Noir Films

[feaito]

Thank you for your kind words and good wishes dear Wendy, Nancy and Moira....Even if I wasn't able to post here I tried to visit SSO and read the posts at least once a week

[CineMaven]

"From what I remember, Greer's career was stalled and shortened by Howard Hughes, who discovered her (and several other young girls he wanted to bed) and signed her to a personal contract, from which she escaped through marriage to Rudy Vallee, who helped her get out of her contract and got her signed to RKO... - MR. ARKADIN.

This is sounding familiar Mr. A. Looks like Mr. Hughes' libido put the kai-bosh on many a talented ladies. Tsk! Tsk! Glad Greer and Jean Simmons made their mark.

* * * * * * *

Then, on July 26th I suffered -the 2nd since 2009- from an episode of acute pancreatitis. This time with new exams the doctors discovered a cist/tumor in my pancreas which was removed in a extensive and complex surgery procedure I underwent on August 10th... - FEAITO.

Dear lord Feaito. I'm so sorry to hear that you had such a traumatic experience. Let me add my sigh of relief along with fellow posters' well-wishes for a speedy and healthy recovery. Rest...rest...rest. And while you're resting...load up on classic DVDs.

[movieman1957]

Fernando:

I saw that you had logged in on occasion and knowing what was going on I took it as a good sign and only a short time until you were back all the way. It's nice that time has arrived.

[Mr. Arkadin]

Thank you Wendy and Theresa for your kind words, I've been a little bit under the weather lately. On june 9th things became very complicated at work due to some events that happened and a huge period of stress began, which did not permit me to post here as I did before. Then, on July 26th I suffered -the 2nd since 2009- from an episode of acute pancreatitis. This time with new exams the doctors discovered a cist/tumor in my pancreas which was removed in a extensive and complex surgery procedure I underwent on August 10th. They took it away just in time because it was pre-malignant and already turning into malignant. I spent 17 days at the hospital. I'll be on medical leave until September 26th when I return to work (after 2 months out of circulation). This has been one of the most difficult experiences in my life, because I had never been operated before or had such a serious illness. It has taken a huge physical an emotional toll on me, but little by little I've been feeling better and I've recovered enough forces to post here.

Sorry to hear about this. I will be praying for your recovery. Even though it was a trumatic experience for you, it sounds like the doctors did a a good job. As a humorous aside, the first time I was completely knocked out for an operation was a couple of years ago when one of my fingers was severely broken and they had to stick a metal rod through my hand to realign it. I woke up on the table to the sound of a drill which abruptly stopped, followed by a string of profanity. There was a sheet between my head and the doc, so I couldn't see anything. I thought about yelling "Everything OK over there?!", but figured it would have just frazzled him even more (I know I don't like people looking over my shoulder while I'm working), so I just played dead.

[Dewey1960]

Nando, what a shock to the system you've experienced! But it seems like you've managed
to get to the other side of this misfortune in your customary way of diligence and good
humor. It goes without saying that everyone here is thinking of you (even when you're NOT
experiencing difficulties!) So just keep watching movies (the dark ones, of course) and
keep checking in with us!

[feaito]

Dear pals Theresa, Chris, Mr. Ark and Eliott, thank you very, very much for your words and support. It was indeed a traumatic experience, but thank God I was in the hands of a tremendous surgeon, who has performed 1,000 pancreas surgeries during his career. Before the operation they gave me at least two or three kinds of anesthesia, one was morphine-derived I believe. The effect of those was so big on me that I was operated on Wednesday and I not remember anything until the following Saturday. The days before are quite a blackout for me.

Mr. Ark, that was quite an experience you had, you were very brave.

I'm doing my best to get well and to watch as much films I can. I read the review of "So Young So Bad" by ChiO in this thread, which I have had recorded on DVD-R for some years and I think I'll watch it with my dear wife. And I also have to revisit "Out of the Past" as I told Theresa I'd do. BTW Theresa, did you ever see the 1984 remake "Against All Odds"? I believe that as far as I can recall the best thing in that film was Phil Collins' song Take a Look at Me Now...and there was a sexy scene inside a Mexican pyramid with Rachel Ward and Jeff Bridges....that's all I remember....Ah! and Jane Greer appeared as Rachel Ward's mum.

[CineMaven]

JEFF BRIDGES & RACHEL WARD in 'AGAINST ALL ODDS."

Como estas? I know "Against All Odds" very well. When this film came out, I was working the candy concession stand in a movie theatre in Brooklyn (the Plaza Cinema) and "...Odds" played my theatre. Though not as dark and silvery as "OUT OF THE PAST" I enjoyed the film a lot (other than the Swoosie Kurtz segment). I remember Jane Greer as Rachel Ward's Mom. In fact, here is a little something I recently find out...a little trivia: In Jane Greer's movie "THE COMPANY SHE KEEPS" (1951 ) there's a scene where she's running away, and waiting at a train station. A woman is sitting next to her with a tiny baby and a little boy being mischievous. The woman asks Greer ( or Greer volunteers ) to hold the baby while the Mom attends to the little boy. The little boy in the scene was Beau Bridges...the mother in the scene was Dorothy Bridges. And the baby Jane Greer was holding...JEFF BRIDGES.

Here they are together...thirty-three years later and there is a shot Jeff Bridges at the Mexican pyramids.



Dir. TAYLOR HACKFORD with JANE GREER, SWOOSIE KURTZ
& JEFF BRIDGES

Feaito, I used to time it perfectly to close up the concession stand and run inside the theatre just in time to see the scene inside the Mexican pyramid. Yes...I remember it very well. < ( Sigh! ) >

Take good care of yourself. Rest up...post soon. (And again, I want to hear/read you and your friend's thoughts on "Out of the Past").

[feaito]

Thank you Theresa for this most enlightening post and the good wishes! I always enjoy reading what you write ....I remember that this year I was finishing High School and "Take a Look at Me Now" was the most popular ballad to dance at parties

[CineMaven]

Thank you for saying that, Fer. I appreciate it.

[feaito]

[CineMaven]

T-SHIRTED, TRUSTING and TORMENTED...


BURT LANCASTER.

( SPOILERS ):

This was part of TCM's Film Noirish triple decker triple feature last Tuesday ( Sept 6th ) of Kirk Douglas' intro into films. With ”I WALK ALONE” this was Burt Lancaster’s and Kirk Douglas’ first of seven screen pairings. And right from the beginning, their chemistry was dynamite. If they were ever to really get into a fist fight, I don’t know who’d win...but I do know they’d each give as good as they got.

“I Walk Alone” is the story of a man released from prison after fourteen years, expecting to become half owner of a night club run by his old rum-running buddy.

He is in for a rude awakening.

KIRK DOUGLAS is the old pal, Noll (nicknamed ‘Dink’) and he is as far from scared little Walter O’Neill as you or Martha Ivers could get. Noll is mucho suave-aaaay. He can talk his way out of or smooth over anything. He’ll use the night club’s chanteuse to pump Frankie for info, while continuing to string her along in their romance. He’ll hook up with an ice queen socialite to further his business and social standing. He's not above blackmailing an old friend. Noll will do or say whatever it takes. He is ambitious. He is a smooth operator.

And quite the opposite personality is BURT LANCASTER as Frankie Madison. He’s been cooped up for fourteen years. (“FOURTEEN YEARS!!!!” he says tightly). Oh, he doesn’t look worse for the wear. He’s tall, fills a suit nicely...a big strapping fella. (I think it should be de rigueuer for Burt Lancaster to wear a t-shirt in every movie from 1946 - 1952!) But he’s a man of few words, very defensive, sensitive and coiled as tightly as a snake. Where Noll is cool as a cucumber, Frankie is a hothead. He’s a bit awkward socially, being out of practice for so long. Noll’s Socialite Gal Pal, Alexis Richardson. speaks to him:

SOCIALITE: “You know, you’re quite an attractive man.”

FRANKIE: “Keep going.”

SOCIALITE: “How far do you want me to go?”

FRANKIE: “I’m at the plate. You’re doing the pitching.”

The socialite is played to an Alexis Smith-ish fare-thee-well by KRISTINE MILLER.

But that interaction ends poorly with Alexis wanting Frankie thrown out of the club, saying:

“You looked like a man who might have three or four interesting sentences to say. You’ve said them. Goodbye!!”

Well...he was out of practice.

Frankie’s wined and dined by club chanteuse: Kay Lawrence played by LIZABETH SCOTT, whose been sent by Noll. Noll tells her:

“That’s why men take women to dinner. So they’ll have someone to talk about themselves to.”

Kay gets all mangled in Noll’s machinations because of her love for him. And there’s the usual requisite tension between two women who love the same man. Well, I doubt Mrs. Richardson loves Noll:

“You’re so utterly no good I should marry you.”

(ASIDE: Kristine Miller appeared in several movies with Lizabeth Scott including "Desert Fury" and "Too Late For Tears").

Frankie realizes the ruse to pump him for information and unjustly lambasts into Kay. He trusts no one except book keeper Dave. He lumps Kay in with all the snakes. Kay finally sees what a user Noll really is when he tells her he’s marrying the Socialite:

“You love me but you’re marrying her?”

And I love Lizabeth’s display of pouty anger when she tells off Kirk Douglas’ character. Noll says,

NOLL: “You’re in Frankie’s league now.”
KAY: “I couldn’t ask for better company.”

She sides with Frankie (when she finally gets him to trust her). Yes I know this romantic coupling is pretty quick and just a plot contrivance. But I say in the scheme of 40’s films, relationships happen at the speed of a writer’s Underwood.



I know things like this can make or break one’s enjoyment of a film. But I don’t mind the shorthand in these old movies. I know it doesn’t make psychological sense for the script, but it sure gets things moving a lot quicker. I like Lizabeth Scott in this film. Yes, she’s so stiff and wooden down to her walk and her hairstyle. I know the voice they dubbed was wrong for her and her singing stance was all stiff. But a better pal a guy couldn’t have in the 40’s (depending on the film’s budget) to while away the time with, than with Lizabeth Scott. So Kay and Frankie are now an “item.” She falls for the right wronged man.

Poor Frankie. It’s like he is stuck in a time warp... when a handshake was as bonding and binding as a contract. A Promise meant something. He’s going to make Noll live up to his promise of fourteen years ago, ("FOURTEEN YEARS!") by using some muscle. He’s going to take what’s his. He speaks to his old pal Nick Palestro to help round up the gang. I thought it was a great casting choice to have MARC LAWRENCE play the gangster. He was such a staple in 30’s movies when he played “The Gangster.” (When I see Lawrence in “The Man With the Golden Gun” I smile at the nod).

It’s with Palestro where we see that the times, they are a-changing; that the old gang just ain’t what it used to be. Nick is a businessman now who owns a car lot. He’ll assemble some new boys, but things are not the same he tells Frankie. When Frankie and the boys meet Noll, Dave is asked to show Frankie “the books.” This was a sad scene to me on a couple of levels...time passing Frankie by, Noll’s lies, Dave’s betrayal. That cut Frankie to the quick. (And that knife cut both ways where Dave was concerned too. Et tu Brutus?) The shame and humiliation Frankie suffers in front of EVERYone was tough to watch. I felt embarassed for him. He’s like caged animal.The day of the old-time gangster in spats and Tommy gun is gone. Frankie’s fight is with an amorphous enemy. He rails against The Corporation. Noll left him no dignity. It was sad to watch his powerless rage; and check out the men who are watching him (especially that wiseass guy). I think of those soldiers who came back from the war, having difficulty adjusting to Society. Frankie now wants to settle the score...but it only seems like he’s the one living in the past. A relic. And now the ultimate indignity...getting a beatdown.


MAZURKI...HE ALWAYS GETS A
HANDLE ON THINGS.

Never was really a big fan of WENDELL COREY. His skeletal features and pale blue eyes kind of pushed me away. But...he did have a great speaking voice...and he really could handle Stanwyck in “The Furies.” Hmmm...let me think about this.

Okay!! I’ve settled it in my mind.

I am now totally coming around to Wendell Corey. (Welcome to CineMaven’s Van Heflin Club, Mr. Corey. Step right up.) Now, maybe not with lust in my heart, (I've got to see him in a t-shirt) but with some hard core respect for this fine Actor, I'm coming around. With “I Walk Alone” I do think he was the heart and soul of the movie. My heart goes out to him. Corey plays Dave, the bookkeeper and he’s really caught in the thick of things between these two old friends. Dave was torn between his heartfelt loyalty to Frankie...and the “hooks” Dink had into him, re: the forgery. Corey plays Dave wonderfully. We see a beaten man, heavy with the weight of guilt and resentment. It is weighing him down. Frankie says,

“You’re two years older than me and I’ve been in jail. You look ten years older than me!!”

When the inevitable happens, (and you're a movie buff...you know what will happen), it springs Frankie into action. It takes him OUTSIDE his Self to think about someone else. And goes to action he does. I think this is a testimony to how Wendell Corey plays Dave. (Kent Smith would’ve played him differently and we might’ve cheered for his demise...but that's for another thread). At the end of the movie Frankie does take exactly what's coming to him...and walks off into the nighttime mist with the girl.

I really like “I Walk Alone.” When it finished it felt like a satisfying meal. It feels to me like the quintessential nineteen forties movie in style and dress and dialogue. It has all the archetypical characters you could want to have; all the characters that were perhaps already old hat by the late forties: The Big Lug, The Girl, The Smooth Operator, The Strong Arm, The Snot-Nosed Up & Comer, The Bored Socialite, The Erudite Servant/Restauranteur. Is this movie officially a film noir...I'll leave that to wiser movie buffs to define.

I just know what I like.

[CineMaven]

And CRISS CROSS, the film Siodmak directed two years after THE KILLERS, is much more fraught with noir anguish and tough-guy bravado -- and almost a full half hour shorter. (2-27-11)

It's interesting to compare I Walk Alone with another early "little" Lancaster noir, Criss Cross, wherein he's also dragged back "down" against his better intentions...(4-4-11)

Hey Moira: Funny thing about Siodmak—while he is far from a major favorite of mine, your choice of CRISS CROSS (one of his best, I think) warmed my dark, dark heart. (4-20-11)

CRISS-CROSS is a favorite. It has a scintillating first half. The story kind of runs out of steam. But all in all, it's one of the better ones. (9-11-11)

"CRISS CROSS"

Fellas...I'm afraid you're going down with the ship. And the ship is the S.S. DeCARLO:


"All those things that happened to us; everything that went before...we'll forget it. You'll see. I'll make you forget it. After it's done, after it's all over and we're safe...it'll just be you and me. You and me. The way it should have been all along from the start."

Promises, promises.

(And oodles of icebergs and SPOILERS ahead).

I re-visited "CRISS CROSS" which I haven't seen in ages. (Ha! Just trying to keep up with Jack Favell who seems to be on fire recently in the world of Noir. Yay!) Now I know this film might not have the narrowly defined mise en scene of film noir, but it does have a fatalistic hero...one who blithely, obstinately and steadfastly walks down that path of doom and self-destruction. Well that's BURT LANCASTER...in spades in this movie, ladies and gents.

One thing that kept niggling me in the back of my neck during the movie was why his cop friend and family was soooooooooooo getting into this man's love life? He's a grown man. Lancaster plays STEVE and he's in love with ANNA. Hmmm...love might be an understatement. The movie states it is LOVE but it looks and feels like LUST. Anna is played by YVONNE DeCARLO. To say she's hot might also be an understatement if her Rhumba dancing is any indication. Steve and Anna were married, fought all the time and split up. But I guess Steve couldn't get her out of his head. His family was trying to help him get over her...but he just couldn't get out of his own libido's way. Strong thing that libido.

He wants her...he doesn't want her. He barks at her...and then follows her around like a little puppy dog. (Not that anything's wrong with that...Burt could follow me anytime. I know...don't remind me. I'm no Yvonne DeCarlo. Let's get back on track here, shall we?) Steve willingly resides in the excruciatingly exquisite netherworld of "can't live with her / can't live without her." I thought it was funny how his family saw the signs in him, even while he didn't...going on auto-pilot on his return to town. Maybe his mom should have been Anne Revere. On second thought even Mother Teresa couldn't compete with Anna. I mean just look at her:


Well the first thing you do is get the hero's attention. Then beg and plead with him not to do anything (too) foolish.

My thing is he keeps fighting her. She looks like she's ready to pick up where they left off. But he keeps pushing her away. She said she was tired of chasing him, but it looks like they've been dating. Hey, without the benefit of the movie giving me a montage dating sequence, how am I supposed to know what to think? Why did they break up their marriage in the first place? Was he insecure that he wouldn't be able to keep her? Is this some-
thing I need to know...is it integral to the plot? Maybe not, but I was curious. Why she runs off with DAN DURYEA is beyond Steve...and me. But that is explained later. ( Busybody family ).


Steve is now in a trap of his own making.


To get out of the trap, Steve comes up with an ingenious excuse for Anna's husband: "LET'S HEIST AN ARMORED CAR COMPANY. AND GET THIS...I WORK FOR ONE!!"

I liked when the film turned to this heist. BUT what a wacky excuse to give Slim (Duryea) when he catches you with your pants down around his wife. (He comes up with the idea that he was seeing Anna to get in touch with Slim for purposes of planning a heist). I get the impression Steve isn't the smartest bulb in the box. (And with that physique, you got it...baby I don't care). The bad thing about that decision is that it really has him thoroughly ensconced in Slim's life. {b]"I need crooks."[/b]

Another heist gone wrong sequence...and I loved it: the smoke...the confusion..the torn loyalty. I was on pins and needles with the hospital sequence and the gentleman visiting his wife. It looked very serious to see Steve trussed up in his hospital bed totally vulnerable to the fates. But the fates do find him. Steve finally "gets it" about Anna. The light finally goes off in his head and he takes the acceptance very well considering much of the movie he is a hothead. I don't know if she was money-hungry all along. I like to think that Anna did love Steve but he was just too fat-headed to deal with Love head on. When the money presented itself to her, well...temptation is a heady thing. What's a girl to do?

I believe Steve taunted Fate. And Fate finds him. Fate comes in through the door as the Boogey Man. Enter Slim...and he will give Steve what he wanted; to be with Anna, forever.

This is the second time Burt is shot and killed over a woman. I hope he never learns his lesson. It makes for a better movie.

[RedRiver]

don't remind me. I'm no Yvonne DeCarlo.

That's OK. He's no Herman Munster!

Another heist gone wrong sequence

Love the heist scene. So intense and unpredicatable.

[CineMaven]

Red...I know that LuLu told Sir, that girls go from "crayons to perfume" but what makes a woman go from Burt Lancaster to Herman Munster?