Grade: D+
Synopsis: A reporter helps a young socialite investigate the disappearance of her older sister (Bette Davis).
Fog Over Frisco is a laughable whirlwind of a film, notable for some unexpected plot twists.
Without spoiling anything, suffice it to say the film may leave a few feeling cheated due to a rather abrupt plot twist. While this may make for interesting viewing early on, subsequent twists quickly devolve into laughable clichés. Things happen at such a breakneck pace, without any real reason or characterization to back them up, that the only way to enjoy the film is to run with it.
This is a movie that feels like two scripts stitched together. Unlike, say, The Big Sleep (1946), which famously failed to account for one of its murders but moved so smoothly you barely noticed, Fog Over Frisco will leave you scratching your head over the numerous gaping plot holes. Not helping matters, surprisingly, is the large amount of exposition devoted to explaining said plot holes, which, in turn, only succeeds in creating more.
Still, Bette Davis is good in the lead, and the 67-minute running time, while certainly adding to the film’s frantic nature, means it’s all over pretty quickly.
Bottom Line: While Fog Over Frisco is hard to recommend, it’s definitely an experience and might be worth it for fans of Bette Davis’ early work.
