Tonight I watched EBB TIDE, courtesy JMK. As cracked-up crazy as I hoped it would be. Definitely not enough Frances Farmer, no doubt about that. It's as if her character was written into some other movie, but she stowed along on the wrong boat and ended up in the wrong movie. I mean she has zero reason for existing in this film. Zero!
Next theory I want to advance is that Lloyd Nolan is one of the greats. Really, a fine, fine, film presence. That must be said.
He has some dialogue in this film that is just off the charts. For instance:
LN (to Ray Milland): Are you fond of parables?
RM: Yes, in a way.
LN: Well then, I saw these diving suits go down into the sea and come up...dripping. And all the while the fellow inside was dry as toast. And I thought we all needed a suit to go down into the world in and come up scatheless. What do you think its name was?
RM (perplexed): Let's call it "self respect"?
LN: Why not "grace," Harry? Why not "INFINITE GRACE"?
The looks on the faces of Oscar Homolka and Barry Fitzgerald at this moment are priceless. In fact the film has more close-ups by far than most movies. Kind of a seedy and nihilistic, yet enjoyable ride to nowhere. EBB TIDE.