robfollower Excellent example of an interesting story albeit a bit convenient . Still I really enjoyed this low budget film noir . 4.5 out of 5. In this forgotten film noir gem, a crook (Paul Heinreid) on the lam after a casino robbery gone wrong thinks he's found the perfect deep cover when he assumes the identity of a psychologist (Heinreid in a double role) who is his perfect double. But when his nefarious scheme to take the innocent doctor's place goes wrong, it proves that in film noir, you can postpone your fate, but you can't escape it.

LeonLouisRicci A Film-Noir that is a Show-Off of the Genre. It is quintessential and profoundly Noir. John Alton's acclaimed Cinematography is dripping in rain and washed with moody shadows and extreme lighting effects.It is a doomed affair where our amoral Lead Character is ruthless, selfish, and yet has a touch of Humanity witnessed in a couple of poignant Scenes. But His Fate is as scarred as His Face as things unfold with cynical Dialog and less than attractive exposition of events.This is an underrated and unrecognized display of the Film-Noir Genre in its look, Script, and Characters. Within this World things spiral and spin, and have a Life of their own driven by unseen forces and right in front of you situations. It is a complex and little understood environment as it tries by definition with smart, yet unaware Participants placed in this always interesting sideshow of Film-Noir.As an introduction to Newbies this is U.S.D.A. Prime and after viewing, you are either hooked or not on this most cutting edge, cynical, and Artistically active Sub-Genre that saved Hollywood from complete blandness and propagandized product. Film-Noir served as a Proletarian voice to the mucky-mucks and was a brazen attempt at an Anti-Vision.

Roger Burke Billed as "film-noir", Hollow Triumph (HT) is an interesting character study of a man who has distinct sociopathic inclinations. As John Muller/Dr Bartok, Paul Henreid gives a chilling performance as the leader of group of robbers who sets up a job to rob a casino of its take (an idea given the comedy treatment in Oceans 11, twelve years later). The heist goes badly wrong though, forcing Muller to flee from the mob and two hit men who are ordered to kill him, regardless of how long it takes (another idea already used in The Killers from 1946, from an Earnest Hemingway story).Muller's gang goes separate ways, and Muller flees to a city a long way from that casino and mob.With the killers on the hunt, Muller is saved, so to speak, by deus ex machina: he stumbles upon a doppelganger who looks exactly the same, except for a large scar on one cheek. At the same time, Muller also finds a fast-talking, breezy secretary – Eveln Harn (Joan Bennett) – who is attracted to, yet somewhat also repulsed by, this smoothie chain smoker who has a mysterious background. Women are always too curious, no?Anyway, Muller, always the pragmatist, concocts a scheme to hide from the hit men by posing as Dr Bartok. That involves killing the good doctor – too bad, it's him or me, Muller reasons – and taking over the practice. Conveniently, Muller has a psych background, having studied psychology long ago. He works out how to get the proper scar onto his cheek – and he's in, safe and sound, and making more money to add to the loot he stole from the casino. He even goes to a local casino where Dr Bartok is well known, and has a swell time at the tables – and loses big time, as the real Bartok mostly did.But, the hit men are still searching, and closing in (check out Jack Webb's film debut as one of those bad guys). So, Muller arranges with Evelyn to scarper – leave on a boat to Hawaii and set up there. Muller forgets one crucial thing, however...This story and movie, although clichéd and predictable to a point, is nevertheless an excellent example of a thriller, and well acted by the whole cast; Henreid is perfect casting for the roles – his expressionless face is well suited to a cold, implacable killer and cool, detached psychiatrist. Joan Bennett – not a femme fatale in this story, but a victim of her gullibility and greed – plays the quick-witted go-getter with aplomb.Of special interest are the photography, editing and direction, all three of which are just excellent, with great, dark visuals that evoke appropriate suspense and edge-of-seat anticipation. The movie should be seen for that alone.Give this one eight out of ten. Recommended for all.February 28, 2013

Alex da Silva John Muller (Paul Henreid) robs a casino and gets away with it. However, the casino boss vows to catch up with him. Muller hides himself in a couple of jobs before taking on the persona of Dr Bartok, a psychotherapist, after killing him. He falls in love with Bartok's secretary Evelyn (Joan Bennett) and they plan to flee the country together. Evelyn doesn't believe that he will show up to sail away with her.....There is so much that is wrong with this film but yet it is still entertaining. The cast are good and there is a nice twist at the end. There are also memorable scenes that include the robbery at the beginning, the moment that a couple of contract killers show up at the garage where Muller is working - will they recognize him?, etc. However, the film has to lose a couple of points just because of the plot.John Muller puts a scar on the wrong side of his face and no-one recognizes! Once he becomes the scarred Dr Bartok, none of his work colleagues notice that his scar is on the wrong side of his face? His secretary doesn't notice anything either? Worse still, in her case, is the fact that she has had an affair with Muller before he becomes Dr Bartok and she doesn't suspect that it's the same person? As well as not spotting the scar on the wrong side of his face! It's absolutely ludicrous. His patients also don't notice anything. Neither does his girlfriend Virginia (Leslie Brooks) or any of his social crowd at the casino. Not even John Muller's brother can recognise him coz he's got a mark on his cheek! If you saw your brother standing infront of you with a mark on his cheek that you hadn't seen before, you'd still KNOW it was your brother. And if he said he wasn't your brother, you'd reply "what the f*** are you playing at?" It is truly laughably bad script-writing. Another point that you have to suspend belief on is that John can suddenly become a psychotherapist after a brief period of reading some books about it. Actually, now that I think about it, that is quite realistic.The film keeps you watching despite being completely unbelievable.