Noir Alley

[ElCid]

Watched Rogues' Regiment yesterday.   Definitely not one of Powell's better performances.  While he rarely has a dynamic performance, he sort of sleep walks through Rogues'.  Of course that could partially be due to the script (mediocre) or the directing.

Edit:  My favorite Powell movie is Cry Danger with Richard Erdman and Rhonda Fleming.  He and Erdman both performed well in it, plus it has an interesting script.

[JamesJazGuitar]

[Hibi]

Nice to have Noir Alley back, but why did it have to be a rerun of Pitfall? I watched it anyway. Eddie provided some new info this time around.

[Hibi]

On 4/2/2022 at 9:22 PM, jameselliot said:

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. 

It's amazing Burr was picked for the Perry Mason series considering his career playing heavies and unlikeable characters. Wonder how that happened?

[Hibi]

On 4/3/2022 at 12:09 PM, 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

Yes, Station West is kind of a western noir. It pops up on TCM from time to time.

[TomJH]

4 hours ago, ElCid said:

Watched Rogues' Regiment yesterday.   Definitely not one of Powell's better performances.  While he rarely has a dynamic performance, he sort of sleep walks through Rogues'.  Of course that could partially be due to the script (mediocre) or the directing.

Edit:  My favorite Powell movie is Cry Danger with Richard Erdman and Rhonda Fleming.  He and Erdman both performed well in it, plus it has an interesting script.

Yes, my memory tells me that Powell's performance was more or less on cruise control in Rogues' Regiment. Murder My Sweet and Cry Danger are my two favourite Powell films and performances when he was in cynical tough guy mode. Powell had an effectively off handed delivery of smart azz one liners that made him one of the most enjoyable performers of noir drama. Few actors in Hollywood history had transformations to their screen persona as dramatic or effective as Dick Powell.

[unwatchable]

2 hours ago, JamesJazGuitar said:

Cry Danger- One of my very favorite noirs, and one of my favorite films of any kind.  The dialogue is delightful, as one would expect of any screenplay by William Bowers.  Everybody remembers William Bowers, right? He played the Senate Committee Chairman in The Godfather: Part II.

 

The script gives great lines to Dick Powell as Rocky Mulloy, Richard Erdman as Delong- Powell's sidekick, and Regis Toomey as Gus Cobb, a police inspector.

 

Lying in a hospital bed, Delong is talking to Mulloy, inquiring after the condition of a girlfriend:

Delong; How bad is Darlene?

Mulloy: As bad as she can get.

 

Erdman as Delong delivers his lines as drolly as Powell:

Delong: Occasionally, I always drink too much.

 

The exchanges between Powell and Erdman are the best part of the film for me:

Rocky Mulloy: You're a pint ahead of schedule.

Delong: Only the blind can really see.

Rocky Mulloy: Well, you're only half blind.

Delong: I'll fix that.

Rocky Mulloy: You know, I had another friend once who had trouble with that stuff. He found a way to get off of it.

Delong: How?

Rocky Mulloy: He quit.

Delong: Thank you, Billy Sunday.

 

I keep this film on one of my DVRs, from a TCM airing of Noir Alley. As a matter of fact, I think I'll fire it up right now.

 

 

[King Rat]

I believe Raymond Burr was cast as Perry Mason because Erle Stanley Gardner saw him audition for Hamilton Burger and immediately insisted that Burr was his Perry Mason. For those of us who grew up watching Perry Mason, it was a revelation to see Raymond Burr as one of the best film noir villains. He's great in Raw Deal (not sure if this one has been mentioned) and in Abandoned, which has been shown in a beautiful restoration at film noir festivals but not yet on TCM.

I enjoyed seeing Brute Force again on TCM the other day, and this was another film which hooked my spouse, who was cheering when the villain met his just deserts. The flashbacks to the four women interrupt the flow and tension of the film, although all four are fine (Ella Raines and her mink coat! Anita Colby as a hard-bitten con woman!). Excellent direction by Jules Dassin, and many excellent supporting actors. If Hume Cronyn has the showiest role as the evil second-in-command at the prison, lots of other actors are equally good. Whit Bissell and Sam Levene have big scenes as two of Cronyn's victims; Art Smith steals scenes as the alcoholic doctor; and Charles Bickford, as usual, simply seems real. Burt Lancaster isn't exactly shabby as the hunky hero.

Who is the actor in Brute Force playing the politician who wants to remove the present warden? I didn't catch the character name and couldn't tell from the imdb cast list. His voice sounded very familiar. The script and direction of Brute Force are strong enough that scenes like the one in the warden's office with the politician, the warden (Roman Bohnen), the alcoholic doctor (Art Smith) and the sadistic second-in-command (Cronyn) are just as compelling as the exciting escape scenes.

 

[Dargo]

2 hours ago, King Rat said:

Who is the actor in Brute Force playing the politician who wants to remove the present warden? I didn't catch the character name and couldn't tell from the imdb cast list. His voice sounded very familiar.

That would be actor Richard Gaines here KR, and who played the character named McCallum in it...

(...and his voice was as you said always very familiar and distinctive, as he possessed one of which his diction was usually very clean and clear and that could be called of the "radio announcer" type...in fact, I think he did off-camera voiceover narration in some films during his career)

[King Rat]

1 hour ago, Dargo said:

That would be actor Richard Gaines here KR, and who played the character named McCallum in it...

(...and his voice was as you said always very familiar and distinctive, as he possessed one of which his diction was usually very clean and clear and that could be called of the "radio announcer" type...in fact, I think he did off-camera voiceover narration in some films during his career)

I knew someone in this group would know! Thanks, Dargo.

[Hibi]

15 hours ago, King Rat said:

I believe Raymond Burr was cast as Perry Mason because Erle Stanley Gardner saw him audition for Hamilton Burger and immediately insisted that Burr was his Perry Mason. For those of us who grew up watching Perry Mason, it was a revelation to see Raymond Burr as one of the best film noir villains. He's great in Raw Deal (not sure if this one has been mentioned) and in Abandoned, which has been shown in a beautiful restoration at film noir festivals but not yet on TCM.

I enjoyed seeing Brute Force again on TCM the other day, and this was another film which hooked my spouse, who was cheering when the villain met his just deserts. The flashbacks to the four women interrupt the flow and tension of the film, although all four are fine (Ella Raines and her mink coat! Anita Colby as a hard-bitten con woman!). Excellent direction by Jules Dassin, and many excellent supporting actors. If Hume Cronyn has the showiest role as the evil second-in-command at the prison, lots of other actors are equally good. Whit Bissell and Sam Levene have big scenes as two of Cronyn's victims; Art Smith steals scenes as the alcoholic doctor; and Charles Bickford, as usual, simply seems real. Burt Lancaster isn't exactly shabby as the hunky hero.

Who is the actor in Brute Force playing the politician who wants to remove the present warden? I didn't catch the character name and couldn't tell from the imdb cast list. His voice sounded very familiar. The script and direction of Brute Force are strong enough that scenes like the one in the warden's office with the politician, the warden (Roman Bohnen), the alcoholic doctor (Art Smith) and the sadistic second-in-command (Cronyn) are just as compelling as the exciting escape scenes.

 

Thanks for that Perry Mason info.

[Hibi]

11 hours ago, King Rat said:

I knew someone in this group would know! Thanks, Dargo.

The insurance exec in Double Indemnity, right?

[Dargo]

50 minutes ago, Hibi said:

The insurance exec in Double Indemnity, right?

Right you are, Hibi. 

And speaking of "Perry Mason" here, I've noticed while looking at his filmography that he played the judge in some 15 episodes of that series from 1958-1961 as well.

And one other note of possible interest here. He was actress Brenda Marshall's first husband and who herself would go on to become Mrs. William Holden.

(...and as she was introduced in that "I Love Lucy" Hollywood wives fashion show episode)

[Dargo]

OH, and another possible point of interest regarding actor Richard Gaines here (and perhaps especially so for our friends unwatchable and lillypond here) is that I could NOT find ANY source at all which would or could either confirm NOR deny that actor Richard Gaines was ever affected by or involved in manner at all in that whole Hollywood Blacklisting thing!

LOL

(...sorry, JUST couldn't resist this one) 

[TomJH]

29 minutes ago, Dargo said:

OH, and another possible point of interest regarding actor Richard Gaines here (and perhaps especially so for our friends unwatchable and lillypond here) is that I could NOT find ANY source at all which would or could either confirm NOR deny that actor Richard Gaines was ever affected by or involved in manner at all in that whole Hollywood Blacklisting thing!

LOL

(...sorry, JUST couldn't resist this one) 

"No, Eddie, no! Not another reference to HUAC!"

[AndyM108]

What happened to the Noir Alley schedule?  There's no longer a tab for it on the TCM home page, though the tab for Silent Sunday Nights is still up there, along with tabs for wine, cruises, and all those other things.   It's not that I don't know what it is up through the end of July, but I still like to check for updates now and then.

[unwatchable]

40 minutes ago, TomJH said:

"No, Eddie, no! Not another reference to HUAC!"

Oh, my God, that's great.  

[Thompson]

On 4/4/2022 at 6:22 PM, King Rat said:

I believe Raymond Burr was cast as Perry Mason because Erle Stanley Gardner saw him audition for Hamilton Burger and immediately insisted that Burr was his Perry Mason. For those of us who grew up watching Perry Mason, it was a revelation to see Raymond Burr as one of the best film noir villains. He's great in Raw Deal (not sure if this one has been mentioned) and in Abandoned, which has been shown in a beautiful restoration at film noir festivals but not yet on TCM.

I enjoyed seeing Brute Force again on TCM the other day, and this was another film which hooked my spouse, who was cheering when the villain met his just deserts. The flashbacks to the four women interrupt the flow and tension of the film, although all four are fine (Ella Raines and her mink coat! Anita Colby as a hard-bitten con woman!). Excellent direction by Jules Dassin, and many excellent supporting actors. If Hume Cronyn has the showiest role as the evil second-in-command at the prison, lots of other actors are equally good. Whit Bissell and Sam Levene have big scenes as two of Cronyn's victims; Art Smith steals scenes as the alcoholic doctor; and Charles Bickford, as usual, simply seems real. Burt Lancaster isn't exactly shabby as the hunky hero.

Who is the actor in Brute Force playing the politician who wants to remove the present warden? I didn't catch the character name and couldn't tell from the imdb cast list. His voice sounded very familiar. The script and direction of Brute Force are strong enough that scenes like the one in the warden's office with the politician, the warden (Roman Bohnen), the alcoholic doctor (Art Smith) and the sadistic second-in-command (Cronyn) are just as compelling as the exciting escape scenes.

 

Interesting tidbit about Erle Stanley Gardner and Raymond Burr.  Gardner is a master.  He’s  a pure pleasure to read.  He’s a natural born writer, doesn’t waste time trying to be an ‘author.’

[Hibi]

7 hours ago, Dargo said:

Right you are, Hibi. 

And speaking of "Perry Mason" here, I've noticed while looking at his filmography that he played the judge in some 15 episodes of that series from 1958-1961 as well.

And one other note of possible interest here. He was actress Brenda Marshall's first husband and who herself would go on to become Mrs. William Holden.

(...and as she was introduced in that "I Love Lucy" Hollywood wives fashion show episode)

That's right! I'd forgotten about that. I watch that show in reruns sometimes and noticed him!

[Fading Fast]

I've seen it before, so I've been watching "Pitfall" in small segments when I have a few minutes. Lizabeth Scott has everything but height. It's not that plenty of stars aren't shorter than she - Fontaine,  (sister) de Havilland, Leigh and Lake, for example - but they don't "feel" short or "read" short on screen. When I see Scott, I keep thinking "short," in a way I don't for those other stars. Of course, I get this could just be me. Notwithstanding that, this is one of her best performances. 

[ElCid]

2 hours ago, Fading Fast said:

I've seen it before, so I've been watching "Pitfall" in small segments when I have a few minutes. Lizabeth Scott has everything but height. It's not that plenty of stars aren't shorter than she - Fontaine,  (sister) de Havilland, Leigh and Lake, for example - but they don't "feel" short or "read" short on screen. When I see Scott, I keep thinking "short," in a way I don't for those other stars. Of course, I get this could just be me. Notwithstanding that, this is one of her best performances. 

I never think of Lizabeth Scott as short.  Now Veronica Lake was short.

[JamesJazGuitar]

2 hours ago, ElCid said:

I never think of Lizabeth Scott as short.  Now Veronica Lake was short.

Same here;   Scott was 5ft 5 in,,    Lake was 4ft, 11in

 

[Fading Fast]

3 hours ago, ElCid said:

I never think of Lizabeth Scott as short.  Now Veronica Lake was short.

 

57 minutes ago, JamesJazGuitar said:

Same here;   Scott was 5ft 5 in,,    Lake was 4ft, 11in

 

You guys are factually correct. It's just a feeling I get with her.  It's as if she was designed to be a tall woman and then they squished her down several inches; whereas, those others seemed designed for their size.  There are several scenes in "Pitfall" where her shortness was apparent to me; something, I don't normally sense in those other actresses. 

[JamesJazGuitar]

33 minutes ago, Fading Fast said:

 

You guys are factually correct. It's just a feeling I get with her.  It's as if she was designed to be a tall woman and then they squished her down several inches; whereas, those others seemed designed for their size.  There are several scenes in "Pitfall" where her shortness was apparent to me; something, I don't normally sense in those other actresses. 

I wonder if in Pitfall it is the camera angle?    Note that Powell was 5\11 and Burr 6 ft.     So how scenes are "framed" by the camera and the difference is these heights may have made Scott look "squished"?   

Note that Ladd was considered short for a male actor (5 ft 6 in)  and this was one reason that Paramount paired him with Lake.   When Lake played with other actors like Joel McCrea (6'2),    Lake really looked squished!  (ha ha).

So yea,  all in the visuals and how they are framed in certain scenes.   

  

[cigarjoe]

R.I.P.  Nehemiah Persoff 

Prolific actor that I probably first noticed on The Twilight Zone, also in On The Waterfront, Noir The Harder They Fall, also Some Like It Hot, and Neo Noir The Psychic Killer.