Take this Film Noir Quiz! Average Trivia | Movie Mixture

Answer: Moonrise

Eddie Muller said, "Relentlessly romantic optimistic (director) Frank Borzage is the last guy you'd expect to turn out an effective film noir, but this was his sound era masterpiece, redemptive ending and all."

Borzage is more known for his 'feel good' movies such as "Man's Castle" (1933) and "The Mortal Storm" (1940). This is one of the few films awarded 100% freshness by Rotten Tomatoes based on eight reviews.

Answer: Robert Mitchum

As the title implies, Mitchum can not escape his past. His one-time employer (gangster Kirk Douglas) and lover (Jane Greer) entangle him again in their web.

Muller said this: "Face it, the meandering script is saved by Frank Fenton's dialogue. But this is how we want noir to look and sound, so it gets cut lots of slack. Mitchum is great, Douglas never better, and Jane Greer is 22 years old."

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 97%.

Answer: Professional wrestling

The underworld of professional wrestling is the basis for this film as we see a traditional wrestler (Stanislaus Zbyszko) against a crop of entertainment wrestlers represented by Mike Mazurki, both professional wrestlers in real life. Widmark is a con man who sees money can be made by controlling outcomes.

Critics at the time were mixed but noted its lack of sympathetic characters. The film was released with two endings. The American version is more downbeat than the British.

Muller had this to say: "Even more baroque than 'Touch of Evil', the greatness of this film is its stubborn refusal to allow the tiniest ray of light into Harry Fabian's headlong descent in hell. Is this the ultimate noir ending?"

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 79%.

Answer: Tyrone Power

Although many found the film distasteful, it has risen to acclaim as a classic film noir. Power dominates the film that he bought the rights to and cast himself in the lead role. He goes through stages from carnival barker, to a mind-reading act, to a high priced prophet. Drink, women, and being conned himself lead to his downfall.

On this selection Muller said: "Little by little, as this film resurfaces in the mainstream, it will come to be seen as Tyrone Power's greatest contribution to the movies. Pffft-Every boy had a dog!"

Again, Rotten Tomatoes found a 100% freshness.

Old Joke: A mother finds her son working as a geek eating live chickens. She says "Son, come home." Her son replies, "What? And give up show business?"

Answer: Mary Astor

Spade must reluctantly turn Ruth Wonderly/Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Mary Astor) for murder of his partner even trough he loves her. The bejeweled falcon is a fake. This film is regarded as the earliest film noir.

Of this selection Muller states: "Okay, it's talky, set-bound and not all that exceptional to look at. But it's the most brilliantly self-contained detective story ever written, perfectly cast. It never gets stale."

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 100% among critics and a showcase for Humphrey Bogart at his finest.

Answer: Edward G. Robinson

"Double Indemnity" (1944) was nominated for seven Academy Awards but did not win any but created a template for subsequent film noir efforts. It lost to "Going My Way" a sentimental studio backed effort, particularly for Best Picture, Best Director (Billy Wilder), and Best Screenplay by Wilder and Raymond Chandler.

Muller praises James M. Cain's "Sunset Boulevard" for his source material. "Cain's basic blueprint has served as foundation for most of the unhappy homes in Dark City; but for that sloppy subplot with Nino Sachetti this would be #1. Too bad Wilder didn't make 'Postman', too."

The film scored 97% on the Tomatometer.

Answer: Marilyn Monroe

Actually it was her sixth film appearance but this one brought her to the fore. Her next film was "All About Eve" (1950). There is strong work for John Huston as director and Sam Jaffe for his supporting role.

Of this number four film Muller commented: "'I wouldn't cross the street to see garbage like that,' said the head of the studio that made this, the granddaddy of all caper films. A pure 'crime' film, with every character indelible."

The Tomatometer registered 97%.

Answer: Sunset Boulevard

William Holden falls into the dimensional world of Norma Desmond, a faded movie star, and finds himself dead in her swimming pool. Holden acts as narrator of his fate. The film found support as it was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. Four actors were nominated: William Holden and Gloria Swanson, and Erich von Stroheim and Nancy Olson for supporting roles. Again Billy Wilder makes this list.

Eddie Muller makes his case: "To those who think this isn't noir: Man uses woman. Woman uses man. Queasy sex. Betrayal. Madness. Gunshots. He's face down in the pool he always wanted. Case closed."

Rotten Tomatoes viewed it as fresh 98%.

Answer: Yvonne De Carlo

Burt Lancaster plays Steve Thompson, a man who returns to Los Angeles to find his ex-wife Anna Dundee (Yvonne DeCarlo) eager to rekindle their love. In a change of heart, she marries gangster Slim Dundee (Dan Duryea). Thompson leads Dundee into a daylight armored-truck robbery but pulls a "criss cross" on him.

Muller had a change of heart also on this film. "Stupidly, I used to think there was something missing at the core. But it keeps getting better every time I see it. De Carlo in the parking lot pleading straight to the camera might be noir's defining moment."

"Criss Cross" got a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on eight reviews.

Answer: In a Lonely Place

Bogart plays "Dix" Steele a writer without recent success known for his drinking and violent outbursts. When a hat check girl is murdered, Steele is suspected. However, Laurel Gray (Gloria Graham) enters his life and he modifies his ways and returns to his writing but the romance is doomed.

People who knew Bogart say that he was subject to sometime violent outbursts. Lauren Bacall confirmed this. Director Nicholas Ray's film is his existentialist masterpiece.

And a final quote from Eddie Muller: "This incredible rethinking of Dorothy B. Hughes' disturbing serial killer novel is as close as a studio film ever got to 'personal filmmaking'. No noir iconography, just a profound darkness of the soul."

The film's most touching line was almost cut. "I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me."

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a solid 97%.