MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS: FORGOTTEN NOIR

The film noir genre has so many titles to choose from and yet many of the best noir films are long lost to fans of the genre. The rise of video and then discs saved them from extinction. Not that none were available since the classics were out there, but many of the low budget films in the genre were lost. They’re being rediscovered though and this month Arrow Video is releasing two lost treasures by director Joseph H. Lewis. The first of those is MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS.

The film takes place in England just after the war and young Julia Ross (Nina Foch) has just been dumped by her boyfriend. Late on rent and looking for a job she takes one as a secretary to Mrs. Williamson Hughes (Dame May Whitty), a wealthy widow who insists that she begin at once and move into her house. Julia does so but when she wakes discovers she’s been drugged and is now at the Hughes estate in Cornwall.

Not only has she changed locations all of her belongings are gone. Then Mrs. Hughes and her son Ralph (George Macready) tell her that her name is Marion and that she’s married to Ralph. The staff has been informed that she has had a nervous breakdown and not to believe her when she rants about being someone else.

Julia does her best to escape but find no help from anyone in the house. In addition to that Ralph watches her closely, never allowing her to go anywhere unaccompanied. She tries to send a letter out to her only friend Dennis but is stopped. She tries again later and is successful but Ralph sends someone after the letter.

Faking a suicide attempt a doctor is called in. When he arrives and is alone with Julia she tells him what is going on. Unfortunately he is in on the plot as well. Is she truly Marion Hughes and has she really had a nervous breakdown? Or is there another reason she’s been brought here, kidnapped with ill intent in store?

At just one hour and 5 minutes long not a moment of screen time is wasted here. Every ounce of film is filled with story and the pace is such that you are constantly watching and waiting to find out what comes next. The mystery is such that you’re not quite certain what the real story is going on here and once you become certain you find yourself on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next.

Foch does a wonderful job as the troubled heroine of the story. Whitty is full on upper crust of society in on the plot. And Macready is sufficiently creepy making him the perfect villain of the piece. The supporting cast does an equally admirable job in holding things together.

Lewis was a standard director who churned out movie after movie in the B flick department when he was given the opportunity to show what he could do with this film. While it did decent at the box office it didn’t lead to more major films. It wasn’t until after he retired in the 60s when the auteur theory began to take hold that film lovers went back and looked on his films with fond admiration. Now this one can be added to the collections of movie lovers.

As part of the Arrow Academy series of films it gets the proper treatment as well with a clean, sharp picture in a hi-def presentation on blu-ray. In addition to that several interesting extras are also on hand including a commentary track by noir expert Alan K. Rode, “Identity Crisis: Joseph H. Lewis at Columbia” where the Nitrate Diva (Nora Fiore) gives background information and an analysis of the film, the theatrical trailer, a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Scott Saslow and for the first pressing only an illustrated booklet featuring new writing on the film by author and critic Adrian Martin.

While noir fans will certainly fall in love with this film the average movie lover will also be entertained and find themselves drawn into the story. This is one worth repeat viewings and worth adding to any and all movie collections.

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