Film Noir?

[Widebrim]

I like Victor Mature just fine, but for some reason we can't quite pin down, both my wife and I (but especially her) dislike Richard Conte. I do believe she'd divorce me rather than sit through THIEVES' HIGHWAY again.

Wow! For the sake of your marriage, ban that film from your house!

 

[Widebrim]

Just watched Fallen Angel, with Dana Andrews, Alice Faye, Linda Darnell, Charles Bickford, Bruce Cabot, with John Carradine in a small role, and produced/directed by Preminger. It's about a fast-working drifter (Andrews) who lands up in a small California town and gets involved with local "fun" girl, Darnell. The latter wants security before she'll marry anyone, so Andrews warms up to a local rich girl (Faye), hoping to get some of her dough.

This is a film which, I think, gets overlooked due to Preminger's/Andrews' success with Laura a year earlier. The plot isn't novel, but the film still held my interest, mainly due to the performances of the principals. The Preminger "mark," is not that evident as in Laura or his later films, but scenes and camera set-ups are well-composed; the lighting and use of actual locations and studio sets were also pretty well done. Andrews' character, to me, isn't always believeable, but he turned in good a performance. (Andrews had a certain way of furrowing his brow, and slightly squinting his eyes which were effective in conveying a change in thoughts--see Where the Sidewalk Ends.) Although Faye was cast against type (as was Andrews), I think that she was good in a role which mostly asks her to be passive and trusting of a guy she hardly knows. Linda Darnell was very good (and beautiful) as the waitress-floozy who keeps a stable of admirers, and it was hard to believe that this was the innocent girl from The Mark of Zorro. Cabot was kind of wasted in a secondary role which he sleep-walked through, Carradine was his usual theatrical self, and Bickford (in a role with a twist) was credible as a tough cop.

 

[Chasseur]

Widebrim and others thanks for the commentary and recommendations. Great thread!

 

[Widebrim]

Very true. Even Italian Neo-Realism contributed a bit.

I'm currently watching Cry of the City, with Victor Mature and Richard Conte. I don't think Mature was the poor actor many (including himself) claim that he was, that is, when given the right role (such as this one, and in Kiss of Death). Here he gets to be on the good side of the law for once, a detective. Conte is excellent, his character complex and close to amoral. The film has a real New York tenement feel to it, and the kids chosen to play Conte's siblings really look like they just got off the boat from Italy.

Well, I finished the above, and was Conte's character ever an opportunist! Even wanted his kid brother to steal the (dirty) money that Conte had sent to their parents. SPOILER ALERT: (And) The way Conte got gunned down by Mature at the end was just desserts...

A good line from the film appears after Mature tries to lecture Conte on his evil ways. Unimpressed, the latter simply mutters, "Give an Italian a badge, and he has to make a speech." Good stuff.

 

[Widebrim]

Finally saw Dick Powell in Cry Danger (RKO-Radio, 1951). I'm a Powell fan, and so liked this one quite a bit. A lot of it takes place in the daytime, but I'm not of the school of thought that a "Noir" has to be mostly shot in the dark. Even though he didn't play a detective, as in Murder, My Sweet, Powell still had to do a lot of detecting as a man trying to find out who framed him for a robbery. Lovely Rhonda Fleming played his duplicitous ex-flame, now-married to the other man sent up the river for the robbery, and William Conrad was the "60% legitimate," fat-man heavy who framed Powell. Richard Erdman was good as the one-legged, wise-cracking ex-marine who (falsely) provides a belated alibi to get Powell out of prison. As usual for his noir films, Powell was tight-lipped and blithly sarcastic. A large part of the film's appeal, at least for me, was its Los Angeles setting; you first see Powell getting off a train at Union Station, he then hangs around a trailer park in what was Bunker Hill, and for the rest of the film you see him mostly driving/walking quite a bit through downtown. (It's also rumored that Powell directed the film, but gave director credit to Robert Parish.) Look for Stymie Beard (Our Gang comedies) in a small role as a shoe-shine man.

 

[Blackthorn]

Interesting, Widebrim, thanks for the heads up. Is it on DVD?

 

[Widebrim]

Interesting, Widebrim, thanks for the heads up. Is it on DVD?

As far as I know (based on my searches) it is not, and VHS copies are not cheap. If you can find a copy in a thrift store, go for it. (Blackthorn, I like your signature line about Myrna Loy!)

 

[Papa Noir]

I work in the video industry, and I recently spoke to my rep about Cry Danger. Unfortunately, it is not available on DVD, and Widebrim is right, a VHS copy is very expensive. I do know that the Film Noir Foundation just restored Cry Danger, so there may be hope that it will become available at some point. Here's keeping my fingers crossed. It's a swell flick!

 

[skyvue]

I caught CRY DANGER at Film Forum recently -- very enjoyable indeed, with some great wise-cracky dialogue.

 

[Blackthorn]

As far as I know (based on my searches) it is not, and VHS copies are not cheap. If you can find a copy in a thrift store, go for it. (Blackthorn, I like your signature line about Myrna Loy!)

Thanks, Widebrim, I like yours a lot, too.

 

[Blackthorn]

I work in the video industry, and I recently spoke to my rep about Cry Danger. Unfortunately, it is not available on DVD, and Widebrim is right, a VHS copy is very expensive. I do know that the Film Noir Foundation just restored Cry Danger, so there may be hope that it will become available at some point. Here's keeping my fingers crossed. It's a swell flick!

Thanks for the info, Papa.

 

[Lincsong]

Wow! Someone doesn't like Rich Conte? WTF????????????

 

[Widebrim]

I caught CRY DANGER at Film Forum recently -- very enjoyable indeed, with some great wise-cracky dialogue.

Speaking of which (although in most of the film Powell wears a fedora):

 

[Papa Noir]

Thanks for the info, Papa.

My pleasure, Blackthorn! Love to talk about old flicks, especially noirs.

 

[Dapper Dave]

I'm use to seeing Dick Powell in the movie Hollywood Hotel as Ronnie Bowers. Its hard for me to imagine him in a film noir movie.

 

[skyvue]

I'm use to seeing Dick Powell in the movie Hollywood Hotel as Ronnie Bowers. Its hard for me to imagine him in a film noir movie.

He made several of them, actually, and acquitted himself very well. Start with MURDER MY SWEET, which is readily available on DVD (and is based on Raymond Chandler's FAREWELL MY LOVELY). That was his first noir role, and he's pretty darned good in it.

 

[Widebrim]

He made several of them, actually, and acquitted himself very well. Start with MURDER MY SWEET, which is readily available on DVD (and is based on Raymond Chandler's FAREWELL MY LOVELY). That was his first noir role, and he's pretty darned good in it.

Definitely agree. I think after that, his best was in Cry Murder, although he's also quite good in Pitfall. (Powell wanted the Walter Neff part in Double Indemnity, but eventually got the lead in Murder, My Sweet. I think that he would have acquitted himself well enough, but MacMurray brought a "sap/victim" mentality to the role that Powell may not have.) Has anybody here seen Johnny O'Clock? The plot sounds good, and I'm wondering how Powell handled his role.

 

[skyvue]

Has anybody here seen Johnny O'Clock? The plot sounds good, and I'm wondering how Powell handled his role.

I've seen it and I rated it highly at IMDB.com, so I must have enjoyed it, but I can't remember many specifics, I'm afraid (the downside of watching as many movies as I do).

Don't forget THE TALL TARGET, directed by Anthony Mann and available on DVD. It has a noir feel, even though it's a period movie (it's set in 1861). Powell plays a detective trying to prevent Abe Lincoln from being assassinated during a train journey to his inauguration.

 

[MissMittens]

Johnny O'Clock, great flick. It's a "must see" along with "The Thin Man"

 

[Dapper Dave]

Thin man series is really good. I watched it as a kid. William Powell makes a great 1930s detective. John Payne does a pretty good job in 99 River street.