Lynch (One)

A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Inland Empire (part two appears on the I.E. DVD), directed by a former associate of Lynch’s who goes by the enigmatic name of “blackANDwhite”.  Lynch is a fascinating character, and this documentary accomplishes pretty much everything you would want.  It gives you insight into his creative process, it’s very entertaining (he’s a funny guy), it makes you want to revisit all his movies, and it inspires your own creativity.  I was particularly taken with how Lynch was both afraid and intrigued by his own make-it-up-as-you-go-along methods for Inland Empire.  “blackANDwhite” sometimes gets annoying with certain quirky tricks, but for the most part he manages to capture the spirit of David Lynch.  Rating: 8

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Saraband (rewatch)

10 months ago, I started revisiting Bergman, watching one movie per week.  And now, I’m finally at the finish.  It’s been a terrific journey.  A few not quite as good as I remembered, a number that were better than I remembered, and a lot of masterpieces along the way.  And we end with his final masterpiece, a triumphant last return to cinema after a long absence.  Although Liv Ullmann was the primary character in Scenes from a Marriage, here she takes on more of a casual observer/narrator role, despite having more scenes than anyone else in the film.  She’s a witness to a family severely damaged by the loss of a loved one… whose recurring image is tellingly that of Bergman’s deceased wife, Ingrid.  I do wish Ullmann had a little more prominence in this movie, as she’s my favorite member of the cast.  Nonetheless, it’s a beautiful and often very powerful work.  It’s funny how I remembered it only as a series of conversations plus the bookends, and forgot the number of unusual inserts that occur.  They make for some of the film’s most intriguing and striking moments.  Rating: 9

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Tension

Very uneven.  For a movie called “Tension”, there isn’t very much of it, and the overall tone is oddly low-key.  Richard Basehart’s motivations are also strange, and it takes him way too long to figure out what a bad idea his scheme is… not to mention how poorly thought out it is, with his Clark Kent-style disguise.  The whole thing feels clumsy and misguided, and yet it has a compelling forward motion to it.  Femmes fatale are not as common in noir as one might think, but when there is one, she’s usually the best part of the movie.  Audrey Trotter does not disappoint, dominating every scene she’s in, and her character is delightfully rotten.  Also worth noting is Barry Sullivan as a cop who’s unscrupulous in a way you don’t see very often.  The ambiguity to his character adds a little spice.  I definitely didn’t LOVE this movie, but I got a few kicks from it.  Rating: 7

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Where Danger Lives

Another middling noir by John Farrow, who has previously failed to knock my socks off with The Big Clock and His Kind of Woman.  The casting is good… Faith Domergue is intriguing as an unusual femme fatale, Robert Mitchum is always great (his role here a bit similar to the one in Angel Face) and there’s a fantastic brief appearance by Claude Rains.  But the film moves in fits and starts.  The first act does the requisite set-up work, but after that there’s a lot of treading water.  Mitchum and Domergue on the run, bouncing from one sticky situation to another, but the tension doesn’t ratchet up that much (the late “big reveal” is easily guessed).  It’s only in the last 15 minutes that things really start cooking.  Those 15 minutes are dynamite, though, with some glorious lighting and long takes.  Rating: 7

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Side Street (rewatch)

The second Granger/O’Connell noir also comes out better on the second viewing, although not quite enough for me to raise my rating.  Voice-over is a common noir trait, but here it’s done so horribly and is so entirely unnecessary that it becomes a drawback.  Also, O’Connell really has to nothing to do except act clingy and concerned.  But that’s made up for by Jean Hagen, who is just wonderful as the boozy lounge singer.  The film is really brutal at times, and perfectly captures the story of a guy who can’t catch a break and always seems to do the wrong thing.  The use of New York locations is utterly fantastic, highlighted by outstanding photography by Joseph Ruttenberg — the dingy streets, the hallways with peeling wallpaper, and of course the brilliant final chase, shot from high above the action.  As a whole, the movie doesn’t stand up as a complete masterpiece, but there are some exhilarating elements.  Rating: 8

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They Live By Night (rewatch)

A blurb on the DVD case says “one of the most unforgettable noirs ever made” and I have to agree.  I tend to forget a lot of details about movies, but two years after my first viewing, much of this film stuck with me.  My opinion of it is much higher as well.  I think before I was too preoccupied with comparing it to Thieves Like Us, and for some reason felt compelled to call Farley Granger “boring”.  Now he seems perfect for the role, with his haunted innocence.  The film has a thick aura of bleakness about it, and even the happier moments between Granger and Cathy O’Donnell are overcast with dread.  Their doomed relationship is tremendously affecting and makes for not only one of the most unforgettable noirs, but one of the most romantic and lyrical.  I’m really surprised by how much it’s grown on me, it’s now my favorite by Nicholas Ray.  Rating: 9

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The Big Steal

Again, I must protest that a film being marketed as noir is not very noir at all.  Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer are teamed up again after Out of the Past, but where that movie is absolutely teeming with noir elements, this one has maybe 5 minutes’ worth.  For the most part, it’s a screwball chase flick/romantic comedy, taking place almost entirely in bright daylight (the whole movie takes place in one day, except the coda).  However, just because I’ve been obsessively focused on noir for a while doesn’t mean I can’t like anything else.  And it’s sufficiently entertaining to be worth the brief running time.  It’s actually pretty funny, clips along at a great pace, and Mitchum and Greer have nice chemistry together.  The other performances are all good too, like William Bendix as the hapless heavy and Ramon Navarro as the crafty inspector.  The movie makes excellent use of Mexican locations, and is very respectful towards the Mexican people.  There are significant plotting problems (nothing Bendix does make any sense, given the ending) but it’s a fun, breezy ride.  Rating: 7

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Illegal

Meh.  A legal melodrama with very little that I would call noir.  From a play that had been previously adapted for the screen in 1932 and 1940, and it definitely seems to belong more to that time.  Edward G. Robinson is good (hardly one of his defining roles, though) and there are one or two interesting beats, but mostly it’s a rather dull story, and told without much flair.  Some rather questionable interpretations of the legal process as well.  Look for early appearances by Jayne Mansfield and DeForest “Bones” Kelly.  Rating: 5

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Decoy

Cheap as dirt, over-the-top pulp with an insane premise but a lot of spunk.  The score is overbearing, the script is a bit creaky, and the cinematography is entirely unremarkable.  But Jean Gillie (who died tragically young) is so vicious, and even gleefully giddy, as the femme fatale that she elevates the entire picture.  This really could have been something special with a little more care, but as it is it’s an entertaining, hard-boiled diversion.  Rating: 7

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Crime Wave (rewatch)

Pretty routine stuff, but really gritty with some nice idiosyncratic touches (Timothy Carey’s extremely odd performance especially).  Sterling Hayden always casts an intimidating shadow, but here he’s just a powerhouse.  Although it’s not one of my favorite noirs by a longshot, its quick pace makes it fun.  Rating: 7

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