Review: Rendezvous in Black

"Now you know what it feels like."

In the mid-1960s Alfred Hitchcock was planning a film called Frenzy (A.K.A. Kaleidoscope) that would have detailed the crimes of a misogynist serial killer. The viewer would be treated to agonizing scenes of suspense as they watched the killer charm his victims to their doom. Regrettably Hitchcock's project was never realized*, but in its place I present to you a little known literary masterpiece called Rendezvous in Black.

Written by the late Cornell Woolrich (best known for writing the story on which Rear Window is based), the novel is a grim study of one man's quest to avenge the untimely death of his fiancee. One by one he targets the most important women in the lives of the five men he deems responsible. The rendezvous are spread out into five separate chapters, and each plays out like its own short story. The depiction of the killer, Johnny Marr, ranges from an invisible presence (the introduction by Richard Dooling describes him as "omniscient"), to a sensitive lady's man. It is the latter portrayal that really reminded me of the aborted Hitchcock project, while the former is not unlike the shady assassins of the Italian giallo†. Like Hitchcock, Woolrich understood that suspense was the key to making such a story work, and he milks it for all that it's worth. It's no surprise that he's known as  the Hitchcock of the written word! Where Woolrich differs from Hitchcock is in the unceasing gloominess of his approach. ‡

An air of overwhelming melancholy permeates the book, starting from the prologue (titled "Parting") and never letting up.  The prologue alone is so heartbreaking that the reader may find themselves rooting for Johnny even as he sinks to the lowest depths. Woolrich continually reminds the reader why Johnny does this, whether by the police discovering a photograph of his fiancee, or through casual mention of a wreath of flowers mysteriously appearing at her grave. It is impossible to view Johnny as an evil monster and root for his demise when we are constantly reminded of his humanity. The improbable nature of her demise, as well as the ultimate fruitlessness of Johnny's quest, paint this as a sort of pulp tragedy.

The tragedy doesn't stop with Johnny. For the various characters that populate Woolrich's literary universe, just as for ourselves, death is a sad inevitability. They are powerless to stop it. He most beautifully illustrates that point in the following passage from page 192: "Yet somehow she wasn't even frightened anymore...It was as if she knew that this must be, and no struggle could evade or alter it." This rampant gloom of Woolrich's work is said to have been a major inspiration for the films noir of the '40s and '50s.

Despite these striking assets, Woolrich's work is not without fault. There are many errors and missteps that suggest the author did little, if any, revision. Most noticeable was his tendency to use the same somewhat redundant sort of sentence over and over. It would go something like this: [after a character gets punched in the face] "He had the attitude of a man whose jaw really hurt." That's a slight exaggeration, but it's still a really weak stylistic choice. Some of his similes are also fairly ridiculous, but that was never too much of a problem for me (since I personally am always trying to concoct ludicrous similes in my own stories). In a largely humorless story they do tend to stand out as especially goofy, though.

While undeniably flawed in style, Rendezvous in Black is still an effective and poignant work. On impact alone it certainly qualifies as a masterpiece. The only regret is that the author didn't take the time to really revise the book, because it could have truly great with a little work. As a study in suspense and "noir" aesthetics it is certainly successful. The tragic story of Johnny Marr and his victims is sure to haunt you.

Just one question: why has no one made this into a film?! An IMDb perusal revealed that it was made into an obscure teleplay (directed by John Frankenheimer and featuring Boris Karloff!) Beyond that the closest I find is Seven Bloodstained Orchids (which the IMDb lists as an adaptation, but was really just inspired by the book). With the right director this could be one of the best suspense films of all time.

* Though he did make a film about a serial rapist/killer that was also called Frenzy! It's pretty good, but not one of his best.

† A subgenre of thrillers/horror films, the giallo is a (usually stylish) murder mystery characterized by seedy characters, murderers with psycho-sexual hang-ups, childhood trauma, lots of red herrings, and often some very ridiculous resolutions. It was popularized by directors such as Dario Argento and Mario Bava, and much imitated in American films like Halloween and Dressed To Kill.

‡ Excepting Vertigo, which is about as doom-laden as they come.