Gone In Under Seventy Minutes
Anthony Mann and John Alton: Noirs Dynamic Duo
Sweet Ellen Corby and The Great Johnny Carson
Powell, Power and O'Keefe Enter The World of Noir
From Cornell Woolrich to The Smiths and Beyond
The Crime Stories of James M. Cain
A Few Words About Elisha Cook, Jr.
Was E.G. Robbed Of An Oscar?
Anthony Mann and John Alton: Noirs Dynamic Duo
Sweet Ellen Corby and The Great Johnny Carson
Powell, Power and O'Keefe Enter The World of Noir
From Cornell Woolrich to The Smiths and Beyond
The Crime Stories of James M. Cain
A Few Words About Elisha Cook, Jr.
Was E.G. Robbed Of An Oscar?
Notes on Noir
There are about as many definitions as there are movies of film noir. The term seems to have come in vogue in the 1960’s although it was first coined in 1946. Marie Windsor summed it up when she said, “I didn't know I was doing film noir, I thought they were detective stories with low lighting!”
No one signed on to do a a film noir, direct a film noir or do cinematography for a film noir. These films are the descendants of detective/murder mystery and gangster films of the 30s. The source material comes from pulp fiction magazines and hard core crime stories. Film noir brought to the screen the thrills, sex and violence promised in the alluring covers of the pulps. The term seems to have come in vogue in the 1960’s although it was first coined in 1946.
Film noir with its core structure of cynicism, fatalism, less than heroic law enforcement and a less than dastardly criminal resonated with the demographic explosion of second generation immigrants and the urban working class. That demographic is the essence of film noir. Classic noir refers back to these humble and low brow beginnings.
Today film noir is applied to any film where noir element(s) can be found, i.e. horror noir, melodrama noir, police procedural noir, war noir, techno-color noir, comedy noir, cult noir, feminist noir, tongue in cheek noir and satire noir, This generic one size fits all lessens the working class background and film noir for the great part was, and is, about the working class by the working and for the working class.
If a film cannot be seen as a development or continuation of the mystery/crime story that goes as far back as the tales of Edgar Allan Poe then it doesn’t matter how many other aspects it has. Classic Film Noir is yet another great gift from the United States to the rest of the world. It’s as American as baseball, apple pie and the western.
No one signed on to do a a film noir, direct a film noir or do cinematography for a film noir. These films are the descendants of detective/murder mystery and gangster films of the 30s. The source material comes from pulp fiction magazines and hard core crime stories. Film noir brought to the screen the thrills, sex and violence promised in the alluring covers of the pulps. The term seems to have come in vogue in the 1960’s although it was first coined in 1946.
Film noir with its core structure of cynicism, fatalism, less than heroic law enforcement and a less than dastardly criminal resonated with the demographic explosion of second generation immigrants and the urban working class. That demographic is the essence of film noir. Classic noir refers back to these humble and low brow beginnings.
Today film noir is applied to any film where noir element(s) can be found, i.e. horror noir, melodrama noir, police procedural noir, war noir, techno-color noir, comedy noir, cult noir, feminist noir, tongue in cheek noir and satire noir, This generic one size fits all lessens the working class background and film noir for the great part was, and is, about the working class by the working and for the working class.
If a film cannot be seen as a development or continuation of the mystery/crime story that goes as far back as the tales of Edgar Allan Poe then it doesn’t matter how many other aspects it has. Classic Film Noir is yet another great gift from the United States to the rest of the world. It’s as American as baseball, apple pie and the western.
A femme fatale, wise cracks, cigarette smoking and Fedoras aplenty are usually associated to what constitutes a film noir but they are not whole story.
For my list I formulated my personal criteria, based on similar themes, and characteristics in films I especially liked. and buttressed it with a lot of researched criticism and opinions from knowledgeable people and ensured they embodied characteristics associated with film noir. I think any fan of noir would agree desperation, futility, fatalism, pessimism, nihilism, disillusionment, cynicism, a sense of being trapped by external or internal influences and loneliness are at the core of a noir movie. The movie must be in black and white from the classic film noir era span of 1940-1958(give or take a few years). Below are some of the factors that went into my selections, along with a few rather general comments that show why film noir is so darn good.
For my list I formulated my personal criteria, based on similar themes, and characteristics in films I especially liked. and buttressed it with a lot of researched criticism and opinions from knowledgeable people and ensured they embodied characteristics associated with film noir. I think any fan of noir would agree desperation, futility, fatalism, pessimism, nihilism, disillusionment, cynicism, a sense of being trapped by external or internal influences and loneliness are at the core of a noir movie. The movie must be in black and white from the classic film noir era span of 1940-1958(give or take a few years). Below are some of the factors that went into my selections, along with a few rather general comments that show why film noir is so darn good.
"Your roots are down where mine are. I knew that the first time I saw you."
- 1. Noir is a world where we end up after taking the wrong exit and exacerbating the situation by making wrong turns, or missing our subway stop late at night and not realizing it until reaching the street. The denizens of this world are people we’d cross the street to avoid or count our fingers after a handshake. Some examples are Night And The City, A Touch of Evil, and Act of Violence. The epitome of this world is Nightmare Alley.
- 2. Redemption; finalized or attempted is high on my list. The protagonist realizes he’s gone wrong and tries to undo the damage he’s done. It’s nice if he succeeds, noir if he doesn’t. Some examples are: Out Of the Past, On Dangerous Ground, Scarlet Street and Act of Violence.
- You will find in noir movies where the character is drawn or brought back to a lifestyle he may have left. He may want to start anew but the world of noir with its inescapability of the past will negate any attempt. Out of the Past, Criss Cross, Raw Deal, In a Lonely Place and Pitfall are examples.
- A noir should not have ‘and they lived happily ever after’ ending. It should leave the viewer speechless, unable to leave his seat for a few moments. Some wonderful noir endings can be seen in The Asphalt Jungle, The Breaking Point, Night and The City, They Live By Night and Scarlet Street.
- A noir should refrain from extended moments of happiness unless it leads to disillusionment and heart-break. Neither should there be extended periods of comic relief or a character whose only relevance to the film is to bring comic relief.
7. There should be a formidable villain. Physical prowess isn’t necessary. The tough guy can be as smooth as Richard Conte in The Big Combo, Dan Duryea in Woman In The Window and Scarlet Street or seemingly aloof from the fray as Herbert Lom in Night and The City, and Alexander Scourby in The Big Heat.
8. I enjoy noirs that use location shots. In the forties it complemented the story and in the fifties this financially prudent development was a key element of noir.
“I just can’t take it anymore. I just can’t take it anymore.”
9. A good film noir will have memorable scenes by a character actor. I think of Percy Kilbride in Fallen Angel, James Edwards in The Killing, and Ian Wolfe in They Live By Night. Raw Deal has Whit Bissell coming from nowhere as a man fleeing from the law and then committing suicide by police(quite noir, n’est pas?).
10. Because of the studio system spreading its pool of talented and familiar talent far and wide the vast majority of films appear to be an ensemble production. The Maltese Falcon, Fallen Angel, Laura, Born To Kill, Side Street, They Clash by Night are fine examples. A low budget noir had a lot to overcome but a dearth of talent was not one.
11. Film noirs should have at least one double cross. There should also be a very good sub-plot or sub-plots that will match or often supersede the main plot.
10. Because of the studio system spreading its pool of talented and familiar talent far and wide the vast majority of films appear to be an ensemble production. The Maltese Falcon, Fallen Angel, Laura, Born To Kill, Side Street, They Clash by Night are fine examples. A low budget noir had a lot to overcome but a dearth of talent was not one.
11. Film noirs should have at least one double cross. There should also be a very good sub-plot or sub-plots that will match or often supersede the main plot.
I’m a thief just the way you are, but I won’t sell you hope, when there is none.
12. There should be moments in a film noir that delve deep into our sensitivities and touch the soul as film noir should display all sides of the human equation, not just the criminal, or the depraved. There is the scene in Pick Up On South Street where Thelma Ritter is murdered. But before that there is another great scene of loneliness. She is still hawking her ties on her way home, and she passes a line of people, with their backs to the camera, spending an evening watching the construction of a new building. A building for people whose future, as they say, is still ahead of them.
I am reminded how on a subway train this petite, lady in her late fifties I guess, tapped a policeman on duty and softly said, “I just can’t take it anymore. I just can’t take it anymore.” Thirteen million stories in New York and hers was another never heard. There is Esther Howard in Born To Kill, Claire Trevor singing for a drink in Key Largo, Jean Hagen in Side Street, Gloria Grahame in Crossfire and Josephine Hutchinson's touching portrayal of a lonely spinster in Somewhere In The Night. On Dangerous Groud has a similar moment when Ward Bond finally comes across the young boy who murdered his daughter. They Live By Night has Farley Granger sent to prison at the age of sixteen and escaped seven years later and confides to Cathy O’Donnell how he always wanted to take a girl to a movie and hold her hand.
Film noir is the world where the center cannot hold. Its denizens try for their slice of the American pie, and a way to fit into the American dream. It isanother great gift from the United States to the world.
I am reminded how on a subway train this petite, lady in her late fifties I guess, tapped a policeman on duty and softly said, “I just can’t take it anymore. I just can’t take it anymore.” Thirteen million stories in New York and hers was another never heard. There is Esther Howard in Born To Kill, Claire Trevor singing for a drink in Key Largo, Jean Hagen in Side Street, Gloria Grahame in Crossfire and Josephine Hutchinson's touching portrayal of a lonely spinster in Somewhere In The Night. On Dangerous Groud has a similar moment when Ward Bond finally comes across the young boy who murdered his daughter. They Live By Night has Farley Granger sent to prison at the age of sixteen and escaped seven years later and confides to Cathy O’Donnell how he always wanted to take a girl to a movie and hold her hand.
Film noir is the world where the center cannot hold. Its denizens try for their slice of the American pie, and a way to fit into the American dream. It isanother great gift from the United States to the world.
WHAT IS NOIR?
Is it a stylish crime film of the '40s and '50s with roots in the hardboiled tradition (which gave noir its name, which the French film critics referenced the Serie Noir papebacks reprinting American crime writers)? Then it's almost certainly noir by any reasonable yardstick.
Is it a stylish crime film of the '40s and '50s with roots in the hardboiled tradition (which gave noir its name, which the French film critics referenced the Serie Noir papebacks reprinting American crime writers)? Then it's almost certainly noir by any reasonable yardstick.
Gone In Under Seventy Minutes
What sort of movie can you get for under seventy-minutes? Some real good ones that's what you can get. There were so many good movies to come during the classic era of film-noir that the low-budget, B movie often gets over looked and that's a shame. It's difficult to make a quality B movie. The most pressing factor is money, and time=money and that means a rather brief running time. A B-movie does not connote camp or crap. The direction, cinematography and acting are often as good than the better financed films. I've found the optimum running time is from 60 to 75 minutes, although 60 minutes might be pressing it. The finished product should be fat free. If it's a choice between action and character development, then action wins out. I've listed a few films, well a bit more than a few, that fall into that range of one hour to one hour and nine minutes. "Where's the beef?" some might ask? You can find them in these films:
Detour: 68 minutes--A classic. Many think of it as one of the greatest noirs of all time. I'll just say it's a great film. Unlike most films it relies on a sparsity of characters. But one happens to be Ann Savage and thank goodness for that.
Among The Living: 67 minutes--It borders Southern Gothic as much as noir. Alfred Dekker plays twins and since one is schizophrenic you could say he plays three roles. Susan Hayward is a knock-out. Put this on Noir Alley or Noir Avenue and give it a better print.
Follow Me Quietly: Here come da Judge? Say what? He's a serial killer who strangles his victims from behind only when it rains. He says he has been anointed to rid the earth of the vermin, the evil, or any reasonable facsimile thereof. All this in only sixty minutes!
Double Deal: 64 minutes--. Marie Windsor admits that she's public domain. Should I stop? There's also a monkey who, with a better agent, might have had a stirring career in films. There are oil wells. And there's Richard Denning.
Hell Bound: 69 minutes--This film is an excellent B movie. There are a number of characters and a complex plot, yet works like clockwork. Margo Woode stars with John Russell, June Blair and Stanley Adams. There's a lot of creativity in this film and it shows.
The Threat: 61 minutes--Charles McGraw is the threat in this fast paced movie. Felix Feist directed a few other noir/crime films, and once again we see the professionalism of a man who knows his craft and the bottom line.($$$ for studio heads).
Behind Locked Doors: 62 minutes--This film should be taught in film schools as a primer on how to make a low budget film. It helps if one has the talent of Budd Boetticher who directed this about a private eye who for love and money gets admitted to a funny farm to find a missing judge(what's with these judges?) Excellent cinematography as well.
The Devil Thumbs A Ride: 62 minutes--This movie is pedal to the metal from start to finish. It stars Lawrence Tierney who cracks this classic line when looking at the photo of the gas station attendant's daughter "By the look of those ears she's gonna fly before she walks." And he gets meaner as the film continues!
The Hoodlum: 61 minutes-- This is bona fide text-book on how to make a low budget B movie. It's Mr. Tierney again. He plays Vince Lubeck who may be the biggest crumb-bum of a louse in filmdom. And how he makes his poor mother suffer! He should be shot.
Killer's Kiss: 67 minutes--A Stanley Kubrick film shot on a frayed shoe-string of a budget. This film stands out on its own and not merely as a look into the genesis of a giant in the industry. The excellent cinematography was by Mr. Kubrick. Some great scenes.
Detour: 68 minutes--A classic. Many think of it as one of the greatest noirs of all time. I'll just say it's a great film. Unlike most films it relies on a sparsity of characters. But one happens to be Ann Savage and thank goodness for that.
Among The Living: 67 minutes--It borders Southern Gothic as much as noir. Alfred Dekker plays twins and since one is schizophrenic you could say he plays three roles. Susan Hayward is a knock-out. Put this on Noir Alley or Noir Avenue and give it a better print.
Follow Me Quietly: Here come da Judge? Say what? He's a serial killer who strangles his victims from behind only when it rains. He says he has been anointed to rid the earth of the vermin, the evil, or any reasonable facsimile thereof. All this in only sixty minutes!
Double Deal: 64 minutes--. Marie Windsor admits that she's public domain. Should I stop? There's also a monkey who, with a better agent, might have had a stirring career in films. There are oil wells. And there's Richard Denning.
Hell Bound: 69 minutes--This film is an excellent B movie. There are a number of characters and a complex plot, yet works like clockwork. Margo Woode stars with John Russell, June Blair and Stanley Adams. There's a lot of creativity in this film and it shows.
The Threat: 61 minutes--Charles McGraw is the threat in this fast paced movie. Felix Feist directed a few other noir/crime films, and once again we see the professionalism of a man who knows his craft and the bottom line.($$$ for studio heads).
Behind Locked Doors: 62 minutes--This film should be taught in film schools as a primer on how to make a low budget film. It helps if one has the talent of Budd Boetticher who directed this about a private eye who for love and money gets admitted to a funny farm to find a missing judge(what's with these judges?) Excellent cinematography as well.
The Devil Thumbs A Ride: 62 minutes--This movie is pedal to the metal from start to finish. It stars Lawrence Tierney who cracks this classic line when looking at the photo of the gas station attendant's daughter "By the look of those ears she's gonna fly before she walks." And he gets meaner as the film continues!
The Hoodlum: 61 minutes-- This is bona fide text-book on how to make a low budget B movie. It's Mr. Tierney again. He plays Vince Lubeck who may be the biggest crumb-bum of a louse in filmdom. And how he makes his poor mother suffer! He should be shot.
Killer's Kiss: 67 minutes--A Stanley Kubrick film shot on a frayed shoe-string of a budget. This film stands out on its own and not merely as a look into the genesis of a giant in the industry. The excellent cinematography was by Mr. Kubrick. Some great scenes.
Anthony Mann and John Alton: Noirs Dynamic Duo
From 1947 to 1949 Anthony Mann directed seven films that arguably made him cinema's most productive director of noir and noir related films. Those films were: Desperate, Railroaded, T-Men, Raw Deal, He Walked By Night, Border Incident and Side Street. He moved on to Westerns that many say are his best work. Among them are: The Devil's Doorway (which is extremely noirish due in no small part to the cinematography of John Alton) The Tall Target, Winchester 73, Bend of The River, The Naked Spur, Man of The West and The Tin Star.
Yet he may best be remembered for the six films he made with cinematographer John Alton: T-Men, Raw Deal, He Walked By Night, Devil's Doorway, Border Incident and Reign of Terror. Mann's first films were low budget B's. Faced with a limited budget and a tight schedule. he used those limitations to hone his craft and exhibit his creativeness.
There is no genre more accommodating to low budget films than classic film noir and it's reliance on photography. Film noir cinematographic tropes are long shadows, high contrast) deep focus shots, reflections from mirrors, clocks, and eyeglasses as we saw in noir adjacent Strangers On A Train. A good cinematographer could transform a common set into something entirely different. A great example is: Pickup On South Street.
Raw Deal is a testament to both their talents. brilliance. The film is smooth and flows easily from one scene to the next. We are deeply immersed into the characters. The film is a delight. It has action, romance, double-crosses , creepy villains, sympathetic characters, moral ambiguity great performances by the leads who border between the lawlessness and the nobility. There are sub-plots that complement and do not distract from the main story; all this and more in under eighty minutes!
Yet he may best be remembered for the six films he made with cinematographer John Alton: T-Men, Raw Deal, He Walked By Night, Devil's Doorway, Border Incident and Reign of Terror. Mann's first films were low budget B's. Faced with a limited budget and a tight schedule. he used those limitations to hone his craft and exhibit his creativeness.
There is no genre more accommodating to low budget films than classic film noir and it's reliance on photography. Film noir cinematographic tropes are long shadows, high contrast) deep focus shots, reflections from mirrors, clocks, and eyeglasses as we saw in noir adjacent Strangers On A Train. A good cinematographer could transform a common set into something entirely different. A great example is: Pickup On South Street.
Raw Deal is a testament to both their talents. brilliance. The film is smooth and flows easily from one scene to the next. We are deeply immersed into the characters. The film is a delight. It has action, romance, double-crosses , creepy villains, sympathetic characters, moral ambiguity great performances by the leads who border between the lawlessness and the nobility. There are sub-plots that complement and do not distract from the main story; all this and more in under eighty minutes!
Alton did a lot of his pre-Hollywood films in Argentina and Germany. It's not unreasonable to think he would have had the creative freedom to experiment without having to please corporate studios. From the photos I checked out from his South American days it appears the Alton style was already evident.
Mann's Desperate and Railroaded led up to Raw Deal and Alton followed a similar path. Two of his last three films were The Pretender and Bury Me Dead. The Pretender stars the always reliable Albert Dekker. Alton's work is rather subdued and there is a great deal of subtlety in The Pretender. It is definitely a movie worth seeing. Bury Me Dead, a 'click-bait' title if ever there was one, is a so-so film. Cathy O'Donnell in a supporting role to June Lockhart, has a nice, comedic touch. Her forte, much as Veronica Lake but to a lesser degree, was in romantic comedies. But that's for another write-up. These four films along with his years of experience led to the proverbial perfect storm of the great police procedural: T-Men.
Alton's post-Mann films include: Elmer Gantry, I, The Jury, The Birdman of Alcatraz and An American in Paris for which he received an Oscar. There is also The Big Combo. The opening scene might have come from an Edward Hopper painting and ends with one of the most iconic scenes of noir-dom; that of leads Cornell Wilde and Jean Wallace enveloped in fog leaving a darkly lit airplane hangar. Many consider The Big Combo to be his best film. There probably a dozen of his films that could be considered his best. My personal choice is The Amazing Mr. X with the always lovely Lynn Bari and Cathy O'Donnell who once again does a good job.
John Alton said: "There is no doubt in my mind that the most beautiful music is sad, and the most beautiful photography is in a low-key, with rich blacks." When it comes to noir John Alton was born for it. Mr. Mann went on to make many more very good movies and his Westerns should be checked out. But, for many, he will always be remembered for his collaboration with Anthony Mann.
Mann's Desperate and Railroaded led up to Raw Deal and Alton followed a similar path. Two of his last three films were The Pretender and Bury Me Dead. The Pretender stars the always reliable Albert Dekker. Alton's work is rather subdued and there is a great deal of subtlety in The Pretender. It is definitely a movie worth seeing. Bury Me Dead, a 'click-bait' title if ever there was one, is a so-so film. Cathy O'Donnell in a supporting role to June Lockhart, has a nice, comedic touch. Her forte, much as Veronica Lake but to a lesser degree, was in romantic comedies. But that's for another write-up. These four films along with his years of experience led to the proverbial perfect storm of the great police procedural: T-Men.
Alton's post-Mann films include: Elmer Gantry, I, The Jury, The Birdman of Alcatraz and An American in Paris for which he received an Oscar. There is also The Big Combo. The opening scene might have come from an Edward Hopper painting and ends with one of the most iconic scenes of noir-dom; that of leads Cornell Wilde and Jean Wallace enveloped in fog leaving a darkly lit airplane hangar. Many consider The Big Combo to be his best film. There probably a dozen of his films that could be considered his best. My personal choice is The Amazing Mr. X with the always lovely Lynn Bari and Cathy O'Donnell who once again does a good job.
John Alton said: "There is no doubt in my mind that the most beautiful music is sad, and the most beautiful photography is in a low-key, with rich blacks." When it comes to noir John Alton was born for it. Mr. Mann went on to make many more very good movies and his Westerns should be checked out. But, for many, he will always be remembered for his collaboration with Anthony Mann.
SWEET ELLEN CORBY AND THE GREAT JOHNNY CARSON
Below are a couple of clips of Ellen Corby (Born To Kill, The Dark Corner, Cornered) on the Johnny Carson Show. She had just won her third Emmy for her portrayal of Grandma Walton in The Waltons. Ms. Corby comes across as we all imagined her to be; sweet, humble; an unassuming polite genteel person. The clip also shows what made Johnny Carson the best ever late night host.
Soft spoken, reserved people don’t often make for the best guests, and can tax a host’s interviewing skills. My attention was caught when Carson interrupted her. He did it a second time and the reason became obvious. Carson tactfully led the interview onto a different path and put her more at ease. The second time led her to tell a story with great relish that obviously meant a lot to her. She started the interview a bit reticent but at the end it got to where one might think she’d never stop talking, and that was great. Johnny did not interrupt as she she went into detail. It may be me, but I sensed not only a respect from Mr. Carson for her career in show business but also for her as a human being.
We’ll never see the likes of Johnny Carson again or anyone close to him. The staff had done their homework on this plain looking character actor as much as they would a big time celebrity.
As for Ms. Corby? When given the chance she displayed bona fide acting chops. Check her out in Illegal and especially in The Strangler as Victor Buono’s harridan mother. Her legacy after a fifty plus year career that began as an unpaid script clerk, is that today even the most casual movie film fan will blurt out “There’s Ellen Corby,” or there’s “Grandma Walton,” when seeing her in one of the hundreds of her appearances. Good for her.
Soft spoken, reserved people don’t often make for the best guests, and can tax a host’s interviewing skills. My attention was caught when Carson interrupted her. He did it a second time and the reason became obvious. Carson tactfully led the interview onto a different path and put her more at ease. The second time led her to tell a story with great relish that obviously meant a lot to her. She started the interview a bit reticent but at the end it got to where one might think she’d never stop talking, and that was great. Johnny did not interrupt as she she went into detail. It may be me, but I sensed not only a respect from Mr. Carson for her career in show business but also for her as a human being.
We’ll never see the likes of Johnny Carson again or anyone close to him. The staff had done their homework on this plain looking character actor as much as they would a big time celebrity.
As for Ms. Corby? When given the chance she displayed bona fide acting chops. Check her out in Illegal and especially in The Strangler as Victor Buono’s harridan mother. Her legacy after a fifty plus year career that began as an unpaid script clerk, is that today even the most casual movie film fan will blurt out “There’s Ellen Corby,” or there’s “Grandma Walton,” when seeing her in one of the hundreds of her appearances. Good for her.
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POWELL, POWER AND O'KEEFE ENTER THE WORLD OF NOIR
Dick Powell is a great example of an actor that successfully changed his sreen image from one type to another. When Paramount would not let him switch to more non-singing roles, he refused the roles he was offered and was suspended. He was thirty-nine and his career on the wane when he signed with RKO. As part of his agreement RKO would have him star in the film adaptation of Chandler's, Farewell, My Lovely, to play Philip Marlowe. The film’s title was changed to Murder, My Sweet less his fans think it was another of Powell’s light hearted comedy/musicals. The film was a success and so was Powell's entre in a new career direction. There is debate about who was the best Marlowe, but Chandler opined it was Powell. Powell parlayed the affable and personable good guy persona of his comedies, yet still projected a quality of edginess. NY Times critic Bosley Crowther of the New York Times remarked, " ...and while he may lack the steely coldness and cynicism of a Humphrey Bogart, Mr. Powell need not offer any apologies. He has definitely stepped out of the song-and-dance, pretty-boy league with this performance."
Powell played in other tough guy roles like, Cry Danger, Cornered, To The Ends of the Earth, and Johnny O’Clock. I liked him better when he eschewed the wise-cracks and the tough guy persona. Two films that stand out post-Marlowe are; The Tall Target, where he played a detective assigned to halt an assassination attempt on recently elected President Lincoln, and especially in Pitfall. Powell effectively captures the mid-life angst of a man who has played by the rules all of his life, except for one brief encounter with a single woman. (Lizabeth Scott).
Powell was a renaissance man. He went on to direct seven movies, including the gritty Split Second. He went on to produce Four Star Playhouse and the Dick Powell Theatre that starred many big name actors of the 40s.
He died at the age of 58. He began his career as a crooner ‘boy scout,’ type to tough guy, director and producer He was a multi-talented artist and successful businessman who gave much to the world of cinema.
Powell played in other tough guy roles like, Cry Danger, Cornered, To The Ends of the Earth, and Johnny O’Clock. I liked him better when he eschewed the wise-cracks and the tough guy persona. Two films that stand out post-Marlowe are; The Tall Target, where he played a detective assigned to halt an assassination attempt on recently elected President Lincoln, and especially in Pitfall. Powell effectively captures the mid-life angst of a man who has played by the rules all of his life, except for one brief encounter with a single woman. (Lizabeth Scott).
Powell was a renaissance man. He went on to direct seven movies, including the gritty Split Second. He went on to produce Four Star Playhouse and the Dick Powell Theatre that starred many big name actors of the 40s.
He died at the age of 58. He began his career as a crooner ‘boy scout,’ type to tough guy, director and producer He was a multi-talented artist and successful businessman who gave much to the world of cinema.
While Murder, My Sweet, was a big hit for Dick Powell Nightmare Alley was the opposite for Tyrone Power. His career for three years as a Marine pilot in WW2. with Fox after three years as a Marine pilot. His first film for them was The Razor’s Edge. It was a critical and commercial success and broke all of Fox’s records for box office earnings. Power, unlike Powell and Dennis O’Keefe, was still a big time box office draw. Power used his marketability into buying the screen rights for Nightmare Alley and he would be the lead.
Even with Edmund Goulding, who also directed The Razor’s Edge, and a great adaptation by Jules Furthman the film bombed at the box office. The audience was used to seeing Power in heroic roles, as a swashbuckler, a submarine captain, a masked protector of the poor who made his mark with the sign of the, “Z.” The premise of the movie and the portrayal of the lead character (Stanton Carlisle was a far cry from the idealistic, sympathetic, Larry Darrell of The Razor's Edge) did not go over with his fans. In addition, America was still recovering from the war. The last thing an audience wanted to see was a film devoid of hope, and redemptive qualities, set in a dark, cynical, unfeeling, soulless and irreligious world.
In my opinion, Power’s performance is the best in film noir. He is in almost every scene. We watch Carlisle’s spiral into degradation and the inevitably of his self-destruction with the horror and fascination of a voyeur following the downward trajectory of a jumper falling to his death from a skyscraper.
Had Nightmare Alley a modicum of success, he might have made more complex, dark roles. Instead, much of his post-Nightmare Alley work consisted of comfortable audience pleasing films as Captain from Castille, The Luck of The Irish, and Prince of Foxes. I haven’t seen many of his films, but I liked Rawhide, was memorable for me, and of course, Witness for The Prosecution, and by that time he was totally jaded by the system.
I’ve got to give him a lot of credit. He was bold and took a big risk. For all of his popularity, and good looks that made him a movie screen idol, Nightmare Alley, may be the film for which he is most remembered.
Even with Edmund Goulding, who also directed The Razor’s Edge, and a great adaptation by Jules Furthman the film bombed at the box office. The audience was used to seeing Power in heroic roles, as a swashbuckler, a submarine captain, a masked protector of the poor who made his mark with the sign of the, “Z.” The premise of the movie and the portrayal of the lead character (Stanton Carlisle was a far cry from the idealistic, sympathetic, Larry Darrell of The Razor's Edge) did not go over with his fans. In addition, America was still recovering from the war. The last thing an audience wanted to see was a film devoid of hope, and redemptive qualities, set in a dark, cynical, unfeeling, soulless and irreligious world.
In my opinion, Power’s performance is the best in film noir. He is in almost every scene. We watch Carlisle’s spiral into degradation and the inevitably of his self-destruction with the horror and fascination of a voyeur following the downward trajectory of a jumper falling to his death from a skyscraper.
Had Nightmare Alley a modicum of success, he might have made more complex, dark roles. Instead, much of his post-Nightmare Alley work consisted of comfortable audience pleasing films as Captain from Castille, The Luck of The Irish, and Prince of Foxes. I haven’t seen many of his films, but I liked Rawhide, was memorable for me, and of course, Witness for The Prosecution, and by that time he was totally jaded by the system.
I’ve got to give him a lot of credit. He was bold and took a big risk. For all of his popularity, and good looks that made him a movie screen idol, Nightmare Alley, may be the film for which he is most remembered.
Dennis O'Keefe was never a perennial leading man much less a box office favorite. He made his first screen appearance in 1930 and by 1938 had only one credited role. His first lead role was asn ambulance chasing lawyer in The Chaser. He played a variety of roles in different genres. .
It was the great director Anthony Mann who brought out his true talent. Mann directed and O'Keefe co-wrote 1947 film. T-Men had a 20grade sandpaper coarseness to it that was seldom seen in the films of that period. One particular scene that stands out for its violence even by today's standards is Wallace Ford being broiled to death in a steam room while Charles McGraw looks on.
HIs high water mark, and one of the purest of all noirs is Raw Deal, Also directed by Anthony Mann. O'Keefe is the male angle of a love triangle with the great Claire Trevor and the accomplished Marsha Hunt. They work together like the clockwork of a top shelf Swiss watch.
This love triangle is held together by O'Keefe who has a natural ability to project screen chemistry with all of his leading ladies. This cannot be taught. It’s natural and comes effortlessly (Dana Andrews is another). He's the hommefatale (never thought I’d get around to using that term) that Trevor wants to marry and Hunt wants to save.
In addition to those two roles O'Keefe was effective in the very good yet under rated, Woman On the Run with Ann Sheridan and Robert Keith. That film, along with T-Men match up favorably alongside any of Powell’s post-Marlowe crime/noir films. Other less noted films were Cover-Up (that he also co-wrote), and Abandoned (a film with much promise but hampered by inserting too many light moments along with the helpless female that went out of style years prior.
He may have lacked the ‘it’ factor for being a leading man but Mr. O’Keefe held his own alongside the best actors of Hollywood. He looks the most physically capable of handling himself and is at ease in playing both hero and villain. In the never-ending universe of ‘what if’” I wonder what if O’Keefe and not Fred MacMurray played Walter Neff? Had O’Keefe been given a shot at Philip Marlowe, Chandler might have changed his opinion as to whom was the best Marlowe. As it is he was the lead in two of the best crime/noir films to come from the classical era. Not bad for someone who had to wait eight years in the business before seeing his name on the screen. Power was thirty three, Powell thirty nine and O’Keefe forty when they tested the noir waters.
It was the great director Anthony Mann who brought out his true talent. Mann directed and O'Keefe co-wrote 1947 film. T-Men had a 20grade sandpaper coarseness to it that was seldom seen in the films of that period. One particular scene that stands out for its violence even by today's standards is Wallace Ford being broiled to death in a steam room while Charles McGraw looks on.
HIs high water mark, and one of the purest of all noirs is Raw Deal, Also directed by Anthony Mann. O'Keefe is the male angle of a love triangle with the great Claire Trevor and the accomplished Marsha Hunt. They work together like the clockwork of a top shelf Swiss watch.
This love triangle is held together by O'Keefe who has a natural ability to project screen chemistry with all of his leading ladies. This cannot be taught. It’s natural and comes effortlessly (Dana Andrews is another). He's the hommefatale (never thought I’d get around to using that term) that Trevor wants to marry and Hunt wants to save.
In addition to those two roles O'Keefe was effective in the very good yet under rated, Woman On the Run with Ann Sheridan and Robert Keith. That film, along with T-Men match up favorably alongside any of Powell’s post-Marlowe crime/noir films. Other less noted films were Cover-Up (that he also co-wrote), and Abandoned (a film with much promise but hampered by inserting too many light moments along with the helpless female that went out of style years prior.
He may have lacked the ‘it’ factor for being a leading man but Mr. O’Keefe held his own alongside the best actors of Hollywood. He looks the most physically capable of handling himself and is at ease in playing both hero and villain. In the never-ending universe of ‘what if’” I wonder what if O’Keefe and not Fred MacMurray played Walter Neff? Had O’Keefe been given a shot at Philip Marlowe, Chandler might have changed his opinion as to whom was the best Marlowe. As it is he was the lead in two of the best crime/noir films to come from the classical era. Not bad for someone who had to wait eight years in the business before seeing his name on the screen. Power was thirty three, Powell thirty nine and O’Keefe forty when they tested the noir waters.
From Cornell Woolrich to The Smiths, The Kinks, Tears For Fears, Joy Division and Beyond
When looking for a book to buy I came across Cornell Woolrich’s, Rendezvous In Black. The plot is pure Woolrich. Johnny Marr’s fiancé is killed due to an accident that involved a group of drunken men on a charter plane. He vows that each May 31st, the date of her death some woman of the men involved; wives lovers, daughters will pay for what their men did. Johnny Marr was also the lead guitarist and composer for The Smiths(albeit he was born John Maher). When one boards a train of thought the destination is always unknown and my thought aboard that train of many stops was if Marr was a fan of Woolrich and appropriated the name? Possible, but in all probability it was to approximate the phonetic pronunciation of his given name.
The Smiths, with Morrissey’s lyrics and Marr’s compositions, embodied the desperation, loneliness, and alienation that haunted Woolrich dominated his stories and are noir staples. Here is the beginning of How Soon Is Now:
I am the son And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular
You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does
There were other bands that addressed the concerns of England’s working class young that lived in a time and land where to cite a verse from the Kinks, Living On A Thin Line,
All the stories have been told
Of kings and days of old,
But there's no England now.
All the wars that were won and lost
Somehow don't seem to matter very much anymore...
Living on a thin line,
Tell me now, what are we supposed to do?
Living on a thin line,
Tell me now, what are we supposed to do?..
Now another century nearly gone,
What are we gonna leave for the young?
What we couldn't do, what we wouldn't do,
It's a crime, but does it matter?
These themes of loneliness and alienation can be found in Nicholas Ray’s In A Lonely Place, They Live By Night, and of course, Rebel Without A Cause. The title itself conjures up the helplessness of, ‘the son and heir of nothing in particular’. The hardening of the soul and the desperation and loneliness that stems from it are found in noirs as; Pickup On South Street, Act of Violence, On Dangerous Ground and Nightmare Alley.
Another song that came to mind was Mad World by Tears For Fears. The first two verses:
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races.
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
Mad World has a nice bouncy, catchy tune. This dichotomy between music and lyrics emphasizes a sense of the singer accepting and embracing the pain as his very own. If he continues he will cling to it and turn away anyone who might to share or free him of his pain. And there is Joy Division. The verse from Love Will Tear Us Apart can be said to summarize the film In A Lonely Place. that starred Gloria Grahame and Humphrey Bogart. Ian Curtis' lyrics seem the epitome of noir. from Love Will Tear Us Apart:
When routine bites hard
And ambitions are low
And resentment rides high
But emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways
Taking different roads
Love, love will tear us apart again
Love, love will tear us apart again
Noir is can be a good mystery, or heist. It can also be a young black boy forgotten on a pier waiting for his Dad in The Breaking Point unaware he has been killed, and like his son, forgotten. It is an elderly woman in a crummy apartment telling her assassin he’d be doing her a favor by putting a bullet in her head from Pickup On South Street. And it’s William Gresham, Cornell Woolrich, Ian Curtis and others who felt they have lived past the point where they could take it anymore and those others who see no reason to continue but do so notwithstanding.
The Smiths, with Morrissey’s lyrics and Marr’s compositions, embodied the desperation, loneliness, and alienation that haunted Woolrich dominated his stories and are noir staples. Here is the beginning of How Soon Is Now:
I am the son And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular
You shut your mouth
How can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does
There were other bands that addressed the concerns of England’s working class young that lived in a time and land where to cite a verse from the Kinks, Living On A Thin Line,
All the stories have been told
Of kings and days of old,
But there's no England now.
All the wars that were won and lost
Somehow don't seem to matter very much anymore...
Living on a thin line,
Tell me now, what are we supposed to do?
Living on a thin line,
Tell me now, what are we supposed to do?..
Now another century nearly gone,
What are we gonna leave for the young?
What we couldn't do, what we wouldn't do,
It's a crime, but does it matter?
These themes of loneliness and alienation can be found in Nicholas Ray’s In A Lonely Place, They Live By Night, and of course, Rebel Without A Cause. The title itself conjures up the helplessness of, ‘the son and heir of nothing in particular’. The hardening of the soul and the desperation and loneliness that stems from it are found in noirs as; Pickup On South Street, Act of Violence, On Dangerous Ground and Nightmare Alley.
Another song that came to mind was Mad World by Tears For Fears. The first two verses:
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races.
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
Mad World has a nice bouncy, catchy tune. This dichotomy between music and lyrics emphasizes a sense of the singer accepting and embracing the pain as his very own. If he continues he will cling to it and turn away anyone who might to share or free him of his pain. And there is Joy Division. The verse from Love Will Tear Us Apart can be said to summarize the film In A Lonely Place. that starred Gloria Grahame and Humphrey Bogart. Ian Curtis' lyrics seem the epitome of noir. from Love Will Tear Us Apart:
When routine bites hard
And ambitions are low
And resentment rides high
But emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways
Taking different roads
Love, love will tear us apart again
Love, love will tear us apart again
Noir is can be a good mystery, or heist. It can also be a young black boy forgotten on a pier waiting for his Dad in The Breaking Point unaware he has been killed, and like his son, forgotten. It is an elderly woman in a crummy apartment telling her assassin he’d be doing her a favor by putting a bullet in her head from Pickup On South Street. And it’s William Gresham, Cornell Woolrich, Ian Curtis and others who felt they have lived past the point where they could take it anymore and those others who see no reason to continue but do so notwithstanding.
The Complete Crime Stories of James M. Cain
When someone asks for books that will explain the genesis and evolution of film noir usually tomes from the world of the academe are suggested. I believe it is best to go back to where it all started and that would be the dime novels and pulp fiction.
The most comprehensive collection of these stories can be found in voluminous books edited by Otto Penzler. Two indispensible books from Black Lizard publishing are: Big Book of Pulps, and Black Mask Stories. Big they are. Each collection is over 1100 pages. Not all stories are gems of course, but the reader gets an insight into the foundation of noir and the source for the crime films from the 30s to 40s.
Then there are novels and short stories that were adapted to the screen Double Identity, Out of The Past, The Maltese Falcon to name only three) by authors who often began their writing for the pulps. One collection of short stories that I heartily recommend is The Complete Crime Stories of James M. Cain. Cain had this to say about the short story, “It’s greatly superior to the novel, or any rate the American novel.” As for eschewing the good guy/bad guy concept of the detective stories, “Our national curse…is the ‘sympathetic’ character…The world’s greatest literature is people by thorough-going heels.”
Two stories in this collection were made into films, Money And The Woman, and She Made Her Bed adapted from the story Baby In The Icebox. The entire collection would make a nice anthology series on one of the streaming networks. In addition to The Baby In The Icebox, which is one of my favorite short stories regardless of genre, I liked; Brush Fire, Death On The Beach, Pastorale, Mommy’s A Barfly, Dead Man and The Girl In The Storm. All of them represent what I refer to as the soul of noir. The Birthday Party is a sweet and tender story of adolescent love, with a very touching ending. Penzler finishes his intro, “…Cain left out the parts that people tend to skip.”
The most comprehensive collection of these stories can be found in voluminous books edited by Otto Penzler. Two indispensible books from Black Lizard publishing are: Big Book of Pulps, and Black Mask Stories. Big they are. Each collection is over 1100 pages. Not all stories are gems of course, but the reader gets an insight into the foundation of noir and the source for the crime films from the 30s to 40s.
Then there are novels and short stories that were adapted to the screen Double Identity, Out of The Past, The Maltese Falcon to name only three) by authors who often began their writing for the pulps. One collection of short stories that I heartily recommend is The Complete Crime Stories of James M. Cain. Cain had this to say about the short story, “It’s greatly superior to the novel, or any rate the American novel.” As for eschewing the good guy/bad guy concept of the detective stories, “Our national curse…is the ‘sympathetic’ character…The world’s greatest literature is people by thorough-going heels.”
Two stories in this collection were made into films, Money And The Woman, and She Made Her Bed adapted from the story Baby In The Icebox. The entire collection would make a nice anthology series on one of the streaming networks. In addition to The Baby In The Icebox, which is one of my favorite short stories regardless of genre, I liked; Brush Fire, Death On The Beach, Pastorale, Mommy’s A Barfly, Dead Man and The Girl In The Storm. All of them represent what I refer to as the soul of noir. The Birthday Party is a sweet and tender story of adolescent love, with a very touching ending. Penzler finishes his intro, “…Cain left out the parts that people tend to skip.”
A FEW WORDS ABOUT ELISHA COOK, JR.
Elisha Cook, Jr. was usually cast as the as the weak, put down, neurotic, wannabe tough guy. Whether it was confronting Jack Palance, Lawrence Tierney, Humphrey Bogart or trying to make it with women like Ella Raines or Marie Windsor, his character never knew when he was out of his league. The poor guy couldn't even take out soused Esther Howard in Murder, My Sweet. Had his character a philosophical bent it would been along Robert Browning’s quote, “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp/Or what’s a heaven for?” Often Cook's character was only given a nickname; ”Sweeper,” “Inky,” “Banjo,” “Shorty,” or he’d be referred to by the role he played like ‘piano player,’ ‘crazed drummer,’ or ‘taxi driver. His high water mark was in Magnum P.I. (where he had twelve appearances) where not only was he given a first and last name but also a nick-name any tough guy would be proud to have: Francis (Ice-Pick) Hofstetler.
One of the most memorable performances of his over 215 screen credits is the hop headed drummer who tries to put the moves on Ella Raines in Phantom Lady. He’s had memorable roles in House on Haunted Hill, Electraglide in Blue, Rosemary’s Baby, A Kiss Before Dying, and scores of television appearances. He might best be remembered as Wilmer the gunsel in, The Maltese Falcon. Gunsel has two meanings:, a small time hood carrying a gun and in Yiddish slang a young man kept by an older man. The relationship between Wilmer and The Fat Man is evident in the film. Wilmer comes across as much a maladjusted kid trying to prove to his boss he’s more than a sexual distraction as he does a killer. “I can always get another son,” the Fat Man says when choosing to give up Wilmer for the Bird.
The poor gunsel has to wear an oversized overcoat with sleeves that reach down to his wrists! Don’t tell me wardrobe couldn’t find a better fitting coat. Makes you wonder if Wilmer wasn't wearing the hand me down of a previous ‘son’ of the Fat Man. Cook brings a sensitivity to the role that almost makes us feel sorry for the guy. In a film replete with great performances Cook’s is right up there with them.
The poor gunsel has to wear an oversized overcoat with sleeves that reach down to his wrists! Don’t tell me wardrobe couldn’t find a better fitting coat. Makes you wonder if Wilmer wasn't wearing the hand me down of a previous ‘son’ of the Fat Man. Cook brings a sensitivity to the role that almost makes us feel sorry for the guy. In a film replete with great performances Cook’s is right up there with them.
I feel his finest performance is in The Killing. He plays a race track clerk married to Marie Windsor the film’s femme fatale. It is their relationship that elevates a good movie about a heist job gone awry to a truly memorable one. We wonder how would Cook have a chance with her and what was she thinking when she married him? They are a true film noir couple. They put the film-noir into The Killing.
He’s the chump who will do anything for her, but he's no bigger a chump than Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity or Burt Lancaster in The Killers. Give Elisha credit: he gets to passionately kiss Marie Windsor watch her parade around their apartment in her slip, kill those who wronged him, and despite his face being riddled with buck shot, drives to his apartment, confronts his wife and kills her before he dies. This film, just like Night and the City, benefits greatly from a wonderfully scripted sub-plot, interwoven throughout the entire movie. It is the interplay between Cook and Windsor that make The Killing a film-noir classic.
He’s the chump who will do anything for her, but he's no bigger a chump than Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity or Burt Lancaster in The Killers. Give Elisha credit: he gets to passionately kiss Marie Windsor watch her parade around their apartment in her slip, kill those who wronged him, and despite his face being riddled with buck shot, drives to his apartment, confronts his wife and kills her before he dies. This film, just like Night and the City, benefits greatly from a wonderfully scripted sub-plot, interwoven throughout the entire movie. It is the interplay between Cook and Windsor that make The Killing a film-noir classic.
As Stonewell Torrey in Shane, Cook plays an honest hard working family man with a fierce duty to principle and a refusal to be bullied. Cook gives us one of the filmdom’s most memorable scenes. When accompanying another homesteader to the blacksmith he is accosted by Wilson (Jack Palance). We see the poor guy walking tentatively through the mud towards the saloon where Wilson is waiting outside. He almost slips in the mud at one time. We know what is going to happen; Stonewall is like a sheep being led to slaughter.
From a previous encounter Wilson knows he can easily rouse Stonewall’s temper by insulting Torrey’s Southern heritage . Cook responds by calling him, “…a low down lying Yankee.” “Prove it,” Wilson says and pulls his gun before Torrey can barely get his out of his holster and blasts him. Unlike many of Cook's roles, Stonewall is not a woe begotten sap or lackey. He is an important part of the homesteading community. Joe Starret (Van Heflin) convinces a family not to leave until Torrey has had a decent Christian burial, and Shane, in his own way honors him, by calling out Wilson with the same words Torrey used.
It is no coincidence that the three films I’ve chosen are widely recognized as classics. And it’s no coincidence that Elisha Cook, Jr. had a key in them. Elisha Cook was more than character actor or a bit role player but a fine actor in his own right.
From a previous encounter Wilson knows he can easily rouse Stonewall’s temper by insulting Torrey’s Southern heritage . Cook responds by calling him, “…a low down lying Yankee.” “Prove it,” Wilson says and pulls his gun before Torrey can barely get his out of his holster and blasts him. Unlike many of Cook's roles, Stonewall is not a woe begotten sap or lackey. He is an important part of the homesteading community. Joe Starret (Van Heflin) convinces a family not to leave until Torrey has had a decent Christian burial, and Shane, in his own way honors him, by calling out Wilson with the same words Torrey used.
It is no coincidence that the three films I’ve chosen are widely recognized as classics. And it’s no coincidence that Elisha Cook, Jr. had a key in them. Elisha Cook was more than character actor or a bit role player but a fine actor in his own right.
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Was E.G. Robinson Robbed of An Oscar?
t's not hyperbole to say that E.G. Robinson that almost all of his performances are Oscar worthy. Yet he was never nominated for an Oscar much less the award. It's been said he was robbed. But, was he? Here a few examples of Mr. Robinson putting in an Oscar worthy choice and his competition for that year. (to see all the winners for all the Oscars click here.)
THE SEA WOLF--(1941) Robinson plays "Wolf" Larsen, a tyrannical fishing boat captain, who is slowly going blind. The winner for Best Supporting Actor that year was Donald Crisp in How Green Was My Valley. Another "also ran" that year was Sydney Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY--(1944) In a movie that many think is the epitome of film noir, it is Robinson's performance as the insurance investigator with the little man in his stomach, that elevates Double Indemnity from a very good film to a classic. Barry Fitzgerald won for Going My Way yep, it's a SMH moment. Mr. Robinson, if nominated, would have had to contend with Clifton Webb for Laura. If anyone 'wuz robbed' it would be be Mr. Webb.
THE SEA WOLF--(1941) Robinson plays "Wolf" Larsen, a tyrannical fishing boat captain, who is slowly going blind. The winner for Best Supporting Actor that year was Donald Crisp in How Green Was My Valley. Another "also ran" that year was Sydney Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon.
DOUBLE INDEMNITY--(1944) In a movie that many think is the epitome of film noir, it is Robinson's performance as the insurance investigator with the little man in his stomach, that elevates Double Indemnity from a very good film to a classic. Barry Fitzgerald won for Going My Way yep, it's a SMH moment. Mr. Robinson, if nominated, would have had to contend with Clifton Webb for Laura. If anyone 'wuz robbed' it would be be Mr. Webb.
SCARLET STREET--(1945) He was the lead in a year that had Ray Milland in The Lost Weekend. But for the sake of argument let's stay in the best supporting category. The recipient of the award was James Dunn of A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, (I'll take their word for it) However IMO the award should have gone to Robert Mitchum for The Story of G.I. Joe. It's one of his best, and too bad it doesn't get mentioned among Mitchum's best performances. As it is with of Robinson's roles he definitely should have been nominated.
KEY LARGO--(1948)--What a performance! What a movie and shades of Little Caesar as he returns to his breakout role as a mobster. Save for Charles Bickford in Johnny Belinda the group was not very strong and it's another indisputable reason for him deserving a nomination. Oh, I almost forgot; The Award went to Walter Huston for The Treasure of The Sierra Madre and I've no argument with that.
THE STRANGER--(1946) Was said Mr. Welles didn't want E.G. for the role. Who can blame him? Even the great OW can be overshadowed by the great E.G. The winner that year was Harold Russell for The Best Years of Our Lives. Sure it was a feel good vote but if we ignore the feel-good sentiment that went into their choice there is Clifton Webb in The Razor's Edge. My choice would have been Claude Rains in Notorious, and if anyone was robbed that year it was he.
KEY LARGO--(1948)--What a performance! What a movie and shades of Little Caesar as he returns to his breakout role as a mobster. Save for Charles Bickford in Johnny Belinda the group was not very strong and it's another indisputable reason for him deserving a nomination. Oh, I almost forgot; The Award went to Walter Huston for The Treasure of The Sierra Madre and I've no argument with that.
THE STRANGER--(1946) Was said Mr. Welles didn't want E.G. for the role. Who can blame him? Even the great OW can be overshadowed by the great E.G. The winner that year was Harold Russell for The Best Years of Our Lives. Sure it was a feel good vote but if we ignore the feel-good sentiment that went into their choice there is Clifton Webb in The Razor's Edge. My choice would have been Claude Rains in Notorious, and if anyone was robbed that year it was he.
HOUSE OF STRANGERS--(1949) E.G. comes close to being a caricature of the ol' Moustache Petes. IMO House of Strangers, is not one of his best. He was listed as the lead and this is one case where he might have It was a strong list of nominees, especially for lead actors. I have no argument about the choices for best and supporting actor. The former was won by Broderick Crawford for All The King's Men and the latter by Dean Jagger in Twelve O'clock High. IMO Arthur Kennedy for his role in The Champion should have won.
THE VIOLENT MEN--(1955) Eleven years after Double Indemnity Barbara Stanwyck and EG are united. It's a good movie, as if any movie with those two could be anything but good. Jack Lemmon won for Mister Roberts. This was a strong group: Sal Mineo- Rebel Without A Cause, Arthur Kennedy-Trial, and Arthur O'Connell-Picnic. Joe Mantell as Ernest Borgnine's running buddy in Marty would have a bold and appropriate choice.
CINCINNATI KID-(1965)--It's easy to say E.G. should have won. But this was a very strong group. The Oscar went to Martin Balsam for A Thousand Clowns. Also n the group: Frank Finley in Othello, Ian Bannen-Flight of the Phoenix, Tom Courtney-Dr. Zhivago. There is a very strong case for Michael Dunn in Ship of Fools.
SOLYENT GREEN--(1973)--When you read about what EG went through to make this movie it's enough to make you want to cry. But this is Hollywood baby! Still, this was an Oscar winning performance and if acting wasn't enough, which it was, you'd think common decency would make EG a winner. This was a weak group. To wit: John Houseman won for The Paper Chase. Other nominees included Randy Quaid for The Last Deal, and Vincent Gardenia in Bang The Drum Slowly.
Bottom line: I can't argue with him not winning an award, but he should have been nominated in five of the six films I listed. I do think he was robbed of an Oscar for Soylent Green. And to reiterate: It's not hyperbole to say that Mr. Robinson put in an Oscar worthy performance in all of his movies.
Post-Script: (from IMDB) "... I (E. G. Robinson) played Lancey Howard, the reigning champ of the stud poker tables...That man on the screen, more than in any other picture I ever made, was Edward G. Robinson with great patches of Emanuel Goldenberg [his real name] showing through. He was all cold and discerning and unflappable on the exterior; he was ageing and full of self-doubt on the inside.... I played that game (last game of movie) as if it were for blood. It was one of the best performances I ever gave on stage or screen or radio or TV,... is (sic) wasn't a performance at all; it was symbolically the playing out of my whole gamble with life."
THE VIOLENT MEN--(1955) Eleven years after Double Indemnity Barbara Stanwyck and EG are united. It's a good movie, as if any movie with those two could be anything but good. Jack Lemmon won for Mister Roberts. This was a strong group: Sal Mineo- Rebel Without A Cause, Arthur Kennedy-Trial, and Arthur O'Connell-Picnic. Joe Mantell as Ernest Borgnine's running buddy in Marty would have a bold and appropriate choice.
CINCINNATI KID-(1965)--It's easy to say E.G. should have won. But this was a very strong group. The Oscar went to Martin Balsam for A Thousand Clowns. Also n the group: Frank Finley in Othello, Ian Bannen-Flight of the Phoenix, Tom Courtney-Dr. Zhivago. There is a very strong case for Michael Dunn in Ship of Fools.
SOLYENT GREEN--(1973)--When you read about what EG went through to make this movie it's enough to make you want to cry. But this is Hollywood baby! Still, this was an Oscar winning performance and if acting wasn't enough, which it was, you'd think common decency would make EG a winner. This was a weak group. To wit: John Houseman won for The Paper Chase. Other nominees included Randy Quaid for The Last Deal, and Vincent Gardenia in Bang The Drum Slowly.
Bottom line: I can't argue with him not winning an award, but he should have been nominated in five of the six films I listed. I do think he was robbed of an Oscar for Soylent Green. And to reiterate: It's not hyperbole to say that Mr. Robinson put in an Oscar worthy performance in all of his movies.
Post-Script: (from IMDB) "... I (E. G. Robinson) played Lancey Howard, the reigning champ of the stud poker tables...That man on the screen, more than in any other picture I ever made, was Edward G. Robinson with great patches of Emanuel Goldenberg [his real name] showing through. He was all cold and discerning and unflappable on the exterior; he was ageing and full of self-doubt on the inside.... I played that game (last game of movie) as if it were for blood. It was one of the best performances I ever gave on stage or screen or radio or TV,... is (sic) wasn't a performance at all; it was symbolically the playing out of my whole gamble with life."