Then comes afemme fataleand a covetous private eye who end up spurring a moral spiral heading for disaster.

In essence, the deception and corruption here masquerade as the highest level of normalcy.

Thanks to an airtight script and stellar performances,Pitfallstill hits the mark decades down the line.

Dick Powell and Lizabeth Scott in Pitfall

Image Via United Artists

Its no mystery why the film sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

However, its equallysteeped in selfishnessand results in a storm that drags everyone in their orbit down with them.

Its all mystery, mayhem, and Martin.

Custom image of Steve Martin in Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid against a plaid background

All in all, the moral stakes here are not theoretical, theyre tangible and deeply personal.

They equally force each character to deal with the fallout from their choices.

The narrative is centered on John Forbes, a man whose life lookspicture-perfecton the outside.

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But under the surface, theres this creeping sense of dissatisfaction that eventually consumes him.

Rather than dodging bullets or sifting throughmob conspiracies, Johns battles are against the monotony of his nine-to-five existence.

With this in mind, its clear that his affair with Mona Stevens isnt just a romantic subplot.

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The insurance salesman is just searching for a little something to add some color to his life.

WherePitfallsucceeds greatly is in the way it uses the trappings of middle-class life to create tension.

So, while theres no urban chaos here, therestons of personal chaosthrown in the mix.

This trade also goes a long way to make the storys unraveling hit harder.

The relatability of this film is proof that dingy alleys and smoky clubs do not a great noir make.

Pitfallis available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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