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Film Noir
They Shot Dark Pictures,
Didn't They? |
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250 Quintessential Noir
Films
Part 5 |
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Noir Homeoir Home |
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250 Quintessential
Noir Films (1940-1964): Parts
1
2
3
4
5 |
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50 Key Noir
Filmmakers
More American Noir (1940-1964)
Non-American Noir
(1940-1964)
Noir Precursors (Pre-1940)
Neo-Noir / Modern Noir
(Post-1964)
Noir Links
Noir Sources |
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Full listing of all
films cited: Alphabetical
Chronological
By Director |
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Strange Illusion |
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Edgar G. Ulmer |
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| 1945, 80 mins,
PRC |
| Scr
Adele Comandini
Cin
Philip Tannura
Cast
Jimmy Lydon, Sally Eilers, Warren William, Regis Toomey, Charles
Arnt |
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"Adolescent believes that his widowed mother's suitor may have
murdered his father. Stylish cheapie by the recognized master of
stylish cheapies." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Strange Love of Martha
Ivers |
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Lewis Milestone |
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| 1946, 117 mins,
Paramount |
| Scr
Robert Rossen
Cin
Victor MilnertCast
Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Kirk Douglas, Lizabeth Scott,
Judith Anderson |
| "This
movie is filled with darkness, brown soot, pessimism, secrecy,
control freaks...It's a very dark vision of the world, set in a
bleak, heavily industrial landscape, like a steeltown outside of
Chicago." - Barry Gifford,
The Devil Thumbs a Ride |
| TSPDT:
Recommended |
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Amazon
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MRQE |
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The Stranger |
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Orson Welles |
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| 1946, 95 mins,
RKO |
| Scr
Anthony Veiller
Cin
Russell Metty
Cast
Orson Welles,
Loretta Young, Edward G. Robinson, Philip Merivale, Richard Long |
| "Though
more straightforward than Welles' masterpieces, it still offers
plenty of hysteria, paranoia, and hidden identities as well as a
truly warped gothic ending." -
David N.
Meyer,
A Girl and a Gun: The Complete Guide to Film Noir on
Video |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Stranger on the Third
Floor |
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Boris Ingster |
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| 1940, 64 mins,
RKO |
| Scr
Frank Partos
Cin
Nicholas Musuraca
Cast
Peter Lorre, John McGuire, Margaret Tallichet, Charles Waldron,
Elisha Cook Jr. |
| "Stranger
on the Third Floor is the first true film noir...This
unheralded B film noir, made a full year before Citizen Kane,
demonstrates the most overt influence yet of German
expressionism on American crime films to that time." -
Bob Porfirio,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Strangers on a Train |
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Alfred Hitchcock |
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GF1000
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| 1951, 101 mins,
Warner Bros |
| Scr
Raymond Chandler, Czenzi Ormonde
Cin
Robert Burks
Cast
Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Ruth Roman, Leo G. Carroll,
Patricia Hitchcock |
| "One
of Alfred Hitchcock's supreme thrillers...Film has flaws, but
Walker's performance and Hitchcock's vast array of tricks more
than compensate for them." -
Danny
Peary,
Guide for the Film Fanatic |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Street of Chance |
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Jack Hively |
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| 1942, 74 mins,
Paramount |
| Scr
Garrett Fort
Cin
Theodor Sparkuhl
Cast
Burgess Meredith, Claire Trevor, Louise Platt, Sheldon Leonard,
Frieda Inescourt |
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"A man has an accident at work, returns home and is told by his
wife that he has been missing for a year. The original noir
amnesia story, which was also the first adaptation of a Cornell
Woolrich novel." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Not Seen |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Street with No Name |
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William Keighley |
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| 1948, 91 mins,
20th Century-Fox |
| Scr
Harry Kleiner
Cin
Joseph
MacDonald
Cast
Mark Stevens, Richard Widmark, Lloyd Nolan, Barbara Lawrence, Ed
Begley |
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"Street with No Name is an example of the
semidocumentary thrillers produced by Fox...the photography of
Joe MacDonald evokes a sense of the corrupt city through
stylized and shadowy images not too different from such studio
films as I Wake Up Screaming and Dark Corner." -
Bob Porfirio,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Worth a Look |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Strip |
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Leslie Kardos |
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| 1951, 85 mins,
MGM |
| Scr
Allan Rivkin
Cin
Robert Surtees
Cast
Mickey Rooney, Sally Forrest, William Demarest, James Craig, Kay
Brown |
| "Jazz
drummer and aspiring actress become involved with racketeers,
ending in violent tragedy. Los Angeles jazz scene nicely woven
into tough noir plot." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Worth a Look |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Sudden Fear |
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David Miller |
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| 1952, 110 mins,
RKO |
| Scr
Lenore Coffee, Robert Smith
Cin
Charles Lang
Cast
Joan Crawford, Jack Palance, Gloria Grahame, Bruce Bennett,
Virginia Huston |
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"Sudden Fear, a late entry in the RKO noir cycle,
has an overly contrived plot partially camouflaged by some
stylish and typically RKO photography by Charles Lang and by
naturalistic performances by the three lead actors." -
Bob Porfirio,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Suddenly |
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Lewis Allen |
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| 1954, 77 mins,
United Artists |
| Scr
Richard Sale
Cin
Charles Clarke
Cast
Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden, James Gleason, Nancy Gates, Kim
Charney |
| "Frank
Sinatra plays John Baron, leading a trio of assassins who arrive
in a small town just in time to shoot the president. It's a
compelling premise, well performed and well directed." -
The Rough Guide to Cult Movies |
| TSPDT:
Approach with Caution |
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Amazon
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Sunset Blvd. |
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Billy Wilder |
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GF1000
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| 1950, 110 mins,
Paramount |
| Scr
Charles Brackett,
Billy Wilder, D.M. Marshman Jr.
Cin
John Seitz
Cast
Gloria Swanson, William Holden,
Erich von Stroheim, Nancy
Olson, Fred Clark |
| "Billy
Wilder's searing, funny, morbid look at the real tinsel beneath
the phony tinsel...A tour de force for Swanson and one of
Wilder's better efforts." - Don Druker,
Chicago Reader |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
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The Suspect |
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Robert Siodmak |
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| 1944, 85 mins,
Universal |
| Scr
Bertram Millhauser
Cin
Paul Ivano
Cast
Charles
Laughton, Ella Raines, Henry Daniell, Dean Harens,
Stanley Ridges |
| "Oppression,
guilt, blackmail and murder in turn-of-the-century London's
quiet Laburnum Terrace - the plot specifics of The Suspect
inevitably evoke Hitchcock's world, even if the studio choice of
noir specialist Siodmak as director suggests a more
darkly labyrinthine atmosphere." - Paul Taylor,
Time Out |
| TSPDT:
Recommended |
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Amazon
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Suspense |
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Frank Tuttle |
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| 1946, 101 mins,
Monogram |
| Scr
Philip Yordan
Cin
Karl Struss
Cast
Barry Sullivan, Albert Dekker, Belita, Eugene Pallette, Bonita
Granville |
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"Promoter's illicit involvement with star of ice show leads to
deception and murder. Strange film, with expressive sets and
visuals, that was one of Monogram's only A productions." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Not Seen |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Suspicion |
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Alfred Hitchcock |
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| 1941, 99 mins,
RKO |
| Scr
Samson Raphaelson, Joan Harrison, Alma Reville
Cin
Harry Stradling
Cast
Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine, Nigel Bruce, Cedric Hardwicke, Dame
May Whitty |
| "Film has
good scenes - Grant carrying glowing glass of milk to sick
Fontaine, a dinner conversation about murder - but the
disappointing resolution keeps it from being top-grade
Hitchcock." - Danny
Peary,
Guide for the Film Fanatic |
| TSPDT:
Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Sweet Smell of Success |
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Alexander Mackendrick |
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GF1000
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| 1957, 96 mins,
United Artists |
| Scr
Clifford Odets, Ernest Lehman
Cin
James Wong Howe
Cast
Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Martin Milner, Sam
Levene |
| "A
wonderfully bitter satire on the celebrity biz...Director
Alexander Mackendrick more than makes the transfer from Ealing
comedy whimsy to ferocious frenzy, picking up on the cynical,
observational attitude of Ernest Lehman's hardboiled newsprint
script and adding gothic shadows." - Kim Newman,
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Talk About a Stranger |
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David Bradley |
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| 1952, 65 mins,
MGM |
| Scr
Margaret Fitts
Cin
John Alton
Cast
George Murphy, Nancy Davis, Billy Gray, Lewis Stone, Kurt
Kasznar |
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"Young boy is convinced that a new neighbor has poisoned
his dog. Atypical film with good visuals that encourages the
viewer to identify with a paranoid juvenile." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Worth a Look |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Tattooed Stranger |
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Edward Montagne |
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| 1950, 64 mins,
RKO |
| Scr
Phil Reisman Jr.
Cin
William Steiner
Cast
John Miles, Patricia Barry, Walter Kinsella, Frank Tweddell, Rod
McLennan |
| "One of
the seediest films ever made, The Tattooed Stranger
remains a unique testament to independent film makers. Taking to
the streets, the film is populated with non-professional actors
who suggest, rather than act out, the intrinsic fear and
loathing found in many urban slums." -
Carl Macek,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Not Seen |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Tension |
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John Berry |
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| 1949, 95 mins,
MGM |
| Scr
Allan Rivkin
Cin
Harry Stradling
Cast
Richard Basehart, Audrey Totter, Cyd Charisse, Barry Sullivan,
Lloyd Gough |
| "Tension
is a taut thriller developed with noir motifs and style. The
film is populated by a host of characters who embody the cynical
essence of the noir world." -
Carl Macek,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Worth a Look |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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They Live by Night |
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Nicholas Ray |
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GF1000
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| 1948, 95 mins,
RKO |
| Scr
Charles Schnee
Cin
George E. Diskant
Cast
Farley Granger, Cathy O'Donnell, Howard da Silva, Jay C. Flippen,
Helen Craig |
| "A key
film noir of the 40s, this was Nicholas Ray's first film as a
director, and the freshness of his expressionist-documentary
style is still apparent and gripping." -
Dave Kehr,
Chicago Reader |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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They Won't Believe Me |
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Irving Pichel |
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| 1947, 79 mins,
RKO |
| Scr
Aben Kandel,
Robert Rossen
Cin
Harry Wild
Cast
Robert Young, Susan Hayward, Jane Greer, Rita Johnson, Tom
Powers |
| "A man's
involvement with several women leads to an ironic murder charge.
Notable, lesser-known film noir with a strong sense of sexual
malaise." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Not Seen |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Thief |
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Russell Rouse |
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| 1952, 85 mins,
United Artists |
| Scr
Clarence Greene, Russell Rouse
Cin
Sam Leavitt
Cast
Ray Milland, Martin Gabel, Harry Bronson, Rita Vale, Rex
O'Malley |
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"The Thief remains superior to most other propaganda
films - the loss of dialogue in itself is an asset in toning
down didacticism - and director Russell Rouse, experienced in
the noir cycle, imbues the film with the necessary elements of
fear, persecution, alienation, and loneliness." - Bob
Porfirio,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Worth a Look |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Thieves' Highway |
|
Jules Dassin |
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| 1949, 94 mins,
20th Century-Fox |
| Scr
A.I. Bezzerides
Cin
Norbert Brodine
Cast
Richard Conte, Valentina Cortese, Lee J. Cobb, Barbara Lawrence,
Jack Oakie |
| "Perhaps
the most unjustly neglected of Jules Dassin's pre-blacklist
Hollywood pictures and one of the best noirs ever made by
anyone, this is a terrific, fast-moving thriller about the
corruption of the California fruit market business." -
Jonathan Rosenbaum,
Chicago Reader |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Third Man |
|
Carol Reed |
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GF1000
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| 1949, 104 mins,
London Film Productions/British Lion Film |
| Scr
Graham Greene
Cin
Robert Krasker
Cast
Joseph Cotten,
Orson Welles, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard, Paul
Horbiger |
| "Justly
celebrated British noir...Robert Krasker's camerawork
matches the baroque conception of Graham Greene's characters,
Welles' contributions add intriguing internal tension, and even
the 'gimmick' of Anton Karas' solo zither score works perfectly.
A tender/tough classic." - Paul Taylor,
Time Out |
| Note:
The Third Man is one of only 2 films included within the
250 Quintessential Noirs listing that was not produced in
the USA. |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
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This Gun for Hire |
|
Frank Tuttle |
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| 1942, 80 mins,
Paramount |
| Scr
Albert Maltz, W.R. Burnett
Cin
John Seitz
Cast
Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar, Tully
Marshall |
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"Hired killer is paid for a job with 'hot'
money...Important, meaningful early noir which links the cycle
with British suspense novels of that period." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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T-Men |
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Anthony Mann |
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| 1947, 96 mins,
Eagle Lion |
| Scr
John C. Higgins
Cin
John Alton
Cast
Dennis O'Keefe, Alfred Ryder, Mary Meade, Wallace Ford, June
Lockhart |
| "T-Men
established the reputations of its director, Anthony Mann, and
its photographer, John Alton. Within a year, both were hired by
MGM on the strength of this Eagle-Lion sleeper." - Blake Lucas,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Too Late for Tears |
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Byron Haskin |
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| 1949, 99 mins,
United Artists |
| Scr
Roy Huggins
Cin
William Mellor
Cast
Lizabeth Scott, Don DeFore, Dan Duryea, Arthur Kennedy, Kristine
Miller |
| "Notable,
well-directed film in which Lizabeth Scott plays a restless
housewife who will stop at nothing to get what she wants." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Worth a Look |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Touch of Evil |
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Orson Welles |
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GF1000
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| 1958, 108 mins,
Universal |
| Scr
Orson Welles
Cin
Russell Metty
Cast
Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Joseph Calleia, Akim
Tamiroff |
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"Welles at his most imposing in this exhausting exercise in
high-energy, self-conscious noir. The movie
moves...slowly but with concentrated effort designed to maximise
the results. And it works - almost unlike any other picture that
so purposefully sets out to achieve a dark effect." - Barry Gifford,
The Devil Thumbs a Ride |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Try and Get Me! |
|
Cy Endfield |
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| aka The
Sound of Fury |
| 1951, 85 mins,
United Artists |
| Scr
Jo Pagano
Cin
Guy Roe
Cast
Frank Lovejoy, Lloyd Bridges, Richard Carlson, Kathleen Ryan,
Katherine Locke |
| "Try
and Get Me functions better as a film noir than it does as a
quasi-documentary...Reminiscent of both Fritz Lang's Fury
and Mervyn LeRoy's They Won't Forget, Try and Get Me
concentrates less on the result of the lynching than on the
collapse of decency in both the criminals and the townspeople." -
Carl Macek,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Highly Recommended |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Turning Point |
|
William Dieterle |
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| 1952, 85 mins,
Paramount |
| Scr
Warren Duff
Cin
Lionel Lindon
Cast
William Holden, Alexis Smith, Edmond O'Brien, Tom Tully, Ed
Begley |
| "While
aiding special crime committee, investigative reporter discovers
that the chairman's father is on the syndicate payroll. Tense,
dramatic exposé film with some strong performances." -
Spencer Selby,
Dark City: The Film Noir |
| TSPDT:
Worth a Look |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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The Undercover Man |
|
Joseph H. Lewis |
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| 1949, 85 mins,
Columbia |
| Scr
Sydney Boehm
Cin
Burnett Guffey
Cast
Glenn Ford, Nina Foch, James Whitmore, Barry Kelley, David Wolfe |
| "Another
in an unrelated cycle of noir films made during the late 1940s
that approach the subject of organized crime through the
conventions of supposed documentary technique, The Undercover
Man emphasizes the ability of the noir film to suspend
disbelief." - Carl Macek,
Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the
American Style |
| TSPDT:
Not Seen |
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Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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Undercurrent |
|
Vincente Minnelli |
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| 1946, 116 mins,
MGM |
| Scr
Edward Chodorov
Cin
karl Freund
Cast
Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, Robert Mitchum, Edmund Gwenn,
Marjorie Main |
| "The film
is more gripping than it has any right to be, with its gothic
mansions, flickering firelight, mysterious brothers, and
simple-minded notions about gender politics." -
David N.
Meyer,
A Girl and a Gun: The Complete Guide to Film Noir on
Video |
| TSPDT:
Recommended |
|
Amazon
IMDB
MRQE |
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