Film-Noir Discussion/DVD Review Thread

[titoli]

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) This movie has two great scenes: that of Stanwick and Heflin on the hill and the final three-sided confrontation except...except that the way that one ends is all wrong: censorship-induced? I would have given it an 8\10 in spite of its taking a long time to get going: the Lizbeth Scott angle, though integrated in the script, it is secondary to the Douglas-Stanwick relationship which isn't well-developed and consequently makes the finale appear even more forced of what already is (or maybe I say this because I don't like Scott, who also seemed to me to be a poor man's Bacall, and I adore Stanwick, probably the best combination of looks and acting ability in Hollywood in the years before the emergence of Ava Gardner). And Douglas is absolutely miscast, though of course nobody when they hired him could predict the screen persona he would develop in the decades to be, as distant as could be from the character he plays (badly, of course) here. So it's 7\10. Anyway I would like somebody to explain the finale to me, eh CJ?

[dave jenkins]

Criss Cross (1949) Director: Robert Siodmak doomed Burt Lancaster is drawn into an armored car robbery by femme fatale ex wife Yvonne De Carlo,  with Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, Esy Morales, Tom Pedi, Percy Helton. Good film with Bunker Hill section of LA used in bg. 7/10

You disappoint me, Joe. One of the bleakest endings in noir-dom, and still the film manages only a "7"? Eddie Muller puts it #2 on his Top 25, right behind In A Lonely Place. And he offers this in justification: "De Carlo in the parking lot pleading straight to the camera might be noir's defining moment."

continued.... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144837#msg144837

[cigar joe]

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) This movie has two great scenes: that of Stanwick and Heflin on the hill and the final three-sided confrontation except...except that the way that one ends is all wrong: censorship-induced? I would have given it an 8\10 in spite of its taking a long time to get going: the Lizbeth Scott angle, though integrated in the script, it is secondary to the Douglas-Stanwick relationship which isn't well-developed and consequently makes the finale appear even more forced of what already is (or maybe I say this because I don't like Scott, who also seemed to me to be a poor man's Bacall, and I adore Stanwick, probably the best combination of looks and acting ability in Hollywood in the years before the emergence of Ava Gardner). And Douglas is absolutely miscast, though of course nobody when they hired him could predict the screen persona he would develop in the decades to be, as distant as could be from the character he plays (badly, of course) here. So it's 7\10. Anyway I would like somebody to explain the finale to me, eh CJ?

I'd have to watch it again

[cigar joe]

You disappoint me, Joe. One of the bleakest endings in noir-dom, and still the film manages only a "7"? Eddie Muller puts it #2 on his Top 25, right behind In A Lonely Place. And he offers this in justification: "De Carlo in the parking lot pleading straight to the camera might be noir's defining moment."

Well I may disappoint again, I don't care for "In A Lonely Place" all that much either, I don't get its high ranking,  it's not sleazy enough for my tastes concerning Noir, more melodrama than I need. For example I would have liked to see a whole film based on Gloria Graham's B girl character in "Crossfire" rather than "In A Lonely Place".

I was sleepy watching "Cris Cross" and it's still here at the house (I've been out working in outside temps in the single digits & teens and pretty played out after work) so I may have dosed off, don't remember that parking lot scene I'll give it another go.  

Continued....: http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg144837#msg144837

[dave jenkins]

Here is an amazing tribute to Dark Passage (thanks to The Blackboard for the tip):
http://www.noircon.info/2010/10/noircon-and-david-goodis-revisit-dark.html

[cigar joe]

OK DJ reboot  :

Criss Cross (1949) Director: Robert Siodmak doomed Burt Lancaster is drawn into an armored car robbery to cover for  femme fatale ex wife Yvonne De Carlo,  with Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally, Esy Morales, Tom Pedi, Percy Helton. Great film with Bunker Hill section of LA used in bg. Excellent performances all the way around must have been nodding out the first go round. Dan Duryea, who always seemed flaky to me in any Western I've ever seen him in is stellar in this, Yvonne also 10/10


Continued reviews here..... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145150#msg145150

[titoli]

The Great Flamarion (1945) If this is a noir, then The Blue Angel is too. It has a little story and a small budget but a great cast and a great director. Duryea, quite astonishingly, can't play convincingly an alcoholic. Stroheim imitates Astaire at one moment. 7\10

[dave jenkins]

OK DJ reboot  :
10/10

Wow, 10/10!  

I guess I can forgive you for not liking In A Lonely Place.

[cigar joe]

OK DJ reboot  :
10/10
[/quote
Wow, 10/10! 

I guess I can forgive you for not liking In A Lonely Place.

Ok,    so what is all the hype about IALP it seem a dreary melodrama with a lot of angst.

[dave jenkins]

Well, you're supposed to think that maybe Bogart is the murderer. But then, if he isn't the murderer, then he must be an OK guy. The standard Hollywood set-up. Finally Ray pulls the rug out from under everyone's expectations by supplying a third possibility: Bogart isn't the murderer, but he isn't an OK guy either (he has rage issues). A pretty innovative move for the time, and even now most first-time viewers don't see the end coming.

[Groggy]

Reign of Terror is awesome. Crossfire stinks.

[cigar joe]

The Big Clock (1948) Dir John Farrow, with Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Sullivan, George Macready, Rita Johnson, Harry Morgan, and Elsa Lanchester an unlikely cast for sure.  Great Noir and funny to boot. Looks like it was all shot in the studio not very many location shots 9/10.

[titoli]

On Dangerous Ground (1951) The first part is very good, with the night city dirty side depiction. The second part suffers from too much melodrama: I can't stand the Lupino charcter, it woud be good otherwise. The Hermann's score is on a level with Marnie's or Psycho's. 6\10


Continued here....... : http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1822.msg145559#msg145559

[dave jenkins]

On Dangerous Ground (1951) The first part is very good, with the night city dirty side depiction. The second part suffers from too much melodrama: I can't stand the Lupino charcter, it woud be good otherwise. The Hermann's score is on a level with Marnie's or Psycho's. 6\10

Yup.

[T.H.]

I couldn't disagree with you guys any more. The first 25 or so minutes feels like filler, while the actually movie takes place up state. The melodrama was great, so was Ryan. There were also some great standalone scenes like the car chase in the snow.



Pushover (1954) - I really enjoyed the snappy pace - it's basically a lesser combination of Double Indemnity and Rear Window. The leads were great. Very solid movie. Decent imagery. There are some logic problems though.