A variation on the Faust theme, Thomas Mitchell plays an honest politician who is tempted with the state governorship if he follows the political advice given to him by a mysterious stranger who emerges from the fog (Milland). Among other things, Milland has the ability to predict, word for word, the exact dialogue that will occur between two people in a future conversation.?

It seamlessly blends political drama, noir and Val Lewton-esque psychological horror. Ray Midland's portrayal is restrained, without sacrificing any of Nick Beal's monstrous evil. The subtle, malevolent smile on Milland's face as Thomas Mitchell's Foster has his epiphany reveals that, perhaps, Nick Beal is truly omnipotent. He's thought of everything, and there's no escape for poor Foster. The screenplay by Jonathan Latimer is outstanding. When Nick lectures Foster that in politics, and life, there are no absolutes, just shades of gray, I can't help but think of Broadcast News and Albert Brooks' speech about the devil - "What do you think the devil's going to look like if he's around? ... Nobody is going to be taken in by a guy with a long, red, pointy tail!"??

The ending was a tad heavy-handed, but appropriate for the times. Audrey Totter was her usual terrific self. And George Macready is miles away from his sleazy character in Gilda. Director John Farrow, along with the production design, music by Franz Waxman and Lionel Lindon's chiaroscuro cinematography create a feeling of inescapable dread.

Alias Nick Beal (AKA: A few other titles...) is directed by John Farrow and adapted to screenplay by Jonathan Latimer from the Mindret Lord story. It stars Ray Milland, Audrey Totter, Thomas Mitchell and George Macready. Music is by Franz Waxman and cinematography by Lionel Lindon.

It's the Faustian legend filmed through film noir filters as Thomas Mitchell's politician unwittingly makes a deal with Ray Milland's suspicious Nick Beal.

Nicholas Beal - Agent.

It's all fogs, smogs and smoky pubs here, it's 1949 and John Farrow and his team are having a great time of things blending Faust with politico machinations. Narrative thrust comes by way of corruption and character disintegration, sprinkled naturally with your good old cinematic staple of good versus evil in bold type.

Don't touch him! He doesn't like it!

Milland is superb here, his Nick Beal is the ultimate Machiavellian Mannipulator, and the chief film makers really bring these traits to the fore. Beal is a bundle of smug grins and glinting eyes, he just appears in scenes, Farrow cunningly using various props and persons to suddenly unleash his little old devil when he is least expected. Around Nicky there are subtle changes of clothes and snatches of dialogue that hit the requisite devilish notes, Totter is our darling who is caught in Old Nick's trap, Mitchell (great) even more so.

The last time I was here was quite exciting. City was on fire. Picked up quite a lot of recruits that night. Made quite a transportation problem.

Lionel Lindon and Franz Waxman are also key components to what makes the pic work. Waxman (Sunset Blvd.) deftly shifts between big bass drums for thunder clap effects, to delicate swirls that give off other worldly - eerie - effects. Lindon (I Want to Live!) does great work isolating the eyes in light, while his fog and shadows work wouldn't be amiss in a Val Lewton picture.

This is a criminally under seen movie, it's far from perfect because the collage of genre influences give it a very unbalanced feel, but there's so much fun, spookiness and technical craft on show to make it a must see movie for fans of the stars, noir and supernatural tinged pictures. 8/10