Crack-Up

As an opponent of elitism in art (“surrealists will be searched for weapons at the door”), critic and museum curator George Steele (Pat O’Brien) fits right in with the world of film noir, which was so often criticized as crass and puerile in its day. In Irving Reis’ Crack-Up, Steele experiences a train crash that may not have happened; despite vivid recollections of the collision, he awakens to a reality in which no rail accidents have been reported and he’s sustained no injuries. With the help of his girlfriend, magazine editor Terry Cordell (Claire Trevor), Steele attempts to re-enact the train ride based on the details he recalls, which leads down a rabbit hole of theft, forgery, and murder. While some may find the plot slightly convoluted, Crack-Up is enriched by the gift of Robert DeGrasse’s camera: nighttime museum break-ins, waterfront corridors, even urban fire escapes are all made ravishing through austere lighting. The train collision(s) in particular are wonderfully rendered: extreme close-ups on Steele cross-cut with an over-the-shoulder view of an oncoming headlight.