Top 10 films noir

[Melville]

Yeah, they're both kinda' weak. I mean, if I want to mediocre noir, I'd probably go with Night and the City. However, the point of this thread is to compare great noir.

I'd put Night and the City up there with the greatest. It's exactly the noir I like best: romantics and dreamers living under a hard-boiled veneer, spiraling into expressionist ruin. Plus, atmospheric, dank and shadowy cinematography and score; great performances all around, especially Richard Widmark's wide-eyed mix of big talk and desperation; and the tremendous, dark and gruelling physicality of that wrestling match.

Question: Does Chinatown not count? I'm assuming that's why I don't see it anywhere. I IMDB'd it and it said Drama, Mystery, Thriller but we studied it as noir at NYU. Not that, that means anything. As I will always say, given the chance: fuck NYU.

It's usually classed as neo-noir. If I hadn't restricted myself to classical noir, it would be at the top of my list.

[Sven]

Night and the City is SO one of the best.

[quido8_5]

Wha!? I'm not in the most sober of minds to be responding, but Night and the City just seemed so rote and predictable to me. I give it plenty of points for the cinematography and sustained mood, but everything is forecasted a mile away and the ending turned just this side of melodramatic that it tarnished the film for me.

[Gittes]

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers

I watched this tonight and enjoyed it. It was my introduction to Van Heflin: an awesome actor, as it turns out. Kirk Douglas and Barbara Stanwyck were wonderful as well. These three did a great job of sustaining the intensity and credibility of the drama. Some very fine performances.

[Gittes]

I recently sought out another noir starring Van Heflin: Act of Violence (Zinnemann, 1948). I didn't see it noted in this thread, but it more than deserves a mention; it's really tremendous.

[Yxklyx]

I recently sought out another noir starring Van Heflin: Act of Violence (Zinnemann, 1948). I didn't see it noted in this thread, but it more than deserves a mention; it's really tremendous.

I don't think you've seen his best films yet which would be The Prowler and 3:10 to Yuma.

[Gittes]

I don't think you've seen his best films yet which would be The Prowler and 3:10 to Yuma.

Appreciate the recommendations. I noticed some admiration for The Prowler elsewhere, so I'll definitely have to track that down. Shane, too.

[Russ]

Is this our default noir thread?

I want to pimp John Losey's 1951 effort, The Big Night (his followup to his other 1951 films, M and The Prowler). It's an interesting, if uneven, film, and it's one of the more unusual part-film noir/ part-coming-of-age films you'll likely see. John Drew Barrymore is very earnest, but otherwise mostly convincing as the awkward youth who seeks revenge against the man who savagely beat his father. With the entirety of the narrative taking place over a 24 hour span, it seems to presage later, similar works (ie, Scorcese's After Hours), if not in content, then in structure. Barrymore gets a lot more than he bargains for in his quest, and is more than ably supported by a wonderful supporting cast, with Preston Foster (as the father), Joan Lorring (as a female companion) standing out, but especially Howard St. John, as the 'heavy', Al Judge (a crippled sportswriter). Yeah, this is one odd duck, alright, but it's also a pretty good one.

Losey adds some interesting touches, prominent among them a brief observation of a particular social issue regarding race (and it's a terrific scene featuring Barrymore's meeting with a nightclub singer played by Mauri Lynn). It's a very brief moment in the film that I will remember long after I’ve forgotten everything else about it. While Barrymore searches for the man who had beaten his father, he is taken to a nightclub, where he becomes fascinated by the club’s singer (Lynn). After the show, Barrymore goes outside where he encounters Lynn (she’s black, and you get the impression that he doesn’t have much social experience with people of a different race). Starstruck, he stammers and politely introduces himself and says, “I want you to know what I think. You’re the most wonderful singer in the whole world.” Lynn smiles radiantly and thanks him. He continues, “That isn’t all. ‘Cause also, you’re…so beautiful.”

“Even if you are a…”, and he catches himself, but it’s too late; the damage has been done.

The look on Lynn’s face when she hears those words, changing from one of pure joy to one of immense sorrow and sadness, was devastating. Even Barrymore’s apologetic pleas (“I didn’t mean to say it”) do nothing to erase the pain that Lynn has experienced.

This brief encounter, which is essentially a throwaway scene lasting less than a minute, lent nothing to the main plot, but it was Losey’s way of making a big statement on the state of race relations at the time the film was made. It’s a very powerful and emotional moment and did more to drive it’s point home than some entire movies devoted to the topic.

This film is kinda highly recommended for the little things, like that.

[Peng]

1. Sunset Boulevard
2. Ace in the Hole
3. Sweet Smell of Success
4. In a Lonely Place
5. Touch of Evil
6. Double Indemnity
7. Night of the Hunter
8. The Third Man
9. The Killing
10. White Heat

[Gittes]

Is this our default noir thread?

Sure. That's sort of the way I've been treating this thread. More noir discussion is always welcome and this is as good a place as any to catalogue our noir viewings and impressions.

I want to pimp John Losey's 1951 effort, The Big Night (his followup to his other 1951 films, M and The Prowler). It's an interesting, if uneven, film, and it's one of the more unusual part-film noir/ part-coming-of-age films you'll likely see. John Drew Barrymore is very earnest, but otherwise mostly convincing as the awkward youth who seeks revenge against the man who savagely beat his father. With the entirety of the narrative taking place over a 24 hour span, it seems to presage later, similar works (ie, Scorcese's After Hours), if not in content, then in structure. Barrymore gets a lot more than he bargains for in his quest, and is more than ably supported by a wonderful supporting cast, with Preston Foster (as the father), Joan Lorring (as a female companion) standing out, but especially Howard St. John, as the 'heavy', Al Judge (a crippled sportswriter). Yeah, this is one odd duck, alright, but it's also a pretty good one.

I'm already intrigued. I like stories that take place over the course of a long night or a day (and this quoted bit, along with the rest of your post, makes a strong case for this one). I'll see if I can track it down. The Prowler is still my top priority in terms of watching unseen noir, though.

[Russ]

Is this our default noir thread?

Sure.

Cool.

Since I haven't seen it mentioned yet, I'll admit that I'm a big fan of Cry Danger (Robert Parrish, 1951)

Dick Powell delivers a commanding performance as ex-con Rocky who, upon his release from prison, tries to simultaneously clear his name, look up an old flame (Rhonda Fleming), find the whereabouts of the large sum of money he was accused of stealing, all the while dealing with new friends (a delightfully sardonic Richard Erdman), old enemies (William Conrad, channeling Sydney Greenstreet), and ever-present adversaries (Regis Toomey's pervasive detective). First-time director Robert Parrish strikes noir gold in this long-forgotten and little seen gem, particularly in his choice of location filming (1950's Bunker Hill section of L.A.) and the razor sharp dialogue. It's everything you want in a cool, efficient double-crossing crime drama. The supporting cast of oddball characters are as sublime as the noirish atmosphere and Powell's macho persona.

This is a really entertaining film that's well worth seeking out.

[Dukefrukem]

The Maltese Falcon is phenomenal. I love Humphrey Bogart in this.

[Dukefrukem]

Oh damn, White Heat starts so smooth. I love these films.

[Yxklyx]

Any Blood Simple analyzers here? I love how this story is like a Greek/Wagner tragedy. No one ones what's going on except the gods/fate/us. So after watching this for the umpteenth time (and not able to collect my thoughts) - the question is: what is Abby's (McDormand) view of things at the very end of the film.