If you want to see a film that, at first glance, looks better than it actually is, a good choice could be The Hot Spot, 1990 thriller drama directed by Dennis Hopper. The plot, based on 1952 novel Hell Hath No Fury by Charles Williams, reputable author of hardboiled crime fiction, begins when Harry Madox (played by Don Johnson), a drifter with unknown but probably shaky past, stops in small Texan town searching for beer and shelter from relentless summer heat. He immediately seeks some opportunities that would lead him to stay a little longer. His smooth-talking skills allow him to get a salesman job in car dealership owned by middle-aged George Harshaw (played by Jerry Hardin). This is, however, only first stage of a plan that includes audacious robbery of local bank whose alcoholic owner Julian Ward (played by Jack Nance) didn’t take security very seriously. Before he gets a chance to enjoy his ill-gotten gains, Madox would also have do deal with Dolly (played by Virginia Madsen), young and bored wife of his boss, a woman who doesn’t waste time to seduce good looking stranger. Madox’s heart, however, belongs to Gloria Harper (played by Jennifer Connelly), beautiful and innocent 19-year old girl who works as accountant in Harshaw’s dealership. Madox learns that she has terrible secret from her past and that she is blackmailed by sinister-looking man named Frank Sutton (played by William Sadler).
The script was originally written by Charles Williams and Nona Tyson in 1962 and originally intended for the film starring Robert Mitchum. Dennis Hopper, who would ultimately direct, was attracted to it by seeing similarities with film noir classics of 1940s and 1950s, including some black and white films he had starred in the early part of his career. The Hot Spot tries very hard to be faithful to film noir formula, but there are many concessions to modernity. The most obvious is in cinematography by Uli Steiger which uses bright colours, and which is quite effective in scenes that depict ever-present heat that affect characters and their surroundings. The other aspect that set this film apart from film noir is music score by Jack Nitzsche, which is accompanied by pieces from eminent musicians like John Lee Hooker or Miles Davis; the music helps an atmosphere to a degree, but ultimately makes The Hot Spot too “film-like” to be realistic or simple in film noir tradition. The final things that makes this film different from film noirs is type of content original genre authors only hinted due to strict censorship standards of Hayes Code. The most obvious is nudity and The Hot Spot is best remembered for the scenes in which two leading ladies appear topless (with some more risque material being done with body doubles).
Despite that, both Virginia Madsen and Jennifer Connelly do solid acting job, helped with the script that make their characters archetypal. Madsen obviously has a great fun playing vampish man-eating and ruthless seductress, while Jennifer Connelly, one of the most beautiful actresses of her generation, seamlessly portrays character that looks angelic despite being surrounded by dirt. Don Johnson, on the other hand, has much more difficult role playing amoral noirish character the audience is supposed to root for. Johnson, cast mostly on his looks, tried very hard to leave the shadow of Detective Crockett from Miami Vice, and did acceptable job, with few little details hinting that he might be a good person if given a proper chance. The rest of cast is very good, with great character actors like Jerry Hardin, Jack Nance, William Sadler doing great job even when their roles are, like in the case Charles Martin Smith as another car salesman, underwritten. The Hot Spot, however, suffers from extremely poor pacing. Hopper, apparently too much in love with his work, keeps scenes go too long and the film with its more than two hours of running time would require too much patience from most casual viewers. Those who have patience, on the other hand, would be rewarded with stylish piece of guilty pleasure. Unfortunately for Hopper, the audience in 1990 didn’t have that patience and The Hot Spot flopped at the box office, becoming his penultimate film in his directorial career.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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