Noir Films

[charliechaplinfan]

I can see why I'll Get You isn't everyone's ideal film noir and I would guess that the casting of George Raft is the flaw for most people but I still like my movie stars once they've been put out to grass.

The Line Up is a noir but shifted up a notch, the production's obviously more expensive but the lead performances, they are great. I wonder if anyone can provide an instance of Eli Wallach playing a good guy?

[CineMaven]

ChiO, thanxx for the info on the Noirs.

Eli as a nice guy Alison? Well there's... uhmmmm, oh yeah, there's... Uhmmm...

Why does he have to be a nice guy?

[ChiO]

Why does he have to be a nice guy?

Because he's been married to Anne Jackson for over 60 years?

[JackFavell]

I wonder if anyone can provide an instance of Eli Wallach playing a good guy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7BJ_vfGrbs

[charliechaplinfan]

Ok, I like bad guys with a hint of nice, he's obviously a nice guy in real life that will do.

[ChiO]

HIT AND RUN (1957) -- written, produced, directed by and co-starring Hugo Haas (now that's being an auteur).

Gus Hilmer (Hugo Haas) is a mature, wealthy, property-owning gas station owner. He is also a fun-loving drinker and widower (Some idiots say I killed her. Why would I kill her? I didn't love her.). Frank (Vince Edwards) is his mechanic and quasi-manservant who accompanies Gus everywhere to keep him out of trouble. Gus has his eye on Julie (Cleo Moore), a beautiful buxom blonde dancer with a traveling vaudeville show. Faster than the blink of an eye or an oil change, they are married.

Julie is jealous of the attention Gus gives to Frank. Frank thinks Julie would be a more fitting companion for him. Yes, we got ourselves a triangle. Frank puts the moves on Julie. Julie fights him off...but eventually unwillingly, in a fashion, succumbs (Hugo Haas...Vince Edwards. Hugo Haas...Vince Edwards. You would behave differently?). Gus has his suspicions.

One night, Frank shows up in a clunker that he has pieced together at a junkyard and picks up Julie. He drives out to the edge of town where Gus, for unrevealed reasons, is visiting a second home that he owns. Gus steps out into the night and Frank steps on the accelerator. Not having known of Frank's plan, Julie is hysterical...but Frank assures her that it's now You and me, baby. Frank returns the clunker to the junkyard and dismantles it. Voila! Murder weapon gone.

At the reading of Gus' will, they learn of Gus' identical twin who will share all assets with Julie. (You're ahead of me now, aren't you? Okay, then, I won't tell you who really got run over and who ends up being hauled away by the police.) Final shot -- Gus inviting a beautiful buxom brunette lion tamer from a traveling circus out to dinner.

Any story this sleazy and lurid, told with such dedication and panache, is a gem. Each of the principals gives a fine performance, and the camera is always one step ahead of the censors. Cleo Moore is as sympathetic a character as her body will allow. Although her look and situation has femme fatale written all over her, she really isn't. She rejects Vince Edwards over and over until he wears her down. She is unwittingly a part of the murder. And, yet, she pays the same price as Edwards. So, rather than a femme fatale, this is about a homme fatale. Or, maybe, two hommes fatale.

When thinking of key male film noir actors, Vince Edwards seldom leaps to my mind...until I see him on screen. Here, he is a macho James Dean. Absolutely riveting. '50s noir would not be the same without him.


(edited to add clip)

[CineMaven]

[CineMaven]

HIT AND RUN (1957) -- written, produced, directed by and co-starring Hugo Haas (now that's being an auteur).

Auteur! Auteur! (Don't see a thread for him...)

[charliechaplinfan]

I love your picture of the cop from The Lineup did he often play a cop in movies?

[ChiO]

Yes, quite often (and on TV, too), though sometimes he portrayed a prison warden just to demonstrate his versatility.

It always gives me a bit of a jolt when I see him portray something other than a cop or Western sheriff, as in PATHS OF GLORY.

[charliechaplinfan]

Nobody thought of casting him in others roles then, at least not often. He is very memorable as the cop.

Theresa I watched another noir and again it's a Raft movie, I read the book, which is excellent and ordered everything I could get hold of, so I apologise to anyone who's getting bored with the theme, I've tried to break his movies up with others and as of yet I haven't come across a bad movie. This one Johnny Allegro I love too, granted it has the beautiful and talented Nina Foch in it and a good supporting cast, the detective Schultz reminding me of pictures I've seen of Howard Hughes around this time, George MacCready playing Vallens reminded me of villans that were on TV programmes in the 1970s, the setting reminded me of Fanstasy Island, I hae very poor memories of TV at this time but nevertheless this is what springs to mind for me. George Raft as a florist a florist to the mobs who grew up in Hell's Kitchen and knew the right people (a bit autobiographical there) a good performance by Raft, perhaps supprting your theory that he's best surrounded by a good cast, if not costar. Nina Foch made George look a little small, as did George MacCready but reading the facts on the imdb Miss Fochs stood at 5ft 9 so with heels she would be shoulder to shoulder with Raft. Lastly filmed somewhere on location on a beautiful island, Vallens has a penchant for a cross bow which make the remaining minutes feel like a hunt.

Does anyone else think that Nina Foch has a touch of the Dietrich about her? Perhaps it's the mouth or the slender figure, she's tremendously appealing and a talented actress from what I can tell. I wish both Nina and marlene had made more noir movies.

[knitwit45]

ChiO said:

Yes, quite often (and on TV, too), though sometimes he portrayed a prison warden just to demonstrate his versatility.

Still snickering over that one,ChiO..

Alison, Ms. Foch was a featured actress on a wildly popular TV show, NCIS almost up to her death in 2008. She played the increasingly senile mother of my favorite character, "Ducky", David McCallum. She must have shrunk dramatically, because she looked to be very small in that role. When she passed away, the writers incorporated that into a storyline. Even as a 'senile' old lady, she was lovely.

[CineMaven]

Yes, quite often (and on TV, too), though sometimes he portrayed a prison warden just to demonstrate his versatility. It always gives me a bit of a jolt when I see him portray something other than a cop or Western sheriff, as in PATHS OF GLORY.

Is this really the last person you want to see before you go to meet your Maker? Ha...not that Timothy's any prize:

...Does anyone else think that Nina Foch has a touch of the Dietrich about her? Perhaps it's the mouth or the slender figure, she's tremendously appealing and a talented actress from what I can tell. I wish both Nina and marlene had made more noir movies.

NINA FOCH (1924-2008)

Whoa...I never thought of Nina and Dietrich, but I think I can kind of see what you mean. Her feline looks have a touch of mystery about her, especially when her hair was dark. I found a very alluring shot of her to post above. She has a strong look...not a pretty girlie look. Yes, she's very attractive. I saw a sliver of "Cash McCall" the other day when TCM aired Natalie Wood movies. Seems that James Garner was giving Nina her walking papers in no uncertain terms. (She was probably coming between him and a business deal...and Natalie Wood). She had a great voice too. Got a nod from the Academy for a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in "Executive Suite." She's been under my radar a lot, but I always found her interesting. She was with Glenn Ford in "Young Man With Ideas." It's only b'cuz the mighty Roman (Ruth) played a housewifey-type but Nina gave her a run for her money...and her man.

Look her up here. She really was a working actress. And reading what Nancy wrote, she worked up 'till the end. You've just got to pronounce her last name carefully.

You just keep them Raft reviews comin' Alison. You're making me want to get a hold of these movies.

[charliechaplinfan]

Thanks Theresa, I'm glad you don't mind me being on a theme.

For years I knew Nina Foch as only the other woman in An American in Paris, it wasn't too flattering a role but since then I've caught her in a couple of films including Executive Suite and what a resume. I think she has a bit of the Dietrich mystique.

[JackFavell]

I can really see your Dietrich/Foch comparison, Alison. They both look similar, with sharpish noses, porcelain skin, and the eyebrows and the way their eyes are set in their faces is quite alike. Their mouths are curvy but thin, and the way they speak are even somewhat the same, minus the accent lots of breath behind the words, but not a breathy voice more like a strong vibrating diaphragm pulsating the words out.

They each have quite regal or maybe even military bearing, such confident carriage I guess you could call it, or backbone, that also seems to hide something within. There is something striking, something mysterious, and something even haughty about them both. Strong, capable, but with a vulnerability hidden beneath the surface that they would do anything not to reveal, and yet it comes out of their pores. There are layers upon layers, making them both very interesting to watch, arresting actually, because they are sphinx-like. They can put it on, or take it off, and yet there is still something left over that makes you want to get to the real Nina/Marlene. They are both eminently watchable. Their acting styles are very similar I think.