The Film Noir Thread

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Nice topic. I might have a lot more to contribute once I have more time.

I will say that I have a lot of love and respect for the 1946 adaptation with Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner too.

Marvin was so fucking cool. Love that version.

Here's another great crime thriller from Siegel, with an excellent performance by Eli Wallach. Probably one of his most over-looked roles.



I also had the privilege and pleasure of watching a screening of NIGHT AND THE CITY last May projected on nitrate film.

"Night and the City" is great but it's likely also a slightly warped version of Jules Dassin's vision.
IIRC, he was no longer allowed on the 20th Century Fox lot for the editing process.

Robert Ryan is the kind of film star who no longer exists today.

One especially enjoyable noir with him in the lead role is "On Dangerous Ground".

A disillusioned NYC cop is sent up state by his superior after the umpteenth brutality charge against him, to aid in the investigation into the murder of a young girl.



Ida Lupino took over directing duties for a section of this film, after her friend and director Nicolas Ray fell ill.

I would also recommend Ida Lupino's own "The Hitch-Hiker", which must be the original instance of the hitch-hiking horror-thriller.

"Out of the Past", the movie with which Ambler started this thread, is terrific.
It reminded me somewhat of Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" in terms of its themes.

In a similar vein, there is the rather rare "noir-western" "Pursued", also starring Robert Mitchum.

More recently I saw "Thunder Road".

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Erica Ambler wrote:

G Section's mention elsewhere of Stanley Baker reminded me of a forgotten Hammer noir, 'Hell is a City'. There were a few decent British noirs if you include stuff like Brighton Rock, Odd Man Out, Night and the City, and The Third Man. Also lots of oddities such as Hammer's 'Cloudburst', written by Leo Marks - he wrote Peeping Tom, of course.

Funnily enough, I have HELL IS A CITY lined up to watch next, alongside Newcastle-set PAYROLL. Talking Pictures TV is a minefield for all these forgotten gems, or perhaps diamonds in the rough.

Agreed about British noir. In addition to the ones you've mentioned, I would add THE CRIMINAL (an absolute belter, again with Stanley Baker), THE FRIGHTENED CITY (our man Sean in the lead role just months before DOCTOR NO) and HELL DRIVERS (yet again with Baker, Connery and a whole host of British talent).

i'm currently enjoying Kurosawa's ventures into noir such as STRAY DOG and DRUNKEN ANGEL. It really is a universal genre.

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"Gun Crazy" is terrific.
Her introduction in that film has to be one of the best ever character intros in cinematic history.

Quote :

​The film transcends the bland moralism that seems inherent in its premise through its sheer lustiness. Lewis reportedly instructed Dall to act as if his "cock’s never been so hard" and asked Cummins to portray her character as a "female dog in heat," and this is indeed how both characters come across onscreen.

I think this directorial instruction was for the scene where they decide to stay together (which ends up being a fatal decision) after he finds out her murderous behavior. A scene that (IIRC) concludes with him equating the two of them to guns and ammunition.

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Erica Ambler wrote:

Years ago the best way to shut my bratty nephew up was to sit him in front of Hell Drivers. Or Lorry Chase as he knew it.



People criticise Hell Drivers as Wages of Fear without the existentialism but it's very entertaining. A great cast including the very neglected Peggy Cummins from Gun Crazy. She died a few months ago.

Saw it for the first time relatively recently on Talking Pictures TV. Great cast indeed ... I got a particular kick out of Connery and Hartnell being co-stars in it. Ah, what they went on to do ...

Erica Ambler wrote:

Cummins was also in the great b-movie Night of the Demon. 'It's coming! It's in the trees!"

Is that line the same one that's sampled at the start of Kate Bush's 'Hounds Of Love'?

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It's an early study of a psychopath in film.
IIRC, Ladd is one of the few leading men who had anything nice to say about Veronica Lake.

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I would argue that you can hold up his first seven years as a director, from "Hard Times" up until and including "48 Hours" next to just about any director. "The Driver" is an underrated gem, "The Long Riders" a somewhat forgotten but terrific western (with stunt casting that really works so much better than it has any business doing).

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Erica Ambler wrote:

I won't comment on Cosby's current predicament but Hickey and Boggs is one of the most underrated noirs I've seen. His performance is magnificent and a reassessment of Walter Hill is long overdue.

Anything with Robert Culp in it is certainly worth watching. He's one of my favourite actors.