The gangster genre is traditionally male-dominated, so imagine my surprise at seeing the arrival of Lady Scarface from Warner Archive. A gangster who’s a woman?! What’s next, mixing French fries … Continue Reading Lady Scarface (1941)
Director Jean Negulesco and I have a contentious cinematic relationship. His patented blend of noirish melodrama doesn’t always sit right with me, yet I’ve seen so many of his features … Continue Reading TCMFF Review: Road House (1948)
In 1947 the feature Crossfire took a harsh look at the rise of antisemitism in America, taking an story that examination homosexuality initially and presenting it to post-war audiences as … Continue Reading TCMFF Review: Open Secret (1948)
Originally published December 15th, 2015 Maybe it’s the forced togetherness and spirit of brotherhood that makes the holidays so perfect for the noir genre. Whether it’s the glittery Hollywood pulp … Continue Reading Lady on a Train (1945)
When I talked to author Alan K. Rode a few months back he mentioned his work with the Film Noir Foundation to bring the 1950 noir, The Man Who Cheated … Continue Reading The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)
In the town of Tarl everyone is chasing something: sex, love, money, admiration. Coming out in the midst of the ’60s, The Chase marked the transition between the generations as … Continue Reading The Chase (1966)
Sometimes a movie is just so weird I have to write about it in order to prove it wasn’t something I dreamed up. Doris Day was a recent honoree during … Continue Reading Julie (1956)
Another Throwback Thirstday devoted to my number one classic film love, John Garfield. I’ve pretty much decided that ’30s Garfield is my favorite, mainly because his cynicism is just adorable … Continue Reading Throwback Thirstday: They Made Me a Criminal (1939)
Nell Minow returns to celebrate our Centennial Celebrant for June, Rita Hayworth by discussing her turn as the ultimate femme fatale in 1946’s Gilda.
There’s a disconnect to the 1950s best exemplified through media. One the one hand you have the Donna Reed world of mom, dad, and apple pie. And on the other … Continue Reading Gun Crazy (1950)
The implementation of the Code in 1934 left many films in a state of disarray, having to tweak scripts and direction at the last second to comply. Cinema was left … Continue Reading The Gay Bride (1934)
Fritz Lang is a director whose work, even at its silliest, can entertain, and that’s how one must approach Beyond a Reasonable Doubt – now available in a beautiful Blu-ray … Continue Reading Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956)
With my new full-time writer status, part of my transition with the site is to write about movie I get truly excited over, whether it makes me so mad I … Continue Reading Out of the Fog (1941)
Describing the Florida Keys always sounds as if a Dashiell Hammett-esque noir voice should be speaking the words aloud: “An isolated strip of land as beautiful as it is hot.” … Continue Reading Key Largo (1948)
Flicker Alley debuts two brand-new restorations this week with the DVD/Blu-ray combo release of Too Late for Tears (1949) and Woman on the Run (1950). Public domain victims whose copies … Continue Reading Woman on the Run (1950)
Oft-considered one of the greatest film noirs ever made, John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle is a story about the perils of city life…with the added bonus of a jewel heist. John … Continue Reading The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
