Sgt_Markoff

I love the scene in Disney's " Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" where Nemo rams the Nautilus into the clipper ship; zooming right up to it and diving at the last moment to plow into the hull at an angle from below and rip it open. For my money, its one of the most amazing shots Disney ever did. You watch this take place from below--you can see the nose of the submarine slice the wood open and then the munitions inside explode. It's wild! Who better than James Mason to bring that character to life.

Glad to see a mention of 'Abandon Ship' which is one of the most powerful studio-era dramas I've ever enjoyed. My favorite Power movie for sure. He's on fire in this. It may even be my favorite 'sea' movie of all time. Well, at least of that era. Better than Hitchcock's 'Lifeboat' for sure. What about 'The Razor's Edge' for Power? No discussion warranted? p.s. Flynn had long hair in that pic, that's all. Ugh, Leo Duh-Caprio ...looks like an actual hog you might find in a barnyard. View pics of him taken at any beach while vacationing. He's flabby. Flynn possessed that well-known Australian toughness.

Unfortunately I myself, can't agree with the enthusiasm others express for this picture. It's clearly, a crime film and (to me, anyway) not a strongly memorable one at that. The plot is as standard as an episode of 'Dragnet'. Almost put me to sleep...Ladd looked like he was asleep. I like him well enough but his range as an actor is like Roger Moore's was. Does he ever move his facial muscles at all? Anyway none of the points raised in the OP above seem (to me) to mark the flick as noir, no--not as far as I can detect. Brief recap. Alan Ladd is a treasury agent postal agent (!) working undercover, and he follows a lead given him by a Catholic nun at a convent. He infiltrates a gang planning an armored car robbery. Is Ladd ever in any real jeopardy? Do we ever worry he won't get out of this? Nope. Besides, at any time he can phone his superiors and one of his colleagues will bail him out. Is there any moral ambiguity Ladd must confront? Any ethical dilemma? No. He's strait-laced and 'establishment' all the way. (USPS, not a government agency known for its brutality) Is Ladd a 'doomed man' at all? No. This is a hallmark of noir. But at the end of the romp, goody-two-shoes Ladd goes back to the nun for a pat on the head, isn't that so? A-list director, A-list photographer, big name stars--A-list picture. Film noir is usually B-budget. Can't be a low-budget B-flick if it has so many outdoor/location shots. (Film noir is low budget and usually shot indoors). I agree there's some industrial locations in the photography but 'industrial' noir to me, connotates something entirely different. This pic is still an armored car robbery movie.

The magazine article is a listing of crime films. This thread is labeled 'Life Magazine Listing of Noir'. Not quite the same thing. Crime films are not necessarily noir films; especially titles like 'Maltese Falcon' or 'Chinatown'. (These are not even crime films, mind you-- they're detective films!)

I see a big difference between movie soundtrack or title theme; and the typical jazz or blues you might hear in the background of a noir flick. The greater diversity is in the latter, I think it's safe to say. For example, when Edmond O'Brien enters the dive-bar to find Dum-Dum (in 'the Killers') there's a wild piano playing in the background as Dum-Dum gets set to make his break. This rapid-fire tune would never be the 'theme music' for such a movie; but its superb right where it is; in the background, painting the landscape of the story. Same thing goes for Elisha Cook Jr.'s drum solo in 'Phantom Lady'. The best instance I know where both theme & background mix together, (besides the obvious, 'Anatomy of a Murder'--but that's not a noir) is Jack Webb's superb radio show, 'Pete Kelly's Blues'. Webb was a lifelong fan of jazz (started out as a DJ) and carefully assembled a live band to play custom music especially intended for the production. The series is set in Kansas City during Prohibition; and dixieland jazz is featured in each episode. Fans were agog; audiences tuned in as much for the music as for the gut-busting storylines.

'The Thin Man' has a special opening credit for 'Asta', I recall that much. What's the exact text of the 'guest' mention you're seeing? The word 'star' instead of just 'with'...'player's name'?

'MacKintosh Man' is a flick I haven't thought about in a while although I've seen it televised 2-3 occasions. It's interesting enough as far as it goes--certainly not lacking in hidden merits. Source novel is 'The Freedom Trap' by reputed thriller author Desmond Bagely. Bagely was one of the three most prolific British thriller scribblers to come out of WWII (Alistair MaClean and Hammond Innes, being the other two). All three men used their wartime experience to pen vigorous, muscular, outdoor action adventure. The movie: it's easy to forget it's a John Huston production; seems very subdued and down-beat and humorless. Paul Newman pulls his weight in the flick; playing it cool and hard and terse. His agent is summed up this way: a guy who likes to pay back however he is treated. He doesn't turn the other cheek. Anyway, the camera is on Newman constantly. He certainly has a couple memorable scenes as his character deliberately goes undercover in an English prison to infiltrate a ring which breaks spies out of jail for pay. By the way, this plot echoes the infamous real life 1961 escape from Wormwood Scrubs of KGB mole George Blake--may have influenced the novel itself. (You remember that prison from 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'.) What I like best in the movie--aside from the hilarious groin-kicking scene--is the presence of one of my very favorite actors; the marvelous Ian Bannen. There's just something about Bannen which always proves reassuring. He's solid in everything; facile at playing sniveling weaklings as well as toughs. By mid-story, his character and Newman's play interminable games of chess together as they wait in a lonely country house for the next stage of their combined escape. Then comes the engaging Newman escape--echoing 'Cool Hand Luke' and the remarkable country house going up in flames. Cinematography well done indeed. The story moves to the Mediterranean and in the denouement--where govt minister James Mason is revealed as the ringleader, and the two men are headed off to Russia--Ian Bannen's character puts it squarely to Newman: if no harm has been done, who is he to judge these spies? And this is the most interesting point in the story, I reckon. The tough and unforgiving agent Newman plays, decides the escaping spies are right. No harm was done, so why murder them? Its a very intriguing little moment; and recalls other Newman movies ('Harper', 'Drowning Pool'). For all that I've just said, the film is strangely forgettable. Maybe if the final scene had taken place in a more exotic location. That might've helped. Or, if there had been some gratuitous female nudity--this flick is a sausage fest. Almost entirely male. Oh well. A pic like this reminds you why the James Bond franchise works so well. Explosions and breasts do matter, sometimes. I'd watch 'MacKintosh' again but not really with ...excitement. More so just for Ian Bannen.

This aired on TCM maybe a half-a-dozen weekends ago. I caught the first thirty minutes but it didn't drawn me in. Moribund, flat, and turgid were my first impressions. This, even though I am a big fan of the novel; and the author too--somehow the picture just didn't look the way I thought it would. I always recalled Raskolnikov as a poor student in a shabby overcoat. I'd sincerely like to believe in the glowing reviews, I admire Von Sternberg and Lorre... but...

Gah!!

So true.."sense of wonder" is paramount in films like these. There's no FX budget big enough to repair a flick which lacks it!

The Culpepper Cattle Company! 'Alvarez Kelly' is another. 'Man Without a Star'

It's gotta be 'Johnny Guitar'. Poster must be confused about the bonfire.

Its a hilarious western which really has a lot to say; plenty of insight on men's characters. Lemmon was feisty in this--like barbed wire!

In general, I'm of the school-of-thought that, 'unless you've experienced something...you probably can't portray it'. I know there's a lot of different acting techniques out there (and a lot of different opinions on different acting techniques). A crony of mine insists that an actor can imagine a place or a character so adroitly that he doesn't ever actually have had to have 'been there'. But me, I don't cotton to this. You can't prove this by me. I lean conservatively when giving actors too much credit. This conceit is a mealy premise; too many holes and frayed edges. Experience is still the best font to draw from. You can fumble your way to as close approximation as you can...you can try to shore-up-the-gap with your imagination...but the actor with the authentic experience 'has the edge'.

'Dark Passage' is the most famous flick with plastic surgery. 'Key Largo' had the sobbing nightclub singer. Both, Bogart films. If you remove the 'enemy dictator' I would guess 'Key Largo'. Edward G. Robinson plays the escaping gangland kingpin who is fleeing the USA anonymously. No surgery though.

'TCM On Demand'--?

That Javascript programmer will never code in this town again!

H'mmm. I should think people interested in this subject matter could simply purchase a book and read about it on their own. (Does anyone remember what 'books' are?)

Unfortunately --even in the face of this glowing review--I'm adamantly and steadfastly unconvinced of the acting skills of today's stars. Feh.

I've seen it. Although critics never rate it very highly, I found it memorable enough. There are some overt touches of melodrama but Holden and Kerr are both fine. Holden plays a US soldier of American Indian descent, somewhat disgruntled at the underlying racism in service life *despite the fact that he has risen to bird colonel* and also overlooking the fact that his character is rather a cad. But, he looks mighty sharp in his starched uniform. And, he has some fun banter with goody-two-shoes Kerr (she initially doesn't take to him). The flick is also the basis of a good trivia question: in what two movies is Holden attacked on a jungle trail by a knife-wielding assailant?

My appreciation of Hitchcock isn't dampened by whatever he is alleged to have done with any of his stars. I don't believe in hand-wringing over human nature. It is what it is; let it go. Hollywood is never the place to go for sheltered souls, mama's girls, shrinking-violets, or shy, sensitive types.

No Linux for me. For home use I rely on throw-away computers. As objects in themselves, they're not worth my time, concern, or attention. I always use TinyURL; for one thing I think it looks nicer on a page rather than a giant long address. Also, some web addresses may trigger flags on the firewalls people have at their workplace. That's what its really all about. The main reason for going Tiny is to ensure the link doesn't break; for others (as well as for myself when pasting it). So, rather than give you all a link which fails I actually do the right thing, and pre-set it for your ease of use. Yeah definitely do not need email reminders for anything happening on a web forum. I agree. Though I work with some of the highest tech in the country I really abhor every aspect of it. Yuck. Personal computers --to my way of thinking, they're barely one level up from television, which I tapered off long ago. The less I have to actually regard these soulless, dumb, silicon-filled slabs, the better I like it. Gag... I loathe 'puters.

Principles of composition, chiaruscuro, and perspective developed during the Italian Renaissance. Various philosophies like determinism. Goethe. Abbot Suger. PTSD. Judeo-Christian ideology including the Fall, 'Eve complex'/vilification-of-women. Photography. Pop-Freud. Aristotle's Poetics. Probably a dozen ethical tenets like self-interest vs responsibility-for-others, utilitarianism, free will, moral ambiguity. Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Finally: trends in window hangings, especially Venetian blinds.

'The Maltese Falcon'...isn't a noir.

I've seen her in "Light That Failed". Mildly entertaining film along the lines of 'A Double Life'. A little hoarse and strained in the melodrama department. Everyone roundly fine, decent; but nothing spectacular. Some interesting vernacular/earthy glam poses by Lupino as she allows Ronald Colman --a painter with ebbing eyesight--to capture her as his last work. Very loosely based on Kipling.