Diving Deeper: 10 More Noir Films to Watch

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Forget rom coms- noir is where it’s at! Someone (much wiser and succinct than me) noted film noir is about “a woman with a past and a man with no future.” This is a follow-up to my April 10, 2020 post Getting Started with Film Noir:[https://knightleyemma.com/2020/04/10/noir-start]

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

I haven’t seen this (early Hitchcock) movie in a many yrs, BUT I do recall enjoying it! It has Brits in the ensemble cast, and (no doubt) inspired later TV series (which some of you watched on PBS) w/ mysteries/murders happening on train trips.

Gaslight (1944)

[https://knightleyemma.com/2020/03/29/gaslight]

Double Indemnity (1944)

[https://knightleyemma.com/2011/10/30/two-great-classics]

Just try to forgive the terrible (platinum blonde) wig they gave Stanwyck; everything else about this film is top-notch!

Leave Her to Heaven (1945) [https://knightleyemma.com/2010/10/19/recent-views-and-more]

This is domestic noir (in Technicolor) b/c hey, dark events happen in the daylight, too!

Mildred Pierce (1945)

This is an iconic film that packs some punches! Mildred (Joan Crawford) is a smart, beautiful, working-class woman whose goal is to better the life of her daughter (who is the real femme fatale) NO matter what it takes! HBO made a pretty good miniseries in 2011 starring Kate Winslet, Guy Pearce, and Evan Rachel Wood.

Gilda (1946)

[https://knightleyemma.com/2012/10/30/gilda-1946/]

This is one of the most famous/successful noirs out there w/ two terrific leading performances; the actors were once romantically involved (and remained lifelong friends)! When Gilda slaps Johnny hard across both sides of his face, Rita Hayworth broke two of Glenn Ford’s teeth. He held his place until the take was finished. Wow!

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

This one is for all of you who think B&W/classic films are too tame; the chemistry between Turner’s working-class housewife and Garfield’s drifter almost pops off the screen! It took 12 years to adapt the explicit material (by 1940 standards) of the novel into a screenplay which would comply with the Production Code prevalent at the time. You can skip the remake; it just doesn’t measure up anything close to the original.

The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

This is one of the first films that got me interested in the noir genre (before I knew much about it). It’s unique (as one would expect from Orson Welles) and was not a box-office hit; in later years, it has been appreciated by critics and viewers alike. Welles (who has a quirky Irish accent) really knows how to set a mood!

Criss Cross (1949)

[https://knightleyemma.com/2014/02/17/criss-cross-1949]

If you liked The Killers (also w/ Burt Lancaster), you’ll also enjoy this film. I discovered it a few years ago (thanks to film fest). Be on the lookout for Tony Curtis as one of the young dancers in the club!

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

[https://knightleyemma.com/2010/12/19/three-must-see-classics]

Honestly, I didn’t get what was the big deal re: this movie (until I got older)! You need to see it twice to appreciate all that’s going on; it was “meta” before that became popular. William Holden is one of my mom’s faves; he does a fine job here. FYI: Gloria Swanson was only playing an actress 50 yrs old (which is certainly not “old” by our modern standards)!

“Star Trek”: Season 2, Episode 24 (“The Ultimate Computer”)

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Spock [to McCoy]: The most unfortunate lack in current computer programming is that there is nothing available to immediately replace the starship surgeon.

Capt. Kirk replies to an urgent message from Commodore Enright, which tells him to report to the nearest space station. Once there, most of the crew is removed from the Enterprise leaving only a minimal crew of 20 on-board. Commodore Bob Wesley (Barry Russo) arrives and informs Kirk he’s the unwitting “fox in the hunt” of simulated war games. The purpose is to test out the top-secret M-5 computer; the latest invention of the brilliant Dr. Richard Daystrom (William Marshall), creator of the computer systems which power Enterprise, as well as many high-end systems. James Doohan provides the voice of M-5, as well as playing Scotty.

McCoy [to Kirk]: Did you see the love light in Spock’s eyes? The right computer finally came along.

Daystrom (“a failing genius striving for one last success” according to D.C. Fontana) is confidant his unit can not only take control of the ship, but do a better job than humans can. At first, the Enterprise under M-5’s control, easily defeats two other starships in the games. Troubles arise when the computer begins to act on its own and can’t be shut-off! A similar theme was explored w/ HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Spock, who is fascinated by the working of the M-5, eventually realizes that it can’t replace the leadership of his captain. McCoy had joked earlier that Spock was in love w/ the M-5 (LOL)! In one of the best scenes, Spock explains to Kirk that a computer couldn’t ever replace the leadership of the captain.

Spock: Computers make excellent and efficient servants; but I have no wish to serve under them. Captain, a starship also runs on loyalty to one man, and nothing can replace it, or him.

In TNG, DS9, and Voyager, there are references to the Daystrom Institute that has been founded on Earth. It’s explained that Daystrom is a great man of science; he must’ve been to have his work/reputation recover from this experiment. In the 1999 essay “Welcome Aboard the Enterprise,” sci-fi author Robert J. Sawyer writes, “…the ship’s computers, as seen in ‘The Ultimate Computer,’ were designed by a Nobel-prize-winning black cyberneticist, played with equal dignity by William Marshall. During the era of MLK, Jr. and the Watts Riots, it was a powerful, important statement to have the white captain of the Enterprise deferring to black people; as Marshall observed thirty years later, the single most significant thing about his guest-starring role was that he, an African-American, was referred to as ‘Sir’ throughout the episode.”

Spock: It would be most interesting to impress your memory engrams on a computer, Doctor. The resulting torrential flood of illogic would be most entertaining.

This ep was a social commentary on the American job losses caused by increased mechanization during the ’60s. The script came from an unsolicited screenplay by Laurence M. Wolfe, a mathematician. John Meredyth Lucas chose to adapt the story, feeling that it would make for a relatively inexpensive and quick episode to produce. Fontana rewrote much of the story, as much of the original screenplay was primarily focused on Dr. Daystrom and the M-5, w/ little emphasis on the show’s regular characters. In those days, there were no writers rooms; scripts were submitted by many writers. They were often re-written to reflect Rodenberry’s vision of the series.

“Star Trek”: Season 2, Episode 18 (“The Immunity Syndrome”)

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The Enterprise is sent to investigate the disruption of the Gamma VII-A solar system and the destruction of the U.S.S. Intrepid, staffed by Vulcans. When they arrive, they find a large dark mass floating in space. This ep has a great introduction w/ Spock realizing that his own people died and sensing their “astonishment” (fine acting from Nimoy). Spock doesn’t know how the ship is being drained of energy and pulled towards this “hole in space.” Life support systems are diminishing quickly. Stimulus is injected in the Bridge crew (esp. Kirk) to keep them going despite exhaustion from a previous mission.

Drawn into the mass, they find a huge amoeba-like creature. Kirk and McCoy wonder that mankind’s sole destiny may be in repelling such invaders of our galaxy; our species may act like antibodies of the galaxy-body, fending off invading cosmic viruses. Were this creature to reproduce, as the crew discovers it is about to, it would eventually fill the entire galaxy. The crew is working as a team under pressure against an unknown threat. There is the drama of Spock and McCoy competing to see who gets to take the shuttlecraft to get a closer look and research further. Kirk must decide which of his two friends to send on the dangerous mission. Scotty is worried about the engines, which are losing power fast. There is a lot of atmosphere, foreboding, character development, and dialogue (incl. science and medical talk).

Mr. Spock: I’ve noticed that about your people, Doctor. You find it easier to understand the death of one than the death of a million. You speak about the objective hardness of the Vulcan heart, yet how little room there seems to be in yours.

Dr. McCoy: Suffer the death of thy neighbor, eh, Spock? Now, you wouldn’t wish that on us, would you?

Mr. Spock: It might have rendered your history a bit less bloody.

“Star Trek”: Season 2, Episode 20 (“Return to Tomorrow”)

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From a planet devoid of life for half a million years, the Enterprise hears the voice of a powerful being (Sargon- voiced by James Doohan), who can control ship. He transports the landing party (Kirk, Spock, McCoy and astro-biologist Ann Mulhall) to room miles underneath the planet. However, the security guards they planned to take along were prevented from coming along. Sargon is one of only three survivors of an intelligent race made of pure energy/pure thought. They started life on Earth and spread out to many other places, so refer to our heroes as “my children.”

Suddenly, Sargon possesses Kirk’s body! He requires Spock’s and Dr. Mulhall’s bodies, too, but promises they will be returned after they build advanced robots to house themselves. Sargon gives them time to freely make up their minds and beams them back to the ship. McCoy warns against hosting the lifeforms, but Kirk, Spock, and Dr. Mulhall (Diana Muldaur- Dr. Pulaski on ST:TNG) are intrigued. We soon see that the aliens can only survive in human bodies for short periods of time w/o killing their surrogates!

It must’ve been fun for Shatner and Nimoy to take on two roles as aliens inhabiting the bodies of Kirk and Spock. Shatner as Sargon goes from over-the-top dramatics to being dignified and caring. His scenes w/ his wife Thalassa (in the body of Dr. Mulhall) are sweet and touching. Nimoy gets to play Henoch, who seeks to remove Sargon from the equation and take over. Nimoy has an excuse to play w/ different emotions; he creates a twisted (yet smooth-talking and smiling) villain. Henoch tries to trick Nurse Christine Chapel, who we know loves Spock.

This ep and its writer, John T. Dugan, earned a WGA Award nom in the category Best Written Dramatic Episode in 1968. Dugan wrote the original script after he had read an article about highly sophisticated robots. In his original draft, Sargon and Thalassa continue their existence as spirits w/o bodies, floating around the universe. However, Roddenberry (as he often did) re-wrot the script to change the ending (w/ the aliens fading out into oblivion). This is the reason Dugan put his pen name (John Kingsbridge) in the credits.

[1] Dr. McCoy’s objections are warranted and well expressed, but a final centerpiece speech by Kirk explains the risks and rewards of flight, space flight, sciences and alien encounter. He states “Risk is our business” in a well written and delivered plea.

[2] It’s haunting, tragic, deeply romantic, dream like, and sensual. The idea that god like aliens long to be human, to have all the feelings and emotions we take for granted, is deeply inspiring.

I loved how the “temptation” of Thalassa was so Biblical, with the suave Henoch in the role of the serpent.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews


“Star Trek”: Season 2, Episode 17 (“A Piece of the Action”)

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The Enterprise visits a planet that had previously been visited by the U.S.S. Horizon 100 years earlier, before the issuance of the Prime Directive. The Enterprise received an old radio-style message before that starship was lost, which reported an intelligent, developing alien species prone to imitation. The Horizon left behind a book about gangs of 1920s Chicago which became the Iotians’ bible. They are divided into a series of criminal gangs, two of which are headed by Bela Oxmyx (Anthony Caruso) and Jojo Kracko (Vic Tayback). After beaming down, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy find themselves in the middle of a turf battle. Both sides take turns holding our heroes hostage and demanding “heaters” (guns) from the Federation in order to take control of the planet. Kirk must do his best to fix the wrongs of the Horizon w/o interfering too much with the development of the planet’s evolution.

This ep has one of several “parallel Earth” plots in TOS, contrived in part to save money, by avoiding “alien” sets, costumes, and makeup. Kirk and Spock get to wear flashy pin-stripe suits, hats, carry machine guns, and speak in gangster accents. Even the women wear guns on their garters (which you probably wouldn’t see in reality)! It’s esp. funny to see Spock try to fit the situation. Kirk makes up the rules of the card game “fizz bin” as he goes along. Shatner ad libbed the rules, so his pauses to think and the other actors’ confusion are genuine. The scene when Kirk puts his feet up on Krako’s table and declares that now the Federation is “taking over the whole ball of wax” is reminiscent of a scene in the gangster film Little Caesar (1931).

After filming wrapped, the studio received a letter from Caruso. “Oxmyx” thanked the crew of the Enterprise for creating the “syndicate” and noting that things were proceeding nicely on Sigma Iotia II. As he goes on in the letter, it is now the 1950s and he is sporting a crew-cut. He also mentioned wanting to visit Las Vegas which “seems like my kind of town.” LOL- what a creative guy!

[1] If you’re a fan of “The Godfather” and “Goodfellas,” then you’ll love this amusing episode… which plays like an eerily prescient parody of the original “Godfather.”

[2] There are great scenes as Kirk, and even more ridiculously, Spock try to mimic the dialect and nomenclature of the time. There is the priceless scene the two attempting to drive. Kirk jerks along, not quite getting the hang of the clutch, and Spock tells him he is a great captain, but a horrible, dangerous driver.

[3] I couldn’t stop laughing every time poor Scotty tries to decipher the gangster speak, with Kirk having to go from the mob language to Federation speech across the communicator to help him out.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews