If there was one statement that could summarize the feel of the Unjustly Accused Double Feature at the Egyptian last night, it would be: "Fate, or some mysterious force, can put the finger on you or me for no good reason at all." We know those infamous words from 1945's Detour; and although that film wasn't shown, two films that packed the same punch were presented to the large audience. Alan K. Rode, Director of the Film Noir Foundation introduced 1947's Boomerang! and 1953's Count the Hours. Neither film is available on DVD, though Boomerang! was released as part of the Fox Film Noir series and quickly yanked off the shelves due to a copyright issue. Those who managed to grab a copy during its brief availability have a collector's item. But as Rode pointed out last night, no DVD was needed. The crowd got to see it on the big screen with one of the film's stars in attendance: Cara Williams.

The plot of Boomerang! centers around the murder of a neighborhood priest named Father Lambert. When Lambert is shot by a shadowy figure in a dark coat and light-colored hat, the police organize a city-wide manhunt. Witnesses at the scene are unable to stop the killer as he runs through the streets. After weeks with no resolution, both the townspeople and the press are getting impatient. Everyone wants a name and a face to go with the lunatic responsible for killing their favorite priest. Suddenly a man named John Waldron (Arthur Kennedy) is picked up in another state. He not only matches the description of the accused, but is carrying the same caliber gun used in the murder. This makes him automatically guilty. A successful trial will mean a death sentence for Waldron, and city officials with higher political ambitions want the acclaim of hanging him. After a long, grueling interrogation, Waldron, delirious from lack of sleep, signs a confession. State's Attorney Henry Harvey (Dana Andrews) is told he could become Governor in exchange for taking the case. With his understanding wife Madge (Jane Wyatt) by his side every step of the way, Henry leads the prosecution until startling revelations cause him to rethink Waldron's guilt. Boomerang! has an all-star cast, including: Dana Andrews, Jane Wyatt, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, and Ed Begley. It's directed by Elia Kazan, who prior to this film, was best known for 1945's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Following the screening of Boomerang!, host Alan K. Rode conducted a Q&A session with Cara Williams, who played Irene Nelson in the film. Her character had a nails-across-the-chalkboard iciness and a sharp, venomous bite to go with it. In person, however, Ms. Williams was a charming and lively person. She spoke about working on Boomerang! and her opinion of the crime on which the film was based. The film is based on the early career of Attorney General Homer Stille Cummings and the crime was as depicted. Ms. Williams felt that the real-life suspect was probably guilty. Rode brought to light her uncanny ability to impersonate Bette Davis. Although she didn't give a demonstration, she did share a humorous story about her unique talent. Years back, Ms. Williams called actress Ida Lupino at home and masqueraded as Bette. She told Lupino that the Beverly Hills Water Department was going to shut off the water, and that she (Lupino) should fill up all her bathtubs at once. Lupino fell for the gag, but eventually found out that "Bette" was Cara. It was one of the many times that Ms. Williams found herself in hot water with studio big-wigs. Next, Ms. Williams spoke about her role in 1958's The Defiant Ones, for which she only received $2,000. Many audience members remembered her television career, which she claims to never have wanted. In fact, she claimed that she never wanted to be an actress at all. But her transition into television came at a time when she and then-husband John Barrymore Jr. were trying to reconcile. Ms. Williams had just returned from Europe after doing charity work with Audrey Hepburn and needed money to satisfy on a debt on her home. She half-jokingly said she was "bribed" into her television work. She eventually went on to have her own show, The Cara Williams Show, which ran from 1964-1965.

The second film of the evening, 1953's Count the Hours, was another tale of false accusation. George Braden (John Craven) becomes the lone suspect after his elderly neighbor is shot and killed. George's wife Ellen (Teresa Wright), knowing that her husband is innocent, throws his gun in the lake so police won't purposely turn it into the murder weapon. Her good intentions backfire, however, since the gun is no longer available for tests that would clear George of wrongdoing. The police take him in for questioning and grill him for 16 hours. They are also holding Ellen in another room. In order to get them to let her go, George confesses to the crime. Defense Attorney Doug Madison (MacDonald Carey) is on the fence about taking the case and leaning more towards not getting involved at the suggestion of his fiancée. However, after both Doug and his bride-to-be hear Ellen's heartbreaking cry for help, Doug takes the case. He throws all of his efforts into clearing George; but despite his efforts, George is found guilty and sentenced to the death penalty. Doug is not ready to give up and plans to appeal. But in order to have any chance, he must find the real killer. A random run-in with the murdered neighbor's nephew leads Doug to a probable suspect named Max Verne (Jack Elam). Verne is a drunk who stumbles from place to place with a hair-trigger temper. As Doug rushes to point the police in Verne's direction, George's hour of reckoning is drawing near.

The Unjustly Accused Double Feature was stereotypical noir. Both films had a common character: the unseen hand of fate that knows no mercy. The more ordinary the person, the more unfair the situation. If noir is synonymous with nightmare, as it often seems to be, both Boomerang! and Count the Hours played the audience a dark lullaby. The festival runs through April 24, 2008.