Film Noir HoF IV

Gilda



This one is just my kind of jam. And I liked it even more the second time around. Rita Hayworth as Gilda may be my favorite female noir performance of all time and if not it's damn close. I thought she was stunning to look at obviously but I also thought her chemistry with Glen Ford was perfect. I'm also a sucker for casino scenes so those scenes were amongst my favorites. I really thought the ending was quite tense too, with Ballin coming back out of nowhere and reaching his eventual demise. And it was a really great performance by Glen Ford too. Yeah, this is probably among the noir GOATs for me.

Act of Violence


This turned out to be a good film to watch first. it is said that it has the typical elements that make for a good opening to a Noir film. The city in the dark in the cold and rain. A man (Ryan) limps badly (the film noir figure of the weakened male, I've read) We find out later that Ryan is the avenging male who is seeking revenge against Heflin who has done his compatriots and himself wrong. Throughout this film this character pursues his target relentlessly. In the end the traitor (Heflin) pursues performs a selfless act to save the avenger's life. He redeems himself at a terrible price.



This was only my second Noir (I watched the Big Sleep first). As i watch I hope to pick up enough about Noir style to be able to recognize oir elements when I see them This will not only help identify film noir, but also Neo Noir films.

Gun Crazy



The type of noir that's right down my alley. It does a lot of things right for me. The opening sequence introducing us to Batts obsession is a very effective scene in my opinion. I also love the scene where Laurie and Bart meet. His obsession with guns turns into an obsession with her. John Dall and Peggy Cummins have really great chemistry together and the scenes that they are in with each other are really well done. It's cool to see the characters fate spiral out of control yet they keep finding ways out of their misery. It's such a badass ending I wouldn't have seen it coming at all. In the end, Barts obsession really did do him in. Technically it may not be the best of this bunch but I'll be damned if it won't end up as one of the most entertaining.

+

The Maltese Falcon

The strongest point of this movie is easily Humphrey Bogart's performance. It came to him so utterly naturally that it was like watching a flower blossom. He brings constant charisma with everything he does, even among an entire cast of unfortunately one-sided tropes. But these tropes only survive through pop culture because of the constantly developing story. This mystery has danger all over the damn place, and even to try and avoid it puts you at unease. But there's another flaw: this noir movie doesn't feel as dark as future noirs because the characterization is constantly one-sided. But overall, on the second watch, I had already liked it before and I still like it well enough. But I wouldn't call it one of the greatest ever as boasted about by the pop culture parodies.

Thieves Highway (1949 Jules Dassin)

The son returns home to find his father permanently injured after being taken advantage by the crooked business man. The son decides to get even and even finds a business opportunity and a woman along the way.

Victor Conte is a staple of some good noir pieces and Lee J. Cobb is always a gruff welcome character. Dassin seems to really nail seedy characters in his movies and they are on display here. It really shows how dirty the apple transportation business can really be.

Murder, My Sweet (1944 Edward Dmytryk)

Philip Marlowe is a private eye that seems to be low on cash. When an oversized giant shows up in his office searching for a girl he hasn't seen in 8years, Marlowe seems to be turning around his empty pockets. Soon, his search for the missing woman becomes quite the twisting and confusing search for more than just.

In my experience it's quite difficult to adapt a Raymond Chandler novel that doesn't translate nicely to the big screen. I don't know if William Powell is the best choice for Marlowe but he gets the job done in this one. It borders on a bit confusing in spots but Powell keeps it entertaining and moving along. Maybe the point is we as the audience are supposed to be of the mind of Marlowe in the film with all that's happening?? I dunno. Looks great like most noir and plenty of the good noir ingredients.

By the time you finish with this HoF you should be well on the way to being a noir aficionado. Cool that you joined so that you could learn more about the film noir movement.

Interesting I hadn't thought of that. I seen the movie before and it does seem like we are very much in Marlowe's shoes more so than a lot of noirs. I think about what you said when I rewatch it.

Touch of Evil (1958 Orson Welles)

When a couple are killed in a car bomb explosion, Miguel Vargas and his new wife are witness to the incident. But Vargas won't be the only officer on the case as the incident involves components on both sides of the US - Mexico border. In this case the investigation brings in the long time veteran Hank Quinlan. Working alongside Vargas, Quinlan is able to find the apparent suspect and solve the case but Vargas has questions about the validity of his methods.

Being a Welles piece of filmmaking, obviously the movie looks the part. Charlton Heston brings his normal intensity and Welles brings his whatever he was going for here. Like any of his screenplays there is undoubtedly something interesting he has to say with this one. Not much more I can add.

Film noir is often defined as "pessimistic, fatalistic, and cynical" with characters that are "trapped in unwanted situations" they just can't control; whether it was in the cards, or fate, or a jinx. Even if they can't control them, they often end up making things worse with their actions, like a snowball effect, which is the case in this dark and twisted noir.

Criss Cross follows Steve Thompson (Burt Lancaster), who can't help but rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife, Anna (Yvonne de Carlo) even though she is now married to Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea), a mobster with no scruples. By the twists of fate, Thompson ends up leading Dundee into planning a heist to the armored truck company he works for.

This film is one of those perfect encapsulations of what film noir is. From the flashback narrative to the dim-lit cinematography, from the romance to the heist, from the lead man thrust into a situation he feels he can't control to the femme fatale you're never really sure where she stands on. It's all in there, in prime form.

In the last 5 years or so, I've seen more films from Burt Lancaster and Dan Duryea than I had before, and they both have become favorites. Lancaster has a unique mixture of tough-guy persona and charm that goes perfectly with the character of Steve, while Duryea can't help but be so good at being "slimy". The main cast is rounded by de Carlo, who I hadn't seen in anything other than The Munsters, but she's so good as the stone cold Anna.

Aside from the performances, I really loved how the story always keeps you guessing where things are at. As the title suggests, there's a cross waiting at every turn and every corner from every character. There's never a sense of certainty in it, and it's great to share that with the main characters, specifically Steve. We never know where the cards or fate would lead us, but we're going there anyway.

Grade:

__________________

Right side is up 18-13

Criss Cross



Thought maybe this would go up on a rewatch, but I stayed the same. This is undoubtedly a Noir all star production, and everyone is doing what they do well. Great acting and the movie looks fantastic. It doesn’t quite have the bite I like. Something is missing to elevate this. Definitely could have used more Duryea to start. Villain is certainly underutilised. Good movie, don’t get me wrong. Just not up there with my faves of the genre.

__________________
Letterboxd

The Asphalt Jungle

This movie was excellent to identify several trope of the Film Noir style. This film was the first of a series of films that could be identified as the heist/crime caper. Later films of this type included: Stanley Kubrik's The Killing, Jean-Pierre Melvills's Bob LeFlaubear's and Jules Dassin's Rififi, among others. Asphalt Jungle is considered to be one of the most influential Film Noir's to be made.

The two main characters are Doc and Dix. They are both seeking to make a break from their lives as criminals They are crooks who possess some virtue. They want this caper to be their last where they can retire. Doc to Mexico where he can watch the girls dance; and Dix wants to buy back the family farm in Kentucky.

Barry Kelly is an example of the cop who wants to be on and off the take, according to his convenience. He enjoys being in the middle and having the power of the streets. This type of flawed cop is classic noir.
The caper "crew" in the Asphalt Jungle is typical of the crime/heist film. The mastermind (Doc), the financial backer (Emmerich), the box man or safe-cracker (Louis), The muscle (Dix) and the Get-away driver (Gus).

Another trope is the con-man hates gun trope. Doc says that, "you carry a gun, you shoot a policeman, Bad rap, hard to beat"
The last trope I'll mention is the old man likes the young girls trope. This proves to be the downfall of two characters in the film. The first is Emmerich who is keeping Marilyn Monroe in his shag pad. She contributes to his downfall. The other example is Doc. Doc stays in a club about five minutes to long to watch a young girl dance which give the police time to catch up with him.

These are some tropes I hope to use to identify other film Noir films and Neo Noir films as well.

Act of Violence (1948 Fred Zennemann)

People have themselves some secrets. Sometimes others aren't cool with these secrets that people keep, and then they show up to get even.

Lots of familiar faces in this one, Van Heflin stands out as a man caught and tortured by the tough decisions that are made in the acts of war. A movie that poses a few important questions.

The Asphalt Jungle (1950 John Huston)

A prisoner just released from the big house has a plan to make some dough. He needs money and a select few individuals to help pull off his well orchestrated heist first, but it seems someone else has plans of their own for the said riches.

I don't think I watched this too long ago so I was familiar with the events that take place. This watch definitely kicked up a notch and seems to be a prototype for the heist film itself. Just the right mix of pictures, shady characters, and cheese. Contender for top spot on my ballot.

The Maltese Falcon (1941 John Huston)

Sam Spade is your typical wise cracking cool as a cucumber private eye. When he's ask to track down the sister of a young woman, tragedy strikes as his partner is killed while on the job. Fingered as a possible suspect Sam is drawn farther into a web of deceit with a possible golden goose on the other side of the proceedings.

I'm a Casablanca guy myself, but it can't be denied that this is maybe the quintessential Bogart film. And to say that might sell the movie short in all the ways it probably enfluenced not just an entire genre but a certain type of film character. Bogie is as laconic and sharp as a tack as the private eye and is surrounded by other classic players of the genre. One of the infinitely rewatchable films with all the right ingredients.

I rewatched Detour last night and just finished Murder, My Sweet, so I'm well on my way. Only 5 to go.

John W Constantine has already finished! That's freakin fast and sets a HoF record of finishing in just 7 days!

Hooray! Now I need a nap until the next ones begin.