The clock

I have watched one film by Liza Minnelli (Cabaret), but none by her parents, Judy Garland and Vincente Minnilli, that is, until yesterday. The Clock was the first film Judy Garland did not sing in and I was happily surprised by its quality and her rather subtle and mature acting.

The Clock interests me mostly though for its 'noises', what was put in 'outside' the main story, namely that of New York city and the people in the street. Joe (played by the young Robert Walker) the soldier was a stranger in the big apple and he was lost there in his 48 hours' leave. In his chance encounters with various people in the street, decent allocation of time was given on the passing individuals who had no consequence on the main events. One of such passersby was a milkman who was on his way for his night shift and offered them a lift and through him, a glimpse of the sleeping city, including a virtuosos performance of a drunkard. Another was a chef in a restaurant after the 'ugly' wedding of the protagonists. He picked a table right next to theirs and during the whole course, he was framed right in the middle of the screen between the two protagonists, rendering his facial expression - that of curious, disdaining and puzzling - the central backdrop of the whole scenario. Such distracting 'noises' added casual but rich and interesting texture to the film, contributing to making the film organic.

Having seen Robert Walker only in Strangers on the Train, I had tried very hard to discern if there was any trace of that character in The Clock and I have to report that yes, but only if you tried very hard - at which point it was questionable if it was induced more by my imagination. I had no answer to that but very sad to read that by The Clock, he had already turned into an alcoholic triggered by the disintegration of his marriage to a Jones, who would become the leading lady of Hollywood for nearly a decade despite her moderate talents.

I am not completely sure now if the fleeting sadness and melancholy on his face was due to his real life event or the character.