The Last Film Noir you watched

[Steve-O]

I checked out the Pretender last night... lots of venetian blinds in that one!

[David]

I re-watched Babs Stanwyck and Barry Sullivan in 'Jeopardy' last night. Didn't really hold up from the first time
I saw it (in the middle of the night) some years ago, but still a nice little diversion...

[SimonTemplar]

Watched Inside Job.

Over past few days, add Human Desire and The Mob.

Also viewed Conflict.

ST

[Harry Fabian]

I Was A Communist For The FBI

[Martin]

Born To Kill I'm still recovering after being thoroughly blown away.

[Raven]

Dark Passage to relive those two trips I made up the Filbert steps at Noir City last week.

[Harry Fabian]

Scene of the Crime

[Keith]

The Big Heat

[Surly]

A double-bill of My Name is Julia Ross--terrific 35mm print--and Two O'Clock Courage in 16. I hadn't seen Ross in 20 some years--great film. Two is a fun if minor B. But there is at least one funny amnesia gag, when Tom Conway replies "Forget it. I did."

[JCharles]

I recently re-watched Raw Deal, probably for the sixth or seventh time. It's one of my all-time favorite noirs so I tend to watch it at least once a year. My first exposure to it was years ago when I first discovered film noir. I went to a double feature at a local college....Raw Deal and T-Men. It doesn't get much better than that!
I find Raw Deal to be almost hypnotic...John Alton's stark shadows and mist, the eerie theremin music, and Claire Trevor's weary narration. It's a peek at another world.
And what a great collection of actors...Dennis O'Keefe, Marsha Hunt, John Ireland, and Raymond Burr with his flambe fixation. I could keep going on about this one.

[Hart]

Murder by Contract. A near excellent b noir, with some perfectly taut and brilliant scenes. Edwards is perfectly stolid and menacing in the lead; his terse, gruff delievery reminded me of Eastwood in some of his later flicks. The screenplay felt a little rushed and the two gangsters Vince meets in LA were too clichéd to be effective as humor, but some of the dialogue written was memorable. Another knock would be the back and forth mix of location shots with scenes filmed in studio with projectors but I heard Lerner didn't have much of a budget and the film was shot in one week so I suppose he did the best he could. Perhaps the best thing about the film was the awesome guitar score, which really enhanced the athomsphere and tension in it.

[David]

'Blast Of Silence'. Perfect for winter-noir-watching, and Criterion's extras are sensational (as usual).

Such a terrific film (imho)..

[Hart]

I kept thinking about Blast of Silence when watching Murder by Contract. Only a few years apart and simililar in plot (from memory, a Cleveland hitman travels east to NYC in Blast, Ohio hit man travels west to LA in Murder). Not quite the same style directorially and the screenplays diverge about the details and overall characterization, but both films are pretty close to each other and make for a good contrast.

[David]

I kept thinking about Blast of Silence when watching Murder by Contract. Only a few years apart and simililar in plot (from memory, a Cleveland hitman travels east to NYC in Blast, Ohio hit man travels west to LA in Murder). Not quite the same style directorially and the screenplays diverge about the details and overall characterization, but both films are pretty close to each other and make for a good contrast.

That'd be a great double feature, Hart..

[Hart]

That'd be a great double feature, Hart..

Oh yeah, David. I think I'll re-watch Blast of Silence again, if not tonight maybe tomorrow or Monday. Ahh.....but there's so many other noirs to watch!

[rainerc]

"Clash by Night" (1952) - another great performance by Robert Ryan.

[David]

Oh yeah, David. I think I'll re-watch Blast of Silence again, if not tonight maybe tomorrow or Monday. Ahh.....but there's so many other noirs to watch!

Tell me about it. I started my obsession in '94 and still have a handful left to see..(!) It's the kind of problem I don't really complain about too much.

[Keith]

Robert Ryan / Gloria Grahame double feature: Odds Against Tomorrow / Crossfire

[Davidmk]

Watched 3 last night "The Big Steal " ,"They Live By Night " & "Side street" The Granger/O'donnell pair up is great !

[David]

Last two watched were 'Born To Kill' (which I like less and less every time I watch it), and 'The Hitch-Hiker' (which I like more and more)..

[Steve-O]

Last two watched were 'Born To Kill' (which I like less and less every time I watch it), and 'The Hitch-Hiker' (which I like more and more)..

The Hitch-Hiker is a great film. I think it's under-appreciated.

[Raven]

Watched a couple of clunkers last night beginning with the recently aired on TCM Lonelyhearts starring weepy Monty Cliff doing verbal battle with the overbearing Robert Ryan. The second feature was my initial viewing of the dreary Madonna’s Secret.

[David]

The Hitch-Hiker is a great film. I think it's under-appreciated.

Yep, me too. Way more sophisticated than the superficial 'b' road-noir it's ads would have us believe..

'Born To Kill' has not held up for me. I love the characterizations, but it's too static and talky.

[Davidmk]

Last night i watched "DECOY" i though it was decent , not among my fav's though ..

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51WDHYrOAHL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

[JCharles]

I agree with you on The Hitch-Hiker, David and Steve. All three leads are great (Edmond O'Brien is always interesting) and I love the desert landscape, day or night. I'm a big fan of Film Noirs that take place in the desert (even if it's only part of the time). Hmmmm, that could make the beginning of a new thread.....

[David]

I agree with you on The Hitch-Hiker, David and Steve. All three leads are great (Edmond O'Brien is always interesting) and I love the desert landscape, day or night. I'm a big fan of Film Noirs that take place in the desert (even if it's only part of the time). Hmmmm, that could make the beginning of a new thread.....

I love them too JC. Let's see, there's the finale of 'The Prowler', much of 'Detour', and of course the neo's 'Red Rock West', 'Delusion', the fantastic bookends
of 'Romeo Is Bleeding', etc.. Oh yeah, the recent 'Dark Country'.

[Surly]

I love them too JC. Let's see, there's the finale of 'The Prowler', much of 'Detour', and of course the neo's 'Red Rock West', 'Delusion', the fantastic bookends
of 'Romeo Is Bleeding', etc.. Oh yeah, the recent 'Dark Country'.

Desert Fury...

[Surly]

Last two watched were 'Born To Kill' (which I like less and less every time I watch it), and 'The Hitch-Hiker' (which I like more and more)..


I agree that Born to Kill gets talky and static (sometimes talky can be good--see Maltese Falcon) but the opening scenes are terrific.

[JCharles]

David, Another one would be Highway Dragnet with Richard Conte, as well as the last half of Johnny Stool Pigeon with Dan Duryea and Tony Curtis as a strangely mute hit-man.

[JCharles]

Surly, you are on target with Desert Fury....There's also the last part of 711 Ocean Drive that takes place at the Hoover Dam near Vegas. I've been there and it's plenty hot!

[David]

David, Another one would be Highway Dragnet with Richard Conte, as well as the last half of Johnny Stool Pigeon with Dan Duryea and Tony Curtis as a strangely mute hit-man.

JC, I just thought of another - 'A Date With Death' w/ Gerald Mohr. Pretty bad, but shot in the SouthWest.

Right now I have in the proto-noir 'Invisible Stripes', and later I'll open up Bad Girls #2 which came in today's
mail (along with a fresh copy of Mann's 'T-Men'..) I guess the stars aligned - new noirs on a snow day..(!)

[philsunset]

Another desert noir would be Split Second. Ya can't get much hotter than what happens at the end of that.

[Davidmk]

Last night i watched ~~ "Crime Wave "

[JCharles]

JC, I just thought of another - 'A Date With Death' w/ Gerald Mohr. Pretty bad, but shot in the SouthWest.

Right now I have in the proto-noir 'Invisible Stripes', and later I'll open up Bad Girls #2 which came in today's
mail (along with a fresh copy of Mann's 'T-Men'..) I guess the stars aligned - new noirs on a snow day..(!)

I'm not at all familiar with A Date With Death. I'll have to look for that one. On the other hand, I appreciate Gerald Mohr from listening to radio transcripts of him as Philip Marlowe. He did an excellent job with that; humorous, tough, and compassionate.

[JCharles]

Another desert noir would be Split Second. Ya can't get much hotter than what happens at the end of that.

No question about Split Second, another good Desert Noir (directed by Dick Powell, I believe). Plenty of heat and tension.

[JCharles]

Last night i watched ~~ "Crime Wave "
Crime Wave has become one of my favorites, watched annually. Great acting and location cinematography...good views of 50s LA.
Today, being snowed in, I had my annual re-viewing of The Killers with Burt Lancaster, Edmond O'Brien et al.........The initial section with Mcgraw and William Conrad is a story in itself......I wonder how Hemingway felt about the expansion of his Nick Adams tale and how the screenwriters ran with it?

[Davidmk]

Yes the cinematography was so great in crime wave , i love in the commentary how they talk about where the Gas station is etc. History like that is always cool ...
"the Killers" is on my list to get , i see there are a few different dvd versions out , I am gonna guess the Criterion is the way to go with this movie ??

[Juke Joint Jonny]

Just picked up the Bad Girls of Film Noir sets yesterday and watched One Girl's Confession with the delectable Cleo Moore. An enjoyable slightly tawdry semi-noir.

[Davidmk]

"ILLEGAL" was my viewing last night i did not think i was gonna like this movie , but i really enjoyed it quite a bit , good story , some good action , really good film .
I will say the commentary on the dvd was kinda bad , the few minutes i listened Nina Foch tells how bad the film is & everything that is wrong with it & what a piece of garbage it is ..................good lord!

[David]

Just picked up the Bad Girls of Film Noir sets yesterday and watched One Girl's Confession with the delectable Cleo Moore. An enjoyable slightly tawdry semi-noir.

I'm gonna finish watching 'One Girl's Confession' tonight. Wasn't crazy about what I've seen (Hugo Haas' stuff is lacking), but maybe it'll improve..

[Steve-O]

I'm gonna finish watching 'One Girl's Confession' tonight. Wasn't crazy about what I've seen (Hugo Haas' stuff is lacking), but maybe it'll improve..
um... probably not. I do like Hugo Haas movies even though they really are one step above a Mystery Science Theater movies. And I like Cleo as an actress.

I just got the Bad Girls sets. The artwork and discs look cheap but the film quality is OK and there's trailers for all but Night Editor (my favorite graphic on the trailers is over Edmond O'Brien's face in Two of a Kind: "Women go for him... with a gun!")

One Girls Confession is in widescreen which is surprising. There's some old TV episodes not really related to the set on the discs as well.

[JCharles]

Yes the cinematography was so great in crime wave , i love in the commentary how they talk about where the Gas station is etc. History like that is always cool ...
"the Killers" is on my list to get , i see there are a few different dvd versions out , I am gonna guess the Criterion is the way to go with this movie ??

I have the Criterion version, not familiar with any others (other than the old Universal VHS). If you're feeling flush one day, the Criterion package is great. It has both the 46 and 64 versions along with commentaries, posters, stills, and even a Russian version from 1956. It also acknowledges the original Hemingway short story that the movie is based upon. All in All, a complete package.

[Davidmk]

I have the Criterion version, not familiar with any others (other than the old Universal VHS). If you're feeling flush one day, the Criterion package is great. It has both the 46 and 64 versions along with commentaries, posters, stills, and even a Russian version from 1956. It also acknowledges the original Hemingway short story that the movie is based upon. All in All, a complete package.

Cool , thanks for all that info , that sounds like the one to get , bummer as barnes & noble had a huge criterion sale about a month ago 50% off ...... semms there are some for $25 on the web .

[JCharles]

Off today, so I re-watched The Crooked Way with John Payne, Sonny Tufts, Ellen Drew, and Percy Helton as a gangster's toady who is allergic to cat dander. But the real star of this noir is John Alton. His cinematography and location shooting of late 40s LA is superb. As a viewer you travel through the noirscape along with the story's characters. The story is good and concerns an amnesiac veteran with a gangster past. I wonder if anyone has seen it? If not, I definitely recommend it. Alton's work alone is worth the watching and re-watching.

[Hart]

Re-watched Mankiewicz's Somewhere in the Night, a pretty solid noir with some great support acting and cinematography. The script is a little too sappy and weak, but there's some outstanding moments along the way (am thinking of the scene with Hodiak and Fritz Kortner centered around the crystal ball).

[Hart]

"ILLEGAL" was my viewing last night i did not think i was gonna like this movie , but i really enjoyed it quite a bit , good story , some good action , really good film .
I will say the commentary on the dvd was kinda bad , the few minutes i listened Nina Foch tells how bad the film is & everything that is wrong with it & what a piece of garbage it is ..................good lord!

Robinson is as watchable as always, but I thought the story too far-fetched and comical. A lot of unintended humor, I suppose. Still, a fun film overall.

[Davidmk]

Watched "where danger lives" last night , pretty good , Mitchum is always great in these films ...... then i watched part of "The Asphalt Jungle " which i have allready watched quite a bit , certainly a great Movie .

[Keith]

I did a double feature last night: The Street With No Name / The Dark Corner

[Hard-Boiled-Rick]

The Killing
Kiss Me Deadly
The Street With No Name
Storm Warning
The Dark Corner
Sudden Fear
Kiss of Death
Pickup on South Street
The Vicious Kind (2009 - Krieger)

[JCharles]

I did a double feature last night: The Street With No Name / The Dark Corner
Two of my all-time favorites, with two of the poles of the noir universe: NYC and LA

[Harry Fabian]

Blackout/Murder by Proxy (1954)

Decent Brit Noir from Hammer Studios starring Dane Clark and Belinda Lee. Some plot twists (although I thought they were at least somewhat predictable). Not sure I believed Dane Clark being streetwise and kinda naive at the same time. Belinda Lee is very beautiful and makes it hard to tell if she is a bad girl or a good girl in trouble-and I am not entirely convinced of her demeanor at the end of the movie.

[JCharles]

I watched Nightmare Alley for the first time in a while today. Read the novel a couple of years ago, worthwhile if you can find it.
I'm planning to watch some Johnny Staccato episodes later tonight or tomorrow. Superb TV Noir!

[Davidmk]

"Tension" was the viewing last night , good story we all can relate to .....

[Harry Fabian]

Cry Danger - taped this off TCM two years ago and somehow forgot about it. Was reminded about it because of all the nominations it got at Noir City 8. Good movie. The twist at the end was not expected and was nicely done. From what I understand, Dick Powell used to be a song-and-dance type actor before he turned into being a tough guy in noirs-hard to believe.

[Davidmk]

Just watched "Act of Violence" , quite the roller coaster ride , not sure i liked the ending , but it sure kept me on the edge of my seat !

[philsunset]

Last night I watched an episode of M Squad called "The Twisted Way", written by Adam Williams and directed by
Marc Lawrence. Lee Marvin seemed angrier and more over the top in this episode, maybe because of the other
noir guys. Lawrence and Williams had previously appeared as guest stars in the series.

[JCharles]

Last night I watched an episode of M Squad called "The Twisted Way", written by Adam Williams and directed by
Marc Lawrence. Lee Marvin seemed angrier and more over the top in this episode, maybe because of the other
noir guys. Lawrence and Williams had previously appeared as guest stars in the series.
Was that from the M Squad DVD set that's being sold at Borders and on Amazon? If so, how is that set? I've seen one episode of M Squad and enjoyed it alot.

[JCharles]

Last night I watched The House on Telegraph Hill. Not exactly a gritty hardboiled film noir but compelling nevertheless. Richard Basehart was great, as usual.

[Hart]

Re-watched The Scar and Kiss of Death; both films were a lot more enjoyable the second time around. Especially loved the photography in both films; also, appreciated Mature & Donleavy more in KOD than just Widmark. Have to say, too, that Henried's taut, methodical double performance in The Scar is excellent.

[Davidmk]

Last night I watched The House on Telegraph Hill. Not exactly a gritty hardboiled film noir but compelling nevertheless. Richard Basehart was great, as usual.

Very cool , just ordered Telegraph hill last night , looking forward to seeing that film ..

[JCharles]

Very cool , just ordered Telegraph hill last night , looking forward to seeing that film ..
I'll be interested to hear what you think of it. I won't spoil it for you but will say that the beginning is unsual for a film noir and there are some surprises in the narrative. There, I've said enough at this point!

[Davidmk]

D.O.A. came in the mail so i just watched that , cool movie ...

[JCharles]

Just re-watched Phantom Lady today for the first time in awhile. I decided to read the novel beforehand and the film script does a good job of eliciting the novel's suspense and paranoia. IMHO, the greatest scenes are Kansas' hounding and pursuit of the bartender (especially the atmospheric take in the Elevated station) and the famous jam session scene. I have to admit I rewound and watched that one twice! I wonder if this film is or will be coming out on DVD?
Be that as it may, Siodmak certainly directed some of the greatest film noirs and this is one of them.

[Bob]

One of the disadvantages of doing so much trading of DVDs and trying to keep a handle on a collection of close to 4500 titles is the difficulty in finding time to watch more noir. For a few years I've had the VCI video duo of T-Men and Raw Deal, both of which I watched last week one night after the other. The camera set-ups of Alton in T-Men are startling in the consistency of their inventiveness. If an argument can ever be made of the DOP as auteur, Alton and T-Men are example numero uno.
Not having seen Raw Deal in quite a while was quite an experience. Imo, the finest of the Mann and Alton collaborations. Unlike T-Men, Raw Deal is richer in texture beyond the Alton atmospherics of an imaginary fog shrouded San Francisco and the inside of a darkened taxidermist's shop. Trevor’s voice over , the haunting music and the inexorable doom that awaits O'Keefe puts it on a poetic plane much like Borzage's Moonrise, with the joy of calloused brutality thrown it. Raw Deal has now easily moved to my list of top 10 noirs. How I would love to see this on the big screen at Noir City. Are you listening Eddie?

[Haggai]

RAW DEAL was shown at Noir City 5 in 2007, as part of a Marsha Hunt double bill with KID GLOVE KILLER. She was in attendance that night to talk about the movies.

[Steve-O]

Well said Bob. I just love Raw Deal (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2008/09/raw-deal-1948.html). Unfortunately it gets mistaken for the Arnold actioner a few years ago. Can you imagine the reaction to Raymond Burr's shocking burn scene at the Castro?

The last noir I watched was Night Editor (looking great on DVD. I can't believe this gem can be seen by everyone now) and The Strange Woman (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2006/07/strange-woman.html) (free for download here: http://www.archive.org/details/Strange_Woman_movie ). Both films are strange and quite successful in my opinion.

[Hart]

RAW DEAL was shown at Noir City 5 in 2007, as part of a Marsha Hunt double bill with KID GLOVE KILLER. She was in attendance that night to talk about the movies.

I also saw Raw Deal at the Roxie's I WAKE UP DREAMING: The Haunted World of the B Film Noir festival last May in Frisco.

[Keith]

The last noir I watched was Night Editor (looking great on DVD. I can't believe this gem can be seen by everyone now)

I watched Night Editor twice since I got the Bad Girls of Film Noir.

This week I watched two police procedural noir: Mystery Street and The Naked City. Both films have great shots filmed on location in Boston and New York and end with a great chase sequence. Mystery Street gets better the second viewing, many things I missed the first time watching it. It was the third time watching The Naked City, while I'm not a huge fan of semidocumentary noir, The Naked City is the best of them. I think I've developed a crush on Dorothy Hart, after The Naked City and her small role in Larceny.

[Bob]

RAW DEAL was shown at Noir City 5 in 2007, as part of a Marsha Hunt double bill with KID GLOVE KILLER. She was in attendance that night to talk about the movies.

I was there for part of the 2007 festival, but missed Raw Deal. I hope it can be re-cycled again in a few years.

[JCharles]

Amen to all the comments on Raw Deal. This is easily in my personal list of top five film noirs. The aspect of texture is a great way to look at this film. the cohesive unity of cinematography, lighting, music, and acting makes it a hypnotic pleasure. I have the Sony DVDs of this film and T-Men and also the Kino VHS editions. But the first time I saw either of them was fortunately on the big screen at a local college. I actually re-watched Raw Deal recently and now will have to screen T-Men again.

[JCharles]

Well said Bob. I just love Raw Deal (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2008/09/raw-deal-1948.html). Unfortunately it gets mistaken for the Arnold actioner a few years ago. Can you imagine the reaction to Raymond Burr's shocking burn scene at the Castro?

The last noir I watched was Night Editor (looking great on DVD. I can't believe this gem can be seen by everyone now) and The Strange Woman (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2006/07/strange-woman.html) (free for download here: http://www.archive.org/details/Strange_Woman_movie ). Both films are strange and quite successful in my opinion.

I have a good quality DVD of Night Editor that I bought from Darker Image Video, a private dealer. But the new edition sounds intriguing.

[Davidmk]

I watched Night Editor twice since I got the Bad Girls of Film Noir.

This week I watched two police procedural noir: Mystery Street and The Naked City. Both films have great shots filmed on location in Boston and New York and end with a great chase sequence. Mystery Street gets better the second viewing, many things I missed the first time watching it. It was the third time watching The Naked City, while I'm not a huge fan of semidocumentary noir, The Naked City is the best of them. I think I've developed a crush on Dorothy Hart, after The Naked City and her small role in Larceny.



I watched "Mystery street" for the 1st time last night , I am on the fence about this one , but i really did enjoy Boston featured in the movie from then , that was really cool to see .... I neither Loved nor hated this film , I have a feeling after a few more times seeing it i will grow to love this .

[Hart]

Re-watched The Street With No Name. Much better than House on 92nd Street, with some startlingly good cinematography by Joe MacDonald that gives it an extra star. Stevens infused his good guy character with real toughness and depth, and seeing Lloyd Nolan fighting crime in any kind of a supporting role is always a relaxing pleasure. Of course, Widmark in the creep/gangster/girlfriend beating role is always a sinister hoot. Some fine sequences along the way but.......the film would have been much better without the voice of God narration and the Hoover/FBI brown nosing gets old. Still, would endorse this movie over it predecessor and the later re-make by Fuller, House of Bamboo.

[JCharles]

Re-watched The Street With No Name. Much better than House on 92nd Street, with some startlingly good cinematography by Joe MacDonald that gives it an extra star. Stevens infused his good guy character with real toughness and depth, and seeing Lloyd Nolan fighting crime in any kind of a supporting role is always a relaxing pleasure. Of course, Widmark in the creep/gangster/girlfriend beating role is always a sinister hoot. Some fine sequences along the way but.......the film would have been much better without the voice of God narration and the Hoover/FBI brown nosing gets old. Still, would endorse this movie over it predecessor and the later re-make by Fuller, House of Bamboo.
I'm a big fan of this movie too and I agree with you about the cinematography. It's a great trip through LA's Skid Row. Throw in that boogie-woogie piano that infuses the soundtrack and you're straight into noirville.

[Steve-O]

Street With No Name (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2005/08/street-with-no-name-1948-8105.html) does get better after 10 minutes of that Semi-doc stuff... I agree with all your points. I find House of Bamboo hard to get through...

[Harry Fabian]

Nowhere to Go - nice Britnoir from Ealing Studio
Alimony (transfer that Netflix has looks awful)

[David]

My Saturday-night-noir will be 'The Scar', which I haven't seen in years...

[Hard-Boiled-Rick]

Sabotage (1936) by Hitchcock.

The master of suspense is honing his style with this noir-ish story. UFA influence on Hitchcock is thick in this one. Scenes are also full of amusing and grim conflict – petty, minor, and major clashes. Hitchcock uses time - clocks and a countdown - to dramatize suspense.

Stars Oscar Homolka as the foreign saboteur.
http://www.spotlight.com/hallfame/portraits/oscar_homolka.jpg

[JCharles]

After hearing so much about the Cry Danger restoration at Noir City, I had to re-watch my old VHS copy. Nothing to add here except that it's a top-notch noir with great acting and great scenes of mid-century LA
I also watched two Sterling Hayden Westerns: Hellgate, co-starring Ward Bond, a good one, very suspenseful, and Gunfight In Monterrey. This one has a thin plot but creates interest because Hayden gets to swap barbs and shots with Ted DeCorsia and Lee Van Cleef. Besides this one and The Killing, I wonder if Hayden and DeCorsia worked together elsewhere?

[Steve-O]

My Saturday-night-noir will be 'The Scar', which I haven't seen in years...
I try to watch The Scar (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2008/09/scar-aka-hollow-triumph-1948.html) once a year....

[Hard-Boiled-Rick]

My Saturday-night-noir will be 'The Scar', which I haven't seen in years...

'The Scar'
Hard-to-believe plot pushes the edge… but who cares when you have Joan Bennett and Paul Henreid in the lead roles and John Alton behind the camera. The flick’s fatalism puts it in the same drawer as Detour and D.O.A. Nice and dark.

[Hart]

'The Scar'
Hard-to-believe plot pushes the edge… but who cares when you have Joan Bennett and Paul Henreid in the lead roles and John Alton behind the camera. The flick’s fatalism puts it in the same drawer as Detour and D.O.A. Nice and dark.

A film that gets better with each viewing, imo.

Last up for me: Lupino's The Hitch-Hiker, another solid b-noir that I hadn't seen for about 10 years but which held up rather nicely.

[JCharles]

I watched The Hitch-Hiker recently myself. Another great desert noir highlighted by great performances by William Talman, Edmond O'Brien, and Frank Lovejoy.

After seeing the recent posting of The Bribe trailer, I dug out an old VHS copy I taped off of TNT years ago. It's an absorbing noir featuring a good voice-over narration and plenty of shadows and swirling fans.

[philsunset]

Was that from the M Squad DVD set that's being sold at Borders and on Amazon? If so, how is that set? I've seen one episode of M Squad and enjoyed it alot.

Yes, its from the M Squad DVD set. I'm enjoying the set very much. The video quality varies because of the different sources used but generally it's pleasant viewing. I have about 20 episodes to go (out of 117) and the series gets better as it goes along. I bought mine at Sam's Club for $49.

phil

[philsunset]

Watched The Killer That Stalked New York last night and liked it very much. Definitely the best film in the Bad Girls sets. What was interesting was the trailer has part of a scene not in the film. In the trailer, Evelyn is on the ledge and tells the doctor to stay away. In the film, she's in a daze and doesn't say anything.

[JCharles]

Yes, its from the M Squad DVD set. I'm enjoying the set very much. The video quality varies because of the different sources used but generally it's pleasant viewing. I have about 20 episodes to go (out of 117) and the series gets better as it goes along. I bought mine at Sam's Club for $49.

phil
Phil, thank you for your feedback on the M Squad set. And thanks also for the tip about buying it at Sam's Club. That price is alot less than the Borders store price.

[Hart]

Clouzot's Le Corbeau (1943), which is a mostly satisfying mystery film with some excellent directorial flourishes. Not as good as some of his later films, but for an early effort from a great director I really like this film.

The Thief (Rouse, 1952), took me a bit by surprise; wasn't expecting a wordless movie and got a bit restless after 20 minutes or so. But when the concept sunk in I really enjoyed this film and enjoyed the fact that a golden age hollywood noir was bereft of cliches and formula (except for the ending). Had to admire the performances, too; like a good silent movie, the actor's mannerisms and facial expressions had to convincingly take the place of the dialogue. I think they all subtly pulled it off. Besides that, the direction was absolutely compelling and creative; really loved the sequence atop the Empire State Building.

The Crooked Way (Florey, 1949), is obviously similar to Somewhere in the Night released in 1946 but nowhere near as good on almost all levels, sans the scenes of L.A. and cinematography. (Alton always wins in noir!) John Payne doesn't fit his role as an amnesiac Italian gangster and he's not surrounded by as superlative a group of supporting actors, 'tho Percy Helton's performance cannot be faulted. Still, when watching this flick I kept thinking that a few more viewings may cause me to appreciate it more.

[Hard-Boiled-Rick]

The Crooked Way (1949)
John Payne, Ellen Drew, and Sonny Tufts. Plus, John Alton’s camera noir-work.

Available for online viewing:

http://www.archive.org/details/TheCrookedWay

[David]

Tonight's double feature;

I'll Get You

Fingerprints Don't lie

..and I'm looking forward to 'em.

[rdl3264]

Tonight finds me revisiting Crack-Up from '46 and the all too brief Hunt the Man Down from '50. Nice "B" fare...

[JCharles]

The Crooked Way (Florey, 1949), is obviously similar to Somewhere in the Night released in 1946 but nowhere near as good on almost all levels, sans the scenes of L.A. and cinematography. (Alton always wins in noir!) John Payne doesn't fit his role as an amnesiac Italian gangster and he's not surrounded by as superlative a group of supporting actors, 'tho Percy Helton's performance cannot be faulted. Still, when watching this flick I kept thinking that a few more viewings may cause me to appreciate it more.[/QUOTE]

You're right about the repeated viewings, Crooked Way has become one of my favorites and I watch it annually. Alton's portrayal of LA just knocks me out. Helton is great and I have come to appreciate Payne in this and others (Kansas City Confidential, 99 River Street, Hell's Island) I believe, he like Dick Powell, was transformed from crooner to tough guy.

[David]

Tonight's double feature;

I'll Get You

Fingerprints Don't lie

..and I'm looking forward to 'em.

Wow, pitiful. The only good part of either was seeing Tom Neal do one scene in 'Fingerprints' - and his was
the best performance..

[Davidmk]

Watched "Kiss of death" last night , my local store had a "buy one get one free" used dvd sale a few days ago & i was able to fill some holes in my collection ...... Really liked the Combo of Mature/Gray , great movie .

[David]

Watched "Kiss of death" last night , my local store had a "buy one get one free" used dvd sale a few days ago & i was able to fill some holes in my collection ...... Really liked the Combo of Mature/Gray , great movie .


I think so too, David - and I never really understood why it has so many detractors (or at least, folks who find it fair).

Solid noir, imo.

[JCharles]

I think so too, David - and I never really understood why it has so many detractors (or at least, folks who find it fair).

Solid noir, imo.

I definitely agree with you all on this one. Kiss of Death has great performances and some brilliant cinematography. The scenes in the reefer den and Tito Vuolo's restaurant are particlularly noteworthy.

Last night I watched Siodmak's Christmas Holiday for the first time. A quirky psychological noir with Gene Kelly playing well against type. It bears re-watching.

[David]

I definitely agree with you all on this one. Kiss of Death has great performances and some brilliant cinematography. The scenes in the reefer den and Tito Vuolo's restaurant are particlularly noteworthy.

Last night I watched Siodmak's Christmas Holiday for the first time. A quirky psychological noir with Gene Kelly playing well against type. It bears re-watching.

Mmm, I love Christmas Holiday, JC. It was one of the handful of noirs I made a pilgrimage into Manhattan to see
back in the mid-90s. I heard that it was being shown at a small arthouse on 2nd ave, and when we got there
the person introducing it (to an audience of about 10) told us that it was the only existing print in the Western
hemisphere. As a relatively new noirhead I was thrilled to add this rarity to my list of noirs seen...

[Davidmk]

I'll be interested to hear what you think of it. I won't spoil it for you but will say that the beginning is unsual for a film noir and there are some surprises in the narrative. There, I've said enough at this point!

We watched "House on telegraph hill" last night , what a Downright crazy film , everyone in that houes is nuts ! My girl even watched it with me & really enjoyed it , maybe she'll become a fan of these films yet :D
Good flick though ....

[JCharles]

Mmm, I love Christmas Holiday, JC. It was one of the handful of noirs I made a pilgrimage into Manhattan to see
back in the mid-90s. I heard that it was being shown at a small arthouse on 2nd ave, and when we got there
the person introducing it (to an audience of about 10) told us that it was the only existing print in the Western
hemisphere. As a relatively new noirhead I was thrilled to add this rarity to my list of noirs seen...

I found a DVD copy (from a company called Hollywood's Attic) in a small DVD store on 7th Ave. in the Village. I never heard of this company but the print was a good one.

[JCharles]

We watched "House on telegraph hill" last night , what a Downright crazy film , everyone in that houes is nuts ! My girl even watched it with me & really enjoyed it , maybe she'll become a fan of these films yet :D
Good flick though ....
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I like Richard Basehart in every noir I've seen him in. This one was no exception. He's also great in He Walked By Night, Fourteen Hours, and Tension.

[Davidmk]

I think so too, David - and I never really understood why it has so many detractors (or at least, folks who find it fair).

Solid noir, imo.

Yeh , i'll watch this one again for sure , I really liked it a lot & as mentioned the cinematography is nice & the characters work ....


This "Christmas Holiday" i have seen it floating around on dvd , Guessing it's out of print as it runs $30 , is it worth the $30 ??

Last night i watched "Black angel" , I really loved this film , well worth owning in your collection for sure , got a new copy off an ebay seller for $5 , well worth it .... I was hoping it has a commentary on it , but none on this one .

[David]

Yeh , i'll watch this one again for sure , I really liked it a lot & as mentioned the cinematography is nice & the characters work ....


This "Christmas Holiday" i have seen it floating around on dvd , Guessing it's out of print as it runs $30 , is it worth the $30 ??

Last night i watched "Black angel" , I really loved this film , well worth owning in your collection for sure , got a new copy off an ebay seller for $5 , well worth it .... I was hoping it has a commentary on it , but none on this one .

David, one can find a more reasonably priced copy of CH (unless the $30 one is a pristine print..)

[Keith]

This "Christmas Holiday" i have seen it floating around on dvd , Guessing it's out of print as it runs $30 , is it worth the $30 ??

Yeah I want to get my hands on a copy of "Christmas Holiday" but before coughing up $30, it has to be a great print.

[Davidmk]

I guess my question is was there an "official" dvd release of Christmas Holiday? or are the one's i have seen in stores overseas "bootlegs" of crappy prints /transfers & has TCM ever played this one ?

[Harry Fabian]

Trapped (1949)

[philsunset]

I guess my question is was there an "official" dvd release of Christmas Holiday? or are the one's i have seen in stores overseas "bootlegs" of crappy prints /transfers & has TCM ever played this one ?

It was released officially in the UK on DVD along with Lady on a Train (and I believe all other Deanna Durbin films). I have both of those and they look fine.

[Hart]

Fuller's Underworld USA from 1961. It doesn't rank as highly as his next two films (Shock Corridor & The Naked Kiss) but still some pretty good entertainment and it has the usual mix of brilliance, toughness, vulgarity and humor found in Sam's other movies.

[JCharles]

Tonight I just finished watching The Sleeping City, a New York noir with Richard Conte and Coleen Gray. Much of it was filmed in Bellevue Hospital, well worth the trip!

[Davidmk]

It was released officially in the UK on DVD along with Lady on a Train (and I believe all other Deanna Durbin films). I have both of those and they look fine.

Great , thanks for that info , i'll keep my eyes out for a cheaper copy on dvd then ......

Last night i watched "Casablanca" yeh , not really Noir , but i bought the blu-ray & i have to say the restoration/tranfers of this black & white film is just stunning !! I wish all movies could get the love they deserve in cleaned up tranfers like this .... Hoping they put out more Bogart on Blue-ray & Really hoping for "Dark passage" i'll be doing a Happy Dance if they do ! ;)

[slimdundee62]

The Killers (1946)

[Davidmk]

Watched "Moontide" last night , quite different from most i have seen , good movie though , really enjoyed it & the Extra's were really nice , Eddie M. is in the feature on the History/Making of the movie ...... Learned a lot from that feature .

[Harry Fabian]

Recent views:

Brighton Rock
Hollow Triumph/The Scar
Stolen Face

[Steve-O]

The Scar and Stolen Face are so similar.

[Harry Fabian]

The Scar and Stolen Face are so similar.

Yes, and I think they really missed out in Stolen Face. There was a real opportunity to show how really twisted Paul Heinreid's character was-instead of, in my opinion, romantacizing what he did.

[Davidmk]

"Kansas City Confidential" was last night's viewing , I liked it , not among my favorites though ....

[Hard-Boiled-Rick]

Z (1969 – Costa-Gavras)
Where Danger Lives (1950-Farrow)
They Live by Night (1948- Ray)

Then I fell under the strange, hypnotic spell of Dr. Mabuse! – a helluva wild psycho-noir.

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933- Fritz Lang)
http://www.phenixweb.net/IMG/jpg/Testament_des_maboules.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bLMRPpSToI

[JCharles]

Z (1969 – Costa-Gavras)
Where Danger Lives (1950-Farrow)
They Live by Night (1948- Ray)

Then I fell under the strange, hypnotic spell of Dr. Mabuse! – a helluva wild psycho-noir.

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933- Fritz Lang)
http://www.phenixweb.net/IMG/jpg/Testament_des_maboules.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bLMRPpSToI
A truly eerie and bizarre trailer, my German's a little rusty though, does your copy have subtitles?

[JCharles]

Over the weekend I watched a DVD copy of Stranger On the Third Floor. First time I'd seen the film in quite awhile. A simple plot but very compelling atmosphere, the dream sequence is a killer.

[Hard-Boiled-Rick]

JCharles

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse is subtitled, but the trailer is not.
It's available on Criterion. My VHS tape is subtitled.
Great flick...full of early Lang atmospherics and strong streaks of expressionism.

I'm not sure if VEOH's stream of the flick is subtitled.

http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/action_adventure/watch/v15906159FQNjKJRR

[eubiecat]

Hi all!

I just discovered-slash-joined this forum...

the last noir I viewed was ARMORED CAR ROBBERY, from a beat-up but intact "C & C Movietime" print. Better than some of Richard Fleischer's other early movies. Pure William Talman evil!

I also viewed a British movie directed by Edward Dymyrtyk, OBSESSION, from 1949. Not a real noir by any means, but a riveting, twisted movie.

Night before I watched the 1931 proto-noir, CITY STREETS, directed by Rouben Mamoulian. There's a movie that begs for restoration!

[JCharles]

Hard-Boiled Rick:
Thanks much for the info on Mabuse. This is definitely on my want to see list.

[Davidmk]

Murder My Sweet"

[slimdundee62]

Born To Kill

[BobtheGambler]

Both of which star the Divine Esther Howard, who played aging floozies and beer lushes like no one else. Too bad she wasn't used to greater effect in CAGED, where she was seen, very briefly, but not heard.

[Hart]

Visconti's Ossessione. A rather curious and, at times, strange, film. It seemed to jump suddenly here and there; thought at first that my Korean import DVD was missing scenes but it finished at about 1 hour and 50 minutes so maybe that's how Luchino intended it. Anyways, I enjoyed the fim in sequences, but the whole movie together seemed to lack something coherent and concrete.

[eubiecat]

Watched that ice-skating noir, SUSPENSE, and Joseph Lewis' UNDERCOVER MAN last night.

Tonight it's gonna be STREET OF CHANCE, I think... maybe HELL'S ISLAND!

[JCharles]

Watched that ice-skating noir, SUSPENSE, and Joseph Lewis' UNDERCOVER MAN last night.

Tonight it's gonna be STREET OF CHANCE, I think... maybe HELL'S ISLAND!
Eubiecat, coincidentally, I just watched Hell's Island, Phil Karlson directed, John Payne stars. Lee Server described this film as looking like a lurid paperback cover from the 50s. An accurate description, still very hardboiled and noir. Check it out, all the noir cats will dig it!

[Harry Fabian]

Born to Kill
Key Largo
Dangerous Crossing

[philsunset]

That Korean DVD seems to be missing at least 23 minutes. No wonder it seems to jump. The Image Entertainment version clocks in at 2hrs and 13 minutes.

[Davidmk]

Born to Kill
Key Largo
Dangerous Crossing

Nice Choices !

[Hart]

That Korean DVD seems to be missing at least 23 minutes. No wonder it seems to jump. The Image Entertainment version clocks in at 2hrs and 13 minutes.

I had no idea when buyng the dvd.................................ugh.

Last for me: Night Editor, a pretty entertaining and solid noir.

[JCharles]

Last night I watched Fall Guy, a B-noir based on a Cornell Woolrich story. Some good cinematography and a nice turn by noir stalwart Elisha Cook Jr. as a sleazy elevator operator.

Today I watched an interesting noir-scifi hybird, an amnesia-themed Dark City (Not the 50 version with Charlton Heston and Lizabeth Scott). Good perfs by Kiefer Sutherland and William Hurt as a hardboiled cop. Visually stunnig, they did a great creation of a noir cityscape.

[Harry Fabian]

Scandal Sheet (Broderick Crawford, Donna Reed)
Shield For Murder

[vid]

On friday i watched 'The big heat' and last night 'The sniper' both from the 'Columbia film noir set',first time i have seen the sniper(good locations in SF),will get round to watching the others soon having not seen them before.
Cheers

[JCharles]

Last night I re-watched The Scar (Hollow Triumph) for the first time in awhile. I had forgotten how good it is, especially the John Alton cinematography.

[Hart]

Watched The Killer That Stalked New York and Two of a Kind last night from the Bad Girls of Noir, Vol 1 dvd. The former has some marvellous location shooting of the city, but feels like a pale imitation of Kazan's Panic in the Streets. The latter flick started off with a lot of promise (especially liked the scene where Liz Scott deliberately breaks Ed O'Brien's finger in a car door) but thought it went down hill pretty much after that. Both were fun to watch, if not essential or all that great.

[JCharles]

Race Street tonight with George Raft, William Bendix, and Frank Faylen (Dobie Gillis' Dad)

[David]

Re-watched the great 'Criss Cross'.. I love how menacing Duryea is despite his doing very little to
prove it. You just FEEL it.

[Davidmk]

just saw "Road house" for the 1st time , really good film , i just kept thinking through 3/4th of the film "is this really noir?" then it all went to hell !! ...... great cast in this one for sure ....... Also watched "hot rods to hell" which is not noir but has Dana Andrews & Jeanne Crain who are always great ....

[David]

Last night I watched the low-budget, low-profile, low-quality 60s noir 'Night Of Evil'. Interesting premise (young gang-rape victim
relocates and meets man of her dreams, only to find that he's a vicious armed-robber), but poor execution. The fact that it was
an Alpha dvd didn't help any - it seemed like I was watching it while intoxicated (blurry picture, bad sound).. Skip it.

[JCharles]

I am currently watching Under The Gun with Richard Conte, Sam Jaffee, and Audrey Totter. Conte's a New York gangster stuck in a prison work camp in the Deep South. Jaffee is great as usual, and with a Southern accent to boot.

[Steve-O]

JCharles: Under the Gun (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2005/07/under-gun-1950-72505.html) is a personal fav. No one knows about that outside of noir heads.

[Davidmk]

Went with "Odds Against Tomorrow " for tonights film , just bought it a few weeks ago , decent Bank heist film with Racial tensions ....

[eubiecat]

Last night's double bill was 1947's SHOOT TO KILL (very similar to SLIGHTLY SCARLET, which I rewatched the night before) and Robert Siodmak's STRANGE AFFAIR OF UNCLE HARRY.

I'd love to see UNDER THE GUN, which Steve-O recently mentioned. Wunnatheezdaze...

[JCharles]

JCharles: Under the Gun (http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2005/07/under-gun-1950-72505.html) is a personal fav. No one knows about that outside of noir heads.
I agree, it's rarely seen. The other actor I like in it is John McIntire as the sherrif. He's rarely mentioned in the lit on film noir but he has a sterling character resume: superb as the Police chief in Asphalt Jungle, also Johnny StoolPigeon, the Phenix City Story, The Street With No Name, The Raging Tide and others. Like many noir stalwarts, he also shows up in gritty Westerns: Winchester '73 and The Far Country, both directed by Anthony Mann

[eubiecat]

Last night's double feature was pretty brutal (but swell): THE MOB and the grimmest convicts-on-the-lam picture of them all, CRASHOUT.

Why isn't CRASHOUT better known? Wotta cast: Williams Bendix and Tallman, Arthur Kennedy and Gene Evans--not to mention the always-amusing Luther Adler...

I was glad to finally catch up with THE MOB. It's a strong film with a curious but solid mix of hardcore noir action and comedy. It struck me, while viewing it, that a Broderick Crawford could never be the leading man in a movie nowadays. If/when they remake this one, they'll probably cast someone like Josh Hartnett in the main role. Have things gone so terribly wrong that a rumpled, overweight guy can't be the star of a friggin' movie anymore? Sheesh!

[Haggai]

If/when they remake this one, they'll probably cast someone like Josh Hartnett in the main role. Have things gone so terribly wrong that a rumpled, overweight guy can't be the star of a friggin' movie anymore? Sheesh!

Phillip Seymour Hoffman has carved out a pretty nice career in that rumpled/overweight niche, though it might be hard to see him playing a role like the one in The Mob.

[Davidmk]

Slatterys hurricane - I just loved this movie , A+++ all around Richard Widmark is great as usual , Veronica lake , Linda darnell ..... really enjoyed this , well worth checking out if anyone has not seen it yet .

[eubiecat]

Slatterys hurricane - I just loved this movie , A+++ all around Richard Widmark is great as usual , Veronica lake , Linda darnell ..... really enjoyed this , well worth checking out if anyone has not seen it yet .

Had the pleasure of seeing this and Sam Fuller's PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET as a double-bill on the last night of the FNF's Seattle Noir City fest, mere weeks ago. Eddie Muller had some enlightening comments on the movie. I never even noticed Veronica Lake's little problem, I do humbly confess...

[Richard]

The last noir I watched was on the big screen. is big screen watching okay here? I saw SHUTTER ISLAND and THE GHOST WRITER, both fine noirs. I recommend them.

Richard

[Keith]

The Big Steal - While more screwball than noir, it has it's fair share of murder and corruption and Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and William Bendix. I've seen this film four times now and love it the more I watch it. A fun fast-paced road picture.

[noirguru]

The last film noir I watched on the big screen was,Joseph Losey's The Prowler(1951).

[Davidmk]

Had the pleasure of seeing this and Sam Fuller's PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET as a double-bill on the last night of the FNF's Seattle Noir City fest, mere weeks ago. Eddie Muller had some enlightening comments on the movie. I never even noticed Veronica Lake's little problem, I do humbly confess...

Nice , that must have been great , really among the better films for sure ....



The Big Steal - While more screwball than noir, it has it's fair share of murder and corruption and Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and William Bendix. I've seen this film four times now and love it the more I watch it. A fun fast-paced road picture. ]

an A++++ movie , i really love the Big steal .

[JCharles]

an A++++ movie , i really love the Big steal .

The Big Steal is a gas, for sure....lots of great driving scenes in the Mexican desert, a good mix of comedy and noir. Some fun chemistry here, not just Mitchum and Greer (a hoot in itself) but also between Mitchum and Bendix. I have no way of knowing but I have the feeling they really enjoyed working with each other. Their natural camaraderie also is evident in Macao. (It probably would have been fun to toss a few beers with them) I wonder if they made any other films together?

[Davidmk]

The Big Steal is a gas, for sure....lots of great driving scenes in the Mexican desert, a good mix of comedy and noir. Some fun chemistry here, not just Mitchum and Greer (a hoot in itself) but also between Mitchum and Bendix. I have no way of knowing but I have the feeling they really enjoyed working with each other. Their natural camaraderie also is evident in Macao. (It probably would have been fun to toss a few beers with them) I wonder if they made any other films together?


I agree , looks like they were having a blast doing that film , I have not seen "Macao" yet , but it's on my LONG list to buy for sure .

[JCharles]

I agree , looks like they were having a blast doing that film , I have not seen "Macao" yet , but it's on my LONG list to buy for sure .
DMK, I think you would enjoy Macao for sure, one of those tropical noirs like Calcutta or The Bribe, but with some laughs mixed in with the suspense and shadows. In addition to Mitch and Bendix, it has Jane Russell, Gloria Grahame, Thomas Gomez, and Brad Dexter as the heavy. His henchman is played by Philip Ahn, none other than Master Kan from the 70s series Kung Fu. Reportedly directed by both Nick Ray and Joseph Von Sternberg. I have an old VHS copy, don't know if it's made it to DVD.

[Keith]

DMK, I think you would enjoy Macao for sure, one of those tropical noirs like Calcutta or The Bribe, but with some laughs mixed in with the suspense and shadows. In addition to Mitch and Bendix, it has Jane Russell, Gloria Grahame, Thomas Gomez, and Brad Dexter as the heavy. His henchman is played by Philip Ahn, none other than Master Kan from the 70s series Kung Fu. Reportedly directed by both Nick Ray and Joseph Von Sternberg. I have an old VHS copy, don't know if it's made it to DVD.

It's on DVD but only comes in the Robert Mitchum Signature Collection which also has Angel Face and some of his westerns. There are sellers on Amazon selling it for less than $20 though.

[Harry Fabian]

Recent Noir Views:

Night Editor (good except didn't like the very end)
One Girl's Confession (started out like it would be noir and totally ran away from the idea-worst thing that happens is a bump on a the head that the bumper kisses all better anyway)
Force of Evil (Taped this off TCM awhile back and finally watched it-very good)
The Big Steal (Great fun, but like everyone else says, doesn't really come that close to noir except that the stars are associated with noir)

[Davidmk]

DMK, I think you would enjoy Macao for sure, one of those tropical noirs like Calcutta or The Bribe, but with some laughs mixed in with the suspense and shadows. In addition to Mitch and Bendix, it has Jane Russell, Gloria Grahame, Thomas Gomez, and Brad Dexter as the heavy. His henchman is played by Philip Ahn, none other than Master Kan from the 70s series Kung Fu. Reportedly directed by both Nick Ray and Joseph Von Sternberg. I have an old VHS copy, don't know if it's made it to DVD.

Yeh i'm gonna order it soon , it seems sellers on Ebay have broken up that Boxed set & sell the movie in the slim case seperate , maybe i'll just get the Box , i do like Mitchum , he's always great . thanks !

[eubiecat]

Last night, my pal Jim and I dug a beautiful German print of DARK CITY, with Chuck Heston. The Paramount logo, titles and one filmed insert of hands holding a note were in German... all the gabbin' was in good old American. A fine film experience all the way, with a great sinister, almost-Widmark turn by Jack Webb. Despite what Silver and Ward say about this movie, it's a corker. The print I saw was glowing, with great contrast and a vivid, sharp image.

We almost made it a double-bill with NIGHTFALL, but it was way too late by then. I hate falling asleep during a good movie.

[bogie]

Make Haste To Live(1954)
http://www.impawards.com/1954/make_haste_to_live.html

[Richard]

Last night I watched LOVE IN THE STRANGEST WAY, a French neo-noir from 1994, about a debt collector who is set up for a sting by a bitter woman whose life he ruined. The French are gifted at noir and this is a well written, meticulously plotted, down-to-earth entry in the genre with several memorable scenes. The debt collector is a jerk who deserves the worst he gets, and yet he is honest in a corrupt way, and we viewers can't be sure if he will triumph in the end. Nadia Faris is the femme fatale, and let it be said she is not shy. The films' American influences will be obvious, but it makes something new out of them, and the attention on character progression and faces will hold your interest. Transfer on the region 2 DVD by Bluebell is clean, clear, and sharp with good color saturation in the muted French style. Directed by Christopher Frank, who was responsible for one of the best foreign films of the 1980s, YEAR OF THE JELLYFISH (1984).

Buy it for under 10 bucks here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Strangest-Way-Thierry-Lhermitte/dp/B000O76ZJE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1271114094&sr=1-1


Richard

[Richard]

Make Haste To Live(1954)
http://www.impawards.com/1954/make_haste_to_live.html

Okay, so?
You watched it, right?
Are you going to stop there?
Did Dorothy McGuire let her down for a change?

Was it monochrome or color?
The poster looks interesting and now I want to see the film.
Mary Murphy is in it; she was hot when she was young and a pistol when she got older (see WALKING TALL, 1973).


Richard

[bogie]

Pushover(1954)
http://www.impawards.com/1954/pushover.html

[bogie]

Violence(1947)
http://www.moviepostershop.com/popup_image.php?pID=2347

[eubiecat]

I received the Hammer "Icons of Suspense Collection" for my recent birthday. These aren't really noir by any stretch of the imagination. They're more like good ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS episodes, stretched out to feature length.

Watching them in order. STOP ME BEFORE I KILL was a total snoozer, despite a great opening sequence...

CASH ON DEMAND is pretty good, altho' I got restless during it. The mild twist ending was pleasurable, I'll admit.

THE SNORKEL is pretty twisted, and Peter van Eyck is fascinatingly despicable, even though there is no motivation presented for why his character is such a murderous bastard. I wish a little more care had been put into the writing (which was by David Chantler, writer of many of the lesser George Reeves SUPERMAN TV episodes).

These are OK films, but I don't honestly think I'll be watching them again...


I think I'll take a break from this set tonight, and watch something American in origin.

[bogie]

Beyond A Reasonable Doubt(1956)
http://www.impawards.com/1956/beyond_a_reasonable_doubt.html

[bogie]

Lucky Jordan(1942(Lucky Jordan(Alan Ladd)is New Yorks top mob kingpin.Lucky has his problems,hes soon to be drafted along with his shifty second in command,Slip Moran(Sheldon Leonard)who orders a hit on Lucky by killer(Anthony Caruso)who bungles the job killing Luckys double.
Lucky shows up at the draft board with his lawyer,Higgins(Llyod Corragan)and town drunk,Annie(Mabel Paige)poseing as his mother.After Annie bungles everything Lucky is soon in the army.
Disgusted Lucky goes AWOL with USO galJill Evens(Helen Walker)out to bring him back.
Soon Lucky finds out Slipp is involved with Nazi Spy Ring being lead by SS officer(John wengraf)and bundist Kilpatrick(Miles Mander)They want a briefcase full of important papers Lucky took with him in his escape.
Great Film.
http://www.moviepostershop.com/popup_image.php?pID=238083
Keep an eye out for Dorothy Dandridge and Yvonne De Carlo(Bits)

[Night Editor]

Last night I watched LOVE IN THE STRANGEST WAY, a French neo-noir from 1994, about a debt collector who is set up for a sting by a bitter woman whose life he ruined. The French are gifted at noir and this is a well written, meticulously plotted, down-to-earth entry in the genre with several memorable scenes. Transfer on the region 2 DVD by Bluebell is clean, clear, and sharp with good color saturation in the muted French style. Directed by Christopher Frank, who was responsible for one of the best foreign films of the 1980s, YEAR OF THE JELLYFISH (1984).

Buy it for under 10 bucks here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Strangest-Way-Thierry-Lhermitte/dp/B000O76ZJE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1271114094&sr=1-1

Richard

Thanks for the heads-up on this one. I enjoy these French '80's and 90's neo-thrillers tres, tres beaucoup.

Even at their most derivative, there's that quota of 'Frenchness' - the general ambience, the particulars of French life, the similar-but-different approaches to noir - that make them worth the watch.

Also, I agree that noir-heads can do well by keeping their eye on Amazon.co.uk. Their pricing on a lot of stuff and especially their regular sales are definitely worth any time and effort.

NE

[bogie]

Quiet Please,Murder(1942)
http://www.impawards.com/1942/quiet_please_murder.html
George Sanders at his BEST.

[Jinx Dain]

"Cry Danger" at the Egyptian theatre in Hollywood. Terrific movie ...and in attendance were Richard Erdman and Rhonda Fleming. A great night.

[JCharles]

"Cry Danger" at the Egyptian theatre in Hollywood. Terrific movie ...and in attendance were Richard Erdman and Rhonda Fleming. A great night.
Wow, that sounds great, wish I could have been there. Erdman's a hoot in that movie, very funny. And Rhonda, of course, is a knockout. I would've loved to hear there stories about the film.

[bogie]

Blues In The Night(1941)
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=84593

[bogie]

Man Hunt(1941)
http://www.impawards.com/1941/man_hunt.html

[bogie]

Cloak And Dagger(1946)Atomic Scientist,Alvah Jesper(Gary Cooper)is visted by his old friend,COL Walsh(James Flavin)and is asked to go behind Axis lines to find out about Atomic Scientist(Vladimir Sokoloff)working for the Axis.
Alvah is met by undergound leaders,Gina(Lili Palmer)and Pinkie(Robert Alda)who put him in touch with the scientist whos being forced to work for the enemy.Hot on Alvahs trail is Luigi(Marc Lawrence)an Axis agent.
Alvah and the scientist are flown back to Allied Lines.
In the real ending,the scientist dies on the plane,but a picture of the Nazi Atomic Plant is found in his pocket.Alvah finds the plant,but its deserted.He walks out and sees advancing American troops and says,This is Year One Of The Atomic Age.
The real ending was cut by Warner Brothers because it was too soon after Hiroshima.
You hear Gary Cooper senselessly talking about Atomic Power and Lili talking about the Americans only being a few weeks away.

http://www.impawards.com/1946/cloak_and_dagger.html

[eubiecat]

I found a copy of William Castle's 1949 UNDERTOW, which had long been on my wanna-see-list. It's rather paint-by-numbers noir until the tremendously frightening and intense set-piece at the end--one of the movies' most complete moments of utter doom, and one which I don't want to spoil for those who've not seen it.

Last night I revisited Frank Borzage's MOONRISE, from 1948. Few movies convey the limitations of small-town life like this one. Dane Clark is a particularly unlikable and morose anti-hero. John Russell's cinematography is gorgeous. The very fluid camera is like Max Ophuls', moving up and down, back and forth, really inhabiting the universe this movie depicts, and imparting that sense of being there to the viewer. The haunting scenes of Rex Ingram sitting on his bayou front-porch, singing a minor-keyed murder ballad to his guitar accompaniment, are a remarkable achievement.

[bogie]

The Enforcer(1951)Dist Atty Martin Ferguson(Humphrey Bogart)has an air tight case against the head of Murder INC,Albert Mendoza(Everett Sloane)with his second in command,underboss Joseph Rico(Ted De Corsia)about to testify,but in an escape try,Rico is killed.
Disgusted,Ferguson knows Mendoza will soon go free.
Going over the evidence he and his team(Roy Roberts and King Donovan)know there was another piece of evidence they could have used but didnt need it because they had Rico.
Years before,Killer Duke Malloy(Michael Tolan)had given himself up after being forced to murder his girl.Before killing himself he tells of three hoods who made him do it,Smiley,Big Babe,and Philadelphia.
Smiley is killed by Herman(Bob Steele)but the police track down Philadephia(Jack Lambert)in an insane hospital.He tells them of Big Babe(Zero Mostel)and the rest of the mob.Rico was head and taking orders from an unknown boss.
The police track down Malloys girlfriends roomate,Olga Kirshen,who has a secret.
http://www.impawards.com/1951/enforcer.html

[JCharles]

Finished watching Macao last night, Mitchum displays his cool under pressure in this one, especially with Philip Ahn holding a knife at his back. There's a great sequence where Ahn and another knife-thrower chase Mitchum through a maze of dark alleys and cobblestone streets, ending up on a slimy wharf layered with nets and barrels. A simple plot but visually very exciting. William Bendix adds some laughs and Gloria Grahame steals every scene she's in. Throw in Jane Russell and two oily gents named Brad Dexter and Thomas Gomez and you've got alot to look at.

[bogie]

The Hunted(1948)
http://www.impawards.com/1948/hunted.html

[David]

I found a copy of William Castle's 1949 UNDERTOW, which had long been on my wanna-see-list. It's rather paint-by-numbers noir until the tremendously frightening and intense set-piece at the end--one of the movies' most complete moments of utter doom, and one which I don't want to spoil for those who've not seen it.

Last night I revisited Frank Borzage's MOONRISE, from 1948. Few movies convey the limitations of small-town life like this one. Dane Clark is a particularly unlikable and morose anti-hero. John Russell's cinematography is gorgeous. The very fluid camera is like Max Ophuls', moving up and down, back and forth, really inhabiting the universe this movie depicts, and imparting that sense of being there to the viewer. The haunting scenes of Rex Ingram sitting on his bayou front-porch, singing a minor-keyed murder ballad to his guitar accompaniment, are a remarkable achievement.

Mmm, I love both of these, Eubie.. I like 'Undertow' a bit more than you do, finding it very entertaining (and feeling that Peggy Dow is a fetching girl-next-door type..).

[bogie]

Narrow Margin(1952)
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=150539

[Davidmk]

Just did a triple run of Movies ...

"the Big Heat" which i really enjoyed , though this was a bad ass movie & worth seeing for sure ...... a "take the law into your own hands" film.

"Caged" - which was okay , not even sure i consider this Noir , toward the end it got good , but overall not a favorite , i was expecting a bit more from womens Prison movie .

"Out of the fog" which i really liked a lot the "bad guy" in the film i wanted to choke the whole time :D Ida Lupino is great in this , really enjoyed her a lot & liked the way it ended .

[Harry Fabian]

"Leave Her to Heaven" and "The Racket" (Which my wife informed me that we rented and watched a year ago-although I remembered none of it) Good films, but I think Heaven is very creepy in all that saturated color.

[Davidmk]

"Leave Her to Heaven" and "The Racket" (Which my wife informed me that we rented and watched a year ago-although I remembered none of it) Good films, but I think Heaven is very creepy in all that saturated color.

I LOVE Leave Her to Heaven , very well done Gene Tierney is just Brilliant in this movie , was also the 1st time i saw Jeanne Crain who i just love .

[Keith]

Just got back from seeing The Lady from Shanghai at the Castro.

[Richard]

Just got back from seeing The Lady from Shanghai at the Castro.
How did you like it?
I haven't seen THE LADY FROM THE SHANGHAI on the big screen since 1974 or 1975 at the Mini Cinema in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.
Love the lensmanship.
What do you think of the funhouse mirror sequence?
I'll bet the audience cheered, yes?


Richard

[bogie]

[QUOTE=Richard;1853]How did you like it?
I haven't seen THE LADY FROM THE SHANGHAI on the big screen since 1974 or 1975 at the Mini Cinema in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.
Love the lensmanship.
What do you think of the funhouse mirror sequence?
I'll bet the audience cheered, yes?


Richard
Keep an eye out for Errol Flynn(Bit)]

[bogie]

Armored Car Robbery(1950)
http://www.impawards.com/1950/armored_car_robbery.html
Film Noir At Its BEST.

[bogie]

Call Northside 777(1948)

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1810301977/

[bogie]

Larceny(1948)
Pretty good cast.Not a bad Noir.Worth Seeing.
http://www.impawards.com/1948/larceny.html

[JCharles]

[QUOTE=Richard;1853]How did you like it?
I haven't seen THE LADY FROM THE SHANGHAI on the big screen since 1974 or 1975 at the Mini Cinema in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.
Love the lensmanship.
What do you think of the funhouse mirror sequence?
I'll bet the audience cheered, yes?
Hi Richard,
It warms my heart to see someone write about the Mini-Cinema in Uniondale. Going there was a unique cinematic experience both inside and outside the theater. It was the first movie theater I went to in Long Island and I made many visits. Never got to see Shanghai there but did go to countless concert films, Marx Brothers, and Ingmar Bergman features. Not to mention Rocky Horror at midnight. Truly a party atmosphere there every show, they don't make 'em like that anymore. Any other memories of the place? How about the Vegetable Vans or Mister Shiftee?

[lisarae]

I watched Black Angel the other day. I thought it was fantasitic. my heart was racing a million miles an hour toward the conclusion hoping the man ndidn't get the chair. I thouroughly enjoyed this film i loved the surrealist/ expressionistic use of camera during dan dureya's rememberence of his crime . I also went to see mother this week and was suprised by the thematic link between the two films.

[Richard]

Hi Richard,
It warms my heart to see someone write about the Mini-Cinema in Uniondale. Going there was a unique cinematic experience both inside and outside the theater. It was the first movie theater I went to in Long Island and I made many visits. Never got to see Shanghai there but did go to countless concert films, Marx Brothers, and Ingmar Bergman features. Not to mention Rocky Horror at midnight. Truly a party atmosphere there every show, they don't make 'em like that anymore. Any other memories of the place? How about the Vegetable Vans or Mister Shiftee?

I saw a lot of great double-features of foreign films, cult films, genre films, and classic films at the Mini Cinema. My first viewing of PERSONA and HOUR OF THE WOLF was there -- note my avatar. I saw all the Bergman films there. I must have been 12 years old when I went there for the first time to see DR. STRANGELOVE on a double-feature with PATHS OF GLOORY -- an incredible experience on the big screen at so young an age. They would pair GUN CRAZY with THEY LIVE BY NIGHT, MURDER MY SWEET with THE LONG GOODBYE, LITTLE MURDERS with JOE, A BOY AND HIS DOG with DARK STAR, THE PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK with WANDA, REPULSION with CUL DE SAC. I forget what KNIFE IN THE WATER was paired with, but I'll never forget the experience of seeing Polanski's first film for the first time. I went to see all the Bunuel films and all the Truffaut films. ALPHAVILLE paired with METROPOLIS. TROPIC OF CANCER paired with MAIDSTONE. I met John Cassavetes there, Joseph Strick, Sam Fuller and Robert Downey Sr; also Vincent Gardenia and Christopher Walken. Downey Sr. showed works-in-progress there, did you see those? It was also the first theater to play the sound really LOUD. You could feel the walls shake during the rock & roll concert films. I saw all the great concert films at the Mini Cinema except Ladies and Gentlemen the Rolling Stones (now lost) which I saw in NYC. Theaters allowed smoking in those days, but the Mini cinema allowed smoking, and to breathe the air in that auditorium was to get stoned. The films were projected through a cloud of smoke which lent atmosphere to CASABLANCA as well as 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE and ZIGGY STARDUST. Whenever they showed WOODSTOCK the sound was as loud as at a real concert. You could really cook in the Mini Cinema during the summer.

Rocky Horror was okay the first and second time but I think it destroyed the Mini Cinema in the end. It took over. When it became the home of Rocky Horror, the other scheduling suffered, and many film goers preferred to stop going rather than be bullied by the Rocky Horror crowd.

I wish I had saved the printed schedules. Did you save any of them?

Richard

[JCharles]

Richard. that's a great recollection of films at the Mini-Cinema, as well as the smoky atmosphere, I always walked out smiling after a show! Outside of Humphrey Bogart, I was not that aware of film noir until the late 70s early 80s so it's interesting to me to read your post and see that some key films were shown at the Mini. I mostly went for the Marx Brothers (I remember the program was named Sam after their father) and the concert films. I did see some Bergmans there and the nauseating El Topo. Your comment about the way the walls shook during the concert films was appropos, always a visceral experience. I also remember a hilarious pornographic cartoon called Pecker's Island and the epic short Bambi meets Godzilla!
I don't have any of the programs but I still have the Mini cinema Birthday poster from 1975. Several weeks prior to its issuance, the staff took many photos of Mini Cinema patrons and put them into the poster in a collage form. I'm in it, maybe you are too?

[bogie]

Phantom Lady(1944)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH5ZPIsI6-M&feature=related

[Keith]

How did you like it?
I haven't seen THE LADY FROM THE SHANGHAI on the big screen since 1974 or 1975 at the Mini Cinema in Uniondale, Long Island, NY.
Love the lensmanship.
What do you think of the funhouse mirror sequence?
I'll bet the audience cheered, yes?

I've seen the film a couple times before but it was a better experience on the big screen and hearing Peter Bogdanovich speak beforehand was great. Actually I think more people cheered when Orson Welles' compares his shark story to Arthur Bannister's picnic.

[Davidmk]

I watched Black Angel the other day. I thought it was fantasitic. my heart was racing a million miles an hour toward the conclusion hoping the man ndidn't get the chair. I thouroughly enjoyed this film i loved the surrealist/ expressionistic use of camera during dan dureya's rememberence of his crime . I also went to see mother this week and was suprised by the thematic link between the two films.

Black angel is such a great film , I too really enjoy this one a lot , really well done .


Last night i Watched Dillinger , really good bank heist/Gangster type movie , I had never seen this one before & Anne Jeffreys WOW!

[bogie]

Johnny OClock(1947)
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=302982

[eubiecat]

Re-watched MURDER BY CONTRACT last night. That's a perfect film--tight as a drum! It makes a lot of room for the quirks of the three main characters. Narrative and dialogue is terse and powerful. A great looking movie, too. I love Perry Botkin's edgy guitar score.

This is a better "Richard Stark" movie than any films made from the Parker novels. It was made four years before the first Parker book, but boy, it has that dry, minimal tone down to a T!

[Richard]

Which MURDER BY CONTRACT are you referring to? Year? director?


Richard

[Richard]

Which MURDER BY CONTRACT are you referring to? Year? director?


Richard

[David]

Re-watched MURDER BY CONTRACT last night. That's a perfect film--tight as a drum! It makes a lot of room for the quirks of the three main characters. Narrative and dialogue is terse and powerful. A great looking movie, too. I love Perry Botkin's edgy guitar score.

This is a better "Richard Stark" movie than any films made from the Parker novels. It was made four years before the first Parker book, but boy, it has that dry, minimal tone down to a T!

Better than 'Point Blank'?! Dem's fightin' woids..

[eubiecat]

Which MURDER BY CONTRACT are you referring to? Year? director?


Richard

1958; Irving Lerner. Didn't realize there was more than one movie by that name!

[bogie]

The Big Combo(1955)A Classic.Dont Miss.
http://www.impawards.com/1955/big_combo.html

[Steve-O]

Last night I watched Vicki (1953), the remake of I Wake Up Screaming... but really it's a remake of "Laura"

The film's a bit light but Richard Boone is fantastic...

I'm not sure what this image is about but it will give you nightmares:
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/2471/richardboone2.jpg

http://www.hulu.com/embed/mUEu3nBHtZgVqq-Il-DL-Q/i188

[eubiecat]

I grabbed ten noirs off Rapid.org yesterday--yow!

Watched two last night. The first one isn't really a true noir, but is a fascinating foundation-laying entry: KID GLOVE KILLER [1942]. It harkens back to the Hammett school of civic corruption, with the au courant snappy patter of the hard-to-like Van Heflin character.

Has anyone ever noted the "match me" dialogue--15 years before SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS used the same line to such iconic effect?

Next up was a long-time item on my FN gotta-see list: CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS [1953]. Everyone involved seems unusually inspired throughout. I've seen several films lensed by John Russell lately, and his work never fails to impress.

Also recently viewed: THE UNSUSPECTED ['47], which is dynamite visually but hoary hokum--enjoyable hokum, but hokum all the same. Woody Bredell's moody cinematography (and Anton Grot's art direction) are the true stars of this film.

Coming up: UNION STATION, THE TURNING POINT, FOR YOU I DIE, SHIELD FOR MURDER, WOMAN IN HIDING, FRAMED, CRY DANGER and THE UNHOLY WIFE...

[bogie]

The Lady Gambles(1949)
http://www.impawards.com/1949/lady_gambles.html

[JCharles]

Just finished watching Day Of The Outlaw; definitely a noir Western directed by Andre DeToth and scripted by Philip Yordan. Robert Ryan stars as a corrupt rancher who finds redemption by outfoxing Burl Ives and his gang of outlaws, which includes Jack Lambert (as hardcase as they come) and Frank DeKova. Elisha Cook also appears as the town barber but he doesn't do much. The cinematography is compelling: stark snowbound mountains in Montana and a near Ghost Town populated by the grim and corrupt. This one's worth a look, stay with it.

[Juke Joint Jonny]

YES! Day of the Outlaw is outstanding. Burl Ives is great as a mean bastard. I got interested in Andre deToth's westerns because of the articles in the Sentinel last year. Good stuff!

[bogie]

The George Raft Story(1962)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWdX0S2OoZg

[JCharles]

YES! Day of the Outlaw is outstanding. Burl Ives is great as a mean bastard. I got interested in Andre deToth's westerns because of the articles in the Sentinel last year. Good stuff!
JJJ, I'm glad to hear you appreciated this film. Have you seen Ramrod? It's also directed by DeToth and stars his wife Veronica Lake along with Joel McCrea. Based on a solid Luke Short story, Lake is a suprising femme fatale, McCrea an imperfect hero. Great scenery and an involving tale of deceit and manipulation, Western noir style.

[Keith]

Criss Cross

[Davidmk]

Tonight i went with "The House with no name" Overall it was okay , but found it kind sluggish through a lot of it , Not among my favorites at all .....

[bogie]

Count The Hours(1953)
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=146834
Dir Don Siegel

[bogie]

[QUOTE=Keith;2096]Criss Cross[


http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=73469
Keep an eye out for Tony Curtis

[David]

'Nora Prentiss', which is one of my faves.

[David]

Last night I watched Vicki (1953), the remake of I Wake Up Screaming... but really it's a remake of "Laura"

The film's a bit light but Richard Boone is fantastic...

I'm not sure what this image is about but it will give you nightmares:
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/2471/richardboone2.jpg



So a Dodger, a Cardinal, and Santa Claus walk into a bar...

[eubiecat]

Finally caught up with the wacky mixture of killer-on-the-lam and sitcom farce that is THE DEVIL THUMBS A RIDE. I agree with the consensus that the ending is a buzz-kill, but the previous 61 minutes are non-stop fun. I enjoyed the berserk genre changes--they sometimes happen with a single scene!

STATIONS WEST is another longtime wanna-see that I caught up with last night. This is a textbook example of the noir Western. This same story, with the same characters, could have just as well been a modern-day noir (with the same cast, too). Even the uncredited Burl Ives character (the guitar-playing hotel clerk) might have worked in a 1948 setting.

In any case, it's a strong noir narrative, and Dick Powell does well as a sort of Marlowe-in-spurs. A cowardly Raymond Burr is always a plus in any movie. This is well worth seeing.

[bogie]

Special Agent(1935)
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=76687
George Brent as an Agent VS the mob.

[David]

'Right Hand Of The Devil', which is a big favorite of Steve's..(;^)

[JCharles]

Finally caught up with the wacky mixture of killer-on-the-lam and sitcom farce that is THE DEVIL THUMBS A RIDE. I agree with the consensus that the ending is a buzz-kill, but the previous 61 minutes are non-stop fun. I enjoyed the berserk genre changes--they sometimes happen with a single scene!

STATIONS WEST is another longtime wanna-see that I caught up with last night. This is a textbook example of the noir Western. This same story, with the same characters, could have just as well been a modern-day noir (with the same cast, too). Even the uncredited Burl Ives character (the guitar-playing hotel clerk) might have worked in a 1948 setting.

In any case, it's a strong noir narrative, and Dick Powell does well as a sort of Marlowe-in-spurs. A cowardly Raymond Burr is always a plus in any movie. This is well worth seeing.
I'm reading the original Luke Short novel now (an old movie pb with Powell and Jane Greer on the cover) and will then watch the film. Thanks for the tip.

[Richard]

Count The Hours(1953)
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=146834
Dir Don Siegel

I've been wanting to see COUNT THE HOURS.
How is it?

Richard

[Davidmk]

Just saw " On Dangerous Ground" Ida Lupino great as always , Decent flick & really liked how it ended up ...

Then i watched "Secret of Convict lake" not really Noir , an Escaped convicts type movie , had gene tierney who i always love seeing , not too bad of a movie .

[Richard]

What did you think of the music in ON DANGEROUS GROUND?
What about the snow?


Richard

[eubiecat]

What did you think of the music in ON DANGEROUS GROUND?
What about the snow?


Richard

That's one of Bernard Herrmann's best scores.

I recently watched ROGUE COP, which is pretty great. It's almost a parody of the whole noir vibe, but it's tightly made and has several great performances in it.

I keep watching at PRIVATE HELL 36, which I haven't seen in a couple of decades. Hard to get into, altho' it has some great things to it. It all depends on my mood...

[Nauga]

What did you think of the music in ON DANGEROUS GROUND?
What about the snow?


Richard

Sorry, had to hijack this conversation and say I love the on location filming in the snow. Had to have been a pain to work in, but worth to see Robert Ryan struggling through it. It reminds me of the mud and fog Corbucci used in his westerns.

[David]

Sorry, had to hijack this conversation and say I love the on location filming in the snow. Had to have been a pain to work in, but worth to see Robert Ryan struggling through it. It reminds me of the mud and fog Corbucci used in his westerns.

Mmm, good call, Nauga - I love 'The Great Silence'..

[Christina Delassalle]

Anthony Mann's 1950 classic western noir The Furies . This movie has everthing going for it. It was Walter Huston's last film by the way, what a crying shame, he died of an aortic aneurysm one day after his 66th birthday.

This is one of the best movies to ever come down the pike. If you have never seen it, do give it a watch.
Huston and Barbara Stanwyk play father and daughter in this film. What a great acting pairing. The movie also benefits hugely from a Franz Waxman musical score. It was also nominated for an oscar, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White.

Judith Anderson also has a delicious role in this film as Huston's woman friend.

Babs has two love interests in this film, (besides her father) ...Wendall Cory for corn sakes, not sure who thought that was a good idea! and Gilbert Roland. This is a very unusual film. Stanwyk makes a very good cowboy, Walter Huston said this about her. Barbara Stanwyck loved doing westerns more than anything where she had to dress up frilly and chase after a man. At heart, she's a cowgirl. Or a cowboy - she's one of the toughest, most no-nonsense women in this town, and she stopped playing the old cat-and-mouse game years ago.

And I also drug out Murder My Sweet, I have to watch that atleast once a month!

[Steve-O]

The Furies is one of my favorites...

this weekend I watched Three Strangers
24384
and at the movies I checked out The Secret in Their Eyes -- a very good thriller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CUj7kdW7IQ

[Harry Fabian]

Recent views:

Pushover (1954) Enjoyable film with Fred MacMurray channeling a bit of Walter Neff as a seemingly respectable, upright guy who is all too easily corrupted by a bad dame. One thing-they are looking for this bank robber's partner for the first half or more of the film and then seem to forget about him. Did I miss something?

The Dark Corner (1946) Mark Stevens as Bradford Galt, a recently released (and wrongly convicted) con trying to restart his private investigation business in a different town. He realizes he's being followed and figures out he's going to be framed again. Initially he thinks it's his former partner (who had framed him the first time). Eventually, he figures out it's not him, but who is it? And why? Lucille Ball plays his secretary and love interest who helps him along the way-never knew Lucy has such good legs. This film is entertaining, and the reason behind framing Stevens turns out to be interesting in the sense that he's not really involved in that drama and doesn't know the framer at all. However, I think maybe this would have been a more effective film had we not seen it also from the framer's perpsective-we basically knew the who, how, and why and had to wait for Bradford to figure it out.

[Keith]

Scandal Sheet (1952)

[SuperDanX]

Last night I saw 'The Set-Up' with Robert Ryan and the delightful Audrey Totter, very enjoyable. On a bit of a Ryan binge having never really warmed to him previously, saw On Dangerous Ground' last week, I have 'The Racket' sitting in my to watch pile and I ordered 'The Woman On The Beach' yesterday. RR is thee man... 0/\o

[Steve-O]

Watched Framed with Joe Don Baker (directed by Phil Karlson!)-- excellent
and Obsession directed by Brian De Palma featuring an overbearing Omen-sounding soundtrack from Bernard Herrmann. A Hitchcock-like thriller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCAt6E4wBEk

[eubiecat]

Whew- just came off an Edmond O'Brien twin bill. TWO OF A KIND (a lost opportunity, to put it diplomatically) and SHIELD FOR MURDER. The latter film made me increasingly anxious--it's a pretty brutal movie, even by noir standards, and O'Brien's character is truly unlikable. It left an odd taste in my mouth. Loved the Richard Deacon cameo, and the strong cinematography. O'Brien, clearly, had no issues with playing unsympathetic figures!

[Richard]

Watched Framed with Joe Don Baker (directed by Phil Karlson!)-- excellent
and Obsession directed by Brian De Palma featuring an overbearing Omen-sounding soundtrack from Bernard Herrmann. A Hitchcock-like thriller.


I thought you'd like FRAMED.

I've been meaning to buy OBSESSION for a long time and almost did once or twice.
I haven't seen it since it was new, but I remember being impressed with DePalma's second Hitchcock riff after SISTERS.
It was in bargain bins at WalMart and was cheap on amazon.
It was so available for so long I always put if off.
Well, now it's out of print and I can't believe the prices.
Guess I waited too long.

Richard

[David]

I gave another look to 'The Killer Is Loose' last night. A good 'b' thriller directed by western expert Budd Boetticher,
and starring too-urbane Joseph Cotten, and a four-eyed Wendell Corey as a revenge-bent convict. A decent,
diverting noir...

[Steve-O]

I thought you'd like FRAMED.



Richard

Richard: Framed is actually the NOTW next week... time for everyone to check that one out. A great B-movie throwback for Karlson. And obviously a redo of Walking Tall too...

[Raven]

The chess match of the minds that is Strangers on a Train. "Hitch" in top form as always.

[Harry Fabian]

I saw Hangover Square last week. Tip for police psychiatrists: Don't suggest suspected mentally-ill persons go to find out what real people do for fun WITHOUT the fiance. I found the film kind of uneven and predictable at times. I guess I am getting a little impatient with supposedly bright guys who are too stupid to avoid women like Linda Darnell's character. However, I love what Laird Cregar did on Guy Fawkes night and the climax was very impressive.

[Richard]

I watched Donald Siegel's THE HANGED MAN, the second remake he directed for TV at Universal in 1964. This one doesn't have the budget THE KILLERS had, so instead of going to actual locations as was his habit Siegel shot this film on the Universal backlot. We get a good look at the vintage monster-movie module before it burned [and incidentally was rebuilt on the original architect plans]. The best efforts to redress the monster-module are not very convincing. Cutaways to the real mardi-gras in New Orleans only serve to highlight the fact that most of the film takes place on the backlot. At any rate, THE HANGED MAN is a kick-ass reworking of RIDE THE PINK HORSE (1947). It has a damn good script, although it doesn't use Dorothy B. Hughes source novel anymore than the original film did in 1947. There are a lot of hidden gems in Robert Culp's career and THE HANGED MAN is one of them. As the blind-sided Harry Pace he more than holds his own against Robert Montgomery. This time Edmond O'Brien is the corrupt union boss who will kill to recover an incriminating check. His elegant moll is played by Vera Miles, and her conflict of interest provides a new twist that fits right in to the proceedings. Brenda Scott is no Wanda Hendrix but she's earnest enough and does her best with the Tarot cards and a kind of French-Creole accent. J. Carrol Naish stands in for Thomas Gomez. Normal Fell exudes empathy as the Fed. Did you ever meet a Fed who exuded empathy? Several familiar faces from Siegel's stock company make appearances. Not all of them are in THE KILLERS, too. A special treat for me was the unexpected appearance of samba vocalist Astrud Gilberto fronting the Stan Getz Trio. I was flabbergasted to see her in this film. Suddenly she's just there singing her current hit "The Girl from Ipanema." Siegel lingers on her close-ups long as he can. I started wishing it would turn into a concert film.

Unlike most TV movies, THE HANGED MAN is not a static cheapie. It is extremely well shot and edited. Time was spent to properly stage the action and interaction. The extensive night scenes are really shot at night and look more noir than day-for-night footage could. Siegel directs with verve and muscle and keeps the story moving for 94 relentless minutes.

The picture is reasonably clear and the color is stable on my grey-market copy. I bet an authorized transfer would look as clean and sharp as Criterion's edition of THE KILLERS. If Universal could let Criterion have that film, why not release THE HANGED MAN? Hidden gems like this scream out for an official DVD release. Somebody at Universal is asleep at the wheel.


Richard

[eubiecat]

Last night, I had the rare privilege to view Joseph Losey's 1951 remake of the Fritz Lang classic M.

As Lang's 1931 film is such a seminal classic, and Losey's career so quirky, I didn't know what was going to unreel. Losey's film sticks closely to the Lang original. By setting the narrative in sunny post-war Los Angeles, the movie oddly resembles some of Hugo Haas' efforts. It creates a curious meld of European and American society. Familiar noir faces such as Howard Da Silva, Steve Brodie, Luther Adler and Raymond Burr provide genre reassurance--yet Losey's M doesn't feel authentically American.

David Wayne's performance as the child killer cements this cinematic experiment. His interpretation is darker and more pathetic than Peter Lorre's, in the Lang film. Wayne's "M" is a sick puppy who is lost in the undertow of his own dysfunction. He brings the character's sexual pathology front and center in impressively subtle ways. It is an edgy, nuanced performance that haunts me.

As this film had already been covered on NOIR OF THE WEEK [http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2006/07/m-1951.html], I'll resist further comments. This movie needs to be released on DVD!

[Steve-O]

eubie: Criterion missed an opportunity when they released the original on DVD and Blue Ray. They should have put this one on the disc with it like they did for the Killers.

The last noir I watched was Calling Dr. Death... Mr. Chaney wasn't bad in it. It has all this crazy hypnotism stuff which immediately got me hooked. Love that stuff. Not a true noir and really cheap... but the DVD of it is crystal clear. I would recommend it for anyone that likes B-movies.

[eubiecat]

eubie: Criterion missed an opportunity when they released the original on DVD and Blue Ray. They should have put this one on the disc with it like they did for the Killers.

The last noir I watched was Calling Dr. Death... Mr. Chaney wasn't bad in it. It has all this crazy hypnotism stuff which immediately got me hooked. Love that stuff. Not a true noir and really cheap... but the DVD of it is crystal clear. I would recommend it for anyone that likes B-movies.

Those "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" are a hoot. I share your love of 1940s "psychological" baloney. The movies could spread it on pretty thick. Chaney eats up the scenery in all those "Inner Sanctum" films.

As for Criterion, with their Eclipse label, they could do "The Early Film Noirs of Joseph Losey," and throw in THE BIG NIGHT and THE PROWLER alongside M. These are significant noirs, and show the evolution of a unique film-making style. Hell, they did a Sam Fuller set... why not Losey?

And while I'm on this topic: last night's noir treat was 1952's WITHOUT WARNING. Whew--two noir serial killer movies in a row! I need a Shirley Temple movie now...

[No, I don't!] Like M, WITHOUT WARNING makes maximal use of the California landscape. It strongly evokes the rugged, desolate aspects of Los Angeles in the early 1950s. By placing its actions between the city and the scraggly countryside, it gives the viewer a striking display of the environment. And, for once, omniscient narration doesn't overwhelm the viewer. There are, as well, eerie similarities to Hitchcock's PSYCHO here and there. The film has a great musical score by Herschel Burke Gilbert and dynamite B&W cinematography by Joseph Biroc.

The Internet has proven so helpful for me, in being able to see many elusive noirs. I think I've found 30 or 40 noirs I had never seen--some which I'd lost hope of ever seeing--so far this year. Thanks, Internet!

[Richard]

The internet has brought about a rennaisance in my film viewing, too. Especially the collector sites.

What I love about those Inner Sanctum films Chaney dd at Universal is the visual style. They are highly stylized endeavors. Sure the budgets are low, but it takes talent and application to accomplish that style. It's no little thing.

Richard

[Hard-Boiled-Rick]

Alphaville (Godard – 1965)... merci Steve-O
Les Carabariniers (Godard 1963)
Elevator to the Gallows - Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (Malle 1958)
Night Nurse (1931) stars Barbara Stanwyck

[David]

'Roadhouse'

'Touch Of Evil'

'The Blue Dahlia'

[Christine M]

Criss Cross (1949)
He Walked by Night (1948)

[Steve-O]

The Face Behind the Mask and The Maltese Falcon. Doesn't get much better than those two...

[David]

'Touch Of Evil', which never fails to dazzle.

[Hard-Boiled-Rick]

Harper (1966)
Stars Paul Newman as private dick Lew Harper (Lew Archer in Ross Macdonald’s who dunit novel ‘The Moving Target.’) Also includes Lauren Bacall, Janet Leigh and Shelley Winters. The book is better than the film.

[Keith]

No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1948) - An odd but entertaining film. I enjoyed this very pulpy 'gangster' picture with noir overtones. Mostly consisting of British actors playing Americans except for Jack La Rue who plays gangster Slim Grisson (the role was originally offered to George Raft while he was in England but turned it down when Jane Russell couldn't play Miss Blandish). The film was considered controversial for it's time, but tame compared to today but it does have a high body count. The ending was very appropriate. VCI did a great job with the DVD release, I hope they continue with their upcoming releases, especially New York Confidential.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6JMiUsUVKs