[KING'S CORNER] Umney's Last Case (2006)

Umney's Last Case - King's Corner Review

Welcome to King's Corner. A recurring series of reviews based on the film and TV adaptations of Stephen King's novels and collections, reviewed and released in order of the original source material publishing date.

Director: Rob Bowman

Starring: William H Macy, Jacqueline McKenzie, Tory Mussett, Louis Corbett

Written by: April Smith

Produced by: Rob Binkowski, Jeffrey M Hayes, John J. McMahon

Cinematography by: John Stokes

Original Score by: Jeff Beal

Synopsis:

After the death of his son, writer Sam Landry is so desperate to lead another life, he writes himself into his own book, forcing his long-time character to change places with him and live in the modern day.

Thoughts:

If there is one thing Stephen King loves more than anything else, it's a good detective story. If you follow him on social media he is constantly praising the works of his contemporaries within the genre and in the last decade the majority of his work has been detective based. One writer that has stuck out to him more than any other as an inspiration is Raymond Chandler. He has often spoken of his love for his hardboiled style of writing and in his book 'On Writing' he has gone as far as saying he was an important voice in post WW2 American literature even though critics targeted him for his pulpy inclinations. One particular story that feels like a tribute to Chandler is his meta fantasy noir tale, 'Umney's Last Case'. 

The story was first published in the 1993 story collection, 'Nightmares and Dreamscapes' and it follows private detective Clyde Umney in 1930's Los Angeles whose life inexplicably starts to unravel when he meets a peculiar client by the name of Sam Landry. In their exchange, Landry reveals that he is an author who has been writing Umney's entire life and wants to switch places with him. Whilst it is very much a homage to Raymond Chandler, King's voice is still prominent throughout, as the story confronts how much a writer truly puts themselves in their character's shoes in a conceptually fantastical manner. 

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It was adapted for the 2006 television series 'Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King' where it served as the third episode of the series. It was directed by Rob Bowman and written by April Smith, who at this stage of their respective careers were both veterans of television. With this type of story they faced the difficult task of exploring various genres such as noir, mystery, drama and fantasy trying to tie them together in a cohesive manner but for the most part they succeeded. 

The opening of the episode is different from the short story in that it takes place on a regular day for Clyde Umney (William H. Macy). It is arguably the best part of it as it overflows with nods to the noir genre going beyond pastiche in the most entertaining way possible. There is the snappy dialogue delivered in a sharp manner, delightfully hammy acting that wouldn't be out of place in a 1940's B-movie gangster film and a jazzy score from Jeff Beal that works wonderfully in the episode. The only thing that is missing is a Bogart-esque voice over but Smith's choice to exclude it allows Bowman to craft a more visually interesting episode of television. 

Another aspect of the episode that works brilliantly is the production design. Whilst some of the episodes in the 'Nightmares and Dreamscapes' series have been described as being quite cheap in terms of their attention to detail, the same can't be said here as some of the exterior shots and costuming are fantastic and really sell the 1938 LA setting. It gives it a sense of hyper realism that embellishes the fantastical element of the story that comes into play during the second act of the episode. 

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The best part of the episode though is the dual leading performance from William H. Macy as both Clyde Umney and Sam Landry which deservedly earned him an Emmy nomination. He really sinks his teeth into the role of Umney. It feels like he studied every performance from a noir marathon on TCM, put them in a blender churning out a performance that chews unprecedented amounts of scenery but what elevates it further is his reactions to finding out he is not in control of his life anymore. The overconfidence of his character slowly slips away leaving him vulnerable but his bravado never really leaves him, blurring the lines of fantasy and reality. As Landry he gives a more grounded performance as a man desperately trying to escape the despair of his own life. He is emotionally distant due to the death of his son and selfish to his wife's emotional needs in a cold manner which makes it an equally interesting performance. 

The changes between the source material and this episode work for the most part with the death of Landry's son being not as severe as in the story and the decision to keep Landry's wife Linda (Jacqueline McKenzie) alive for when Umney makes the switch with Sam adds more emotional depth and a kooky fish out of water element to the episode but it is also a detriment. The manner in which she openly accepts that Umney has now taken Sam's place feels rushed in a way that makes it stick out as a tacked on idea rather than something more cohesive. You could argue that it is her character's need for emotional attachment that has led her to that decision but it plays out in a clunky manner. 

'Umney's Last Case' is one of the most fascinating short stories from Stephen King and it is easy to see why it is one of his favourites from the 'Nightmares and Dreamscapes' collection. Rob Bowman and April Smith do a great job at realising it as a 45 minute episode of television maintaining a playful tone on the surface of a more serious story about emotional detachment and the consequences of it. Aside from 'Battleground' it is the best episode of the 'Nightmares and Dreamscapes' series and that is mainly thanks to an outstanding dual lead performance from William H. Macy. 

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½