Down These Mean Streets A Man Must Go - The Film Noir Thread

[Handyman Joe]

Human Desire (1954) - I've seen so many B movies lately (and no harm in that!) I'd forgotten what the work of a true genius can look like. 5 minutes into this movie I was reminded. On the face of it geometric shots of trains, bisecting tunnels, cleaving past each other, two grinning joes operating them and yet, a sense of real foreboding, of impending doom - only a great director can do this. Sure enough Gloria Grahame (the greatest floozy cum victim in movie history, I will brook no arguments) arrives on the scene and all of a sudden we're in the belly of the beast. She's got a psychotic hubbie but can't suppress that ingrained flirt, the titter and coquettish glance, sure enough Glenn Ford gets smitten..........What can I say, this is a seriously underrated noir and should be high on your must see list.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Forthcoming Brit noir from Network.

[Inspector Abberline]

out of the past 1947

I have one major criticism of this film,Ive always preferred its other title Build My Gallows High,title doesn't mean much but hey its sure is a catchy title.Im convinced I saw it at a Arts cinema showing under this title (I maybe deluded but hey its my memories). Robert Mitchum looking like a young fresh faced lean whippet ,oozes that dangerous cool image that so many actors aspire too but only a handful can actual pull off.Saying that for a large part of the film he actual carries the film as romantic lead,wooing the ladies left right and centre,unlike say Cagney he doesn't launch halve grapefruit in there face,he's actual a real charmer in this film and also displays quite a sensitive side,as we hear his thoughts when he thinks he's been stood up.Apart from a career defining role for Mr Mitchum the film has a great story,one which I won't divulge as its good to sometimes go to a film cold if you haven't seen it before,although I imagine you probably have.Kirk Douglas is the other major lead character Whit Sterling,Ive never been a great Douglas fan he does seem to have one sort of acting style,usually through gritted teeth,and does'nt poses the charm or ability of some of his peers.Jane Greer as Kathie Moffat is the leading femme fatale,and sure is a beauty,but does tend to be a bit trigger happy #no not in the carrying a large phone or dressing up as a squirrel sense) and if that wasn't enough eye candy Rhonda Fleming as Meta Carson makes an apearnce to..No doubt about it this is another classic noir,and another great film from Jacques Tourneur.After checking I realised that Build My Gallows High was the name of the novel by Daniel Mainwaring.


out of 5



,

[Inspector Abberline]

I'm a f**king idiot........Mitchum says at the end I build my gallows High.
Now it makes sense.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

I'm a f**king idiot........Mitchum says at the end I build my gallows High.
Now it makes sense.

I love that line, but oddly prefer the title Out Of the Past, simply because Build My Gallows High sounds too much like a Western, with the former having that wonderful air of mystery which accompanies the titles of most films noir.

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

'G' Men (1935)

Four years after his break out role in The Public Enemy, James Cagney switches sides and wages on screen war against America's public enemies - the crime lords - as an eager government agent in this crime classic.

Whilst perhaps not noir as such, the film possibly pre-dates the genre by a few years, 'G' Men is still a hard boiled and pulpy take on the true story of the origins of what would become known in later years as the FBI.

Unlike many of the studio crime classics of the time 'G' Men isn't talky at all, yes there's great dialogue but much of it is snappy and often amusing, especially the sparring between Cagney and his boss Robert Armstrong. The films greatest assets, apart from Cagney himself of course, are the frequent bursts of frantic action. From car chases to machine guns 'G' Men has it all and as such proves to be a heavy duty action film that easily stands on it's own 80 years later.

[Inspector Abberline]

Murder, My Sweet (released as Farewell, My Lovely in the United Kingdom)

Moose Malloy (Mike Mazurki) has spent eight years in prison,newly released he hires private detective Phillip Marlowe (Dick Powell) to find his long lost love Velma Valento.Mean while Lindsay Marriott (Douglas Walton) offers Marlowe $100 to bodyguard him while he goes to a secluded canyon to exchange a ransom for some stolen jewels.Unbeknown to Marlowe Marriott is murdered at the exchange and Marlowe is knocked unconscious,And were off murder,Intrigue and double cross is here,Raymond Chandlers story is another of these great multi layered yarns that somehow all ties up at the end.Dick Powell is in the role of Marlowe,Powell is not an actor im familiar with,he doesn't have the look of a tough guy PI like Bogart or Mitchum, but portrayals Marlowe as more quick witted and slightly more flirtatious and according to the WWW his usual roles were more light comedies and musicals.No nor is complete without the femme fatales,Claire Trevor as Helen Grayle is the trophy wife to Miles Mander as Mr. Grayle, whose rather long legs distract Marlowe on the first meeting.Edward Dmytryk delivers a rather fast paced and slick adaptation of Chandlers novel,and about the halve way mark there's a rather disturbing scene where Moose Malloy is ordered to strangle Marlowe by Otto Kruger as Jules Amthor,you never actual see anything with Marlowe being out of shot,but its that old adage of your imagination doing all the work for you.And the way Jules Amthor says he tame now as Moose chocks Marlowe unconscious.Dick Powell gives such a marvellous performance with his portrayal,and his fast talking wise cracking version of Marlowe fits well with Edward Dmytryk's slick direction.
Im getting pretty sick of saying this is a classic noir,but this is a classic noir.....

out of 5

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Inspector Abberline

Im getting pretty sick of saying this is a classic noir,but this is a classic noir.....

Most definitely. Both this and your last reviewed film - Out of the Past are the epitome of classic noir.

[Inspector Abberline]

Panic In The streets
Jack palance in his screen debut (although the he is credited as Walter Jack palance) is Blackie a gangster who kills Kochak (Lewis Charles), after he leaves a poker game. The body is then found down the docks and is then sent down to the morgue for identification and autopsy. It looks like the body may have had pneumonic plague .and it may be spreading. Richard Widmark is Clinton Reed, an officer of the U.S. Public Health Service who's job it is to stop an epidemic.Elia Kazan delivers a stark and realistic thriller that is part noir part virus horror movie .The documentary style is quite stark and just seeing the morgue scenes gives it a real feeling of pending doom ahead. Widmark and Paul Douglas as Capt. Tom Warren have to find out where the body came from and who may have had contact with the dead man. Along with the rather young Jack Palance who looks lean and mean is Zero Mostel as Raymond Fitch. The style of the film is helped no end by the great location shoots, whether its some greasy café or dragging the body out of the docks. What makes this film different from the other noirs is its a film that deals with issues such as immigration and the spreading of diseases , (they later find a ship that is infected by rats and was also carrying immigrants) something that's universal and timeless. The criminal element to the story is almost secondary to the problem the police and the officials are having in tracking the plague . Panic in many ways resembles a science fiction film but with the pods replaced with unknown and unseen enemy. Ironically Blackie runs from the only people that can save his life,Definately recommended for those looking for a different kind of noir.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Whirlpool (1949) - Otto Preminger

Tomorrow she will know what she did tonight!!

The wife of a psycho-analyst falls prey to a devious quack hypnotist when he discovers she is an habitual shoplifter. Then one of his previous patients now being treated by the real doctor is found murdered, with her still at the scene, and suspicion points only one way.

Whilst in my opinion not as good as the other two films in the BFI's Otto Preminger set, Whirlpool is still a fantastic little noir. Although, as this was my 'virgin viewing' I may end up elevating it up to and even above the other two films in the set (Fallen Ange and Where the Sidewalk Ends). Hopefully my comments don't come across as negative as Whirlpool is still very highly recommended: 7/10