Noirvember 2022

I’ve seen those two and He Walked By Night. I’m a fan of all three. I’ve mainly seen his westerns as well. I’d argue the Naked Spur should count as a Noir Western. I think that tinge of noir cynicism is what makes so many of his westerns work so well. They have a hint of the revisionism that would define the genre a decade or so later.

I haven't watched a whole lot of urban noir, obviously. I oughta rectify that this month.
Also, good call on Cape Fear, which I somehow haven't seen yet despite my Mitchum man crush.

Has anyone seen his '70s Marlowe movies? I hope to check those out as well. It looks like Farewell, My Lovely is on Kanopy.

I saw The Killing earlier this year, which is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Here's a review I wrote. I'll see if I can find Criss Cross.
Why does that plot device work so well? It's the satisfaction of knowing something that the characters don't and the big reveal always tends to be explosive, I guess. I'm not sure if they're considered noirs, but Reservoir Dogs and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (1974) are a couple more good examples.

I seen Farewell, My Lovely, looks like I rated it a 3/5. I don't really remember it except it seemed just OK.

I seen Criss Cross mentioned a couple of times, hell yes! That was one of the best noirs I've seen in many a moon.

This is one of my favorites, highly recommended

I've watched embarrasingly few noirs, so I'll be joining in later this month.

Cool beans jake...but nothing to join, this ain't no clip joint Just catch a noir or two and yak about it abit...Or just hang and catch the drift.

Charming speech, but this could be a whole lot easier if you just spill the way to your clip joint. You see, we're running out of scotch at the station and my partner here's in a particularly bad mood tonight.

^ You got the lingo down pat.

Mitchum’s Marlow films are good but serve as a reminder for missed opportunity of what could’ve been if he’d been given the role 30 years previous. He could’ve ousted Bogie as THE Marlow but he’s simply too old for the role.

Farewell, My Lovely is the better of the two and feels like the studio was really trying to capture that Chinatown magic by giving it a fairly lavish period piece production. It’s also the best adaptation of that Chandler novel.

The Big Sleep is good with a particularly well cast Charlotte Rampling stepping into the role that made Bacall a star (or at least solidified it) but it’s a more modest production, inexplicably set in the ‘70s. Due to Mitchum’s age making the relationship with Rampling odd, even by Hollywood standards, it just feels slight in the face of Bogie and Bacall’s effortless on screen chemistry.

I’d recommend both, especially as comparisons to Hawk’s film and Murder, My Sweet.

I agree with you. BOS was an unusual and very bleak neo-noir, with Allen Baron practically running the whole shebang. For a low budget film, it really packs a wallop. And you're right-- stunning photography.

Very nice review. The film really has no mistakes in it. Everything clicked, scene after scene.

I think people are fascinated by the juxtaposition of hoping that the robbers will get away with it, and knowing that they won't. Although in 1956 I think moviegoers were just starting to hope that the bad guys get away with it sometimes...

Those who check out Criss Cross (it’s great!) also check out the remake that Steven Soderbergh made in the ‘90s called The Underneath. It’s terribly underrated and underseen.

I quite enjoyed Fallen Angel. While I plan to rewatch Laura, I think this may be my favorite Preminger film thus far.

Would Anatomy of a Murder count as noir or is it a straight up courtroom drama?

The Dark Corner

Entered knowing nothing about it other than Lucille Ball was in it. Came out loving it and will place it among my favorites of the genre. Really captures the essence of a noir PI story.

https://boxd.it/3oP72F

5/5

Yeah, it's just a mystery/courtroom drama. One of the best courtroom dramas ever done, IMHO. The whole cast was dynamite. It really put George C. Scott on the map.

Read your review and it piqued my interest...I'm a sucker for a 1940s noir steeped in colorful lingo and noirish lighting. I might have seen The Dark Corner long ago or not. I do remember seeing Lucille Ball in at least one noir. Think I'll watch that one tonight.

Keep me posted. It was just nice having a flick deliver everything I want from the genre in one brisk package.

Sounds like a banging month to me. My favorite film noir is Stray Dog from Akira Kurosawa. I want to watch it again, but I just haven't done so yet. I won't go into detail. Sweet Smell of Success is another one I want to rewatch. Hm, I wonder if there are any film noir on Hulu, Netflix, or Prime that I can stream right away? Anyone have some suggestions?

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Thanks again, Mr Portridge.