[quote=“John Welles, post:357, topic:1786”]Here are all the Film Noirs appearing over Christmas in Britain:
25 Dec. BBC2: 2.10 AM Gilda
27 Dec. BBC2: 1.50 AM Build My Gallows High (AKA: Out of the Past)
28 Dec. BBC2: 1.45 AM Farewell My Lovely
29 Dec. BBC2: 1.40 AM Dead Reckoning
30 Dec. BBC2: 1.10 AM The Big Combo
31 Dec. BBC2: 12.55 AM On Dangerous Ground
1 Jan. BBC2: 3.25 AM They Live by Night
2 Jan. BBC2: 1.40 AM Crossfire[/quote]
Seen all of 'em and like all of 'em; but, a couple of them I actually LOVE (OUT OF THE PAST, THE BIG COMBO, etc,).
Good selection of films!
Of all his films, Welles cites this as his least favorite. It does lack the eccentric norm that is customary of Welles film-making but is still a grade A Noir none the less. A top notch cast of Edward G. Robinson, Orson Welles and others, impressively mobile and stark camera work and lighting by one of Noirs best cinematographers Russell Metty. My only major gripe is the New England setting is too light and fluffy for a Noir. A much harder setting such as New York, LA, or Chicago is much better for me. But New England does fit the story. Also, this was the first mainstream American film to feature footage of Jewish holocaust victims.
Haven’t seen any Noir for a while so I watched The Bribe. Enjoyed that one and finally I got a clue about the Steve Martin Comedy Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid.
It’s understandable why it was Welles personal least favorite of all his films. He intentionally set out to prove who was a good boy who could make a film on quickly on a limited budget and be easy to work with. There was a lot of compromise. He wanted the Edward G. Robinson part to be played by a woman, specifically Agnes Morehead, and when the studio said no he bowed to their desire.
Korano, I like this film too, but it certainly lacks the grotesques, virtuoso camera work, and other elements which occur in all of his other work. The ending is excellent.
Too bad, as with many of Welles other flms, this is public domain and therefore almost impossible to find in decent quality. For every mediocre of acceptable DVD of The Trial there are dozens of unwatchable ones. Criterion needs to do get busy with Welles in the manner of the Mr. Arkadan set.
I liked the Stranger, even with a conventional plot it maintains the Welles touch and appeal…
Recently viewed the exeptional The Lineup with Eli Wallach, brutal and fast paced stuff… Car chases and drug smuggling at its rawest…
Also saw some Nikkatsu Noir, Take Aim at the Police Van and Cruel Gun Story… Both exemplary crime films of Japan’s finest noir hour…
Never seen t before? Boy you are smart to save this one until later viewing. This is without a doubt one of the best Noirs ever. The always reliable Russell Metty expands on his great work in the Stranger. The camera movements are for the history books. A 3 minute sequence traveling through 3 city blocks, great!
[quote=“Rififii, post:372, topic:1786”]I liked the Stranger, even with a conventional plot it maintains the Welles touch and appeal…
Recently viewed the exeptional The Lineup with Eli Wallach, brutal and fast paced stuff… Car chases and drug smuggling at its rawest…
Also saw some Nikkatsu Noir, Take Aim at the Police Van and Cruel Gun Story… Both exemplary crime films of Japan’s finest noir hour…[/quote]
You’ve been watching some fine stuff there!
THE LINE-UP is great!
And CRUEL GUN STORY is an absolute favorite of mine!
I love the Nikkatsu Action stuff, by the way.
Hence my recently reborn website NIKKATSU ACTION LOUNGE. http://nikkatsuaction.ning.com
Shameless plug, I know, but I couldn’t resist!
Yeah. I was going to get this instead of Godard’s A bout de souffle (is that Noir? I think it is. Lots of shadows and it has a loose gangster-thriller plot.), but then I thought:
I don’t know that I’d call A bout de souffle a noir, but it certainly plays with noir conventions, as did several of the films Godard made in the 1960’s such as Pierrot le fou, Alphaville and Made in USA.
