MY MAN AND I (1952)
This romantic melodrama is teeming with a stellar cast and some insanely sharp dialogue (the screenplay was co-written by John Fante). The story gets a little heavy-handed at times, but leading man Ricardo Montalbon absolutely commands the screen (Shelley Winters is no slouch as a drunken waif, either) and there is so much wonderful wordplay that I forgot most of it: it was hard to remember one witty turn of phrase because it was usually followed by two or three others.
One of the coolest devices utilized by director William A. Wellman is the continued use of the song “Stormy Weather” throughout the film; it pretty much sets the tone.
It’s also cool to see legendary offbeat character actor Jack Elam in a rather subdued and serious role from early in his career.
FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO (1943)
I caught this a few days before it left Prime.
It’s a nifty little WWII melodramatic thriller directed and co-written by Billy Wilder.
Taking place during Rommel’s Western Desert Campaign, the film moves along at a deft pace, is littered with snappy and witty dialogue, and contains two bravura performances by Peter van Eyck and Erick von Stroheim, both playing Nazi baddies.
For what it’s worth, Tarantino often lists this as one of his favorite films and you can see some shades of it lurking in Inglourious Bastards…
<p> MICKEY ONE (1965) This early Warren Beatty starring vehicle is a strange mix of noir and existential surrealism, definitely influenced by Fellini. Beatty plays a mob-owned comedian on the lam. Or is he just having a mid-life professional crisis? The lines between reality and imagination are continually blurred to the point that one doesn't really know if this is a straight forward noir or a pointed social comedy. Whatever your take, it's an entertaining endeavor that will keep your eyes glued to the screen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1iXptTXjbk </p>
07-27-2025, 09:28 AM
dookeyXXX
RIFIFI
Did a quick flyby to the parental homestead last night and ended up watching this French noir classic with Pops, who had never seen it.
Apparently Saturdays have been Noir focused all summer on TCM.
Man, blacklisted director Jules Dassin knows how to put a compelling story together. There are so many great shots in this film that it’s almost ridiculous.
The pacing is deliberate, the characters well-defined without a lot of needless exposition, and Dassin knows when to use music to punctuate the action and tension and drama, and when to eschew music to just let the quietness dictate the intensity of those same forces and attributes.
Highly recommended!
07-27-2025, 09:36 AM
dookeyXXX
PS
Dassin was no stranger to noir having previously helmed seminal film NIGHT and the CITY
