Noir Alley

[jameselliot]

Eddie is an engaging, knowledgeable host and creates a mood with his intros and outros. He's worked to restore movies that have been vaulted for years. I have no issues with his presentation or style.

[Thompson]

Being somewhat of an expert on toothache, and the whole cycle of swelling and pain and more pain and the final falling out of the ugly black dead things, I want to pass along to my fellow posters a temporary remedy for toothache —  eat a cold uncooked hotdog on or near the bad tooth.

[misswonderly3]

17 minutes ago, Thompson said:

Being somewhat of an expert on toothache, and the whole cycle of swelling and pain and more pain and the final falling out of the ugly black dead things, I want to pass along to my fellow posters a temporary remedy for toothache —  eat a cold uncooked hotdog on or near the bad tooth.

Thompson,  there ought to be some kind of award for the most random, non-sequitur,  stream-of-consciousness  posts on the boards.  Yours' would surely win.  😎

[Thompson]

.

[Thompson]

.

[lilypond]

Personally, I love Eddie, his retro clothes, presentation and the fun that he brings.  I discovered his writing first, then it was such a bonus that he was on TCM.    Even hubby likes to see his ties, since he has his own vintage collection.   

Goes without saying, he's a "left-coaster" in his world view and all that, but allowances must be made, ha.  At least his biases are, well, 'relatively' under control, with the exception of the aforementioned HUAC and a few other political/ social hobby horses.   I just ignore.

I love that Eddie adored his Dad--  wasn't he a midcentury San Fran sports writer, specializing in boxing?   That video he did on him was so touching--  his Dad seemed almost like a Damon Runyon character.   A lot of Eddie's feeling for the past may be mixed up in some way with that and his childhood perceptions of his father's colorful milieu, I suppose....

  And at least Eddie Muller has a personality, and an undeniable, well-founded passion for noir and film in general.  His pungent anecdotes are not just useless air.

I wish Eddie had been the successor to wonderful Robert Osborne.   Yes, he's a gadfly type, but he would have stepped up to it, in my opinion. 

"Pitfall" tonight is one of my favorites.   I always find D i c k Powell so interesting, and he's sardonic and subtle in this.  Everybody's good-- Jane Wyatt isn't the little stereotyped "wronged" housewife-wren either.   She's appealing and smart, and you can see why she and Powell originally got together, before he became fed up with his life. 

But Raymond Burr is just fabulous.   Even more menacing than in "Rear Window".  He's so sordid and creepy he makes everyone's skin crawl, but he's just mesmerizing in how far he goes with the character.    It's fascinating to contrast with his "Perry Mason" persona-- which is the polar opposite.   "Perry" is just so fastidious, such a model of idealistic integrity, even though he can be tough when need be....   What an actor Raymond Burr was. 

 

[unwatchable]

30 minutes ago, lilypond said:

But Raymond Burr is just fabulous.   Even more menacing than in "Rear Window".  He's so sordid and creepy he makes everyone's skin crawl, but he's just mesmerizing in how far he goes with the character. 

Yeah, nobody loomed like Burr.

Quote

Goes without saying, he's a "left-coaster" in his world view and all that, but allowances must be made, ha.  At least his biases are, well, 'relatively' under control, with the exception of the aforementioned HUAC and a few other political/ social hobby horses.   I just ignore.

Once you notice it, it's hard to ignore. I'll be listening to his commentary and it's like "Oh, damn, here it comes. Don't do it, Eddie. Don't do it! Oh, hell, ya did it!" 😄

I do agree with you, though, that other than the HUAC obsession, Muller does a great job of keeping his personal political views out of his commentary, which is something a certain other host can never claim. 🙄

[lilypond]

True, UNWATCHABLE.   By contrast to certain of the current hosts, the late, great Robert Osborne, while probably ideologically aligned with all his confreres at TCM,   did not appear to think that we were all panting to hear his deep thoughts on the issues of the day.  Perhaps he did opine on occasion, but if so, it must have been pretty minimal.   Blessed restraint and good sense.   

[unwatchable]

53 minutes ago, lilypond said:

True, UNWATCHABLE.   By contrast to certain of the current hosts, the late, great Robert Osborne, while probably ideologically aligned with all his confreres at TCM,   did not appear to think that we were all panting to hear his deep thoughts on the issues of the day.  Perhaps he did opine on occasion, but if so, it must have been pretty minimal.   Blessed restraint and good sense.   

Yes, I could not tell you to a certainty what were Mr. Osborne's politics since he never gave a single hint about them (at least, not that I ever saw), but, he was a decades-long fixture in Hollywood, so I could hazard a very good guess, but that's all it would be- a guess. This is one of the things about which I am the most grateful when it comes to Robert Osborne. He seemed to really understand that movies are for everyone and not just some particular political faction. People don't tune in to TCM to get a lecture on "progressivism " (wrong name for it to begin with) and how evil and ignorant is everyone not aligned with the host's sociopolitical POV.

[jameselliot]

7 hours ago, lilypond said:

Personally, I love Eddie, his retro clothes, presentation and the fun that he brings.  I discovered his writing first, then it was such a bonus that he was on TCM.    Even hubby likes to see his ties, since he has his own vintage collection.   

Goes without saying, he's a "left-coaster" in his world view and all that, but allowances must be made, ha.  At least his biases are, well, 'relatively' under control, with the exception of the aforementioned HUAC and a few other political/ social hobby horses.   I just ignore.

I love that Eddie adored his Dad--  wasn't he a midcentury San Fran sports writer, specializing in boxing?   That video he did on him was so touching--  his Dad seemed almost like a Damon Runyon character.   A lot of Eddie's feeling for the past may be mixed up in some way with that and his childhood perceptions of his father's colorful milieu, I suppose....

  And at least Eddie Muller has a personality, and an undeniable, well-founded passion for noir and film in general.  His pungent anecdotes are not just useless air.

I wish Eddie had been the successor to wonderful Robert Osborne.   Yes, he's a gadfly type, but he would have stepped up to it, in my opinion. 

"Pitfall" tonight is one of my favorites.   I always find D i c k Powell so interesting, and he's sardonic and subtle in this.  Everybody's good-- Jane Wyatt isn't the little stereotyped "wronged" housewife-wren either.   She's appealing and smart, and you can see why she and Powell originally got together, before he became fed up with his life. 

But Raymond Burr is just fabulous.   Even more menacing than in "Rear Window".  He's so sordid and creepy he makes everyone's skin crawl, but he's just mesmerizing in how far he goes with the character.    It's fascinating to contrast with his "Perry Mason" persona-- which is the polar opposite.   "Perry" is just so fastidious, such a model of idealistic integrity, even though he can be tough when need be....   What an actor Raymond Burr was. 

 

Agree 100%. Burr went from loathsome gangster (Pitfall, Red Light with George Raft) to mentally challenged abductor (of Natalie Wood in A Cry In The Night) to role of a lifetime superhero attorney Mason in a seamless way. 

[mr6666]

wow.........Bogart??????

[Cigarjoe cellph]

5 hours ago, mr6666 said:

wow.........Bogart??????

Yeah that's interesting.

[lilypond]

Gosh, that is so well put, UNWATCHABLE ,   and  JAMESELLIOT.     Right, UNWATCHABLE,  movies are for everyone, or used to be.    One area where we can suspend real-life disputes and differences and experience a dream-like freedom, potentially.  

JAMESELLIOT,  I had forgotten him with Natalie Wood.   Someone on the QVC film boards also mentioned the somewhat similar turf Burr trod in "The Blue Gardenia".     And I always think of that enigmatic portrait of the corrupt police captain he gave in "Crime of Passion"  (another noir fave),   where he briefly took up with his subordinate, Sterling Hayden's, wife Barbara Stanwyck ,  and then dumped her --  disastrously for him, it turns out.

That is fascinating, MR6666, I didn't know that, that Bogart was up for the detective role, and De Toth preferred Burr.    And he was right, in my opinion. 

[Katie_G]

Although I've seen Pitfall a couple of times, tuning in for Eddie's comments often pays dividends and he didn't disappoint. 

"Pitfall is what happens when noir washes over the average American family."      Love it.

[Sepiatone]

Personally, I find Eddie kinda grating.  I think it's his tone of voice, or his presumed "expertise" on Noir, or both.

I especially dislike that horrid Dollar General straw Fedora he sports now and then.

Sepiatone

[unwatchable]

1 hour ago, Katie_G said:

"Pitfall is what happens when noir washes over the average American family."      Love it.

Though released in 1948, this film comes across like Eisenhower-era noir.

[Katie_G]

10 minutes ago, unwatchable said:

Though released in 1948, this film comes across like Eisenhower-era noir.

It does.  Good observation.   I also agree with Eddie's assessment of Liz Scott's acting talent, but she has something that makes her a good fit for noir.  Maybe it's that crazy look in her eyes.  

[TomJH]

Dick Powell had a busy year in 1948, as well as being all over the place making his films.

He made Pitfall for a small indie, Regal Films, distributed by United Artists. At MGM he made Station West, regarded by many as a western noir, with Jane Greer (slightly incredible when Powell wins a rugged fist fight with Guinn "Big Boy" Williams). At Columbia he was a U.S. Treasury agent after an international narcotics ring in To the Ends of the Earth, a good, hard boiled crime tale with a semi documentary narrative approach. And at Universal-International he appeared in Rogue's Regiment, hunting for a Nazi war criminal in the Foreign Legion.

The last named is the only one not to appear on TCM, to the best of my knowledge. It had been shown with a nice print on AMC many years ago but it's a challenging film of which to find a good looking print today.

Pitfall

Station West

To The Ends of the Earth

Rogue's Regiment

[Hoganman1]

I thoroughly enjoyed PITFALL. It's great Noir Alley is back. I really missed it during March. I wonder if Eddie will be tempted to include a couple of "slap noirs" to pay homage to the Academy Awards.  

[TomJH]

28 minutes ago, Hoganman1 said:

I thoroughly enjoyed PITFALL. It's great Noir Alley is back. I really missed it during March. I wonder if Eddie will be tempted to include a couple of "slap noirs" to pay homage to the Academy Awards.  

"When I pay homage to the Oscars you'll take it and like it."

[Thompson]

On 4/2/2022 at 12:26 PM, lilypond said:

Personally, I love Eddie, his retro clothes, presentation and the fun that he brings.  I discovered his writing first, then it was such a bonus that he was on TCM.    Even hubby likes to see his ties, since he has his own vintage collection.   

Goes without saying, he's a "left-coaster" in his world view and all that, but allowances must be made, ha.  At least his biases are, well, 'relatively' under control, with the exception of the aforementioned HUAC and a few other political/ social hobby horses.   I just ignore.

I love that Eddie adored his Dad--  wasn't he a midcentury San Fran sports writer, specializing in boxing?   That video he did on him was so touching--  his Dad seemed almost like a Damon Runyon character.   A lot of Eddie's feeling for the past may be mixed up in some way with that and his childhood perceptions of his father's colorful milieu, I suppose....

  And at least Eddie Muller has a personality, and an undeniable, well-founded passion for noir and film in general.  His pungent anecdotes are not just useless air.

I wish Eddie had been the successor to wonderful Robert Osborne.   Yes, he's a gadfly type, but he would have stepped up to it, in my opinion. 

"Pitfall" tonight is one of my favorites.   I always find D i c k Powell so interesting, and he's sardonic and subtle in this.  Everybody's good-- Jane Wyatt isn't the little stereotyped "wronged" housewife-wren either.   She's appealing and smart, and you can see why she and Powell originally got together, before he became fed up with his life. 

But Raymond Burr is just fabulous.   Even more menacing than in "Rear Window".  He's so sordid and creepy he makes everyone's skin crawl, but he's just mesmerizing in how far he goes with the character.    It's fascinating to contrast with his "Perry Mason" persona-- which is the polar opposite.   "Perry" is just so fastidious, such a model of idealistic integrity, even though he can be tough when need be....   What an actor Raymond Burr was. 

 

Agree, Burr stole every scene he was in.  That suit he wore was different.  Good work in wardrobe.  Powell had his role DOWN.  The dialogue was true, no problem with the dialogue.  The opening breakfast scene Powell actually eats some egg.  No other eating - there’s talk of eating, and one scene with a pot being stirred, but no eating after the egg.  The only actual drinking on screen is the scene with Smiley with his pint bottle pouring shots.  Don’t remember any other shots of actual drinks. Talk of drinks but no shots of drinks. The only smoker was Burr, aside from Scott asking Burr for a cigarette outside her apartment.  First time watching this terrific movie and dug it.👍

[ElCid]

3 hours ago, TomJH said:

Dick Powell had a busy year in 1948, as well as being all over the place making his films.

He made Pitfall for a small indie, Regal Films, distributed by United Artists. At MGM he made Station West, regarded by many as a western noir, with Jane Greer (slightly incredible when Powell wins a rugged fist fight with Guinn "Big Boy" Williams). At Columbia he was a U.S. Treasury agent after an international narcotics ring in To the Ends of the Earth, a good, hard boiled crime tale with a semi documentary narrative approach. And at Universal-International he appeared in Rogue's Regiment, hunting for a Nazi war criminal in the Foreign Legion.

The last named is the only one not to appear on TCM, to the best of my knowledge. It had been shown with a nice print on AMC many years ago but it's a challenging film of which to find a good looking print today.

Pitfall

Station West

To The Ends of the Earth

Rogue's Regiment

Rogue's Regiment is available either on Tubi or YouTube.  Haven't seen it, but it keep popping up.

Of the other three, Pitfall is Powell's best as far as I am concerned.

[ElCid]

Have seen Pitfall a few times before and was going to just watch Eddie's intro and then do some yardwork.  Blew it.  The intro was excellent and I started watching the movie and kept watching it.  Outro was also excellent.

Personally, I think Elizabeth Scott is a much better actor than some give her credit for.  Have enjoyed her performances in every role I can recall seeing her in.  My favorite is in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers.  Not a big role, but she does it well.

Powell, Scott and Burr turned in very good performances.  One of my favorite actors, John Litel, had a very short scene, but I think he did it well.  Naturally always think of Nancy Drew when I see him though.

[Vautrin]

Seen it a few times before. Sort of  a  poor man's version of Double Indemnity. It's easier to buy Powell as a henpecked hubby than as  a two-fisted

tough guy, which I have always seen  as a stretch.  I guess  if he caught Burr by  surprise he could  have beat him up like he  did  in the movie, but

it's kind of funny to actually see it. And  Burr was  huge at this time. He lost weight for the early days of Perry Mason and then slowly gained  it

back and at the end was pretty heavy. And  his suit and  those lapels. Ready  for take off.  I like crabgrass noirs  where some suburban type steps

outside his usual place and gets into some kind of un-suburban trouble, though the loads of trouble Powell gets into usually only happens  in

movies. The trouble is Joe Average is just as boring trying to be a player as he was as a solid citizen. Stay with the job, the wife and kiddies

mack. Everybody has a role to play, etc. I wouldn't worry too much  about Liz. I'm sure her lawyer can make a good case for self-defense

when  faced with a hulk like Burr. Not a bad film, but kind of by  the numbers.

 

[TomJH]

3 hours ago, ElCid said:

Rogue's Regiment is available either on Tubi or YouTube.  Haven't seen it, but it keep popping up.

Of the other three, Pitfall is Powell's best as far as I am concerned.

I think all four films have things to offer. Pitfall is good, I agree (Raymond Burr is a chilling villain) but I enjoy To The Ends of the Earth, as well, which has, among other things, a great surprise ending.