underrated or personal fave film noirs

[BruceH]

Not sure if it qualifies as "noir"...but this is another film I really enjoy:

Widmark and Paul Douglas on the hunt for killer carrying bubonic plague (Jack Palance). A gritty Kazan effort.

I'd say it's a noir. A real firecracker of the film, and one that definitively puts the lie to the canard that Elia Kazan was a stagy director. Great villains, too, in Jack Palance (in his film debut) and... wait for it... Zero Mostel! Also features a nice early turn by Barbara Bel Geddes as Widmark's wife.

The studio seems to think it's noir, too, since it's been released in the "Fox-Noir" DVD series. While not all of this series are really noir, I'd say this one is, and a good one too. It should be noted that the "film noir" designation is one of the most amorphous in common use. It's more of a very vague stylistic moniker than an actual genre, as it can and does include all sorts of crime movies, police procedurals, mysteries, thrillers, suspensers, exploitation flicks, and just somewhat downbeat movies. Also, though some of the most famous noirs are detective flicks(The Big Sleep, The Maltese Falcon, Out of the Past), if you tote up a lengthy list of films that most people would agree are noir you'd find that less than a third of them are detective stories.

Edited June 18, 2007 by BruceH

[BruceH]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

[Kalo]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

I'll have to watch the film again.

Kind of off-topic, but I just found out that the 1957 film Night of the Demon, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, also stars Peggy Cummins. I've been on the fence, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

[porcy62]

I'd go with Les Diaboliques, obviously the original not the crappy remake.

Van Basten, who's that girl in your avatar?

The lovely Adriana Lima

I think we're disgressing but i feel i'll be pardonned

Absolutely.

[BruceH]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

I'll have to watch the film again.

Kind of off-topic, but I just found out that the 1957 film Night of the Demon, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, also stars Peggy Cummins. I've been on the fence, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

I should have taped it when TCM showed it. Oh well.

BTW, as you probably already know, the studio forced Tourneur to actually SHOW the demon, which inevitably compromises the film somewhat.

Edited June 18, 2007 by BruceH

[Jazzmoose]

I'd go with Les Diaboliques, obviously the original not the crappy remake.

Van Basten, who's that girl in your avatar?

The lovely Adriana Lima

I think we're disgressing but i feel i'll be pardonned

Absolutely.

Faster than Scooter Libbey, anyway...

[Shawn]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

I'll have to watch the film again.

Kind of off-topic, but I just found out that the 1957 film Night of the Demon, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, also stars Peggy Cummins. I've been on the fence, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

I should have taped it when TCM showed it. Oh well.

BTW, as you probably already know, the studio forced Tourneur to actually SHOW the demon, which inevitably compromises the film somewhat.

Night Of The Demon is a MUST HAVE. There are only a couple of shots of the "studio imposed demon"...it really doesn't have an adverse effect on the film as a whole. It's so much fun to watch Andrews be a skeptic of all things supernatural...while everyone around him (and the audience) knows different.

[poetrylover3]

One of my favorites is Spencer Tracy and Robert Ryan in Bad Day at Black Rock.

Murder My Sweet deserves an honorable mention

Jeff T

[medjuck]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

I'll have to watch the film again.

Kind of off-topic, but I just found out that the 1957 film Night of the Demon, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, also stars Peggy Cummins. I've been on the fence, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

I should have taped it when TCM showed it. Oh well.

BTW, as you probably already know, the studio forced Tourneur to actually SHOW the demon, which inevitably compromises the film somewhat.

Night Of The Demon is a MUST HAVE. There are only a couple of shots of the "studio imposed demon"...it really doesn't have an adverse effect on the film as a whole. It's so much fun to watch Andrews be a skeptic of all things supernatural...while everyone around him (and the audience) knows different.

I have a vague meomory of there being another title for Night of the Demon in Europe. Accordig to IMDB the only other title is Curse of the Demon but I vaguely remember something else. Is this just another of my acid flasbacks?

[porcy62]

Is this just another of my acid flasbacks?

Take it easy Dude!

Everything's gonna be all right.

[Hot Ptah]

I'd go with Les Diaboliques, obviously the original not the crappy remake.

Van Basten, who's that girl in your avatar?

The lovely Adriana Lima

I think we're disgressing but i feel i'll be pardonned

Absolutely.

In which film does this card game take place?

[porcy62]

I'd go with Les Diaboliques, obviously the original not the crappy remake.

Van Basten, who's that girl in your avatar?

The lovely Adriana Lima

I think we're disgressing but i feel i'll be pardonned

Absolutely.

In which film does this card game take place?

Yeah, I too would like to know it.

[gslade]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

I'll have to watch the film again.

Kind of off-topic, but I just found out that the 1957 film Night of the Demon, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, also stars Peggy Cummins. I've been on the fence, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

I should have taped it when TCM showed it. Oh well.

BTW, as you probably already know, the studio forced Tourneur to actually SHOW the demon, which inevitably compromises the film somewhat.

Night Of The Demon is a MUST HAVE. There are only a couple of shots of the "studio imposed demon"...it really doesn't have an adverse effect on the film as a whole. It's so much fun to watch Andrews be a skeptic of all things supernatural...while everyone around him (and the audience) knows different.

I have a vague meomory of there being another title for Night of the Demon in Europe. Accordig to IMDB the only other title is Curse of the Demon but I vaguely remember something else. Is this just another of my acid flasbacks?

Curse of the Demon is the Americanized version (cut scenes) Night of the Demon is the British Original cut (I like it better). Both are available on one current DVD, a great flick

[BruceH]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

I'll have to watch the film again.

Kind of off-topic, but I just found out that the 1957 film Night of the Demon, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, also stars Peggy Cummins. I've been on the fence, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

I should have taped it when TCM showed it. Oh well.

BTW, as you probably already know, the studio forced Tourneur to actually SHOW the demon, which inevitably compromises the film somewhat.

Night Of The Demon is a MUST HAVE. There are only a couple of shots of the "studio imposed demon"...it really doesn't have an adverse effect on the film as a whole. It's so much fun to watch Andrews be a skeptic of all things supernatural...while everyone around him (and the audience) knows different.

I have a vague meomory of there being another title for Night of the Demon in Europe. Accordig to IMDB the only other title is Curse of the Demon but I vaguely remember something else. Is this just another of my acid flasbacks?

As far as I know, it was Night of the Demon in Britain (the longer, uncut version), and Curse of the Demon in the U. S. with 12 or 13 minutes trimmed off of it.

[Van Basten II]

I'd go with Les Diaboliques, obviously the original not the crappy remake.

Van Basten, who's that girl in your avatar?

The lovely Adriana Lima

I think we're disgressing but i feel i'll be pardonned

Absolutely.

In which film does this card game take place?

Yeah, I too would like to know it.

Victoria's secret.

[Kalo]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

I'll have to watch the film again.

Kind of off-topic, but I just found out that the 1957 film Night of the Demon, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, also stars Peggy Cummins. I've been on the fence, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

I should have taped it when TCM showed it. Oh well.

BTW, as you probably already know, the studio forced Tourneur to actually SHOW the demon, which inevitably compromises the film somewhat.

Night Of The Demon is a MUST HAVE. There are only a couple of shots of the "studio imposed demon"...it really doesn't have an adverse effect on the film as a whole. It's so much fun to watch Andrews be a skeptic of all things supernatural...while everyone around him (and the audience) knows different.

I'm gonna buy it and then just close my eyes when the "studio imposed demon" is on screen.

[BruceH]

I remember Gun Crazy being kind of "rediscovered" back in 1990. The buzz on it was "Hey, here's a small, low-budget film that was actually very good in many ways!" Actually, I've got to agree with Kalo that there's no longer any such thing as an "underrated" noir; they've all been discovered and rediscovered over and over. What keeps me interested are the modest but strangely satisfying pleasures to be had from the less-renowned B-movie programmers. They were often saddled with lousy endings, or corny narration or other blemishes, but often delivered the goods in some scenes. I'm thinking of T-Men, or Armored Car Robbery, or Woman On the Run, or, yes, Gun Crazy (though Gun Crazy is pretty famous now.)

Nothing wrong with the ending of Gun Crazy!

Agreed!!! However, there is that strange scene where he asks Peggy Cummins why she has to kill people, "...Why can't you let them live?" Several commentaters have maintained that this odd, flat, frankly nonsensical little scene must have been imposed by the studio ex post facto, and I'm inclined to agree.

I'll have to watch the film again.

Kind of off-topic, but I just found out that the 1957 film Night of the Demon, directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Dana Andrews, also stars Peggy Cummins. I've been on the fence, but now I'm definitely going to get it.

I should have taped it when TCM showed it. Oh well.

BTW, as you probably already know, the studio forced Tourneur to actually SHOW the demon, which inevitably compromises the film somewhat.

Night Of The Demon is a MUST HAVE. There are only a couple of shots of the "studio imposed demon"...it really doesn't have an adverse effect on the film as a whole. It's so much fun to watch Andrews be a skeptic of all things supernatural...while everyone around him (and the audience) knows different.

I'm gonna buy it and then just close my eyes when the "studio imposed demon" is on screen.

Sounds like a plan.

Actually, last night on TCM I saw another Dana Andrews film, While the City Sleeps, an early serial killer film no less. Andrews plays a newspaperman whose name is (wait for it): "Mobley" (Ed Mobley)---you can imagine what THAT was doing to my subconscious all through the film. Not a first rate film, but it also featured Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, and Ida Lupino! Worth seeing just for the cast.

[BruceH]

One of my favorites is Spencer Tracy and Robert Ryan in Bad Day at Black Rock.

Murder My Sweet deserves an honorable mention

Both a couple of winners, to be sure!

Oddly, the first time I saw Murder My Sweet I wasn't impressed. It seemed overly jokey, like "camp" 20 years ahead of time. But years later I rewatched it and really dug it. Noir is like that; movies you dismiss at first can eventually raise up all sorts of pleasures.

[GA Russell]

Last week I picked up a pack of four film noir DVDs at BJ's for $6.99:

Detour

DOA

He Walked By Night

Impact

Tonight a friend and I watched Detour. I had read that it is considered by many the best one of the genre.

It requires a lot of "suspension of disbelief", but it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time!

[zen archer]

Two of my faves are "Nightmare Alley and "Fallen Angel" .....Fallen Angel was directed by Preminger and

has a fantastic opening sequence.

[BruceH]

Two of my faves are "Nightmare Alley and "Fallen Angel" .....Fallen Angel was directed by Preminger and

has a fantastic opening sequence.

Seeing Fallen Angel a year or two ago is one of the things that changed my mind about Preminger (that and Where the Sidewalk Ends and others)---before he began churning out tiresome prestige pictures he was quite the noir director.