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6.5/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.5/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Fog Over Frisco remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that hit the gas and refuse to look at the speedometer, you’ll probably have a blast with Fog Over Frisco. It’s perfect for people who don't care about plot holes as long as the dialogue is snappy. If you need a movie to make sense or take its time to explain its own motivations, you might want to skip it.
Bette Davis plays Arlene, and honestly, she's the only reason this thing holds together. She’s got this bored, dangerous energy that makes the whole 'rich girl gone bad' thing actually feel believable. Most of the other characters are just shouting about bonds and disappearing acts.
The pacing here is weird. It’s like the editor was trying to win a race. Scenes start in the middle of a scream and end before anyone can finish a sentence. It’s disorienting, but in a way that feels surprisingly modern compared to some of the stuff from that era, like A Girl of Yesterday.
There’s a moment where a car pulls up and someone is practically thrown out of it, and the movie doesn’t even pause to check if they’re okay. It just cuts to a newspaper office or a dock. It’s ruthless. I kind of respect it.
There’s a scene in a nightclub that feels like it has about twenty people too many shoved into the frame. It’s claustrophobic. It makes the danger feel real, even if it’s just background noise.
Watching Bette Davis navigate this world of grumpy men in hats is the highlight. She’s so much sharper than the script deserves. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Manhattan Cowboy, though this one is much more focused on the city grit.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it fun? Absolutely. Just don't ask me to explain the bond heist again. I’ve already forgotten how it works, and I think the movie has too.
