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The Postman Always Rings Twice Details

1946 Certificate PG
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 1152 members

Set during the Depression, this story concerns an older man and his attractive young wife, who take on drifter Frank Chambers as an employee at their roadside cafe. Cora, the unhappy wife (Lana Turner), is searching for a way out of her drab day-to-day existence. Soon she and Frank develop lustful feelings for each other, and .. Read more

Starring Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn
Director Tay Garnett
Genres Drama

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The Postman Always Rings Twice

Set during the Depression, this story concerns an older man and his attractive young wife, who take on drifter Frank Chambers as an employee at their roadside cafe. Cora, the unhappy wife (Lana Turner), is searching for a way out of her drab day-to-day existence. Soon she and Frank develop lustful feelings for each other, and their passions grow until they plan a new life together--a new life that begins with her husband's murder.

Starring Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn, Leon Ames, Audrey Totter, Alan Reed
Director Tay Garnett
Studio WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time DVD: 1 hr 48 mins
Certificate Certificate PG
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 16 Apr 2004
Production year: 1946
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of The Postman Always Rings Twice

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Following James M Cain's novel more closely than was allowed in the classic 1946 film noir version, Bob Rafelson's take on the murderous morality fable opts for explicit action over extra adulterous tension. Despite luminous performances from Depression drifter Jack Nicholson and young wife Jessica Lange as the plotters-in-lust, the loose ends and even looser ending point to a below par effort from Rafelson, and the final result is not up to the standard of his masterly work with Nicholson on Five Easy Pieces and The King of Marvin Gardens.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • In many ways a more striking reading of Cain's novel than the Rafelson remake, even though required to pussyfoot on... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of The Postman Always Rings Twice

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Man Wanted

    A definitive early noir in which the two main protagonists are sympathetic charactors despite being murderers. Both Garfield and Turner give sizzling performances with strong undercurrents of sex and violence. Cecil Kellaway was miscast as Turner's husband portraying him as a niave, folksy dolt.This wasn't the first version of Cain's novel. In 1943 Visconti made the sexy *Ossessione* based in the Po Valley. The Fascists banned it and, after the war, Hollywood suppressed it in favour of their version. This excellent film is now available on DVD.

      • Leon Collins from London
      • Posted 05 Mar 2006 12:37

  • Most recent members' review of The Postman Always Rings Twice

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  • 0 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    A masterpiece of it's time

    If this film was made this year, then I would rate it about 5/7, but when you consider that it was made in 1946, and is still very entertaining in 2004, it has to be considered a masterpiece of film making.

    Compared with modern films, you might find it a bit on the slow side. It's also quite long, and feels like it is going to end several times in the last half hour.

    The fact that it is black and white takes nothing from the film, in some ways it enhances the film by focussing your attention on the acting, which is better than anything you will see in modern films.

      • Tulips from Surrey
      • Posted 24 Jul 2004 10:47

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Rating breakdown

1,152 Member ratings
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118
  • 90
98
  • 80
241
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224
  • 60
200
  • 50
105
  • 40
69
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46
  • 20
35
  • 10
16

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      • Set during the Depression, this story concerns an older man and his attractive young wife, who take on drifter Frank Chambers as an employee at their roadside cafe. Cora, the unhappy wife (Lana ...