ChiO

DIAL 1119 (1950): A film noir that was unknown to me and seen a couple of weeks ago. It is now in my Top 10 (15?) noirs. Directed by Gerald Mayer, who directed about 8 movies and tons of TV shows, from The Millionaire to Lou Grant. Andrea King is a floozie. The ubiquitous Leon Ames is a wannabe ladies' man. William Conrad is Chuckles (who else?) the bartender. And the star is Marshall Thompson, the psychopath who holds them hostage. The opening 15 or so minutes is an incredible use of background noise and minimalist dialog.

FrankListerineGrimes -- Don't bring your DPs here. See the separate thread.

This was another FrankGrimes suggestion (and he's too much of a weeny -- or is it weasel?-- to do this), so blame him. If any type of movie is defined by the cinematographer as much as it is by the director, then it is film noir. Give us your 10 (or fewer) favorite film noir cinematographers (or, directors of photography, if you wish) in order of preference and, if so moved, the reason(s) for inclusion. Extra points for multiple use of ?Expressionistic?, ?baroque? and ?chiaroscuro? (and spelling counts). 10. James Wong Howe: Hangmen Also Die!, Pursued, Sweet Smell of Success ? Not a lot of films noir, but good ones from a pioneer. 9. Ernest Laszlo: Impact, D.O.A., Kiss Me Deadly, The Big Knife, While the City Sleeps 8. Russell Metty: The Stranger, Naked Alibi, Touch of Evil ? Two by Welles and a little-seen Sterling Hayden gem?well? 7. Milton Krasner: The Woman in the Window, Scarlet Street, The Set-Up, House of Strangers, No Way Out 6. Joe MacDonald: Call Northside 777, The Street with No Name, Panic in the Streets, Niagara, Pickup on South Street, House of Bamboo 5. John Seitz: This Gun for Hire, Double Indemnity, The Lost Weekend, The Big Clock, Sunset Blvd ? My introduction to the noir look with the three Wilder movies. 4. Stanley Cortez: Secret Beyond the Door, Man on the Eiffel Tower, Night of the Hunter, Shock Corridor, The Naked Kiss ? Anyone who can put these, The Magnificent Ambersons and They Saved Hitler?s Brain on his resume needs to be near the top. 3. George E. Diskant: Desperate, They Live by Night, Port of New York, The Racket, On Dangerous Ground, The Narrow Margin, Beware, My Lovely, Kansas City Confidential, The Bigamist 2. Nicholas Musuraca: Stranger on the Third Floor, The Spiral Staircase, Deadline at Dawn, Out of the Past, Woman on Pier 13, Clash by Night, The Hitch-Hiker ? Arguably the first noir and, in addition to these, five of the Val Lewton horror films noir 1. John Alton: T-Men, The Spiritualist (aka The Amazing Mr. X), Raw Deal, He Walked by Night, Hollow Triumph (aka The Scar), Border Incident, Reign of Terror (aka The Black Book), The Big Combo, Slightly Scarlet, Lonelyhearts ? Fast, cheap, and spectacular. What more could a director want? Baroque angles, chiaroscuro lighting, with an Expressionistic look. His films are film noir.

But wait a minute -- MissG did mention Mankiewicz, albeit obliquely. She mentioned No Way Out, but credited it to Herr Otto. Po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe (sorry for my oblique reference to St. Paddy's Day).

From Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford (Eyman, Scott, 1999) -- By the fall of 1941, Hollywood was changing. Writers like John Huston and Preston Sturges were becoming directors, and a rank outsider like Orson Welles had been given the keys to RKO's kingdom. Ford didn't care for either Huston or Sturges, but he was fond of Welles.... (p. 243) (Ford) worried about his career, he worried about his country, he even worried about Communism in the form of a man he had stood with during the Directors Guild imbroglio. "Your letters received," he wrote Michael Killanin, "with the discouraging news that the Reds -- to wit: one John Huston is seeking refuge in our lovely Ireland. This ain't good. He is not of the Right Wing." (p. 425) Regarding his favorite directors when interviewed by Bernard Tavernier, "I like Sammy Fuller, too; he puts a little too much violence in his films, but unlike many others he doesn't do it for base commercial reasons -- he is an upright, honest guy. I don't like John Huston, he is a phony." (p. 528) See what I remember from reading a John Ford biography.

Although I recall listing favorite film noir directors in miscellaneous threads, I could not find one devoted to the topic. So? Give us your 10 (or fewer) favorite film noir directors in order of preference (or leave it up to Fate) and, if so moved, the reason(s) for inclusion. I?ll kick it off with? 10. Otto Preminger: Laura, Fallen Angel, Daisy Kenyon, Whirlpool, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Angel Face 9. Robert Siodmak: Phantom Lady, The Spiral Staircase, The Killers, Cry of the City, Criss Cross, The File on Thelma Jordon 8. Jacques Tourneur: Out of the Past, Nightfall, The Fearmakers and extra credit for making horror films that are arguably more noir than horror 7. John Huston: The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of Sierra Madre, Key Largo, The Asphalt Jungle + bonus points for being so disliked by John Ford 6. Billy Wilder: Double Indemnity, The Lost Weekend, Sunset Boulevard, Ace in the Hole, though the first listed is probably sufficient reason to be on this list 5. Orson Welles: The Stranger, The Lady from Shanghai, Mr. Arkadin, Touch of Evil, The Trial and, when one is a genius, one should be on every list imaginable 4. Fritz Lang: The Woman in the Window, Scarlet Street, Secret Beyond the Door, Clash by Night, The Big Heat, While the City Sleeps, Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 3. Samuel Fuller: Pickup on South Street, Underworld U.S.A., Shock Corridor, The Naked Kiss and noir elements in almost every other movie 2. Joseph H. Lewis: two of the best (quality beats quantity here) ? Gun Crazy & The Big Combo, plus two Westerns that approach noir, A Lawless Street & Terror in a Texas Town 1. Anthony Mann: Strange Impersonation, Desperate, Railroaded, T-Men, Raw Deal, He Walked by Night, Reign of Terror (aka The Black Book), Border Incident ? what a body of work! And five have the same cinematographer. Coincidence? Or, Fate? My sincerest apologies to Robert Aldrich, Allen Baron, Jules Dassin, Andre de Toth, Henry Hathaway, Phil Karlson, Stanley Kubrick, Max Ophuls, Nicholas Ray, Don Siegel, Edgar G. Ulmer, and Robert Wise. Message was edited by: ChiO (added Nick Ray at end)

How did I leave off Elisha Cook, Jr. and Whit Bissell? Two of the best of the best.

FrankTheListerGrimes -- How's this for a new challenge for you, me, and anyone else who'd like to take part -- who are your ten favorite film noir directors AND cinematographers? What are your ten favorite film noir endings? All in order of preference. You're on -- but why don't you start a separate thread so that we're not accused of hijacking this one. And you already know that *Mann/Alton* are atop my lists -- now to the difficult task of finding 9 others worthy to appear with each of them.

Actors: 1. Robert Ryan 2. Humphrey Bogart 3. Robert Mitchum 4. Dan Duryea 5. Edward G. Robinson 6. Sterling Hayden 7. Richard Widmark 8. Orson Welles 9. Dana Andrews 10. John Payne Actresses: 1. Barbara Stanwyck 2. Joan Bennett 3. Gloria Grahame 4. Ida Lupino 5. Gene Tierney 6. Linda Darnell 7. Veronica Lake 8. Claire Trevor 9. Arlene Dahl 10. Lizabeth Scott Look familiar, Frank? Be afraid...be very afraid.

1. *James Stewart* 2. *Robert Ryan* 3. *Edward G. Robinson* 4. *Robert Mitchum* 5. *Humphrey Bogart* Runners-up: *Dan Duryea* *Cary Grant* *Gene Evans* *Joel McCrea* *TIMOTHY CAREY*

I included Melville on my list and omitted Renoir?!?!? My face is red. Theodora -- Don't ever feel compelled to leave Cassavetes off of any list (okay -- maybe you can leave him off a list of favorite musical comedy directors). FranktheWiseMann -- I do not dislike Hitchcock or his films. My only complaint -- and it is not a very intellectually satisfying one -- is that he is held in such high esteem to the detriment of, I daresay, equally capable directors. To name just one (to put me in good stead), Fritz Lang. Hitch's very savvy self-promotion (and, of course, the Cahiers crowd) explains alot. Oh, and unquestionably he made fine movies. I'm just being contrarian. But if asked whether I want to watch a random *Hitchcock* movie from the '40s or '50s or a random *Anthony Mann* movie from the same era, put da *Mann* in da player.

*I was surprised to see North by Northwest as your 3rd favorite Hitch. I didn't think you liked that pic that much.* The question was which of Hitchcock movies I liked most, not whether I liked any of them. There -- got that out of my system. I enjoy several of his films and, until 4 or 5 years ago, NORTH BY NORTHWEST was my favorite. I like NOTORIOUS alot as well. Then there's a bit of a drop-off, though I don't actively dislike any of them. I even own copies of several, and ROPE, STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, and REAR WINDOW are three of my younger daughter's favorite movies. (See how tolerant I am. :-) ) There are just so many directors that I enjoy more than The Master. And someday I will really try and focus on VERTIGO.

*Okay, out of curiosity, what are you top three Hitch and Ford films?* Who? Oh, yawn. :-) *Alfred Hitchcock* 1. *REAR WINDOW* 2. *STRANGERS ON A TRAIN* 3. *NORTH BY NORTHWEST* *John Ford* 1. *THE SEARCHERS* 2. *THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE* 3. *THE INFORMER*

*Orson Welles* 1. *CITIZEN KANE* 2. *TOUCH OF EVIL* 3. *MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS* *Jacques Tourneur* 1. *STARS IN MY CROWN* 2. *CAT PEOPLE* 3. *GREAT DAY IN THE MORNING* *Carl Th. Dreyer* 1. *THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC* 2. *ORDET* 3. *DAY OF WRATH* *Samuel Fuller* 1. *PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET* 2. *FIXED BAYONETS* 3. *FORTY GUNS* *John Cassavetes* 1. *HUSBANDS* 2. *LOVE STREAMS* 3. *SHADOWS* *F.W. Murnau* 1. *SUNRISE* 2. *THE LAST LAUGH* 3. *NOSFERATU* *Erich Von Stroheim* 1. *FOOLISH WIVES* 2. *QUEEN KELLY* 3. *GREED* *Sergei Eisenstein* 1. *BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN* 2. *ALEXANDER NEVSKY* 3. *STRIKE* *Anthony Mann* 1. *HE WALKED BY NIGHT* 2. *RAW DEAL* 3. *NAKED SPUR* *Robert Bresson* 1. *A MAN ESCAPED* 2. *AU HASARD BALTHAZAR* 3. *MOUCHETTE* *Billy Wilder* 1. *DOUBLE INDEMNITY* 2. *ACE IN THE HOLE* 3. *SUNSET BOULEVARD* *Howard Hawks* 1. *HIS GIRL FRIDAY* 2. *BRINGING UP BABY* 3. *RED RIVER* *Fritz Lang* 1. *M* 2. *CLASH BY NIGHT* 3. *THE TESTAMENT OF DR. MABUSE* *Max Ophuls* 1. *LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN* 2. *THE RECKLESS MOMENT* 3. *THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE...* *Stanley Kubrick* 1. *DR. STRANGELOVE* 2. *THE KILLING* 3. *PATHS OF GLORY* *Joseph H. Lewis* 1. *GUN CRAZY* 2. *THE BIG COMBO* 3. *TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN* *Michael Powell/Emeric Pressburger* 1. *A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH* 2. *A CANTERBURY TALE* 3. *EDGE OF THE WORLD* (Powell only) *Edgar G. Ulmer* 1. *DETOUR* 2. *THE BLACK CAT* 3. *STRANGE ILLUSION* *Jean-Pierre Melville* 1. *LE SAMOURAI* 2. *ARMY OF SHADOWS* 3. *BOB LE FLAMBEUR* *Nicholas Ray* 1. *REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE* 2. *JOHNNY GUITAR* 3. *PARTY GIRL*

skimpole -- *Brakhage* films are available at Netflix (assuming you'd want to rent before purchasing). The few *Brakhage* films I've seen, including DOG STAR MAN, are non-narrative experimental avant-garde movies that juxtapose the conflict between the physical and spiritual worlds. Interesting visually, but certainly not everyone's cup of tea. Were you referring to Yasujiro Ozu's *FLOATING WEEDS* or Mikio Naruse's FLOATING CLOUDS? The former is available on Criterion; the latter, unfortunately, is unavailable to the best of my knowledge. I have a DVD of *MAKE WAY FOR TOMORROW* that I got on eBay -- not the greatest quality, but certain watchable. My understanding is that a Region 2 DVD is being released soon. I also have a DVD of RECKLESS MOMENT from http://5mtl.com/

Karl Malden was rotten to the core in On the Waterfront?

My Top 10 are: 1. Groucho Marx The other 9 in no particular order -- Harpo Marx Chico Marx Charlie Chaplin Cary Grant W.C. Fields Stan Laurel Edgar Kennedy William Powell Edward Everett Horton

Last week I saw for the first time *Golden Earrings* by Mitchell Leisen, starring Ray Milland and Marlene Dietrich. A very odd movie (drama, thriller, melodramata, musical comedy, and slapstick -- plus Nazis), but enjoyable. Even when Milland is smiling and the movie is romantic or light, do you get the sense that Milland is not completely pleased with humankind? He also starred in one of my favorite cheap sci-fi movies -- X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes.

About 5 years ago, the film critic for the Chicago Tribune, Michael Wilmington, contended that 1962 was the greatest year for film. Some that he listed that haven't been mentioned here: *Yojimbo* *Jules and Jim* *Lolita* *Viridiana* *The Trial* *Ride the High Country* *Advise and Consent* *Peeping Tom* *Mr. Arkadin* *Last Year at Marienbad* *Shoot the Piano Player* *The Hidden Fortress* *Cleo from 5 to 7* Not a bad year.

*Bogart* / *Cagney* is a great duo in THE ROARING TWENTIES and *Beatty* / *Dunaway* are magic in BONNIE AND CLYDE, but I have a special affection for *John Dall* / *Peggy Cummins* in GUN CRAZY.

I was tempted to say: (1) The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, (2) A Fistful of Dollars, and (3) For a Few Dollars More -- but I resisted the temptation. 1. *Rio Grande* 2. *Fort Apache* 3. *She Wore a Yellow Ribbon* How that happened, MissG, I just don't know.

*What's the book about Mann called?* It has the electrifying title of Anthony Mann. Written by Jeanine Basinger (Wesleyan University Press). Originally published in 1979, a "new and expanded edition" came out in 2007. Be forewarned: It is not a "biography". The author laments that there is very little information on his life outside of the films he directed; it is a critical "biography" of his films. Eleven pages are devoted to MAN OF THE WEST in the chapter entitled -- hold on to your ten-gallon hat -- Mann of the West. I've just started reading it. As best as I can tell, the focus is on his Westerns and, therefore -- unfortunately (in some quarters) -- his films noir may be short-changed. I, of course, immediately upon receipt went to the Index and read the pages on John Alton. I can't recall now (too many martinis in the interim -- what, you thought red-eye or Irish whiskey?) whether I ordered it through Amazon or Powell Books.

*Johnny Depp* can never be mean -- just misunderstood.

FranklyMyDearGrimes -- I think that we all would agree that in the case of certain films, the casting decisions are paramount. For GWTW, as an example, the casting of *Vivian Leigh* was extremely important and, given the number of actresses considered and given screen tests, it would not be a stretch to conclude that the director of the screen tests was the most critical element of the movie's success. Coincidently, I just happened to learn today in starting to read a book critically analyzing the work of a certain director, that *Selznick* plucked him from Broadway semi-obscurity and hired him as a talent scout and director of screen tests for several movies, including GWTW. The director? Why, Anthony Mann, of course. Now begins a complete reevaluation of the movie. P.S. *Mann* also directed the screen tests for REBECCA. Luckily there is no evidence that *Samuel Fuller* or *John Cassavetes* directed screen tests for any *John Ford* movies. If otherwise, my entire world would be turned upside down. Message was edited by: ChiO

I'm on pins and needles 'till you tell me what movie that is. I'm completely stumped! Cat People + Out of the Past = *Jacques Tourneur* *CANYON PASSAGE*