BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT (1942) ** Bela Lugosi runs a respected secular humanist flophouse and soup kitchen in the Bronx. He has a light that doesn't do anything when it turns on and a map of Australia in his secret office. But there's more! He has a secret identity. I won't tell you much about that but I will say that I've never seen any movie do so little with zombies! But are there any, anyway? And will he escape to Australia or will he get his? Is he setting his people up, or am I setting you up? These aren't necessarily worthwhile questions, but it's worth watching the film to figure them out, because it's a reasonably worthwhile film and it doesn't take that long to watch it. All of the issues of the day are addressed: economic depravity, psychology, and dinner etiquette. And all of the cinematic wonders of the day are highlighted: substandard sound and bad lighting, multi-plots ("I've never seen a guy with so many angles," "Oh, go have fun with your social work!"), and snug white dresses. It's no masterpiece but it keeps a lot going on and there are several very witty moments. What I want to know is why Bela wasn't off fighting the war! Yeah I know he was a little long in the tooth and kind of jammed on morphine, but you think the Nazis wouldn't have given up quicker if they'd seen him staggering across the battlefield at them? Well, ok, but what's this movie really saying anyway, besides don't trust secular humanist flophouses?
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