Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

The acting in this movie is really good.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Subject to lengthy spells in which he cannot recall his actions, an overworked London composer begins to question whether he is committing murders during his blackouts in this stylish thriller starring Laird Cregar in his final big screen performance before his untimely death. Cregar is excellent throughout, especially towards the end as he gradually becomes more and more unhinged, and his fiery final scene is hard to forget. The film has some pacing problems though with around half the movie's duration passing between the first and second murders/deaths. While the events during this lengthy interim provide some extra character motivation, is never particularly interesting to watch small time nightclub singer Linda Darnell constantly toy with the (unbelievably) gullible Cregar's emotions. The second half of the movie is admittedly pretty solid though and Bernard Herrmann's atmospheric music score is excellent throughout, nicely coinciding with the heightened sound effects that indicate that Cregar is about to black out. Blurry closeups of Cregar's wide open eyes as he begins to blackout works surprisingly well too (cinematographer Joseph LaShelle had just come off an Oscar win for his luscious lensing of 'Laura' at the time). It is debatable how psychologically sound the story is here, however, it nevertheless makes for an interesting look at the possible effects of elevated stress on an individual, and if nothing else, the film features the most morbid Guy Fawkes celebration scene ever committed to celluloid.

Following the success of "The Lodger" (1944), Darryl F. Zanuck, never one to miss an opportunity, rushed star Laird Cregar into a sequel of sorts, "Hangover Square". Again Cregar is cast as a schizophrenic dual personality murderer.There's no doubt that he is a murderer as the opening scene has him stabbing an old antique dealer (Francis Ford) to death. Later we see him wandering aimlessly in the turn of the 20th century streets of London. He suddenly regains his senses and has no memory of the past few hours or of the dastardly crime he has just committed.Back at his home we learn that George Harvey Bone (Cregar) is an aspiring composer who is working on a concerto that he hopes will bring him fame. He is working under the tutelage of Sir Henry Chapman (Alan Napier) who just happens to have an attractive young daughter Barbara (Faye Marlowe) who has an attraction to Bone.Bone meanwhile has doubts about his blackouts and seeks the advice of Scotland Yard shrink Dr. Allan Middleton ( a bland George Sanders). Middleton advises him to ease up on his work and go out and have some fun. While watching a music hall revue, he is attracted to alluring showgirl Netta Longdon (Linda Darnell). She sees an opportunity to use George to her advantage by getting him to write songs for her while playing up to him. Unbeknownst to George, Netta has been carrying on with producer Eddie Carstairs (Glen Langan). When George discovers her deception he has another blackout and...........................................One can't help but notice the similarities between the Bone character(s) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Both have good girl/bad girl relationships and both have mysterious blackouts where they commit violent acts. And of course there is the inevitable comparison to Cregar's Jack the Ripper character from "The Lodger". I personally didn't find him nearly as frightening in this film, bug eyes notwithstanding.Laird Cregar was apparently afraid of being type cast as a murderous villain. With the success of "The Lodger" he saw himself as a leading man and undertook a crash diet between the two films losing 100 lbs in the process. It is quite shocking to see the difference in Cregar's appearance in the two films. The stress on his heart evidently took its toll and he passed away at age 31 before "Hanover Square" was released.

This is the story of George Harvey Bone who resided at number 12, Hangover Square. London S.W. in the early part of the Twentieth Century. The British Catalogue Of Music lists him as a Distinguished Gentleman...1944 saw producer Robert Bassler, writer Barré Lyndon, director John Brahm and leading actors George Sanders and Laird Cregar, make the terrific and atmospheric The Lodger. Here just one year later all parties are back for this loose adaptation of Patrick Hamilton's novel of the same name. Hamilton was the guy who gave the world Angel Street {Gaslight} and Rope's End {in film form it became Hitchcock's experimental Rope}. Much like The Lodger, Hangover Square is a thriller set in a foggy dimly lit London. With Cregar {Bone} again playing a shady and tormented character befuddled by his own mental state.This was to be Cregar's last film before he died as a result of a heart attack, believed to have been brought about by his crash dieting and stomach reducing surgery. Cregar would not live to see Hangover Square released, and most upsetting is that he would not see the critical acclaim that his chilling and touching performance garnered. Watching both The Lodger and Hangover Square in sequence, one can see the vast difference in stature of the actor. With both films showcasing what a talent Cregar was, with that, both films are equally a fitting tribute and also a sad eulogy.In the mix on photography duties comes Joseph LaShelle {Laura}, who may not be in the class of The Lodger's Lucien Ballard {who also helped out on Laura apparently}, but LaShelle's London is equally atmospheric and integral to the skin itching story. With the film based around a tortured composer it was a masterstroke getting Bernard Herrmann to score the picture. Creating the "Hangover Square Concerto" in just six weeks, Herrmann's music is suitably dark and makes for an impacting alliance with LaShelle's edgy London backdrop. John Brahm's direction is smooth and contains camera work of the highest order, especially as he and LaShelle had their work cut out with an excellent climatic indoor fire sequence {the biggest ever filmed at the time}. Linda Darnell {what a pair of legs}, George Sanders, Glenn Langan and Faye Marlowe all contribute to what is a top notch production.Hangover Square, a captivating tale about passion, obsession, insanity and murder. 8/10

While RKO had Val Lewton and his psychological classic like "The Seventh Victim" and "Cat People" Fox had John Brahm, a much underrated director most famous for "The Lodger" a study of Jack The Ripper that also starred this film's leading man, Laird Cregor. For my money both Brahm and Cregor top themselves in this very similarly textured thriller about a classical pianist that suffers from a split personality. The bad news for him and those around him is that when he slips into "blackouts" that he takes the lives of those around him that he has disagreements with. There is no doubt that the success of "The Lodger" prompted Fox to re-teem the director with the star and also bring back George Sanders for a much similar role. This time rather than Scotland Yard detective Sanders plays a police alienist who Brahm initially seeks out when he has reason to believe that he has committed murder during one of the "missing time" intervals.Set in 19th century London, the film benefits from brooding atmosphere and a set peculiarity. It seems that the film is set while London engineers are digging up the streets to lay new sewer pipes and the presence up the upturned earth and pipes laying about creates a near documentary feeling. Recently released by Fox alongside "The Lodger" and another Brahm feature this set is a great bargain and should be snatched up before it vanishes from stores.