http://www.filmmonthly.com/ en Copyright 2012 Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:29:16 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss The Big Caper is an excellent heist film and an fantastic addition to MGM's Limited Edition Collection. The film follows Frank Harper (Rory Calhoun), a con man that keeps losing all of his money on gambling. With his losing streak at an all time high, Frank decides to come up with a big heist and runs it by his boss, Flood (James Gregory). The plan is to knock off a bank in a small town, carrying a million dollars in cash that belongs the military. Frank and Flood's girlfriend, Kay (Mary Costa), would move into the town together, pose as a newly wedded couple and assimilate themselves into the community. While they do this, Flood would then gather the rest of the crew in order pull off the heist of a lifetime. The film may lack grace and elegance under Stevens' control, yet The Big Caper still packs a punch in terms of its subject matter and it's execution that make it an awesome excursion in heist cinema. The core of any heist film is how the team comes together to pull everything off. Flood's character manages to get the lowest of the low, which include an alcoholic pyromaniac and a closet homosexual with a body building fetish. It is the dark and seedy elements within characters such as these that make The Big Caper so much fun to watch. This and the juxtaposition of Frank and Kay's false identities as the ideal nuclear family, that create tension within the group that make for plot and pacing. Martin Berkley's adaptation of Lionel White's novel is rock solid and an efficient for its entire 84 minute running time. Another reason why the film's pacing may work so well is the fact that Stevens has a big background within TV directing and probably managed to be efficient, since he was used to working under pressure. The only downfall of coming from a background like this is the fact that the film lacks any flair whatsoever. While this isn't a bad thing at all, it just shows that The Big Caper doesn't carry the same finesse as something like Wells' Touch of Evil or Kubrick's The Killing when exploring such similar territories. While the MOD discs from the MGM Limited Edition Collection always come with a disclaimer of visual and audio quality being based off of what they had on hand, I can say that the materials procured for The Big Caper are some of the best they've had in their vaults. The image was really crisp and clear and the audio quality was really great. As a big fan of heist and crime films, I can definitely say that The Big Caper is worth your time if you love those genre's and makes for some really great entertainment. Highly Recommended! ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/the_big_caper.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/the_big_caper.html Film Noir Video and DVD Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:18:31 -0600 Incident in an Alley is a really good low budget affair and is a fine example of many forgotten genres of American cinema. Based off of a short story by the great Rod Serling (The Twilight Zone), we follow Bill Joddy (Chris Warfield), a beat cop that accidentally shoots a young boy in an alley after mistaking him for a thief. Joddy is plagued by his thoughts of killing this child by accident, whilst having to go to trial to prove his innocence. With the press having their way with him and his wife standing right by his side, Joddy must endure in the face of the public, as well as confront the teenage hoodlums that created the problem. The film plays out fairly stereotypically, in terms of the plot but does a fantastic job with the intense subject matter. Another interesting element of the film is the amalgamation of many genres to tell the story. The juvinile delinquent film was a big genre in the 40's and 50's and Incident takes some of the stereotypical youth from those films and creates them as the protagonists. Film Noir had already ended by the time Incident was released but it uses one of the key elements that define that style, lighting. Cinematographer Gilbert Warrenton uses many elements of film noir style lighting to reflect the dark despair of Joddy's psyche and makes the audience feel how he's been pulled into a dark place through the course of his actions. The final genre trope that Incident straddles is the police procedural. The final half of the film has Joddy trying to figure out why Harvey Connell was there in the first place. All of these elements of film style help propel Incident in an Alley forward, while the plot zips from A to B. Director Edward Cahn works with the actors well to pull off believable performances, but none of them truly give way to the weight of the subject matter. Due to something like this, its easy to see why a film like Incident in an Alley has been a lost gem in the United Artist catalog of films. As a part of MGM's Limited Edition, Incident in an Alley looks pretty good visually but the only real downfall of this release is the audio. The soundtrack is full of a lot of noise, the dialog and music are pretty clear, but when those elements disappear for a moment, we hear just a ton of noise in the mono track. Incident in an Alley is certainly recommendable and is sure a must for Rod Serling fans. While the film has minor faults, the culmination of forgotten genres and a solid story make Incident in an Alley worth checking out. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/incident_in_an_alley.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/incident_in_an_alley.html Film Noir Video and DVD Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:06:22 -0600 Hickey & Boggs is a film noir about two private investigators (I Spy’s Bill Cosby and Robert Culp) hired to find a missing woman, Mary Jane (Carmen). The more they investigate Mary Jane, though, the more danger they find themselves in. With trained assassins constantly on their tale, the police constantly getting in the way, and Mary Jane herself apparently plotting against them, Hickey and Boggs have their hands full through most of the film. There’s a lot of things working really well here, and it’s surprising that the movie never got a proper DVD release. Apparently, it only has a very small cult following, but Bill Cosby alone should be able to bring an audience to the table. Speaking of Cosby, it’s really interesting to see him in this role. He’s smooth and cool, and definitely outside his comfort zone of comedy, but he does a great job here as Al Hickey. At the other end of the titular scale is Robert Culp, who also directs the film. His portrayal of Hickey’s partner is really where most of the characterization of their relationship comes from. Hickey doesn’t talk much, so it’s left up to Boggs to create the camaraderie between these two characters. He does a very decent job of this, but there are definitely times when the characters’ interactions with each other fall flat. It’s definitely more reminiscent of every major buddy cop movie that has ever come out than a film noir, but Hickey & Boggs has some uniquely film noir elements, which elevate it above the buddy cop formula. The lighting is purposefully dark, the cinematography is nicely experimental yet understated, and the dialogue is razor sharp and well-delivered. Although, as good as the dialogue is, this film’s greatest asset is its ability to convey meaning in the moments when nobody’s talking. Examples of this can be seen throughout the film and include subtle, hugely character defining moments like Hickey slipping his pocket change under the pillow of his girlfriend’s (Rosaland Cash) daughter’s pillow, or Boggs eating a day old piece of bacon at a crime scene. The film’s pace is a bit slow. Had they managed to edit out a good 15 to 20 minutes, it would have really tightened this up and made for a great movie. Probably. Even with a more efficient pace, it might not make the plot any easier to follow. It gets confusing at times and makes it easier for the audience to tune out and get bored. But, in either case, the performances here and the filming style make Hickey & Boggs worth your time. The DVD quality is really good for something transferred from “the best source material available.” It’s standard DVD quality for a film from 1972. Since this is a made to order DVD release from MGM’s Limited Edition Collection, there are no special features, but the opportunity to see this forgotten film for the first time in 40 years feels special.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/hickey_and_boggs.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/video_and_dvd/hickey_and_boggs.html Film Noir Video and DVD Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:06:21 -0600 A note to the Christmas shoppers among you: There will likely not be a better holiday season gift for movie fans this year, so put this one on the top of your wish list. “Humphrey Bogart: The Essential Collection” stars Humphrey Bogart and dozens of other stars. It was released on DVD on October 5th, 2010. Read more about this wonderful boxed set here.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/dvd_releases/humphrey_bogart_the_essential_collection.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/dvd_releases/humphrey_bogart_the_essential_collection.html DVD releases Film Noir Video and DVD Wed, 20 Oct 2010 01:05:52 -0600 The Perfect Sleep” is the latest release from Unified Pictures and this is absolutely not your average independent film. “The Perfect Sleep” is a bizarre mixture of film noir and martial arts featuring a nearly indestructible character known only as The Narrator. The Narrator brings us along on his spiritual journey as he is faced with the agonizing task of trying to save Porphyria, the one woman he has always loved but knows he cannot ever have. “The Perfect Sleep” is an ambitious indie film directed by Jeremy Alter, beautifully photographed, with amazing set design and a powerful cast. Oddly enough the screenwriter and unknown actor of “The Perfect Sleep” Anton Pardoe plays The Narrator and not only holds his own with some of Hollywood’s finest, at times he blows them away. Anton Pardoe is exceptional in this movie both emotionally moving and ironically comedic but played with film noir grit necessary for a tortured character such as The Narrator. Playing The Narrator’s Muse Porphyria, is the beautiful Roselyn Sanchez. She becomes the driving force behind The Narrator’s quest and his single motivation to continually take one hell of an ass-whoopin’ throughout the story. The cast includes an assortment of complex and intriguing characters. Tony Amendola plays the deadly Dr. Sebastian. Fight Coordinator Dominiquie Vandenberg plays Keller the unstoppable badass and the main antagonist behind it all is Nikolai played with intimidation by Patrick Bauchau. And to my pleasant surprise Michael Paré of “Eddie and the Cruiser’s” fame plays Officer Pavlovich which is so damn cool. It’s refreshing to see this kind of production value in low budget independent film. This appears to be the Unified Pictures calling card, low budgets, high production value and take artistic risks. “The Perfect Sleep” isn’t a typical film noir, it has an almost dreamlike quality, and it requires the audience to allow themselves to become completely submerged into its world in order to clearly understand its intentions. Gary Oldman referred to “The Perfect Sleep” as ‘film noir on crack’. If this is something you desire, then seek out “The Perfect Sleep” at a theater near you and support a true independent film with a unique vision. Contact http://www.unifiedpictures.com for more info. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/now_playing/the_perfect_sleep_review_by_gary_schultz.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/now_playing/the_perfect_sleep_review_by_gary_schultz.html Film Noir Indie Now Playing Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:29:49 -0600 The Lodger (1944) is a by-the-numbers send-up on Jack the Ripper, circa 1888. The mountainous Laird Cregar plays the psychotic serial killer with creepy elan amidst the fog and damp of impressive London sets on Fox's backlot. After taking rooms in the house of Cedric Hardwicke and Sara Allgood, Cregar becomes fixated on their dance hall niece, gorgeous Merle Oberon, as the nocturnal Ripper murders (Cregar is a 'doctor' who works at night...) and build to an exciting denouement. The picture earned some off-center laughs due to the absurd obtuseness of Hardwicke and family dismissing odd behavior by their weird ogre of a lodger such as burning bloodstained coats in the kitchen at 3:00 am as mere eccentricities. George Sanders glides in as the police inspector who concurrently courts Oberon while unraveling what is not too much of a mystery. Definitely a solid, period melodrama with a few dated creaks that still works. Exceptional visuals by pantheonic cinematographer Lucien Ballard who actually wooed and won Merle Oberon during the making of this film. Greatly superior was Hangover Square (1945), filmed immediately after The Lodger with the same writer (Barré Lyndon) and Brahm again at the helm. A slimmed-down Laird Cregar plays composer George Harvey Bone, whose professional and personal conflictions are exacerbated by a paranoid amenia that lets his unconscious mind take over and run amuck. Set in London's Hangover Square in 1903, Bone is working on a concerto--a beautifully composed work by Bernard Herrmann--for his sponsor, Sir Henry Chapman (the always competent Alan Napier) and his daughter (Faye Marlowe) who loves Bone unreservedly. Enter music hall temptress Linda Darnell who uses her amorous charms to trick Bone into composing popular ballads to foist her career while romancing Glenn Langan behind his back. Bone wrecks delusional and actual revenge when he discovers Darnell's deceitful betrayal. George Sanders appears once again, this time as a Scotland Yard psychiatrist who helps trigger one of the more memorable cinematic finales ever. The pyrotechnic ending is highlighted by Cregar finishing his beloved concerto at the piano amidst Napier's burning house after musicians, patrons and the rest of the supporting cast have fled. This film is a dark and moody story of tragic love, obsession and mental illness seamlessly woven together in a neat package by John Brahm. Beautiful camera work by Joseph La Shelle is melded with a haunting score by Bernard Herrmann. The Bone concerto written by Herrmann for this film was entitled Concerto Macabre and is a first-rate piece of original music by the great composer and conductor. Linda Darnell, always at her best playing a narcissistic, manipulative tart, gives one of her best performances this side of Fallen Angel (1945). Front and center, though, is Laird Cregar, whose compelling performance as the tragic composer carries the picture. Cregar was an extremely talented actor whose career and life was tragically brief. He was a huge man who battled weight and other torments until his untimely death in December 1944, reportedly after a crash diet overwhelmed him. Hangover Square was released in February 1945, two months after he died. One can endlessly theorize about what pictures are or should be categorized as film noir, but Hangover Square contains several seminal noir attributes and is superbly crafted entertainment. Not surprisingly, the pristine 35mm print from Fox (complete with WWII war bond pitch) on the big screen made it a total experience. There was some commentary before the screening that Fox may release both The Lodger and Hangover Square as a double-feature DVD. I certainly hope so.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/the_lodger_hangover_square.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/the_lodger_hangover_square.html Film Noir Wed, 01 Jun 2005 00:00:00 -0600 Donnie Brasco, Extremities), a professional thief, has just been released from a 3-year stretch in prison. Determined never to return, he follows the parole guidelines, checks into his fleabag hotel in downtown L.A. and settles into the drudge job as mechanic at a local wrecking yard. He meets Dora (Theresa Russell--Bad Timing, Black Widow), a good-looking waitress at the local diner, and their attraction is immediate. Whenever they're together, Frank can't help but notice that someone keeps calling and upsetting Dora. But she won't let him in on what the problem is, at least not at first. Meanwhile, Frank visits former cohort Dickerson, a money man for a number of his big hauls. Dickerson (Jon Polito--TV's Homicide, The Man Who Wasn't There) is as slimy as he looks and, even though he promises to get Frank his share of the last big heist--the one that got him thrown into prison--he fails to come through. Instead he sends a couple of street toughs to kill Frank, but Frank's not easy to kill. After beating the crap out of these lowlifes, he stops in on Dickerson's swank hilltop house late one night, demanding his money. Dickerson makes all kinds of excuses, but Frank knows better. He finds Dickerson's safe and takes what little is there; $2,000 versus the $200,000 he's owed. Dickerson reaches his hidden gun and draws down on Frank, which is the last mistake he ever makes. Frank has done well to hide his tracks, and he gets out of Dickerson's house as quickly as possible. He makes a beeline for his buddy Stan's (Brad Dourif--TV's Deadwood, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) and tells him everything. Stan tells him to stay away from Dora--she sounds like trouble--and to forget about Dickerson. If his tracks are clean there's nothing to worry about. But Frank can't help himself and he heads over to Dora's from Stan's. There he finds another car in the drive and sees a man's silhouette in the window. It's Jake (Steve Railsback--The Stunt Man, Ed Gein), Dora's ex-husband. He's doing what he seems to enjoy most in this world; he's yelling and screaming at Dora and hitting her when she won't say what he wants her to. Despite Dora's pleas for Frank to stay away, eventually he steps in and confronts Jake. And that's when things really start to go wrong for our two lovebirds. The script was written by veteran character actor James Russo, who has crafted a piece with strong characters and full of the type of gritty situations true to the film noir genre. He shows that he understands his own limitations and his own persona very well, for his portrayal of Frank is the perfect match for Russo's hard-edged loner. I have to admit, I'm rarely a fan of Ms. Russell's, but here she finally portrays someone with flaws and desires I can empathize with. Of the rest of this stellar supporting cast, the ability of Railsback to go stone-crazy at the drop of a hat is most impressive. Like Blue Velvet's Frank Booth or The Prophecy's Gabriel, he is one cadaverous looking mother, and not someone you'd want to cross even on a good day. While there is some action and gunplay in The Box, this is one of those rare small films that succeed largely due to a well-crafted story and excellent performances in front of and behind the camera. The direction, by Richard Pepin (The Sender) is accurate in its depiction of the tight, grim noir spirit. Cinematographer James LeGoy (Frost) and composer Chris Anderson (Wake) present sound and image in perfect noir fashion. The story of two people who finally find love in a world that has always seemed against them, The Box is a beautifully constructed little noir, and should definitely be on any noir or crime fan's "must see" list for 2004.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/the_box.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/the_box.html Film Noir Mon, 23 Aug 2004 00:00:00 -0600 Strange Illusion demonstrates just howclever adirector Ulmer was, and how he earned the reputation for makingeven the smallest of budgets appear to be impressively larger. Right from the opening dream sequence, employing fundamental but inspiredfog and lighting trickery, the viewers know they're being guided through this fictional world by a clever and capable storyteller. Ulmer, who was previously an accomplished set designer, is a master at making minimalist filmmaking appear extravagant, utilizing what the French call mise en scene, a technique in which the framing of a shot contains only the necessary elements (lighting, objects, actors, etc.) to properly convey the scenes sentiment. Ulmer's interpretation of the Hamlet inspired suspense script, drawn up by Adele Comandini and Fritz Rotter,marks Ulmer's penchant for the more dark and twisted side of things. Jimmy Lydon (from the popular Henry Aldrich series of all-American teen hit movies) does a fine job layering his aw-shucks delivery with undertones of teen-angst (even before the term "teen angst" was invented), but Ulmer taints the character just a bit with the Oedipus-like relationship with the mother (an element that appears in other Ulmer movies). Instead of greeting his mother with maternal respect, like most teen boys would do, Paul holds her in an intimate, almost lovers-like embrace, and refers to her as "Princess." More disturbing is Ulmer's handling of the sinister Brett Curtis, a creepy character who dubiously seduces the mother, while lecherously ogling Paul's younger sister and their teen friends. One scene has Curtis standing poolside, leering at Paul's girlfriend Lydia (Mary McLeod) with bad intent. Later, Lydia confides that the mysterious gigolo joined her in the pool and proceeded to grope her, and then pull her underwater to strangle and kiss her. Another scene has Curtis cornering Paul's sister in a boathouse. The audience never is witness to what Curtis does to the girl, but when Paul comes to her rescue, we see that her jacket is opened, and her blouse undone by one button. This kind of behavior may seem awful tame by today's standards, but taboo shattering deeds, like adults going around groping teenagers, was pretty advanced for that era. It's these kinds of storytelling risks that make this 60-year-old film intriguing to today's progressive audience. Strange Illusion is one of Edgar G. Ulmer's lost thriller classics, and a must see for film noir and Ulmer fans alike. It has beenunearthed and ably re-mastered from an original 35mm print (a tag for War Bonds is at the tail end of the film) by the folks at Allday Entertainment. It's the fifth in a growing series of Ulmer's more popular titles.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/strange_illusion.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/strange_illusion.html Film Noir Mon, 12 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0600 Ace in the Hole (1951) as part of the Cinematheque's weekend series of "Movies Not on Video," I was momentarily elated to see Jan Sterling's photo displayed in the lobby. Miss Sterling is a frequent visitor to the American Cinematheque in Hollywood, attending screenings of her own films including The Human Jungle, Caged and Union Station, as well as taking in other pictures. I assumed that she would be an unannounced screening guest at this, one of her most prominent and greatest feature films. My momentary pleasure evaporated when I noticed the accompanying sign that stated, "Jan Sterling – 3 April 1921-March 26,2004." Miss Sterling passed away this morning at the Motion Picture Home and Hospital at Woodland Hills. She would have been 83 next week. The good folks at the Cinematheque dedicated the screening to her memory with some nice words offered to the audience. According to Marvin Paige, Miss Sterling had been fighting diabetes, a broken hip in January and then a series of strokes. She is now at peace. Jan Sterling was a unique, talented actress whose screen portrayals during the 1950's were emblematic of the classic 'femme noir' portrayal. She will be sorely missed. The screening of Ace in the Hole was a terrific show. A beautiful 35mm print showed all of the deep focus detail that can't be had on television or broadcast VHS tapes. This film is vintage Billy Wilder at his most cynical and unsparing. A flop during the initial theatrical release, (The screened print had the alternate The Big Carnival title that replaced the original Ace in the Hole in attempt to increase the box office draw,). This was Wilder's first commercial failure after a string of successes starting in 1942. He really didn't like discussing this film too much in his later years and hated the title switch made by Paramount after the initial release in 1951. Too cynical for 1951 audiences, Ace in the Hole has garnered well deserved accolades and increasing respect over the years. As with all Billy Wilder films, the bitingly acerbic script makes for the foundation of an enduring cinema experience. The audience laughed at the right parts and was properly silent during the dramatic moments. Half a century later, this film detailing the media exploitation of a trapped man in a New Mexico cliff dwelling due to the darker reflexes of the human condition continues to resonate with topical clarity. An example of perfect casting was the pairing of a snarling Kirk Douglas (at his peak) and Jan Sterling's slatternly venal wife of the trapped man. A great supporting cast is headed by Ray Teal, superb as a corrupt sheriff, Fred Jacquet as an apparatchik contractor, Frank Cady, Richard Benedict (the 'Ace' trapped in the hole), the always reliable Porter Hall, and a youthful Robert Arthur (who sent his condolences to the audience for Jan Sterling). Great film, sad night. R.I.P. Jan Sterling.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/ace_in_the_hole.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/ace_in_the_hole.html Film Noir Fri, 26 Mar 2004 00:00:00 -0600 Miller's Crossing, Quentin Tarantino and John Woo owe much to Melville's 'perfect heist movie.' The master of the monosyllabic crime film presents a complex and layered account of a jewel robbery. The film is consciously leaden, shot in real time for the most part. Melville's central themes are alienation, masculinity, mundanity with flashes of downbeat violence. He is interested in the tenuous relationships of necessity between men, loyalty, duty and double crosses. It is a seriously male text--the only female 'character' of any note has all of one line. Melville's austere and considered film style pays off profoundly--the shock of the rare violence made even more normalized and ordinary coming as it does in the midst of long, lingering shots and expansive silences. Like Le Samourai, the lack of dialogue and the stately direction contrast with the aspirational noir favoured by the rest of the nouvelle vague. In a Bout de Soufflé, for instance (something returned to by Terence Malick in Badlands), Yves Montand's obsession with and mimicking of Bogart figured a glorification and celebration of cool noir. American cinema is at once escape and destruction. For Melville, in contrast, gangsterdom never attains this cache, being dirty and deadly boring at times. His influences are American (particularly The Asphalt Jungle), but his cynical world-weariness is defiantly French. Alain Delon, recently released from prison, flees Marseille where he is no longer welcome, serendipitously hooks up with Gian-Maria Volonté's escaped career criminal and together they plan a raid on an elaborate Parisian jewellery store. The originator of the plot is a prison guard's brother who has been a model employee for some 17 years. This idea of trying to escape such a mundane life is often the mainspring for noir or gangster films from Double Indemnity onwards, but Melville very much presents the lives of the criminals as being quite as dull as those of the normal citizens and policemen. The band recruit Montand's ex-police sharpshooter and together they rob the store before being double-crossed by Delon's former employer and set up by the dogged and quite tragically lonely detective (played against type by famous comedian Bourvil). They die messily and the final lines are given to the Commissioner of Justice, whose bourgeois Protestant belief that every man has dormant sin in them looking to emerge concludes the film on a very cynical note and interrogates the audience's expectations of a simple good/ bad binary of representation. Various motifs and 'red circle' metaphors--from the opening stop light to the chalk on a billiard cue--are deployed as red herrings, blinds to throw the viewer a dummy. Similarly Melville's script is full of moments at which you try to second guess him, or link things which you have very explicitly been told could not and have not been linked. Melville toys with audience expectations of spectacle and fantastical crime narrative, and it is only at the end when Delon and his gang lie dying that the viewer traces back their reading to 'make sense' of the film and understand that they were being played all along simply by assuming that they were going to be played. There are no double-crosses or spectacular coincidences, just some guys with guns stealing jewellery. This is the essence of the film, and the reason that the mise-en-scène is so achingly realistic and bleak. The cold mud that Delon and Volonté sink into at their first, circumstantial, meeting (and that they finally die in) is a figure for the film as a whole--soggy, real, dragging one down, messy. There is no existential moment of understanding or enlightenment here. Again, this is the reason for the film playing in real time. The agonising tension is built simply through the agonisingly slow process of planning and executing a heist. Melville gives his scenes a pleasing heft--they feel real, right, substantial. Melville's occasional stylistic tricks--panning shots, fluid dollying, jump-cut focus--serve to highlight the lack of flash surrounding the plot of the gang. In many ways this is an anti-noir film. There are few conventions (and those that are in the film are, as I've argued, intentionally undermined.). The film has a stately pace, few visual motifs. The atmosphere is taut but hardly full of thick tension. Yet Melville is fascinated by American gangster movies, and the influences and intertexts are worn on the sleeve. The effect is the slightly unsettling thing called 'cool' (you're contractually obliged to mention this when reviewing Melville). Alain Delon, moustache and raincoat worn ostentatiously, is the epitome of monosyllabic, primal cool. Yves Montand, intentionally recalling his cold-blooded killer from a Bout de Soufflé, exudes rumpled elegance. This cool is reactionary and male, self-defeating, existential. In the end it is lonely and destructive. There is a randomness that escapes the confines of the genre movie. Despite the Zen mysticism of the opening shots (every man is doomed to meet in the red circle) the story is interested in its own mundanity. These are gangsters, but they are gangsters who are not celebrated. In fact, they are simply common, everyday criminals. Melville's noir is downbeat, unstylised, undistinguished, with enough flourishes to suggest an ambition that is constantly brought down to earth.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/le_cercle_rouge.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/le_cercle_rouge.html Film Noir Sat, 16 Aug 2003 00:00:00 -0600 The Harder They Fall had boxing dead to rights. Organized Crime, through its various creatures such as Frankie Carbo, controlled big time boxing during the 1930's into the 1950's. The film's screenplay is based on the true story of how the Mob foisted heavyweight champion Prima Carnera on the public during the 1930's. Humphrey Bogart ends the film by typing the first couple lines of his exposé, stating that professional boxing needs a Federal commissioner or overseer to look out for the fighters and clean up the sport. I wonder if Don King ever watched this film. Boxing remains an irresistible attraction to many, but some of its seamier aspects haven't changed all that much.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/the_harder_they_fall.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/the_harder_they_fall.html Film Noir Tue, 22 Jul 2003 00:00:00 -0600 This Island Earth, 711 Ocean Drive, The Human Jungle), Abandoned is a truly great little noir with some of the most incredible dialogue this side of Raymond Chandler. This is thanks to William Bowers, who also wrote Pitfall, The Gunfighter, The Mob, Cry Danger, Imitation General, -30-, and many, many more. Joseph Newman was at the screening and discussed this film and his longtime friendship with star Dennis O'Keefe, whose real name is Bud Flanagan. O'Keefe, perhaps best known for the films Topper Returns and Raw Deal, is outstanding as wisecracking newspaper reporter Mark Sitko. He is tough, smart, sarcastic, sentimental, a tough guy and an average Joe all wrapped into one. It really is too bad he did not get more leading man roles, because he exhibits a master's ability in both comedy and drama here. After years of walk ons and bit parts in any number of classic films ranging from Duck Soup to Anna Karenina to Madame Bovary, O'Keefe--a longtime friend of director Newman's--he finally got a starring role in the B film Burn 'Em Up O'Connor. He would go on to co-star in such popular films as The Fighting Seabees, Brewster's Millions, and Topper Returns. The baby faced Gale Storm, perhaps best known for her TV series My Little Margie, is surprisingly good as the woman whose search for her sister is founded on the strongest of family ties and an unerring belief in the goodness of people. She is a good match for the charming O'Keefe, exuding a powerful persona for her diminutive frame. An up-and-coming Jeff Chandler took the co-star's role in this film, just before he really came into popularity. Looking bloated and tormented, recurrent baddie Raymond Burr plays sleazy gumshoe Kerric, whose mind is solely on self-survival and the pay-off. When he begins to realize he's the one loose thread in this whole cloth, and thus the easiest to frame, he muses aloud, "I should have stuck to blackmail and petty larceny." At one point he is tortured by another perennial noir heavy, Mike Mazurki (Murder, My Sweet). Abandoned possesses some of the finest attributes of film noir, adeptly sculpted to reveal all the many facets and faces of humor, pathos, anxiety, and danger. And it does so while managing to reach a positive conclusion, which is truly remarkable for any noir story. The print shown at The Egyptian was a rare 16mm copy with numerous scratches. All things considered, it was a beautiful print and I can only hope it is restored and transferred to DVD in the very near future. Until it is, be sure and check out the festivals held annually by American Cinematheque at The Egyptian in Hollywood, or the Palm Springs noir festival every year in May. For these festivals currently hold the only opportunity of enjoying rare gems such as Abandoned, with such incredible dialogue as, "What? You got lonely so you decided to take your gun for a walk?"]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/abandoned.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/abandoned.html Film Noir Tue, 15 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0600 Rififi became a hit around the world, even though it stirred up sensationalism for its excessive use of gunplay and dope use, all of which led to its condemnation by the League of Decency. In spite of this, the film earned blacklisted Hollywood director Dassin a Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival. The pivotal scene in the film is a legendary 30-minute sequence without either dialogue or music, and thus was born the heist film. Imitators include films like Ocean's 11, Reservoir Dogs, Thief, The Score and the recent Heist. And while many are quite good, none comes close to the original. While it is true that earlier films such as The Asphalt Jungle were about big heists, none provided the level of detail to be found in Rififi, or the tension arising from the actual heist itself. Rififi was shot in Paris in beautiful black and white for a modest $200,000. And while streets are usually wet in movies because they photograph better that way, the city of Paris is especially damp in Rififi, which was shot in wintertime and depicted a criminal milieu where the only warmth comes in an apartment where one of the crooks lives with his wife and little boy. The famous climax centers on tough guy Tony and the little boy, his godson. In spite of the cruelty Tony shows towards his former mistress, by the film's end he seems purified by loss. His character believes in honor among thieves, and his lonely vengeance against the kidnappers provides the film with its soul. Dassin's resume includes such great noirs as The Naked City (1948) and Night and the City (1950). Born in 1911, Dassin has been quoted as saying he was not crazy about the Rififi project but needed the work. Its worldwide success was a blow against the blacklist, which fell after listed writer Dalton Trumbo was openly hired by Kubrick for Spartacus and Otto Preminger for Exodus, both in 1960. By then Dassin had settled in Europe; and was married to the fiery Greek actress Melina Mercouri from 1966 until her death in 1994. His last great success, Topkapi (1964) was a return to the heist genre, and is said to have been the model for Mission: Impossible. Long unavailable in the United States, the film has recently been transferred to VHS and DVD by the Criterion Collection. If you have never seen this film, make the extra effort to do so; Rififi is a true classic.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/rififi.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/rififi.html Film Noir Mon, 03 Mar 2003 00:00:00 -0600 Thief, Michael Mann loosely based his screenplay on the book The Home Invaders by Frank Hohimer. He consulted with many professional thieves and came up with a story that rivals Rififi as a quintessential heist film. This was Mann's first feature film, and it is a dark and gritty contemporary noir, full of the staples of the genre: irrefutable past, untenable situations, irreversible fate. There are a few other firsts tied to this film. The score, by electronica mavens Tangerine Dream, set a standard for film scores to follow, with their sleek, throbbing beats and incessant thematic melodies running just below the surface of each scene. Also, this was Dennis Farina's (Snatch, Get Shorty) film debut; he was still a Chicago police detective at the time. This was also the film which debuted the talents of both Jim Belushi and Robert Prosky (The Natural). If you look quick, you'll see another Mann favorite, William Petersen (C.S.I., Manhunter) in a scene as the Katz & Jammer bartender. As the expert professional safecracker specializing in high-profile diamond jobs, James Caan is tough and straightforward, and an example of perfect casting. You sense before knowing that Frank spent many years in prison. When he lays out his very concrete picture of what he wants out of life--the nice home, a wife, and kids--for Jessie, we believe him. This is key for many of Mann's films; believability of character. Caan isn't just some hood; he's a human being with wants and desires as real as yours or mine.. His crew is his family, and that includes Okla (Willie Nelson--Wag the Dog), Barry (Jim Belushi--Made Men, TV's According To Jim), and Nick (Nick Nickeas). They work together like clockwork, as witnessed in the heist scenes. They share secrets none of the friends or families know, an act which serves to bring them towards a closeness few couples ever share. Frank has invested fairly well, putting his money into several businesses, including a used car lot and a nightclub (Chicago's famous The Green Mill). As Jessie, Tuesday Weld's character seems carved from her role in Who'll Stop the Rain, or perhaps is an extension of that role. She was involved with a man who bought drugs from the Colombians, and when a deal went bad and he was killed she found herself on the streets of Bogota. Now, living a quiet, unassuming life of drudgery in Chicago, she has convinced herself she is happy. When Frank comes along she resists involvement, until he spells out his plan for a new life with family and freedom. Unfortunately, she does not know what she is getting herself into, even though Caan is being as honest with her has he can. If Michael Mann's storytelling approach seems a bit cool, it is an approach intended to be as distinctive and effective as any Forties or Fifties noir, and Caan's performance ranks among his very best, making Thief a crime movie worth viewing.]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/thief.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/thief.html Film Noir Fri, 28 Feb 2003 00:00:00 -0600 Border Incident (1949) and your opinion will undoubtedly change. This surprisingly grim movie, directed by Anthony Mann and shot by master cinematographer John Alton, is as dark as it gets. Set in the Imperial Valley and Mexico, the picture pairs Mexican undercover Federale, Pablo Rodriquez (Ricardo Montalban) with his American law-enforcement counterpart, Jack Bearnes (George Murphy). This international duo is pitted against an evil Imperial Valley agri-crook, Owen Parkson (Howard Da Silva) and his gang who run an illegal alien smuggling and exploitation racket. Few films open more brutally. The initial moments show a group of migrant workers or braceros hurriedly returning to Mexico through rugged country against a moonlit sky. These poor souls are promptly ambushed in a canyon, knifed to death and robbed, with the bodies being submerged in a bog of oozing quicksand. With the ruthlessness of their antagonists firmly established, the two law enforcement officers begin to troll for the smuggling ring in a Mexican border town. Montalban poses as a migrant worker and partners up with an actual bracero (James Mitchell) to gain entry to the gang by paying to be smuggled across the border. The plan quickly bears fruit with Ricardo pinpointing the gang's Mexican operation, improbably run out of a border dive by that Teutonic blusterer, Sig Rumann. While Montalban is trucked into California to Da Silva's ranch, Murphy attempts to trail his partner while posing as a counterfeiter at large with phony U.S. border work passes as bait to set-up Da Silva for a sting operation. Both lawmen are unaware that the bracero murderers (Arnold Moss and Alfonso Bedoya) are part of the same smuggling gang who work under Da Silva. Buying into Murphy's counterfeiter dodge, Da Silva's men kidnap him and take him to California in an attempt to force him to cough up the phony border passes. Montalban continues to pose as a migrant worker at the ranch and gathers evidence of the daily brutality and thievery that the bracero are subjected to by Da Silva's ranch staff led by Jeff Amboy (Charles McGraw). Da Silva eventually discovers Murphy's duplicity and quickly realizes that his days as an agricultural Mafioso are numbered. Both Montalban and Murphy make a break from the ranch with Murphy being wounded and trapped. McGraw sadistically metes out a gruesome retribution to Murphy with a reaper while Montalban manages a series of hairbreadth escapes from the cutthroats while summoning the Federal cavalry from El Centro. Da Silva takes it on the lam with his crew and is first betrayed and then slain by McGraw and the others in the same ambush canyon that was the grave of many of his brutalized workers. McGraw and the gang shoot it out with the arriving cadre of lawmen and are killed. The film concludes with an officious narrative that the smuggling and exploitation of illegal aliens from Mexico was resolved by the good work of U.S. and Mexican law enforcement. Seen in the present day, some of these narrative representations are laughable while the issues portrayed on screen are relentlessly, and unfortunately, topical. This film may be the most uncharacteristic MGM production in the history of that storied studio. Louis B. Mayer was a firm believer in safe, "family value" films such as Lassie Comes Home and the Andy Hardy series and hated movies that used crime and violence as principal themes. But Mayer's influence was waning- he was out of touch with post WWII audience tastes- and his days as head of MGM were numbered. Starting in 1948, Dore Schary's star as head of production at MGM was ascendant after a string of hit musicals and prestige pictures including Battleground (1949). Familiar with Mann and Alton's work at Eagle-Lion studios, Schary admired the craftsmanship and style by both men on films such as T-Men and Raw Deal. Schary bought Border Incident which had started production at Eagle-Lion and brought the talented duo over to MGM to make the film. Mayer and Schary continued to wrangle about film content and, after a showdown over The Asphalt Jungle in 1950, L.B. Mayer was forced out after 27 years at the MGM tiller. Ricardo Montalban is an earnest and convincing protagonist, possibly because he actually played what he was, a Mexican, instead of the varied nationalities he was often forced into over a long and distinguished career. To say that George Murphy was cast against type in this film is an understatement. For an historical parallel, one must go back to Gene Kelly as an Oedipal murderer in Christmas Holiday (1944). An ex-hoofer, Murphy was never much of an actor, but he tries hard and at least does not detract from the film. Bad men are preeminent in this cast (the only woman in the film was comely Teresa Celli in a brief part as James Mitchell's wife) and seldom has such a rogue's gallery of nefarious characters excelled in a single film. Howard da Silva's performance was a double-edged honed sword of deceit and cowardice. His acting is so skillful and effortless that it doesn't appear to be acting at all. Charles McGraw adds a guttural rasp of racism to his usual mixture of avarice and cruelty. He is ably assisted by henchmen Arthur Hunnicutt, Arnold Moss (a great and little known actor) and fresh from his famous "Gold Hat" turn in The Treasure of Sierra Madre, the memorable Alfonso Bedoya. John Alton's photography is striking, particularly the dusk-to-night exterior scenes. He really did paint with light. The writing by the team of John C. Higgins (T-Men, Raw Deal) and George Zuckerman who were brought over with Mann and Alton from Eagle-Lion was cogent and crisp. There was never any waste or drag in an Anthony Mann picture until his success during the 1950's led to spectacles like El Cid (1961) and Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) which were not made with either efficiency or pace in mind. Border Incident is as uncompromising and tough as movies got in 1950, and it still packs a punch. ]]> http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/border_incident.html http://www.filmmonthly.com/film_noir/border_incident.html Film Noir Wed, 08 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0600