Noir Alley

Belle
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by Belle »

Jules Dassin's first film, "Nazi Agent", released in January 1942. Conrad Veidt plays a dual role as both a patriot and a Nazi spy. The film is set in the USA and was completed just before the bombing of Pearl Harbour. This link has no opening credits. Of note is how ill Veidt looks, particularly during the second half of the film. He was to die just 15 months after the release of "Nazi Agent" and had made a few films before and afterwards. So disturbing to see the great actor looking mortally ill. He's very good here as the patriotic twin brother!! It's upsetting to realize that the protean Veidt still had many more character parts left in him when he was felled by a heart attack at 50.

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Bronxgirl48
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by Bronxgirl48 »

kingrat, and the dripping water! Very creepy along with those dragging footsteps.
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jamesjazzguitar
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by jamesjazzguitar »

kingrat wrote: May 28th, 2023, 7:37 pm I enjoyed The Fallen Sparrow, which I had seen a couple of times before, but not in several years. Eddie mentioned that Roy Webb's score had been nominated for an Oscar. It was not obtrusive, and the music and sound (important in this film, as Garfield keeps hearing the dragging footsteps) worked together well. The set design was notable, and oh, those goblets. Loved seeing the hairstyles, clothes, and hats for the women.

The plot is convoluted, and the McGuffin is strange, but the dark mood is captured very well. It's unusual to see Maureen O'Hara playing a woman of questionable morals, but I wish she had done so more often. Is she bad or isn't she, and if she's bad, is she redeemable? She looks fantastic. Eddie said he thought she was never more beautiful than here, and he might be right. When she began in films, she was known as "the girl with the black cherry eyes" for the way her eyes looked in black and white films.
Ah, "and the McGuffin is strange,"; Love that line! I assume the reason for the odd McGuffin was that the film was made during WWII and America was at war with the Nazis. Hitchcock Notorious has a similar cast of characters and of course a McGuffin, (as do many post WWII films), but the McGuffins in post WWII films involving Nazis were able to be more tangible since the overall outcome was known.
Last edited by jamesjazzguitar on May 29th, 2023, 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Andree
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by Andree »

Wow, we didn't have dames like this in The Lincoln Brigade. I'm with you honey, sign me up for the J.P. Morgan Brigade.

A story about a haunted vet of the Spanish Civil War trying to fulfill his duty or a tale about a
high-society playboy with more women than he can shake a stick at, who in his spare time messes
with nasty Nazi spies. Hmmm. I like this flick because it keeps things in a concentrated place and
has a small group of characters who live in their own insular world. Frankly, the idea that the little
man in Berlin is going to all this trouble just to get a flag/banner/pennant seems rather far-fetched.
Whatever. It all seems little much ado about very little, but it's a fairly enjoyable one. I got a kick
out of seeing Ward Cleaver playing a fair-haired, German-accented bad guy, which he did pretty
convincingly. It's long way from New York Nazi to suburban Mayfield dad.
Every man has a right to an umbrella.~Dostoyevsky
Belle
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by Belle »

I haven't seen Between Midnight and Dawn or heard of it before so thanks for the comments!! I'm always amused by the names Gale Storm and Rip Torn!!

I have that excellent book by Eddie Muller on my bookcase.
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Andree
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by Andree »


--Hey Kathy, Danny was talking about something we should do. What did you call it Danny?
--A threesome.
--Yeah right, a threesome. How about it, Kathy?


I saw this on YT a few years ago. As police procedurals go it's pretty decent and blends the action with the rom com
aspect fairly well, for the most part. I have to give credit to Buka/Garris for being one of the sharpest dressed baddies
I've seen in a while, though hanging the little girl out of the window was a bit much. And I kind of doubt that Gale Storm's
character would have accompanied the top cop on all those calls even if her dad had been a cop. Felt kind of sad for Eddie
O'Brien. the only way he could get the girl was for here fiancé and his partner to get bumped off. All in all, a pretty good
flick. A bit of trivia: O'Brien was only one year older than Mark Stevens, but he looks more so.
Every man has a right to an umbrella.~Dostoyevsky
Belle
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by Belle »

I think O'Brien was a generally under-rated actor. He was a very fine one, IMO, starting back with "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". His finest performance was as the drunken newspaper editor in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" when he was just brilliant!! It was essentially a 'thespian' performance!
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jameselliot
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by jameselliot »

O'Brien was always convincing playing cops. He was great in everything I've seen him in. DOA remains my favorite O'Brien movie. Hanging the child out of the window was over the edge, literally. You'll never see that in a contemporary film.
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Hoganman1
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by Hoganman1 »

Did anyone notice one of the kids that was fighting was Billy Gray of THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL and later FATHER KNOWS BEST?
Belle
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by Belle »

I watched this last night: "Where the Sidewalk Ends", Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney. Very good. Otto Preminger, Director.

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jamesjazzguitar
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Re: Noir Alley

Post by jamesjazzguitar »

Belle wrote: June 9th, 2023, 4:44 am I watched this last night: "Where the Sidewalk Ends", Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney. Very good. Otto Preminger, Director.

Well done film noir with the stars having good chemistry (reunited under Preminger from Laura), and a solid supporting cast with Wallace Ford, Karl Malden, Neville Brand and Gary Merrill. (I assume you saw this on Movies-TV since they are the station that shows the most Fox noir films).

Funny looking poster; Andrews head looks really odd, and the look of Tierney doesn't do her justice.
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