2 for 2 SEEN, 2 for 2 from my ballot!
Interestingly, these are two films that I just discovered on one of the recent Film Noir HoF's (like
Gilda and
Criss Cross), so there might be a bit of a recency bias, but they sure left an impression.
The Asphalt Jungle is one I've had on my radar for a long time, but just hadn't gotten to it. I really liked the characters, from the Hayden's tough guy to Emmerich's slimy lawyer or Jaffe's good natured mastermind. Here's
my full review and a bit of what I wrote about the characters:
But, as many other similar films have done after, the film succeeds in making us root for Dix by pairing him against more despicable characters. In this case, slimy lawyer Alonzo Emmerich (Louis Calhern), who is not afraid to double-cross Dix and his men. Calhern's performance goes masterfully from confident and cocky to pathetic and pitiful, and it is probably my favorite from the film.
It is worth noting that Marilyn Monroe had a brief but crucial supporting performance as Emmerich's mistress, and she is very good in it ("What about my trip, Uncle Lon?"). The character of the Doc (Jaffe) also offers an interesting balance of heart and soul deep within the "predatory beasts" of this jungle. I might say it works even better than the background they try to give Dix, with the horse farm, which feels a bit forced.
Huston's direction is masterful and I love the mood/atmosphere of the whole film. I had it at #18.
As for
Mildred Pierce, this is one I didn't know much about, but more than the mystery/whodunit angle, I really enjoyed the performances:
But putting aside the mystery, what made the film tick for me were the interactions between Mildred and Veda. Crawford is her usual great self, but I was really surprise by how Blyth managed to hold her own against her. Her clashing personalities and attitudes are what make the film feel interesting, and perhaps separate this from other film noir that rely more on mood and atmosphere.
Here's
my full review as well. Just like the countdown itself, I had it at #15.
SEEN: 27/86
MY BALLOT: 13/25