Film Noir HoF - Part 2

Haven't heard from these members yet, please check in and let us know how it's going with the movie watching.

Pelicula Pelican:

I'm going to knock out most of the 10th HoF films first and then start on these then.

I just heard from Frightened Inmate and yes. he's still in this, so his nomination A Face in the Crowd is still active.

I PMed Gunslinger andPelicula Pelican just now and I will post back and let you guys know if they are still in.

Wish Pelican would inform us. Would watch Maltese next if he's in.

I requested the rest of the movies that I need to watch for this the other day. Only two are ready to be picked up (which I will do tomorrow), and, luckily, all of the others are "in transit". So I plan on some Noir marathon film-watching by next weekend.

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Maltese Falcon

I had seen this film when I first joined the forums. I thought this time around I would really like it more. At the beginning of the film I felt like the first time maybe I just had missed something because I really liked it. But I feel like the story has some missing pieces. Bogart was really good and so was the rest of the acting. But there just felt again like I was missing something. A lot of it comes together in the end but I can't help to think that it feels kind of rushed together. It's an ok film and its pretty well directed but I think it is far from the masterpiece that it is usually labeled as.

Good news Gunslinger PMed and said he's still in this and will be posting here soon. I'm still waiting to hear from Pelican.

Good! I always enjoy reading your unique take on the films...and we need to hear from our resident Noir Dame

I can see what you mean by that. I watched Maltese Falcon when I first got into Noirs, and I expected to love it after a rewatch, but I didn't. I did appreciate it and the actors were great like you said, but I was blown away. Still a good film though.

In The Maltese Falcon, does Bogart's character seem a little bit too laid back for someone whose partner was just killed, especially since he was working on the same case that Bogart is still working on?

He changed the sign on the office door almost immediately, and he seems to smile throughout most of the movie, kind of like he knows a secret that nobody else knows.

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Touch of Evil

I really enjoyed this one. This was my fourth Welles film and it is the second one that I really like. It all starts with the performances in this film. Heston, Welles, Dietrich, and Leigh were all really good and so was the rest of the cast. I really loved how the beginning of the film was intense and powerful, it set the tone for the rest of the film. This film was also splendidly shot. The version I watched was really well edited and all the scenes were crisp. The dialogue set the tone for the film and kept me engaged throughout, certainly a film that I will revisit in the future. Hopefully it does well in this HOF. Glad I finally got to it.

Glad you liked it Raul, it's one of my favorites. Did you watch the restored version of the movie?

Yes it was the restored version. It looked really crisp too!

It did look super great!

The Killers

This a film that I haven't watched in years. In fact, this particular HoF is full of those. Anyway, because of that reason, I was looking forward to seeing it again.

I don’t want to go into the story itself because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone else. But it is a very good one. It is one that you have to pay close attention to so you know all of the details to what is happening. The one thing that I really remembered from this movie were the flashbacks. I remembered that the story was told primarily through that. And it is very successful at doing so.

This is, yet again, another film where the actors are so right for their roles. Now, I am not the biggest Burt Lancaster fan. I think he overacts sometimes. But there are three roles that I really like him in and the Ole "the Swede" Anderson role happens to be one of them. Ava Gardner is perfect as Kitty Collins. I don’t think there is anyone better to play her. Of course, I am very biased when it comes to her. So I pretty much think she is perfect in any role that she has been given.

I kind of think the underrated actor in this is Edmond O’Brien. So much focus is given to Lancaster and Gardner that O’Brien almost gets lost in it. That is a shame because he is basically the entire picture. It may be the story of what happened to “the Swede”, but it is Jim Reardon who is doing the job to find that out. So I have to single out his performance. I thought he was so very good in it.

The style of the film, the lighting, the direction and the overall mood of the film is what you’d expect from a film noir. If there is one noir that comes to mind to recommend to someone as a movie for a first-time viewer of this genre, it is generally this one. It isn’t as heavy and dark as some others can be, but there is enough detail to the story to keep someone focused and keep them guessing as to what will happen next. And that is what is really needed to make a film noir good. And this film does it very well.

Touch Of Evil: Second watch of this and I'm pretty sure I am in love. It is not perfect, but it is pretty damn great. Welles leads the way in the great department. Not only with his behind the camera decisions but with one of the great villains put to screen in Hank Quinlan. That character drives which would otherwise be a pretty ordinary story. I understand why the cinematography is being lauded in the thread. The opening one shot is superb. I love the swinging bulb in the hotel scene. The end is shot great. I still wish the restoration was a little better. The movie is very dark at times, it is almost hard to distinguish all the images in the frame. Honestly it may be keeping this from being a favorite of mine. Next time I watch it will be after I buy the Blu-ray. Maybe it will be better than the DVD transfer.

I watched my nomination The Killing last weekend but got interrupted during the final 20 minutes so I will try and watch it again. I was loving it just like the first time though. I think it is a wonderfully told story with a very good Lancaster performance. Night Of The Hunter and Maltese Falcon rewatches left for me. I will wait a it on the latter since it doesn't look like Pelican is going to show.

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I use to think Burt Lancaster was amazing, but in some of his films it's like he's just not taking the role seriously, instead he's too cocky and flippant. BUT he's great in The Killers and in my favorite noir The Sweet Smell of Success. So are you going to tell us what are the other two film you really like him in?

I'm a fan of Ava's and I've tried to watch most of her movies. I love her in this one. My favorites would be The Killers, Night of the Iguana, Bhowani Junction, Mogambo and One Touch of Venus.

Sean same question to you as Raul. Did you see the restored version?

I watched the DVD that has the opening about Welles requests. Almost positive that it is the restored version.

Where are they going to see the unrestored version anymore?

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Thanks, that's what I meant. Restored to Welles original multi page letter where he outlined edits and such.

Do you not find it too dark in spots?