Subject: Film Noir
Posted by: mpkitty
Date: Aug 08 15
One of my favorite genres - "dark movies", mostly from the 1940s and '50s.
One of the best is "D.O.A", (1950) starring Edmund O'Brien
Anyone else have one?
Posted by: mpkitty
Date: Aug 08 15
One of my favorite genres - "dark movies", mostly from the 1940s and '50s.
One of the best is "D.O.A", (1950) starring Edmund O'Brien
Anyone else have one?
181 replies. On page 3 of 10 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
terraorca 
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Watched "Dark Passage" last night. 1947 Starring: Humphrey Bogart Lauren Bacall Bruce Bennett Agnes Moorehead w/ commentary by Eddie Muller, who is just priceless with his extra information. Bacall, with her understated beauty balanced against Agnes Moorehead and her exotic mature good looks. Bennett, playing his not really so bad, bad guy. Bogart in an underrated performance in an underrated film. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, first time viewing. Reply #41. Jul 22 18, 9:56 AM |
Memorycat65
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Hey Guys - Sorry to have been gone so long, but have had some unplanned and unpleasant surgery with a few complications. I've been pretty wiped out. Anyway, I 've seen "Dark Passage" several times, and it's one of my favorite flicks. I loved the 1947 look at San Francisco, as well as the performances of the three main stars. The point of view was interesting (we don't really "see" Bogey's "new" identity until after the plastic surgery. And, weren't the performances of the seedy, not to mention creepy plastic surgeon, the cab driver (Tom D'Andrea?), and the trumpet player friend of Bogey's excellent? I think the story was by a noir author, Dave Goodis, and if I'm not mistaken, the director was Delmer Daves - I know I've seen this guy's name before in regard to noir film, but am darned if I can remember where. Now it will nag at me until I look it up. Mark, I wish you well on your fall semester and your poetry class. I've always loved poetry, but as far as writing it is concerned.....well, I just don't have that kind of brain. It's sort of like admiring someone who paints or sings, and knowing that it's not in the cards for you. Or. maybe parts of this craft can be learned, who knows? Just wanted you to know how much I have enjoyed this film over the years. Anne Reply #42. Jul 23 18, 6:25 AM |
| terraorca
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Anne, The Poetry textbook that we will be using is called, "The Practice of Poetry." I have already purchased it, and started reading. I'm hoping you recover to be in perfect health. Reply #43. Jul 23 18, 9:57 AM |
| terraorca
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Just watched "Bad Day at Black Rock" again, wow, what a great movie. Black and white 1955 Spencer Tracy Robert Ryan Anne Francis Lee Marvin Ernest Borgnine Dean Jagger Walter Brennan Reply #44. Oct 14 18, 6:11 PM |
| Memorycat65
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Mark, I agree, BDABR is super! Besides the outstanding cast, the over-arching theme of prejudice is neatly woven in. I recently rewatched "Nightmare Alley" (1947) with the impossibly handsome Tyrone Power, Joan Blondell, Colleen Gray, Helen Walker, and Mike Mazurki. Has anyone out there seen this flick? Wow! The carnival setting is creepy, and the mind-reading con game lets us know that Tyrone is in for a big, bad fall -- and what a fall it is! Mike Mazurki simply oozes menace, and Colleen Gray plays a sweet innocent who gets sucked into Power's greedy schemes for quick money. All in all, a really fine film. Anne Reply #45. Oct 20 18, 3:19 PM |
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You mean Tyrone Power from my hometown, that Tyrone Power? Reply #46. Oct 23 18, 8:47 PM |
| terraorca
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I have not seen "Nightmare Alley," but I just looked it up on IMDB, and it looks like a must watch. Thanks. By the way, I've been writing poems, more than a few. I enjoy it. Reply #47. Oct 23 18, 8:52 PM |
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Anne, Speaking of the prejudice in "Bad Day at Black Rock," my High School swimming coach was taken to an Internment Camp as a Japanese-American youth living in Hawaii. He won Olympic Gold medals as a student at Ohio State. He told us stories of those times, that we could learn what prejudice was. If anyone is interested in further details, I will be glad to provide them. Mark Reply #48. Oct 23 18, 10:53 PM |
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Anne, Are you still there? Reply #49. Oct 24 18, 9:53 PM |
| Memorycat65
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Hi Mark - thanks so much for your kind note. The last three days have been hectic and by last night (Friday), I had hit my "energy wall." Sleep or FT? Sleep or FT? Sleep won out. In answer to your question "That Tyrone Power?" In a word, "Yes!" By the way, what IS your hometown? Thursday was my birthday (which I share with "Rear Window" star, Grace Kelly) I spent my "big day" by going to the dentist and spending three hours having my driver's license renewed. By the time I arrived home, my resistance was weak, so I gave in to temptation and ordered myself two birthday books that I have long lusted after (both by none other than Eddie Muller): "Dark City Dames: the Wicked Women of Film Noir," and "Dark City: the Lost World of Film Noir." I can hardly wait for Mr. Amazon Man to come tapping on my door! Will let you know my opinion after giving them a spin. Speaking of "Rear Window," it's tops on my list of Hitchcock films. I especially liked Thelma Ritter as the wise-cracking public health nurse who cares for Jimmy Stewart's character. I've always remembered Grace Kelly's line "I'm not much of one for "rear window ethics." That line covers a lot of ground, doesn't it? Have you heard anything from Stephanie? I'm really concerned about her. If you have, please let me know. I don't need details if you don't feel free to give them, but that she's okay. She always has so much to add to the conversation (especially on this chat.) Be on the lookout for a note in your mailbox. I have to go and get groceries and hit the pharmacy, so I probably won't be back at the computer until tonight. Have a good Saturday, and take a few hours to enjoy a good film noir flick! Anne Reply #50. Oct 27 18, 12:06 PM |
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I'm excited! Just got one of my Eddie Muller books, "Dark City Dames: the Wicked Women of Film Noir," and can't wait to dig in! I'll give you a report when I finish it! Have any of you seen "The Red House"? (Edward G. Robinson, Edith Evans, and a VERY young Julie London) It would qualify as a rural mystery/film noir. I know - noir is usually associated with cities, but not always. The camera work is very atmospheric, and the play of light and shadow is superb. Anyway, this 40s film was really good, and shows (at least for Edward G.), that the price of guilt can be really high. Mark, caught any good film noir lately? I know that school keeps you busy. Stephanie, I was so glad to see your post the other day. I hope you are feeling better and my thoughts are with you! Anne Reply #51. Nov 03 18, 8:58 PM |
| terraorca
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Just finished watching "The Sniper," with Eddie Muller on TCM. Reply #52. Nov 04 18, 12:10 AM |
| terraorca
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Tyrone Power born May 5th 1914, in Cincinnati Ohio, my hometown. Reply #53. Nov 04 18, 12:14 AM |
| Memorycat65
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Mark, What was your take on "The Sniper"? I saw it a couple of years ago right around the same time I viewed "He Walked By Night", (Jack Webb's inspiration for the radio show "Dragnet"), and the film "The Naked City," that later spawned the TV show of the same name. They all had a gritty, "you were there" feel, almost documentary in nature. I liked all three, although of the three, only "The Sniper" had any big-name stars, albeit mostly "B" ones: Adolphe Menjou, Richard Kiley, Gerald Mohr, Frank Faylen, Wally Cox (weird, huh?) and one of my faves, the beautiful Marie Windsor. I guess that many of the noir stars got their starts in radio, and several of the ones I named (Mohr, Faylen, and Cox went on to star on TV. Boy, the people who directed and produced films like "The Sniper" sure did have to work with a lot of constraints - I got it that the Arthur Franz character didn't like women because he was insecure around them, but he was labeled a "sex deviant." Didn't see much of that except innuendo, but I suppose that they had to work with what they were allowed to, and the people in the Hayes Office were sticklers for offending young eyes (they're all probably spinning in their graves now). To our modern eyes that aren't used to "reading between the lines," it can be irritating, funny, and a look back at another time. To folks who saw this film at the time (early 1950s?) it probably seemed pretty blatant and scary. Anne Reply #54. Nov 04 18, 5:20 PM |
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Watched "A Streetcar Named Desire" last night. Still powerful after all these years. 1951 Vivien Leigh Marlon Brando Kim Hunter Karl Malden Reply #55. Nov 14 18, 5:43 PM |
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Anne, Sorry, I hadn't responded sooner. I enjoyed "The Sniper," but in a dark, let's watch this behind closed doors, kind of dark. The police work was laughable, I'm surprised that they ended up listening to the psychologist. The locations were awesome, I don't have the San Francisco knowledge that you do, but I still enjoyed the local color. The movie was made the same year I was born, only I've aged. Reply #56. Nov 14 18, 5:52 PM |
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Our friend and movie thread contributor mpkitty is being reported as having passed away. My condolences to her family and friends. Reply #57. Nov 18 18, 12:39 PM |
| terraorca
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I watched "The Killing" last night on TCM. It was one of the first movies that Stanley Kubrick directed. He chose an all star Noir cast according to Eddie Muller. Reply #58. Nov 25 18, 2:26 PM |
| Memorycat65
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Mark, Funny that you should mention watching "The Killing." I recognized the title - saw it some 30 years ago, so the details are kind of hazy. The main thing I do remember is part of the cast (Elisha Cook, Jr., Marie Windsor, Sterling Hayden, and Jay Flippen), and the intriguing 'different points of view" the film presented. Until you mentioned it, I did not connect Stanley Kubrick with the film at all. That's kind of a mind blower! I've definitely put this flick on my list of "must-sees." The other reason you watching this particular film struck me is that I've been deep into Eddie Muller's "Dark City Dames: the Wicked Women of Film Noir." I've not quite finished it yet; in some ways it's been a wee bit of a disappointment, but in other ways, hugely satisfying. Muller only covers six "wicked women: Jane Greer ("Out of the Past"), Audrey Totter ("Tension" with Richard Basehart), Evelyn Keyes (One of my faves "The Prowler"), Coleen Gray ("Nightmare Alley," and another favorite, "Kiss of Death"), Ann Savage ("Detour" and "Midnight Manhunt"), and finally the lovely and versatile Marie Windsor ("The Sniper," "The City That Never Sleeps," and "The Killing," and "A Narrow Margin"). Muller's "hook" and purpose in this book is to deal in-depth with six living film noir sirens. Fortunately for me (with the exception of Ann Savage) they were all actresses that I knew a little about. The book is divided into two sections: part I takes each actress and discuses her rise in noir film and her films. Part II discusses where each actress is today and what happened to them once their film careers ended. I had hoped for a few more ladies' noir, such as Gloria Grahame (The Big Heat," "In a Lonely Place," and "Human Desire") Lizbeth Scott (" Dead Reckoning" with Bogie) and finally Beverly Michaels. Reading about Michaels would have been fun. She only made about 10-12 films, and I wish she had made more. Michaels was nearly six feet tall (which probably made her hard to cast), she was the epitome of "sultry." The movie that I remember her for was "Wicked Woman." She's the only actress I've ever seen that could glide and slump her way across a room and manage to look glamorous, tired, and "hot to trot" all at the same time. Of course, the other sirens I've mentioned have all since passed away and weren't included. t've saved the Marie Windsor chapters for last and if you're interested, I'll fill you in at a later time. Hope your Thanksgiving break was a good one - mine sure was, but it's back to the grindstone tomorrow. Only 3 more weeks for Christmas break. I've thought so much about Stephanie since I got your message on this chat line about her passing. We're sure going to miss her, that's for sure! What a smart, and funny lady she was! How has your semester gone, and what are you going to tackle next semester? I'm so glad you've enjoyed your poetry class (I really was impressed with your haiku), and hope all is well with you and your family. My hand is a wee bit better, but I've been pretty selective about posting because it hurts, and is too time-consuming to post everywhere all the time. This chat board is dear to my heart, and would love to see some other people and fans of Noir contribute! Anne Reply #59. Nov 25 18, 6:39 PM |
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Thanks, I really enjoy your posts. Thanksgiving break was good, be glad to get back to it(the books), too much good food. Class has been great, poetry has been a challenge, only a high B so far. A committee has chosen one of my poems for publication in the school's semi-annual creative writing magazine. Next semester, I will tackle my required Math class that I need for graduation. I will also take Political Philosophy, that one should be a kick. Till next time. Mark Reply #60. Nov 25 18, 9:28 PM |
181 replies. On page 3 of 10 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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