Walter Johnson
alights from his boxcar in Middletown Minnesota. Hungry and worn down, he sets
off to seek sustenance. His walk into town is interrupted when he looks up and
sees a woman waving at him from her window and gesturing for him to come into
her home. In spite of his instincts, he goes up and meets Elizabeth Frazer, a
lady who is hot on the outside and ice cold within. She entices him with the
promise of food and maybe a little something extra for afters, then nails him by
shouting to her neighbours that there’s been a murder. Said neighbours show up
and it seems that Johnson has been caught red handed, until he reveals that his
red hand is actually wooden and wouldn’t be capable of committing the crime in
question.
The sensible
thing for him to do at this point would be either to run or to wait for the
authorities to prove his innocence. Instead, he waits for things to settle and
is pulled into the orbit of Elizabeth whose magnetism and allure prove to be irresistible.
They drive west, avoid the attention of the police and settle down into a life
of the humdrum. Things should go fine, only Elizabeth isn’t happy with
surviving or being average. Her discontentment grows until she pulls out
another trick from her bag. This time, she’s feigned her own death and once
again pins Johnson down as the perpetrator. This time, however, Johnson isn’t
so lucky. He’s sent down and spends the next ten years in prison.
While away he
meets a forward thinking warden who suspects Johnson is innocent. The pair
spend time discussing the world and putting things right until it’s time for
Johnson to leave, an improved and contented citizen with a free spirit. The
warden has provided him with the tools for survival and the connections to make
sure civilisation won’t chew him up and spit him out.
Everything should
be fine. The world should unfold at Johnson’s feet and provide him with more
than enough to satisfy his needs. The problem is he has a passion for revenge
that won’t leave him alone. The shadowy compulsion to track down Elizabeth
grows until it is his reason for being. All his wonderful wisdom and philosophical
leanings are trampled underfoot by his desire and as he journeys in pursuit of
his prey, his life slowly unravels.
So Deadly Fair
is a delight. That said, it took a while for it to grow on me. The first person
narrative seemed a little clunky at first. I reckoned a tidy edit might make
all the difference and create a smooth passage through the opening pages. I was
also a little uncomfortable by being addressed directly by the protagonist
every so often. These jabs interrupted my flow and caught me off guard when
they came.
As the story
unfolded, many of my early issues disappeared. I came to appreciate the voice
and the conversational style, not least because it allowed a deep understanding
of the character’s reasoning. Johnson’s back story is slowly exposed and adds
layers and depth. His views of the world and his love of travelling and getting
by are so pragmatic that they verge upon the romantic. His drive and lack of
control in the face of his desires is well explained and adds solid foundation
to his decision making, even when his choices seem to be utterly insane.
The story
itself is handled really well and any contrivance is justified as the plot
moves on and comes to its unexpected climax.
This one is a
slice of authentic American noir. It carries a familiarity that is comforting
and yet has a freshness that needs to be savoured and appreciated. The pictures
come in black and white and the shadows are everywhere. If it was never made
into a B-movie then it should have been.
Hats off to
you, Gertrude Walker. Thanks for the journey.