Lots to catch up on with five from my list in recent times.
D.O.A. was there at #23. Definitely one of the first noirs I remember seeing and with such a unique character perspective, being told that he's just been murdered.
I re-watched
The Big Combo soon after I'd sent in my ballot on which I'd put it at #21. In hindsight I should've put it way higher as it's an awesome film noir with great visuals. Richard Conte's seemingly invincible Mr. Brown makes for an enjoyably entertaining villain, while Jean Wallace's performance is surprisingly engaging and refreshing.
Crossfire. Hate is like a loaded gun! I had 'the three Roberts' down at #8. There's so much in this movie with a great supporting cast. I particularly enjoyed Paul Kelly's tetched monologue scene in Ginny's apartment. It never fails to get your attention. Always a great noir to revisit.
"Well that's the way it is. If you're a fighter, you gotta' fight", and I had
The Set-Up coming in at #7. There's been a lot of boxing noirs made, but none do it quite like this one with its sense of close in ultra-realism, believable characters and no-nonsense settings. The real time aspect adds to the drama and emotion, with Robert Ryan and Audrey Totter playing their parts perfectly. A really engaging supporting cast helps make this somewhat unusual noir the gem that it is.
The Narrow Margin was way up at #2. Love just about everything in this movie from start to finish. Charles McGraw and Marie Windsor are absolute tops in the genre for me, and I think Jacqueline White is considerably under appreciated. Train movies usually work well as they have a natural beginning and final destination. The story is easy to follow and works great here in my opinion. Even the comedic aspects including the obnoxious kid take nothing away. Some very inventive photography and the complete lack of any musical score other than the natural elements that appear in the film are nice touches also. As an obvious rail enthusiast I'm sure Hitchcock would've approved.
Of other recent reveals have also seen
Kansas City Confidential, High Sierra, Suspicion, Criss Cross, The Harder They Fall and Rififi, and liked them all. That latter two were both in contention for my list, with the former giving way to something more obscure, and whilst I considered
Rififi, failed to see how it was eligible within the guidelines. No matter though, and I'm pleased to see it appear.