear Ophüls, dear writers, dear Joan Bennett, dear Frances E. Williams, dear James Mason's voice: thank you, thank you.

The few films that Max Ophüls directed in the Hollywood system are fascinating half-made things. And yet, in the competing interests of Ophüls and the Hollywood system, something unique and rewarding was made.

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Maybe 15 minutes or so into The Reckless Moment elements of the plot started to seem awfully familiar to me. I looked it up and, sure enough, the film The Deep End is a loose remake, and I saw it in theaters sometime around when it came out in 2001.

I bring this up because this film stars Joan Bennett, and her character is played by Tilda Swinton in the remake. Bennett would be best known to horror fans for her final role as Madam Blanc in Dario Argrnto's Suspiria, a character that was played in Luca Guadagnino's remake by... Tilda Swinton. I have no idea what this means, if anything, but there it is.

Anyway, this is a lovely looking and well-performed, if uneventful, little thriller that will scratch the noir itch if you've got it.

Premier Ophuls période Hollywood que je vois. J’ai cherché sa griffe au début, croyant qu’elle avait été noyée dans le carcan des studios, mais bien que je n’ai pas retrouvé l’ambition des chefs d’œuvre de la période de son retour en France, j’ai reconnu son souffle. 

Un de ces précieux croisements entre mélodrame et film noir (le mètre étalon du sous-genre étant le fabuleux Leave Her To Heaven) The Reckless Moment est tout en mouvement. Ophuls n’interrompt que très rarement son ballet —de déplacements de point de vue, de corps, de vent, de vagues— dans lequel se meut une Joan Bennett déterminée comme un taureau en furie qui saigne du nez.

Really fast paced and fun watch. Joan Bennet bobs and weaves brilliantly between homemaker mom, getting her household ready for the Christmas holiday, and cover up mom, by protecting her daughter by covering up a murder. Serious Mildred Pierce vibes, but probably more intense. Where Mildred Pierce so more slow and meticulous, The Reckless Moment moves at break neck speed. Again, Joan Bennet outshines everyone, but the character played by James Mason is an interesting character study. A blackmail crook, who during the holiday season meets this exceptionally dedicated woman and mother. As a result of their meeting, he begins to question his entire existence to that point and the choices he’s made along the way. There’s a lot packed into the short runtime. Christmas noir is the best.

Somebody call up Eddie Muller. I'm introducing a new noir subgenre: Mom Noir.

That David kid sucks, and that voice was like nails on a chalkboard. No wonder he only has three acting credits.

Joan Bennett is fantastic as always, but in that final scene...wow!

James Mason gives a powerhouse performance. His "Irish" accent falters badly, but he gives this role a level of emotional heft that I frankly didn't think he was capable of.

Catch it on YouTube.