THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET (1949)

The title of this movie refers to the tense, noir-like opening scene in which a key witness in a corruption trial is murdered at his home, despite being under police surveillance. After this promising opening, the tone lightens up considerably as we focus on crusading reporter Wayne Morris, who blows his muck-racking story on mobster Bruce Bennett; the mobster threatens the paper with a libel suit and Morris is re-assigned to the lovelorn column. Coincidentally, it is through a visit from a lovelorn letter writer (Barbara Bates) that Morris gets on the right track and is able to find real evidence to bring Bennett down. This is based on a 30's movie (HI, NELLIE) which Warners remade in the late 30's as LOVE IS ON THE AIR with Ronald Reagan, and again in the early 40's as YOU CAN'T ESCAPE FOREVER (reviewed 2/1/05). I'm not sure the material is strong enough to warrant a fourth version, but it's a pleasant little film. Morris does a nice job with one of his rare leading roles, Janis Paige is good as his gal, and there are good performances from Alan Hale as the newspaper owner, James Mitchell as a goon for the mobster, and James Holden as Bates's boyfriend who winds up breaking the case for Morris. I think the '42 version with George Brent and Brenda Marshall is more fun. [TCM]