Review by Frank Plowright
Swiss artist Enrico Marini has been responsible for several hit series in Europe since the 1990s, and after completing The Scorpion there was room in his schedule, so he turned his attention to noir crime set in New York in the early 1950s.
He starts at the end, but without entirely revealing how the fatal attraction between Terry and Debbie plays out. They were once lovers, but although a tough guy and bank robber, Terry had enough patriotism to volunteer for the American army during World War II. Several years pass before his return to New York during which Debbie has reinvented herself as Caprice, a risque burlesque performer in the clubs of Rex McGinty, a gangster who’s going to marry her. However, the old attraction is still there and both have an itch needing scratched.
Marini’s stunning watercolour art is the entry point, largely in grey wash to evoke the period, but with vivid red highlights when Caprice or any other woman is around. The 1920s scenery, cars and fashions are lovingly reproduced, and Marini creates distinctive characters to populate that world. He’s had years of practice drawing beautiful woman, and knows every trick in the book as he has Caprice draping herself alluringly all over the place, and his gangster shots are also phenomenal. There’s barely a page you’d not want framed on your wall. Well, perhaps not some of the more violent ones.
Following the classic noir template, Terry’s not a guy who knows when to call it a day and never knows when to keep his mouth shut, and those qualities are reflected in his childhood friend Ray, who’s now a cop. While he’s managing to steer clear of the bounty McGinty’s put on his head, things only look like going downhill for Ray until halfway, when there’s a sudden shift. Ray’s made an offer he can’t refuse. It’s a clever twist featuring a unique object, and effect derails one story to move into a second, although everything comes together at the end.
Noir Burlesque ticks pretty well every box of the warnings as to content now preceding British TV dramas. Marini has ignorant, uncouth people using the offensive language of the times, but to have them talk any other way would seem ridiculous. Some killings are horrific, and sex scenes feature, but despite the poses these have the authenticity of two people who can’t keep their hands off each other, no matter the consequences. A sly sense of humour tops a twisting and unpredictable noir experience that moves at rocket pace. Will there be a happy ending?
