Howrah Bridge - Hello Mister, How Do You Do?

 

Howrah Bridge

1958, Hindi

 

Director - Shakti Samanta

 

Stars - Ashok Kumar, Madhubala, K N Singh, Madan Puri, Om Prakash

 

Mohan's Measure -  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

Movies are movies.  Film Noir is an attitude.  It is a look at human beings at their best and worst, each having some kind of vice or grudge. And, behind it all, there is a poetic justice at work, something higher, which brings meaning to it all.

Howrah Bridge has all the workings of a Maltese Falcon or Key Largo.  Ashok Kumar is the slightly older and cynical hero who comes to a place he isn't quite familiar with.  Madhubala is the young femme fatale who brings him both romance and danger.  And, Madan Puri is an eccentric man who can easily serve as a Sydney Greenstreet character, not quite good, but one who is willing to open doors.

The film could have been perfect, but with such large scale actors, Bollywood demanded mass elements, romance, music, glamor, and style.  This detracts us from the smoke filled rooms, bottles of liquor, and quips about life, giving way to an idealism not usually found in film noir.  

So, while the movie is still the stuff dreams are made of, some are perhaps too dreamy.