EugeniaH

It's interesting to me that Night of the Hunter is classified as a noir. Here is where my own ignorance of the genre comes in - as I remember reading from other board members over time, noir can't really be pigeonholed into a strict format - it's about more than just fedoras and dark atmosphere with light streaming through venetian blinds and fast talk and guns blazing in dark alleys... Again, glad to read through this thread. I'm learning a lot.

I was lucky enough to once see NOTH on the big screen. What a visual feast. And Mitchum was sooo much more menacing to the viewer when he appearerd so large. My friend and I kept referring to the film's power the following day.

The woman always falls down when being chased, always...

And in any kind of disaster or quasi-violent movie, the woman will have a few dirt smudges on her face, and maybe some torn clothes, but the lipstick and mascara are still perfect... The woman in distress in the movies will look a hundred times better than the average woman in real life, on her best day.

Yeah... well, I don't want to venture too far into the TV area here, but it reminds me of another: a woman can dress up in a man's disguise, and come off as a man even with a face full of makeup and heavy mascara.

A character can dress up in disguise and completely fool people, and no one picks up that the voice sounds familiar.

Thanks to lav herself, I saw Sudden Fear and immediately deemed it my favorite Crawford film (and I'm not a big fan of Crawford!).

Great alternatives, kingrat. If only! Fortunately, the clunker of Corey doesn't take away too much from the rest of this film. Walter Huston is larger than life, Judith Anderson is wonderful - I think the dynamic between Huston, Stanwyck and Anderson is really most of the film for me.

Edit: I want to add to my "exceptional" list Sudden Fear, with Joan Crawford.

Terrific post, Tom! I agree with everything you say here. And yes, Corey is a drawback for me, too, for the very same reasons.

Thanks for this thread, Speedy! Noir isn’t my favorite genre, so my list may be shorter than others, but here is mine in alphabetical order: Caged Double Indemnity Fallen Angel The Furies (I’ve seen this movie labeled as a “Western Noir”, but I don’t know if others more in the know would consider it truly noir – comments welcome) Key Largo Leave Her to Heaven Nightmare Alley The Postman Always Rings Twice Sudden Fear There are honorable mentions, like The Killers, but the list highlights the “exceptional” ones for me

I tried to watch "Black Narcissus" on Sunday, but I turned it off after about 15 minutes or so. I know it's an acclaimed film, and I'd looked forward to seeing it, but... Maybe after living through Catholic school for 8 years, I'd rather watch something more secular.

I'm watching "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House". It's on as background noise while I clean my place, but I keep getting distracted by it, and posting, lol...

Speedy, I especially agree with your choices for Davis, de Havilland and Holliday, and want to add Sidney Poitier for his role in "A Raisin in the Sun".

Just read that today is Jean Simmons' birthday. Last night I saw her in "Spartacus" (luckily, I had three hours to kill!). "Epic" doesn't get much better than this - lush sets, stellar cast, engaging storyline. Love how the film can go from stark cruelty and brutality (the "fight to the death" acts between the slaves, and the way the women seem to savor it with something like lust in their eyes) to moving tenderness (Spartacus meets up with Varinia when he thought she was gone for good, and his eyes well up with tears. Easily one of my favorite moments in the film)...

So sad. Her childhood wasn't so great (her parents were alcoholics) and she could have had more success in Hollywood. Unfortunately, her demons got the best of her (and maybe she made some bad choices in men).

Birthday boy Tom Neal out with troubled actress Barbara Payton bansi/mongo, your caption about this actress made me curious and I looked her up. Sad life indeed! She was only 39 when she died, as basically an alcoholic mess. And I don't know how well remembered she is today...

That I don't have an endless supply of money to dedicate an entire wing of a house to storing decades of films, or to fit my place with a proper home theater.

You're supposed to say it, "hoid".

Lol! Okay, looking at this list, I hate "Golden Boy". Just because it has Stanwyck doesn't give this movie a free pass.

LOL. It's true that Hunsecker was written with Winchell in mind, who held court in a restaurant and had people groveling at his feet (maybe similar to Louella and Hedda, but I digress). Well, be it Winchell or Hunsecker, the relationship with the sister is creepy. I agree that Curtis is excellent, and I also loved the lighting. In one way, Curtis and Lancaster played well off one another because they were such different characters. I remember the scene in the restaurant where Curtis was sitting next to Lancaster as Lancaster was talking with the politician, insulting Curtis in his restrained way, and Curtis laughing nervously and reacting... They are both slimeballs in different ways. Yeah, maybe Lancaster is hammy in his role... I don't know. Do others agree? I don't have an issue with Odets (I loved "Clash by Night"), but I haven't kept track of what films he's written for...

The other night, for the first time, I saw "Sweet Smell of Success" in its entirety (I know, I'm a little late to the party). I wasn't disappointed, with the storyline and the scenes of 1950s New York and the star turn from most of the cast... A question about Burt Lancaster's role: Does anyone think Lancaster could have played J.J. Hunsecker with just a little more "life", to make him seem a little more multi-dimensional? Or is he right to show his character "closed in", wearing a mask, as a man with a lot of secrets he needs to keep bottled up (as with the information he knows about others, or as to use his behavior to menace and control his sister, or as not to reveal to others how he might really feel about his sister? Definitely, their relationship is certainly "different"...)

I have the movie listed "first" in my Classicflix rental queue. Well, the MPA has been known for making some blunders in the past...!

I haven't seen that one... But now I'm going to make a point of looking for it.

That's what I was trying to decide for myself when I read your post - do I prefer the comic Grant or Grant the sophisticate? It's a tough call, because I like them for different reasons. I would have to lean toward the comedy, though. He does engage the viewer a lot more when he is manic. And I know I've said this before, but I love that scene in "Talk of the Town" that first showed Cary, with such a dark look on his face that it was almost frightening (the lighting really helped with this). It's a shock for a viewer who's used to seeing him as a smiling charmer, and for that reason it was uber-powerful and effective.