Time Out of Mind (1947), Dir. Robert Siodmak, 89 mins, Blu-ray
While the previous film in Indicator’s Universal Noir Vol.2 box, Lady on a Train, was borderline noir at best, I can’t imagine anyone really having any argument for Robert Siodmak’s Time Out of Mind qualifying as noir in any way at all. This is really just a historical romantic drama, adapted from a popular book of the time written by Rachel Field. Its general thesis is for women to stand by their man, trust their heart and that love conquers all in the end… sentiments that any proper film noir would kick in the trash with utter contempt. I can only imagine that Indicator thought its inclusion worthy if only because it was directed by Siodmak, who had great success in noir with films like The Killers, Phantom Lady, Cry of the City and Criss Cross. As such, I suppose this has some worth as a curio, and certainly its got some interesting moments and direction… characters separated by doorways or windows, for instance, to represent their relationship or social standing/separation. The film also features Ella Raines, so brilliant in Phantom Lady, but alas utterly wasted here.
The plot of Time Out of Mind is pretty dull- it’s 1899, and Christopher Fortune (Robert Hutton) the son of a wealthy shipping magnate in Maine angers his father by preferring a career in music rather than the family business, and is encouraged to follow his dreams rather than family duty by servant girl Kate (Phyliss Calvert) who loves him dearly, but of which Christopher is oblivious. Kate helps Christopher find the finances to enable him to flee to Paris where he will enrol in a music school. Three years later, he finally returns home, but married, breaking Kate’s heart. The marriage is doomed, as Christopher’s bride is a beautiful, rich but thoroughly nasty, using her father’s wealth to further Christopher’s musical dreams and live vicariously through his success, but Christopher’s heart isn’t in it, he feels a fraud. Can Kate’s endless love for him put him on the right path to success and happiness?
Hmm, take a guess how this film ends. Hardly your usual noir there. The whole thing is pure melodrama, feels artificial and staged, and you can see where its all going from the start. It doesn’t work at all, and Siodmak himself dismissed it. There’s indications of where a noir would go with something like this- Christopher’s sister Rissa (Ella Raines) is so obsessed herself with Christopher that her attention is borderline incestuous – so I could imagine this becoming transformed into something genuinely subversive, with three women fighting over a man too self-obsessed to really notice or care, but this was released in 1947, after all, and far too early to expect something like Twin Peaks. Shame- a David Lynchian take on Time Out of Mind would be a film I’d like to see.
As it is, there’s little here to encourage repeat viewings. At least Lady on a Train, likewise hardly noir at all, was snappily paced, with genuine twists and turns and a captivating leading lady. This film really labours for little reason at all.
the ghost of 82 
I like the film a bit better than you do, but I tend to be partial to melodrama at the best of times. Having said that, I agree that it’s relationship to film noir is slight and tangential. Actually, given the number of Universal crime films available with HD masters ready – those Kino sets from the US are a useful guide – <i>and</i> with much stronger noir credentials, that Universal Noir Vol. 2 set from Indicator contains a number of really odd choices. <b>Singapore</b> is in there and while it’s closer to film noir, it really isn’t much of a movie in my opinion, despite the always welcome presence of Ava Gardner.