4. Children's Song In Samuel Fuller's Naked Kiss
Samuel Fuller's film noir about a former prostitute named trying to make good by becoming a nurse is, like all of Fuller's work, deeper than it seems at first glance. An indictment of an unforgiving culture (particularly when it comes to female sexuality), The Naked Kiss shifts in the beginning of the third act to an altogether different kind of moral deviancy. The victim of Kelly's former career is Kelly, but the tightly-knit community of small town America cannot withstand her harmless nature (although it can withstand something more sinister in its most "honest" citizens). But before the shocking third act reveal, there is an excellent scene in which the children of the hospital that the former prostitute (played by the wonderful Constance Towers) works at sing a song together. The children look directly into the camera, and their lack of singing talent only adds to the preciousness of the number. When Constance Towers takes over the singing duties from the children, her surprisingly beautiful voice adds a new dimension to her character. No longer simply the hard-working social climber, Kelly showcases her talent and her genuine motherly affection for the children shines through. After the dramatic reveal the song takes on a new and harrowing meaning. If you haven't seen The Naked Kiss yet it is on Youtube in its entirety, a film that basks in the melodrama of film noir.