Tag: Film Noir

#Noirvember: “Crime Wave” (1953) starring Gene Wilson, Sterling Hayden, & Phyllis Kirk

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Before your shocked eyes- the city blasted SIN-SIDE OUT! -Tagline for the movie

Ellen Lacey: But you haven’t done anything! You’re innocent!

Steve Lacey: Once you do a stretch, you’re never clean again! You’re never free! They’ve always got a string on you, and they tug, tug, tug! Before you know it, you’re back again!

Three men: “Doc” Penny (Ted de Corsia), Ben Hastings (Charles Bronson- in his 1st credited role), and Gat Morgan (Nedrick Young) escape from San Quentin and kill a cop during a gas station robbery. Wounded by the cop’s bullet, Morgan runs through dark streets of L.A. until reaching the apt. of a former cellmate, Steve Lacey (Gene Nelson- known as a dancer in comedies), Steve is one parole for 2 yrs, works as an airplane repairman, and is supported by a loving wife, Ellen (Phyllis Kirk). He can’t afford to be found associating w/ criminals. However, a homicide detective, Lt. Sims (Sterling Hayden), wants to use Steve to catch Penny and Hastings.

Life is goddam black, and I photograph life. -Andre De Toth, director

Jack L. Warner wanted Humphrey Bogart and Ava Gardner to star, BUT director André De Toth (who was married to Veronica Lake from 1944-1952) strongly protested this. De Toth realized that w/ such famous stars, he’s lose control of the film. After a long argument, Warner decided that De Toth could make the movie any way he wanted, BUT it had to be done in 2 wks! De Toth finished under schedule (13 days) and under budget w/ his chosen lead- Hayden. Although he got a law degree from the Univ. of Budapest, De Toth decided to become an actor (against the wishes of his father); he spent several yrs. on the stage. He then entered the Hungarian film industry, working as writer, editor, 2nd unit director and actor before becoming a director. De Toth directed a few films just before WWII, then fled to England; Alexander Korda gave him a job. When he emigrated to the US in 1942, Korda got him a job as 2nd unit director on The Jungle Book. De Toth made his debut in America in 1944; he became known for hard-edged movies depicting violence in a realistic manner.

Lt. Sims: You know, it isn’t what a man wants to do, Lacey, but what he has to do. Now take me – I love to smoke cigarettes, but the doctors say I can’t have them. So what do I do? I chew toothpicks, tons of them.

Eddie Muller (TCM) explained that the sets were constructed on a small scale w/ low ceilings to make Hayden (6’5″) appear even larger/more imposing when next to other actors. Also, De Toth forbid Hayden from smoking during filming; that helped create the tense/angry attitude needed for Lt. Sims. James Ellroy names this as one of his fave films; he used Hayden’s performance as the model for Bud White in his novel L.A. Confidential. Bronson (then known by his real last name- Buchinsky) was an unknown; he’d go on to fame in the ’60s. Bronson grew up in a poor, Lithuanian immigrant family; after HS, he worked in the coal mines (like his father), then went into the Army. He has screen presence and makes a believable baddie here.

[1] “Crime Wave” is a very good example of a forgotten film noir picture that deserves to be seen. Its strengths are its directness–it is compactly told, brutally violent and lacking in the glamor and glitz you find in some of the “pretty” examples of noir.

[2] Aces all around. Too bad this crime drama came along in the twilight of B b&w because it’s in the best tradition—fast, tough, and unsentimental. Director De Toth is a perfect shaper with his cynical European style.

[3] There’s much more attention to character in the film’s 1 hr. 25 mins. running time than in many full-length features of the era; Jay Novello, as an alcoholic veterinarian who doubles as an underworld sawbones, is especially memorable.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Larceny” (1948) starring John Payne, Joan Caulfield, Dan Duryea, & Shelley Winters

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A con man sets out to swindle a widow out of the money she’s received to build a memorial to her war-hero husband, but winds up falling in love with her instead. -Synopsis

Rick Maxon (John Payne) works w/ a small group of con men, lead by run by Silky Randall (Dan Duryea- a character actor often in noir genre). Silky’s gf, Tory (Shelley Winters- in a early role), is high maintenance and (maybe) emotionally imbalanced. Silky suspects that Tory may prefer Rick to him; Rick denies that he’s interested. After pulling a $250,000 score in Miami, the gang’s next con involves a young/rich widow in SoCal, Deborah Owens Clark (Joan Caulfield). Rick pretends that he was close pals w/ Deborah’s hubby while he was in his last days of WWII. With his smooth-talking lies, he quickly charms her and the local community. The con is to sell Deborah on creating a memorial dedicated to her hubby, then pocketing the funds. However, as the days go by, Rick finds that he’s falling in love w/ her!

Tory [to Rick]: Stop twisting my arm! People will think we’re married!

Payne was one of the actors who transitioned from ’30s musicals (where he also sang/danced) to the gritty world of crime pictures in the late ’40s. As he was tall (6’2″), dark-haired, and rugged, the noir genre suited him. In his noirs, Payne was able to straddle both sides of the law; I recommend that you check out Kansas City Confidential (1952). The directing and editing are all over the place, BUT this could appeal to those of who like to dive deep into B-movies; it is free on YouTube. There are (timeless) Qs which come to mind. Is there “honor among thieves” (or con men- in this case)? Can a “bad man” (criminal) be “redeemed” by the love of a “good woman?” What I found interesting was the dynamic btwn Rick and Tory; they’re NOT hesitant to get nasty (incl. physically violent) w/ each other. IF any young’uns happen to watch this movie, this is how NOT to behave in a romantic relationship! I think Nobody Lives Forever (1946) dealt better w/ the themes found here; I recommend that movie to noir-istas.

Two Movies from Noir City DC (OCT 13th-26th, 2023)

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Introduction

Hey y’all, how is your Fall season going? Thanks for reading! As local noir-istas may know, Noir City DC film fest is going on (OCT 13th–26th) at AFI Theatre here in my area (downtown Silver Spring, MD). Eddie Muller (TCM host; founder of the Film Noir Foundation) helped to curate the movies for this event. Muller introduced screenings on the opening weekend (OCT 13th–15th); I saw 2 movies (for the 1st time).

The Big Clock (1948) starring Ray Milland, Maureen O’Sullivan, Charles Laughton, George Macready, Pauline York, & Elsa Lanchester

The Strangest and most Savage Manhunt in History! -A tagline for the film

When a publishing tycoon, Earl Janoth (Charles Laughton), commits murder in a heat of passion, he begins to cover his tracks. Janoth frames an innocent man he doesn’t know, BUT who knew the victim, Rita Johnson (Pauline York). That man, George Stroud (Ray Milland), works for one of Janoth’s magazines and is enlisted to trap the “killer.” George must “help” his boss, elude the police, and find proof of his innocence and Janoth’s guilt!

Rita Johnson: You know, Earl has a passion for obscurity. He won’t even have his biography in ‘Who’s Who.”
George Stroud: Sure. He doesn’t want to let his left hand know whose pocket the right one is picking.

Kenneth Fearing’s 1946 novel and this film adaptation bear many similarities to Samuel Fuller’s novel Dark Page (1944) and its screen adaptation Scandal Sheet (1952). Janoth’s right-hand man/lawyer, Steve Hagen (George MacCready), does his dirty work; they’re close (though- b/c of censorship- we don’t see how much). Neo-noir fans will find similarities btwn this movie and (the 2nd adaptation of The Big Clock) No Way Out (1987) dir. by Roger Donaldson. In that movie, Sen. Brice (Hackman) has a V clever/loyal aide, Scott (Will Patton), who cleans up his messes (and is obviously in love w/ the politician).

Don Klausmeyer: Our organization, the Janoth Publications, is trying to find someone, possibly a collector of your pictures.
Louise Patterson: So have I- for fifteen years.

Milland got the roles that Cary Grant turned down, Muller noted; he’s best known for The Lost Weekend (1945) and Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder (1954). Like Michael Douglas, he has the air of a man who could be a “regular” guy, yet w/ a “shady” side. According to Muller, Louise Patterson (Elsa Lanchester) is based on (IRL American artist) Alice Neel. Laughton and Lanchester were married at this time, though we later learned that he was gay. Director John Farrow and Maureen O’Sullivan (who plays Georgette Stroud) were also married. Unlike what you’d expect from a “typical” noir, there are some of funny moments; Lanchester made my audience LOL during a few scenes.

Act of Violence (1948) starring Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh, Mary Astor, & Phyllis Thaxter

The Manhunt No Woman Could Stop! -A tagline for the film

Robert Ryan is like one of my top 2 or 3 actors in noir. -Eddie Muller, in intro to the film

WWII veteran Frank Enley (Van Heflin- age 40) is a family man/builder in SoCal. He has a modest house, a beautiful/young wife, Edith (Janet Leigh- just 21 y.o.) and toddler son; he’s respected as a “war hero” in his small town community. One day, he learns that Joe Parkson (Robert Ryan- age 39) is searching for him; he is out for revenge, b/c of something which occurred while they were POWs. Joe drags his right leg as he walks; he carries a handgun. Ann (Phyllis Thaxter- age 29) is the woman following Joe, in the hopes of stopping him from doing something drastic. When Frank has to leave for a builders convention in LA, Joe is close behind! When Frank happens upon a bar, he meets Pat (Mary Astor- in a daring/unglamorous role at age 40).

Joe [to Edith]: Sure, I was in the hospital, but I didn’t go crazy. I kept myself sane. You know how? I kept saying to myself: Joe, you’re the only one alive that knows what he did. You’re the one that’s got to find him, Joe. I kept remembering. I kept thinking back to that prison camp. One of them lasted to the morning. By then, you couldn’t tell his voice belonged to a man. He sounded like a dog that got hit by a truck and left in the street.

No one wore makeup on this movie. Zinnemann wanted somewhat of a documentary look. -Cheyney Ryan (son of Robert Ryan) on the podcast Robert Bellissimo At The Movies (10/12/22)

Some viewers were surprised to see issues tackled so soon after the end of WWII. At the forefront is the question: How does an individual adjust to “normal” life after surviving war? I was excited to watch this movie; it’s currently NOT on any streaming platform. This is a tense noir that’s unpredictable both in its character development and plotting. It’s V well-paced (at only 82 mins), has great dialogue, and important themes. Director Fred Zinnemann (an Austrian Jew who fled Europe before WWII) went on to work on some big movies: High Noon (1952) and From Here to Eternity (1953). As Muller said, Zinnemann learned that both parents were killed in a Nazi concentration camp. The writers of the screenplay are Robert L. Richards and Collier Young (husband of actress/director Ida Lupino).

Edith: Suppose there is a grain of truth to it. Suppose you did have some kind of trouble with him. I can understand how something like that could happen in a prison camp.
Frank: No. You don’t know what happened.
Edith: What was it Frank? Whatever you did you must have had reasons.
Frank: You can always find reasons. Even the Nazis had reasons.

Ryan (who Scorsese called “one of the greatest actors in American film”) and Lupino later starred together in 2 unique noirs- On Dangerous Ground (1951) and Beware, My Lovely (1952). Ryan and Leigh were co-stars in the Western The Naked Spur (1953). Ryan (nearly 6’4″) towers over almost all the others; his simmering rage adds to the intimidating effect. When he talks w/ Edith, his voice is NOT loud/frightening, BUT holds pain/regret. I wanted to see more of Joe’s relationship w/ Ann; they discussed re: what happened in wartime (unlike Frank and Edith). The two leads are opposites in looks: Ryan is brown-haired w/ small/dark eyes, while Heflin is blonde/wide-eyed. Heflin (almost 6″ tall) gets to stretch himself, showing more depth (and emotion) than is usually required of his “Everyman” roles. Leigh does a fine job w/ her role (opposite these experienced men) at such a young age (early in her career). I really liked the cinematography; light, dark, and shadow are used quite effectively.

[1] One of the most daring elements of the film is its suggestion that Heflin is deserving of forgiveness, because the codes of conduct that govern men in the theater of war are different from those that govern us in our day-to-day lives. That maybe doesn’t seem like a daring thing to say now, but at the time it would have been.

Heflin and Ryan are both terrific; Ryan is one of my favorite film noir actors. But the women in the film make quite an impression… If the mens’ world- both at war and at home- is one of violence and revenge, it’s the women who act as the voice of reason and sanity, trying to impose a sense of stability amid the chaos.

[2] This grim look at a couple of de-mobbed soldiers continuing their private war at home rarely get mentioned in lists of essential noirs; maybe, upon release in 1949, it was just a little too close for comfort- hinting a truths the victorious American public were unwilling to acknowledge. If so, the film has yet to be rediscovered- or reappraised. […]

Though the script opts for a strange and bitter “redemptive” ending, the acrid taste of Act of Violence lingers long.

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“His Kind of Woman” (1951) starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Vincent Price, & Raymond Burr

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The hottest combination that ever hit the screen! -Louella D. Parsons

Nick Ferraro (Raymond Burr), a crime boss deported to Italy, needs to re-enter the US. His plan involves “honest” gambler, Dan Milner (Robert Mitchum), who’s subjected to a series of “misfortunes,” then bribed to take a trip to Mexico. On the way, Dan meets a lounge singer, Lenore Brent (Jane Russell), who calls herself one of the “idle rich.” Upon arrival at the resort (Morros Lodge) in Baja, Dan finds the guests all playing roles, except- maybe- actor Mark Cardigan (Vincent Price). What does Ferraro want w/ him? Can he trust anyone?

Myron Winton, an American banker: [after he & other guests have viewed Mark’s latest films] Yes sir, I agree with those folks: that was one of the finest movies I’ve ever seen. They oughta’ make ’em ALL like that. None of this nonsense about social matters. People don’t go to the movies to see how miserable the world is – they go there to eat popcorn and be happy!

Mark: [Addressing Mr. Krafft] What did you think of it?

Mr. Krafft, an European writer: [Dourly] It had a message no pigeon would carry.

Mark: [Slightly amused, turning to Myron] At my studios, all messages are handled by Western Union.

Myron: You know, you can’t take his opinion on anything: he’s an intellectual.

[Mark responds with a look of mild alarm.]

There is much drama BTS of this film noir, which pokes fun at the genre. John Farrow finished the film, BUT Howard Hughes (a well-known control freak) brought in Richard Fleischer to add a few shots. Hughes co-wrote the ending w/ Fleischer, who ended up reshooting the entire movie. Lee Van Cleef was cast as the crime kingpin before Hughes suddenly decided he wanted Burr instead. All of Ferraro’s scenes had to be reshot w/ Burr. During his RKO days, Mitchum referred to himself as “a tall dog on a short leash.” In his memoirs, Fleischer wrote that the actor’s alcoholism caused a LOT of problems for the production. One day, Fleischer told the actor that he “was making a fool of himself.” Mitchum then pushed the stuntmen off and destroyed the set! The next morning, a sober Mitchum was V remorseful and apologized to the director for his behavior.

Mark: [Preparing to go out and rescue Dan] Now might I drink hot blood and do such bitter business the earth would quake to look upon.

Helen, his estranged wife: [Rolling eyes] Hamlet again…

Gerald, his manager: Mark, this is no time for histrionics.

Mark: [Scoffing] What fools ye mortals be.

This movie is rather long for its day; the running time is 2 hrs. There are scenes which could’ve been edited better. Mitchum and Russell do look hot together (as the ads claimed); they’re both tall, laconic, and project ease/confidence. They went on to become V good friends IRL. Russell was “discovered” by Hughes. I’d read (on a film noir Facebook group) comments re: how funny Price was here. There are several LOL moments, which is NOT common for noirs! Some careful viewers noticed that Price is often slumping, wearing oversized costumes, and has makeup (which makes his face look rounder). This was (obviously) done to make him appear less imposing/attractive than Mitchum (the hero).

[1] Price quotes Shakespeare, critiques his performance, and is amazed by his own heroics, and he has never been funnier, onscreen.

[2] In a way, the film can be seen as three films in one. The opening scenes are shot in the dark, menacing film noir style. […] When Milner arrives in the resort the mood becomes lighter, and the film resembles more one of those “sophisticated” comedies about divorce and adultery… When the villains arrive and the nature of their plans becomes clear, the mood of the film changes again.

[3] …a great example of a film where the dialog is so snappy that the plot itself is secondary. Now this does NOT mean the plot is bad- the film is very well-written, as the WHAT and WHY turn out to be pretty interesting. But when Mitchum talks, he is the ultimate in ’50s cool- with a wonderful world-weary style and sarcasm... In addition, his scenes with Russell are great- with a nice mixture of romance, sarcasm and heat!

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews

“Raw Deal” (1948) starring Dennis O’Keefe, Claire Trevor, & Marsha Hunt

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Bullets! Women! –Can’t Hold a Man like This! -Tagline

This is one of only a few noir films narrated by a woman – Claire Trevor (the “Grand Dame” of film noir). -Eddie Muller (TCM) in intro to movie

After a year behind bars, Joe Sullivan (Dennis O’Keefe), is anxious to get out and “breathe” again. He took the rap for a San Fran gangster, Rick Coyle (Raymond Burr), who owes him $50,000 (which would equal about $615,000 today). Rick sets up a jail break for Joe, thinking he’ll be caught escaping, locked away for many yrs, or killed. However, w/ the help of his street-wise/loyal gf, Pat (Claire Trevor), and a young/ idealistic social worker, Ann (Marsha Hunt), Joe gets a LOT further than he was supposed to. Is Joe a cold-hearted criminal, or is there still goodness under that tough exterior? Will Joe stay w/ Pat or fall for Ann?

Joe: [being visited in prison by Ann] Next time you come up, don’t wear that perfume.

Ann: Why not?

Joe: It doesn’t help a guy’s good behavior.

This (cult classic) film noir was directed by (NOT yet famous) Anthony Mann; he is more known for Westerns. The screenplay was written by John C. Higgins; there is memorable dialogue packed into 80 mins. The cinematographer is John Alton (one of the best); he can do a LOT w/ a little (low budget). O’Keefe (a leading man in B-movies) does a good job; he’s tall, traditionally masculine in looks, yet the acting is subtle. We sense that there are strong emotions coiled inside Joe. Rick (a V nasty villain) throws a tureen on fire at a woman- yikes! Burr is shot from the waist up, so he looks like a menacing “heavy.” Rick’s dressing gown is a silk and he smokes w/ a solid gold Cartier cigarette holder. It is the two women who shine in this film; they’re more complicated than we expect! Trevor (who usually had many glam outfits) mostly wears one suit and hat here. Trevor and Hunt play off each other V well. As one thoughtful viewer said: “They act like a devil and an angel on Joe’s shoulders.”

Joe: You’re wonderful, baby. I don’t know what I’d do without you.

Pat: Remember to tell me later, with gestures.

Some viewers commented on the “dream-like” tone; others were reminded of tropes common in “fairytales.” Pat has a sorrowful tone to her narration; underneath, a theremin plays (which has an unusual sound). Alton makes it look like “stars” are shining in her eyes when Pat visits Joe; she’s in love and goes along w/ his plans. Looking for another ally, Joe sneaks into Ann’s apt through her bedroom window. We know he is (potentially) dangerous, though he awakens her w/ a gentle kiss (as we’d expect from a fairytale prince). Joe and Ann share a pivotal/romantic scene in the woods (which could symbolize a place of knowledge and fear). This is a must-see for noir-istas; you can rent it on Amazon.

[1] Some of the characters may be losers but the movie is a true winner.

[2] …manages to seem authentic all the way through because it doesn’t hold back on the violence or the threat of violence.

[3] Mann & Alton move the tight screenplay thru a shadowy world of half-lit images and high contrast brutality. Jittery cameras are supplemented by unbalanced angles…

-Excerpts from IMDb reviews