CaveGirl Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 I always want to enter movies which feature appealing dens of iniquity, like the opium den-ish joint in "The Letter". When Bette Davis enters that Oriental room with all the wind chimes pealing out sounds of warning, to meet up with Hammond's spooky wife [as played by Gale Sondergaard] the whole place just reeks of atmosphere. I feel a good den of iniquity should have some red light habituees, a roue or two, interesting lighting, and possibly Nazimova in full costume. Of course some here might have a more ruffian vision of what their favorite den of iniquity should resemble, and that's fine too if they would like to share.There is actually a silent film called "Den of Iniquity" from 1925 with sets by Alfred Junge that I look forward to seeing sometime. Link to post Share on other sites
Sgt_Markoff Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 'The Shanghai Gesture' is my favorite. A filthy pit where anything goes; a lowly sink where you can purchase anything ...even a human soul! 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites
cigarjoe Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Zaza Gabors Strip Joint in Touch Of Evil (1958) Barbara Stanwyck's Storyville Doll House in Walk on the Wild Side (1962) Bennie's Bennie's Tlaquepaque tourist bar/clip joint in Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974) The Storyville Bordello in Pretty Baby (1978) The opium den below the Chinese Theater in Once Upon A Time in America (1984) Ben's dive w*h*o*r*e*house in Blue Velvet (1986) 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Anne Baxter starts with just a few drinks... ...then ends up at an opium den in THE RAZOR'S EDGE (1946). 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
cigarjoe Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Lionel Stander's Monument Valley Trading Post/Saloon/Blacksmith in Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) The Red Rocks Saloon in For A Few Dollars More (1965) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
lavenderblue19 Posted March 30, 2019 Share Posted March 30, 2019 Kay Francis as Spot White in Warner Oland's nightclub/brothel in the film Mandalay. Love this film and Kay is gorgeous as she descends the staircase in that sequin gown. A very racey pre-code. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites
GGGGerald Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 (Taj Mahal Scene) Jungle Fever (1991) 1 Link to post Share on other sites
EricJ Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 Old joke: (Parents in the kitchen on Friday teen-night) "What's with the arguments going on in the TV room? Sounds like a den of iniquity in there!" "Eh, that's just my kid and his friends trying to divide up a couple of pizzas--You're hearing the din of inequity." 1 Link to post Share on other sites
NickAndNora34 Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 The first thing that came to mind was Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), where the girls were being taken from the seemingly legitimate boarding house to be sold into white slavery by the landlady and her Chinese henchmen. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites
darrylfxanax Posted March 31, 2019 Share Posted March 31, 2019 When the subject comes up, the "Shanghai Lil" number always comes to mind, from Warner Bros. Footlight Parade (1933). 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
GGGGerald Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984) 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Dargo Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 Ya know what's a "den of iniquity"?! ANYPLACE where there's pool tables, THAT'S where! Yeah, THAT'S right, "POOL"! And which starts with "P", which rhymes with "T", and which is the first letter in "Trouble"!!! (...just ask the city fathers of River City...THEY'LL tell ya!) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
CinemaInternational Posted April 1, 2019 Share Posted April 1, 2019 On 3/31/2019 at 2:07 AM, NickAndNora34 said: The first thing that came to mind was Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), where the girls were being taken from the seemingly legitimate boarding house to be sold into white slavery by the landlady and her Chinese henchmen. Absolutely there. I'm already hearing Mary Tyler Moore in the back of my head desperately saying into a telephone: "Operator, you don't know what it's like to be trapped in a Chinese opium den!" 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Sgt_Markoff Posted April 2, 2019 Share Posted April 2, 2019 Harry Hope's Greenwich Village Saloon and Rooming House....'The Iceman Cometh' by Eugene O'Neill ("One of these days I'll take a stroll around the ward and say hello to all me old mates...") John Frankenheimer 1973 movie: Lee Marvin, Fredric March, Robert Ryan, Jeff Bridges, Bradford Dillman, Sorrell Booke, Moses Gunn, Clifton James Sidney Lumet TV version: Jason Robards, Myron McCormick, James Broderick, Robert Redford, Sorrell Booke 1 Link to post Share on other sites
CaveGirl Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 3/30/2019 at 5:07 PM, Sgt_Markoff said: 'The Shanghai Gesture' is my favorite. A filthy pit where anything goes; a lowly sink where you can purchase anything ...even a human soul! Admirable choice, Sarge! There is a decided air of discontentment and unsavory activities inherent in this film. Love Ona Munson also in her full regalia. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
CaveGirl Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 3/30/2019 at 5:50 PM, cigarjoe said: Zaza Gabors Strip Joint in Touch Of Evil (1958) Barbara Stanwyck's Storyville Doll House in Walk on the Wild Side (1962) Bennie's Bennie's Tlaquepaque tourist bar/clip joint in Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974) The Storyville Bordello in Pretty Baby (1978) The opium den below the Chinese Theater in Once Upon A Time in America (1984) Ben's dive w*h*o*r*e*house in Blue Velvet (1986) Seen'em all and love them all, CJ! Whoa, Nellie..."Blue Velvet" is just way out there and I also like the seedy atmosphere in Babs' brothel, but all your choices are winners. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
CaveGirl Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 3/30/2019 at 5:57 PM, TopBilled said: Anne Baxter starts with just a few drinks... ...then ends up at an opium den in THE RAZOR'S EDGE (1946). Yeah, that was a fast ride down the roller coaster, was it not, with Tierney smiling all the way watching the train wreck! Thanks, TB. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
CaveGirl Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 3/30/2019 at 6:50 PM, lavenderblue19 said: Kay Francis as Spot White in Warner Oland's nightclub/brothel in the film Mandalay. Love this film and Kay is gorgeous as she descends the staircase in that sequin gown. A very racey pre-code. Love Kay also, Lavenderblue! She's so classy so when Kay gets near criminal activity it makes it all the more fun. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
CaveGirl Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 3/30/2019 at 8:50 PM, EricJ said: Old joke: (Parents in the kitchen on Friday teen-night) "What's with the arguments going on in the TV room? Sounds like a den of iniquity in there!" "Eh, that's just my kid and his friends trying to divide up a couple of pizzas--You're hearing the din of inequity." -30- 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 4/2/2019 at 6:36 AM, Sgt_Markoff said: Harry Hope's Greenwich Village Saloon and Rooming House....'The Iceman Cometh' by Eugene O'Neill ("One of these days I'll take a stroll around the ward and say hello to all me old mates...") John Frankenheimer 1973 movie: Lee Marvin, Fredric March, Robert Ryan, Jeff Bridges, Bradford Dillman, Sorrell Booke, Moses Gunn, Clifton James Sidney Lumet TV version: Jason Robards, Myron McCormick, James Broderick, Robert Redford, Sorrell Booke This was Fredric March's last film and also Robert Ryan's last film. Sorrell Booke has a memorable turn as a wild out-of-control drunk. Frankenheimer is faithful to the original material, but at 239 minutes (four hours) it's too long and parts of it are difficult to sit through. They easily could have edited out a few things. However, the idea was to present a filmed play instead of a more cinematic adaptation. Link to post Share on other sites
CaveGirl Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 4/1/2019 at 1:46 AM, Dargo said: Ya know what's a "den of iniquity"?! ANYPLACE where there's pool tables, THAT'S where! Yeah, THAT'S right, "POOL"! And which starts with "P", which rhymes with "T", and which is the first letter in "Trouble"!!! (...just ask the city fathers of River City...THEY'LL tell ya!) OMG, why is the idea of you at a pool table not a surprise, Dar? Now I may not be as good as my cousin, Kristy, who could practice nightly on my Uncle's Victorian pool table, but I do know my way around some Eight Ball games, and can bank a few shots, as long as there is a Ladies Aid unit available occasionally. Don't have a personal chalk holder anymore, but game on, if you wanna challenge me. I get skinnies! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
CaveGirl Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 4/2/2019 at 9:36 AM, Sgt_Markoff said: Harry Hope's Greenwich Village Saloon and Rooming House....'The Iceman Cometh' by Eugene O'Neill ("One of these days I'll take a stroll around the ward and say hello to all me old mates...") John Frankenheimer 1973 movie: Lee Marvin, Fredric March, Robert Ryan, Jeff Bridges, Bradford Dillman, Sorrell Booke, Moses Gunn, Clifton James Sidney Lumet TV version: Jason Robards, Myron McCormick, James Broderick, Robert Redford, Sorrell Booke Funny you mention that as I was just thinking of buying the former on dvd the other day from a catalog. Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
cigarjoe Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 The Pavilion strip joint on the Jersey Shore in the adaptation of Jim Thompson's The Kill Off (1989) 1 Link to post Share on other sites
CaveGirl Posted April 5, 2019 Author Share Posted April 5, 2019 3 minutes ago, cigarjoe said: The Pavilion strip joint on the Jersey Shore in the adaptation of Jim Thompson's The Kill Off (1989) Ewwww...and I mean that in a good way! Nice call... I've never seen that. Yikes, but I love anything by Jim Thompson. You do come up with the best stuff, CigarJoe. Thanks, I'll look for it. Link to post Share on other sites
EricJ Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 39 minutes ago, TopBilled said: Frankenheimer is faithful to the original material, but at 239 minutes (four hours) it's too long and parts of it are difficult to sit through. They easily could have edited out a few things. However, the idea was to present a filmed play instead of a more cinematic adaptation. Actually (now that we're well off the original topic), that's because the 1973 version was one of the American Film Theater's production of early to mid-70's movie versions of classic plays: https://www.imdb.com/search/title?companies=co0130370&sort=year,asc Which, along the way, also gave us Maximilian Schell in "The Man in the Glass Booth", Topol in Bertold Brecht's "Galileo", and that weird version of Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder in "Rhinoceros", proving that Eugene Ionesco is pretty darn unfilmable. They're all interesting from an academic standpoint, but yes, plays need a little judicious editing for screen. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
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