Classic Film Noir

One of the best film noir pictures ever made. Just look at the plethora of glowing reviews. Not much more can be said.

So...

Let us digress for a moment and delve into the rarely discussed realm of the subtext, the underbelly if you will, of this iconic American classic. There are certain realities concerning Sunset Boulevard that are inescapable. One of the more evident ones is the non-platonic relationship between 50-something Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) and 30-something Joe Gillis (William Holden). To get the full effect of the circumstance one must, if only for a moment, visualize the two of them together... mono a mono. Personally, every time I try to wrap my brain around that I throw up a little in my mouth. My twisted imagination conjures up a Harold-n-Maude(ish) image. I know what you're thinking. It is an unsettling mental visage that no one (except of course ME) would ever dwell on. Still, its a crucial concept that must be grasped if you're to immerse yourself in the ambiance of the picture and fully appreciate its geriatric sexuality.

Not all monsters are grotesque and ugly, sometimes they are as beautiful and breathtaking as Barbara Stanwyck. Considered by many to be the best and most influential film noir ever made, Double Indemnity has become the standard by which all others are judged. For my money, from the cast and direction to the cinematography and scripting, it's a near perfect film. Definitely one of my all-time top 20 movies.

I've heard it said that Touch of Evil, NOT Citizen Kane, is Orson Welles' greatest cinematic achievement. While I'm not sure I would agree with that statement I do agree that it's clearly a masterpiece of film noir, especially in the camera work. If there is a detractor here it's buying into the casting of Charlton Heston as a Mexican lawman, for me that's a bit of a stretch. Otherwise, it's one of the best representations of movie making as an art form I've ever seen. Five stars.

Some of my favorite Hitchcock 'moments', especially the amusement park scenes. Hitch takes a merry-go-round (could there be anything more innocuous?) and makes it nightmarishly threatening. Brilliant.

Whereas Psycho changed the way the world viewed showers, and Jaws made swimming in the ocean forever less appealing, and even Diabolique led us all to view swimming pools with cynicism, Shadow of a Doubt shows us that something as benign as "family" can become horrifying and evil. Hitchcock took the fright out of old European castles and dark back alleys and put it right smack-dab in our living room. It raises the question, "Is something sinister sitting across from you at the dinner table every night?" ...well? ...is it?

A film noir masterpiece, rich in genre staples and atmosphere.

The Killers has it all, the beautiful femme fatale (Ava Gardner), the likeable but unlucky hood (Burt Lancaster), the trench coated investigator (Edmond O'Brien) and the "fool-proof" crime that goes horribly wrong. If you liked Double Indemnity and The Asphalt Jungle then this one is a must-see.

Gene Tierney's character gets my vote as the most cold-hearted, sociopathic, beautifully packaged villain to ever grace the silver screen. On a scale of pure evil she's right up there with Hannibal Lector and the shark from Jaws.

Plotted meticulously and by the numbers, Laura is a textbook example of classic 1940's film noir. This dialog driven murder mystery is more notable for its outstanding casting than its slightly formulaic script.

I'm a tremendous fan of Gene Tierney, overbite and all, and she's absolutely wonderful in the title role, but it's a little difficult to write about her performance without giving away elements of the plot that would spoil the ending for those who have not yet seen the film. Suffice it to say that the intangible darkness that one occasionally glimpses behind those beautiful eyes plays perfectly into the psyche of her character.

Was there ever a role that Vincent Price could not master? He has played everything from villainous heavies to reluctant heroes. Here in Laura he is Tierney's love interest and a prime suspect in her murder. Even though his part is one of an unscrupulous, unsympathetic leech, he still carries an aura of utter likability that is crucial to making Laura's attraction believable. There just aren't a great many actors who could have pulled that off and yet Vincent does it with ease.

And how about the talented Clifton Webb as the snobbish and possessive columnist Waldo Lydecker? His character reminds me of the cantankerous Dr. Smith from the old TV series "Lost in Space". He's rude, condescending, and spends a considerable amount of his screen time sitting in the bathtub. It is hard to imagine this role being played by anyone else.

Combine the aforementioned with genre staples like Dana Andrews and Judith Anderson and the result is a film worthy of its stature as a noir classic.

There's a plethora of morals and conclusions to be drawn from Carol Reed's timeless Odd Man Out. A saga of hope vs. hopelessness in a duel to the bitter end. Absolutely brilliant.

Certainly ranks amongst the best of the Hitchcockian thrillers. Ingrid Bergman shines as the alcoholic of loose morals (so much nicer than saying "hoebag", don't you think?) turned American spy.

*NOTE: Anyone else notice that Hitchcock seems to have an affinity for overbearing mothers? (Notorious, Psycho, The Birds, etc.)

This may be one of the most overlooked and under appreciated classics of all time. A box office flop when first released, this film was simply too far ahead of its own era.

Told in a manner that is part film noir and part Gothic horror, the story steadily becomes more nightmarish and less anchored in reality as it progresses. Sets, over the course of the film, become more stage than screen (some of the backdrops are obviously one-dimensional). They're often silhouetted with unnatural back lighting, adding to the overall ominous feel of the picture. Other scenes, most notably Willa Harper (Shelley Winters) at the bottom of the lake, are shot with an awareness of cinematography that is nothing short of brilliance.

Robert Mitchum is suburb as the villainous Harry Powell, rivaling his equally evil but dimensionally different character in Cape Fear. The Night of the Hunter ranks among my all-time top 100 films and should not be missed.

Vintage 1955 French film noir that's reminiscent of The Asphalt Jungle (1950). Jean Servais brings a certain ambiance to the lead role that's part George Raft and part Humphrey Bogart with just a little Joe Pesci thrown in for good measure. Good stuff. Very, very good stuff.

I know that there is no such thing as the 'perfect film', but I it's hard to imagine how they could have made this one any better. The only thing that comes to mind is fixing Gene Tierney's annoying overbite. Maybe.

Not to take anything away from Joan Crawford's performance, but this part had oscar written all over it regardless of who got cast. Strong, heroic female characters were somewhat rare in 1945 and it's easy to see why Miss Crawford fought hard for this role. I would have loved to have seen an actress with a little more warmth get the part (maybe a June Allyson or a Linda Darnell). Still, it's undoubtedly Joan Crawford's signature performance. MILDRED PIERCE resurrected her career and cemented her place as a legend of Hollywood's golden age.

*From IMDB: Both Bette Davis and Rosalind Russell turned down the title role, Ann Sheridan was also considered for the part and Barbara Stanwyck was "very keen to take it" before Joan Crawford won her battle for the role.

Its interesting to note that Shirley Temple was considered for the role of nasty little spoiled-rotten Veda.

One of the things I love most about classic noir films is the narrative. There's nothing quite like a private detective giving you the lay of the land as he stares down the barrel of a gun while taking what might be his last drag on his last cigarette. Murder, My Sweet is wrought with great lines that were destined to become cliché in the legend of the genre.

"'Okay Marlowe,' I said to myself. 'You're a tough guy. You've been sapped twice, choked, beaten silly with a gun, shot in the arm until you're crazy as a couple of waltzing mice. Now let's see you do something really tough - like putting your pants on.'"

They just don't write lines like that anymore. But that's okay. As I was watching this film I realized that it had caught me right between the ears. A black pool opened up at my feet and I dived in. It had no bottom. I felt pretty good. like an amputated leg...

What a powerful performance by Miss Davis in a very unflattering role. All the elements are present for a great motion picture (casting, direction & screenplay) and The Letter delivers in spades

Of note is the presence of Gale Sondergaard as the silent but ominous Malaysian widow who speaks volumes without ever uttering a word. Yes, this is the same Gale Sondergaard who was originally cast as the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz before (thankfully) turning the role over to the talents of Margaret Hamilton. Sondergaard's appearance might seem stereotypical and offensive today, but there's no denying her screen presence. Simply brilliant.

Citizen Kane may have been Orson Welles' biggest blessing but it was also his biggest curse. Having such a masterpiece as your very first film is a hard thing to follow-up. It's understandable that everything Welles did post-Kane was a step down. The problem is, at least in my estimation, that Welles sometimes tried too hard. He wanted all his characters to be interesting and what resulted was often surreal. Here, his narrated and self-portrayed main character was supposed to be a sap, a sucker, but he's so insightful and introspective that I have a hard time understanding how he falls for such an obvious set-up. Without giving too much away, the Welles character is framed for murder in a plot that has about as much subtlety as an oncoming freight train. Strangely, watching Welles play the patsy for a beautiful woman made me appreciate Fred MacMurray (Double Indemnity) even more.

Having said all that, I still feel that The Lady from Shanghai is a work of art and a landmark in classic noir cinema. The climatic final scene in the deserted fun house is pure Wellesian genius, even if it is a bit of style-over-substance.

A stark, unflinching portrayal of rouge journalism and how one man's ambition can overtake and smother ethics and decency. A box office flop when it was released in 1951, this may well be Kirk Douglas at his absolute best.

Director/Writer/Producer Billy Wilder sends his main character, newspaper reporter Chuck Tatum (Douglas), down a hole, literally as well as figuratively, and presents a tale that is wonderful, brutal, dark and unapologetic. A must-see film.

Here it is, 60 years after the release of this cinematic pearl, and I'm just now discovering it. The only thing that beats watching a film noir classic again and again is watching one for the very first time. Thank you John Garfield.

Being the Joan Crawford detractor that I am it would be easy for me to point out that this film was initially intended to feature a 19 year old actress, and that the part was rewritten at Miss Crawford's insistence. It would also be easy to highlight the lack of big name co-stars, leaving 'Joan Crawford' auspiciously large and unchallenged on all the promotional material. Yes, I could focus on all that AND the fact that she romanced the director off-camera, ensuring herself a level of control in all matters pertaining to the picture. But, for once, I'm above all that. Let me say instead that portraying a conniving, manipulative bitch intent on sleeping her way to the top wasn't really much of a stretch for the talented but manically egotistical Miss C.

Oh by the way, The Damned Don't Cry is a VERY good film. :)

Finally, a noir film where the title actually makes sense! Classic psychopath meets girl love story. If you can find it on DVD be sure to check out the commentary from author and noir expert Eddie Muller. Muller's insight into the character and personality of Lawrence Tierney is priceless.

It wasn't so long ago that I couldn't even tell you who Robert Wise was. Now I find myself, like a sponge, wanting to soak up every film he ever directed. If I come across one I dislike I'll let you know.

Outrageous and fun film that starts like Leave It To Beaver and winds up like Bonnie And Clyde.

Peggy Cummins is wonderful as the sharp-shooting femme fatale and John Dall is perfectly cast as the good-hearted schmuck who is drawn into a life of implied-sex and crime.

Of note are the robbery and chase scenes that are shot in continuous takes from a back-seat point of view. I'm not sure if this technique was a result of artistic forethought or a product of a limited budget but it works well. Director Joseph H. Lewis defies convention in both his medium and his method and delivers a classic in the genre of film noir

Tony Curtis shines as a sleazy press agent "immersed in the theology of making a fast buck" while Burt Lancaster is a powerful New York columnist who uses Curtis to sabotage the romance between his sister and a jazz musician. Of course, things don't go exactly as planned (do they ever?). Sweet Smell of Success exposes the underbelly of New York's social scene and the high price of publicity. Great noir fare.

As my dear old grandmother used to say, before she gave up prostitution to become a carnival barker, "I am loving me some Richard Widmark!"

Playing in real time, The Set-Up is the story of a washed up prizefighter looking for one last shot at glory. According to IMDb, the screenplay was actually based on a poem about a black boxer named Pansy Jones. The author, Joseph March, was reportedly unhappy about his character being changed to Stoker Thompson, a white man.

Unlike most films about boxing, the fight scenes here seem raw and unchoreographed. Robert Ryan (who, by the way, was a boxer at Dartmouth) is completely believable in his portrayal and director Robert Wise manages to make the dark tension of the piece tangible. You can almost feel the punches and smell the sweat.

After watching Mr. Arkadin twice (once to see it and once again to attempt to understand it) I'm compelled to examine the inspirational possibilities.

LSD was invented in the 1930's but didn't come into popular recreational use until the 1960's. Mr. Arkadin was released in 1955. Rule that out.

Crack didn't become mainstream until the early 1980's. Scratch that one.

Federico Fellini made his first film in 1950, a mere five years prior. A possible but unlikely influence.

The best bet is that Orson just, somehow, lost artistic control and the film was cut, re-edited, dubbed, re-dubbed, lost, found, re-re-dubbed, and released.

As freakishly bizarre as this all sounds, the film still warrants 4 & 1/2 stars. Imagine how high it could have been had it made sense!!

Richard Widmark is a petty thief hungry for that one big score. Jean Peters is a kind-hearted but gullible beauty who is unknowingly involved in international espionage. Thelma Ritter, God bless her, is a street peddler and police informant saving her pennies to pay for her own funeral.

Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street illustrates that heroes can sometimes spring from some very dark places.

High on my list of favorite film noirs.

I spent the first 86 minutes hoping Barbara Stanwyck would get what's coming to her and the last 3 minutes praying she'd escape. What a sensational screenplay (à la Lucille Fletcher)!

Edward G. Robinson is cast against type as the timid and meek Chris Cross in this truly classic film noir that starts with a chuckle and ends with a wrecking ball straight to the gut.

A pretty young dress model turns up face down in her own bathtub while her best friend's fiancé is busy unloading a passel of stolen jewelry.

8 million stories in the naked city. This is one of them.

Hard-core noir until, right at the very end, it turns into a Dean Jones Disney movie. Oh so close to 5 stars.

Fritz Lang's first American film after fleeing Nazi Germany and the oppression of Adolph Hitler. A predecessor to the classic film noir of the 1940s and 50s, Fury has a wealth of elements which would later define the noir style. Outstanding performances from Spencer Tracy and Sylvia Sidney help cement this 'wrong man' courtroom drama as a true timeless classic.

Ralph Meeker stars as Mike Hammer, a hard drinkin', hard lovin' private detective hot on the trail of a murderer. He survives being beaten, drugged, shot and even pushed off a cliff in an automobile in this conventional crime thriller with a very unconventional ending. The cast list reads like a virtual "who's who" of character actors with names like Cloris Leachman, Albert Dekker, Jack Elam, Percy Helton and Strother Martin. But, even with this bevy of future stars surrounding him it is Meeker that commands your attention. This is a role he was born to play and a film you shouldn't miss!

Come on, what hot blooded, wire bra-ed bombshell wouldn't choose the dashing Robert Ryan over the lumpy Paul Douglas? Except, of course, when Douglas is a kind-hearted, lovable teddy bear and Ryan is a self absorbed, misogynist prick.

Barbara Stanwyck was a master at playing flawed characters and her Mae Doyle is about as flawed as they come. Bad girl, good film, great actress.

Richard Widmark is a "Negro-Hater" who blames Sidney Poitier for his brother's death. Intense but stylized social commentary featuring a rather nice performance by Miss Linda Darnell.

Good stuff. It's been quite a few years since the last time I saw a Harry Belafonte film, I had forgotten just what a tremendous actor he really is (was). This is a noir classic that will hold your attention wire to wire.

Note: Did the ending remind anyone else of White Heat? ("Top of the world, Ma!")

The pursuit and persecution of "the wrong man" is a reoccurring theme in many Hitchcock productions. Here, in I Confess, a young catholic priest (Montgomery Clift) is falsely accused of murder. Clift knows exactly who the real killer is but cannot divulge the information because of the sanctity of confession.

The pairing of two legends like Montgomery Clift and Alfred Hitchcock is, in my opinion, a match made in heaven. It undoubtedly works here. What a shame that these two didn't combine forces more often. Perhaps it was Clift's infamous persistence and devotion to 'method acting' that confounded his director (?). Whatever it was, I would have certainly liked to have seen more collaborations like this one.

Kubrick's style is minimalistic and effective in this narrated noir gem that features nobody I'd ever heard of before or since.

The best boxing movie you've never heard of. Kirk Douglas is under the radar but at the top of his game.

Noir to the core. A spattering of memorable moments, not the least of which is the psychotic hit-man [Richard Widmark] sending an old woman flying down a flight of stairs in her wheelchair. (Ouch!)

Whether its paperback fiction like Lady of Burlesque, or a tear-jerker like Stella Dallas, or the noir-ish suspense of The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Barbara Stanwyck delivers. I just can't take my eyes off of her. She's never just set dressing, even when she's silent she speaks volumes. Wow.

*NOTE: Does anyone else think that Lizabeth Scott looks like a poor man's Lauren Bacall?

Alan Ladd is a patriotic hit man with a soft spot for cats in this war era film noir classic. A layered storyline emphasizes different levels of good and evil by pitting a killer against a spineless opportunist who works for a Japanese sympathizer who is pursued by a senator who recruits a beautiful magician to gather information, not knowing that she's in love with a cop who is on the trail of the killer who has been framed for a robbery by the opportunist under orders of the sympathizer. (Whew!)

It takes about three minutes for Henry Fonda to shoot Vincent Price and a glorious hour and a half to find out why.

A reworking of Marcel Carne's Le Jour se lève (1939).

Rita Hayworth's many talents are swell compensation for a slightly meandering and disjointed screenplay. It's one of her most memorable roles and deservedly so.

Marilyn Monroe is the luscious femme fatale in this film noir travelogue shot on the US/Canadian border. Mother Nature provides the breathtaking backdrop for this dark honeymoon romp of deceit, deception and murder.

Tom Neal's having a really, really, really, really bad couple of days. Seriously.

Framed for a crime he never committed, Rocky (Dick Powell) is fresh outta' prison and looking for a little payback. Cry Danger is chocked full of all the elements noir fans slobber over. Powell is rock solid and Rhonda Fleming looks absolutely edible.

Finally, a Gloria Grahame film in which she's NOT a promiscuous 'ho' (i.e. The Bad and the Beautiful, It's a Wonderful Life, Oklahoma!, etc., etc., etc...).

Noir fans will like this one, others... well... maybe not so much. I Wake Up Screaming relies heavily on dialogue. Modern films of similar content are so laden with elaborate chase sequences and choreographed fight scenes that there's little time left for meaningful human conversation. It's sad that the spoken word and the colorful narrative are fast becoming lost art forms.

Jeanne Crain is on her honeymoon. The only problem is that her husband is nowhere to be found. Was he abducted? Was he murdered? Was he merely a figment of her imagination?

A plausible psychological thriller with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the last reel. 1950s pulp with 1940s ambiance.

Frank Bigelow is an accountant living on borrowed time. Someone has slipped luminous toxin into his bourbon and now he has just a few days to solve his own murder. D.O.A. is over-acted, over-scripted and under-appreciated. An absolute delight!

High Sierra is groundbreaking cinema for at least two reasons. First, it was Bogart's first chance to prove that he could carry an entire picture as a leading man (and boy did he!). Second, unlike other crime pictures of the early 40's, it dared to portray criminal characters with some very decent human qualities. There is very little good & bad, black & white, right & wrong in this picture. Instead there are various shades of gray. Ida Lupino is wonderful (as always) but this would be the last time she ever got top billing over Bogart.

For me, this film is the perfect bridge between the crime dramas of the late 30's and the early film noir of the 1940's.

*NOTE: If you're a fan of Cornel Wilde you can catch him in a small but memorable character role.

Someone's kidnapped the blind daughter of a wealthy tycoon and the L.A.P.D. is hot on their trail. William Holden and Nancy Olson are united once again (see also Sunset Boulevard) in this crime drama set mainly in L.A.'s Union Train Station.

An engrossing little slice of dockside drama that is (unfortunately) more of a reflection of the Hayes Code than it is of the original source material.

Ann Sheridan is on a quest for fame and fortune. Jimmy Cagney is on a quest for Ann Sheridan. A terrific little rags to riches to rags story replete with music and boxing and a dancing Anthony Quinn.

Essentially a propaganda piece with J. Edgar Hoover's fingerprints all over it. Still, it's taunt, methodical and filled with noteworthy performances. Not great but not at all bad.

When a dead man is fished out of the harbor with two bullet holes and a case of pneumonic plague the police pull out all the stops to find the killer before he spreads the disease. High stakes drama with an outstanding cast.

Nice Robert Wise film noir. Combines WWII holocaust backstory with a thrilling 'who-dunnit' mystery. Valentina Cortese is wonderful as the young Polish girl who survives a German death camp only to face more peril in the hills of San Francisco.

Great performances and an intriguing true story are hampered by an unimaginative and overly methodical screenplay. Interesting but not all that exciting.

Nice nostalgic thriller featuring the indomitable Mr. Vincent Price as a psychiatrist caught between his manipulative mistress and his ever weakening sense of morality. Shock isn't groundbreaking cinema but it's a solid vehicle for Price's villainous screen persona.

Solid British noir featuring a stand-out performance from character actor Victor Madden.

John Forsythe is an honest, small town newspaper editor who tugs at a tiny thread and unravels an entire crime syndicate. An obscure but worthy little film noir bolstered by the the talented (and somewhat masculine) Miss Joan Camden.

Police detective Paul Sheridan (Fred MacMurray) falls for the uber-hot girlfriend (Kim Novak) of a bank robber that he's tracking. When the girl suggests that they make off with the loot and start a new life of their own, Sheridan starts to contemplate putting a plan together that will leave him with a gorgeous woman and $200,000 cash.

For a B-movie that few people have ever heard of and even fewer have ever seen, this is surprisingly good. How is it that a studio could put together two stellar leads in classic 50's film noir style and have it go virtually unnoticed for so long? This is about as underrated as a film ever gets. A true hidden gem.

It's hard for a film to be dark and foreboding when Lucy is around, she sparkles far too much for film noir. Her gams may say Double Indemnity but her personality screams Duck Soup.

Good performances but the storyline only works if you buy into the assumption that all men are powerless under the spell of Linda Darnell. Discount that and 90% of the plot becomes illogical and disjointed.

In spite of it's faults (campy dialog, boneheaded criminals, cheesy ending, etc.) Kansas City Confidential is still a keystone in the evolution of the classic heist film. Essential viewing for fans of the genre.

Solid but less than exceptional film noir that plays off the "when good cops go bad" theme. KEYWORDS: Corruption, Murder, Smokin' Hot Ida Lupino.

I'm teetering between 3 and 3 1/2 stars. I liked the essence more than I liked the premise of this politically motivated courtroom drama. Dana Andrews and Lee J Cobb are superb, as always, but the narration and structure is a little too heavy-handed for my taste.

Daisy Kenyon is to film noir what The Wizard of Oz is to horror films. Sure, there are some noirish elements, but this is far more about sin than it is about crime. This is about two bulls (Dana Andrews and Henry Fonda) posturing for a battle over a cow (guess who?). And for what? The winner gets to sleep with Joan Crawford??? That's the big grand prize??? Personally, I'd rather share a sleeping bag with Truman Capote.

"Loose lips sink ships"

Edward G. Robinson and Lynn Bari are unlikely lovers in this maritime espionage thriller set in coastal Mexico. A likable film that seems hampered by the contrived chemistry between the two leads. Adequate but unexceptional.

Have you ever discovered that someone was planning a surprise party for you so you went along with it, acting surprised even though you really weren't? And then you discovered that, instead of the expected fifty guests, only three or four of your friends showed up? And then only one of them brought a gift? And then that gift turned out to be something you already have? If so then you already know what it's like to watch The Blue Gardenia.

This could have been a credible film noir piece were it not for the inept dialog, the brightly lit sets and the insistence that Japanese people are merely movie props to be placed here and there throughout the film like houseplants.

Edward G. Robinson, George Raft and Audrey Totter are all a little past their prime in this underwhelming film noir from director Lewis Allen. A Bullet for Joey methodically dots all the i's and crosses all the t's while trying far too hard to be what it already is.

Generic film noir that's high on enthusiasm but low on everything else. Substandard production, direction and editing make it difficult to watch, not to mention a cast that's listed in the screen actor's directory under "Obscure".

This movie would have been much better if it had a bigger budget, talented actors, a coherent story, a competent editor, and a wardrobe department.

Laird Cregar's life may have been troubled and tragic but there's no denying his talent. Hangover Square works because Laird can seamlessly shift from charismatic leading man to ruthless killer and back again without the audience ever questioning the psychology or the motive. Good stuff.