Screened in 35mm - Print check: Good-looking (& sounding) B/W print
RawDeal 5 stars (out of 5/classic) [B&W/(1948)USA] - (1 hr. 29 min.) - IMDB rating: 7.5] Directed by Anthony Mann Writers: Arnold B. Armstrong, Audrey Ashley, Leopold Atlas, & John C. Higgins Producer: Edward Small Characters/Cast Joseph Emmett 'Joe' Sullivan - Dennis O'Keefe 'Pat' Cameron - Claire Trevor 'Ann' Martin - Marsha Hunt Fantail - John Ireland 'Rick' Coyle - Raymond Burr Spider - Curt Conway Review: Overall look of this film benefits greatly from John Alton's brilliant cinematography. Bad boy Dennis O'Keefe (as 'Joe') gets busted out of prison by his devoted 'moll' Claire Trevor ("I don't know which sounds louder, my heels or my heart"). Turns out that the one man Joe wants to find (cause he owes him money) was hoping he'd get killed in the 'arranged' jailbreak. Before actor Raymond Burr took up the law in 'Perry Mason', he scored bigtime here as big bad 'Rick Coyle', a man so evil that he not only double-crosses Joe as many times as you can count but he also kidnaps Joe's one true love 'Ann' (Marsha Hunt) too. How can you beat a crime flick with lines like "you seem to forget he tried to put a 'meat stamp' on me." Get your 'noir' fix today - you won't regret it! Additional characters/Cast Marcy - Chili Williams Police Capt. Fields - Richard Fraser Murderer - Whit Bissell Gates - Cliff Clark Grimshaw - Tom Fadden Fran - Ilka Grüning Oscar - Harry Tyler Police commanding officer - Ray Teal San Francisco police sergeant - Robert Williams Girl - Beverly Wills Original Music by Paul Sawtell Cinematographer: John Alton Editor: Alfred DeGaetano Art Director: Edward L. Ilou ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SLIGHTLY SCARLET Underrated Technicolor noir features both the great widescreen cinematography of John Alton and a scene-stealing performance from 'crazy' Arlene Dahl! 3-1/2 stars (out of 5) [(1956)USA/RKO] - (1 hr. 34 min.) - IMDb rating: 6.7 (out of 10) Directed by Allan Dwan Writer: Robert Blees Source: James M. Cain's novel "Love's Lovely Counterfeit" Characters/Cast Ben Grace - John Payne June Lyons (Jansen's Secretary/Fiance?) - Rhonda Fleming Dorothy or 'Dor' (June's younger sister/likes Ben) - Arlene Dahl (**see above) Solly Caspar (syndicate boss) - Ted de Corsia Frank Jansen, Mayoral Candidate, then Mayor of Bay City - Kent Taylor Dave Dietz (Det. Lt., then Chief of Police) - Frank Gerstle Review: Legendary actress Arlene Dahl was not only wonderful on the big screen in SLIGHTLY SCARLET, but she stopped by after the film to regale the audience with several Hollywood tales about this film (in which she not only starred, but supplied costumes) and others. It's in TECHNICOLOR, but still worth a watch for NOIR fans, especially on the big screen featuring t. [incomplete review, need a re-watch/work-in-progress] [Screened in 35mm Technicolor (original print) @ the Film Forum in NYC, 7:30om showing followed by a discussion with co-star Arlene Dahl] Supporting cast: Gauss (the accountant) - Lance Fuller Lenhardt ('Lenny'/Big Goon) - Buddy Baer Martha (June's maid) - Ellen Corby Gen. Norman B. Marlowe, Publisher of Bay City Journal - Roy Gordon Wilson (Caspar Thug) - Myron Healey Roos (Caspar Thug) - George E. Stone Bartender - Frank Jenks Cinematographer: John Alton Producer: Benedict Bogeaus Original Music by Louis Forbes Editor: James Leicester Art Director: Van Nest Polglase Set Decorator: Alfred Spencer Costume Designers: Arlene Dahl (**lingerie, from her clothing line) & Norma Koch ______________________________ From the Film Forum: SLIGHTLY SCARLET (1956, ALLAN DWAN) “With Brains, Bullets and Women, He Fought His Way to the Bottom!” Underrated under-player John Payne’s good/bad operator strives for wiggle room between political boss and reform candidate, while contending with Titian-hued sister act Rhonda Fleming and Arlene Dahl. From James M. Cain’s Love’s Lovely Counterfeit. (approximately 94 minutes) 3:30, 7:30*<--Arlene Dahl will appear in person following the 7:30 show. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NOIR: (1948)-John Huston's KEY LARGO is slightly overrated, but still has a cast to die for1/28/2011 KEY LARGO It's the largest coral reef in the Florida Keys and has the biggest stars in Hollywood to match - Bogart, Bacall, Edward G. Robinson, & Claire Trevor, too! 3 stars (out of 5/1st big screen viewing) [B&W/(1948)USA/Warner] - (1 hr. 40 min.) - IMDb rating: 8.0 (out of 10) Co-written & directed by John Huston Co-writer: Richard Brooks Source: play by Maxwell Anderson Characters/Cast (Major) Frank McCloud - Humphrey Bogart Johnny Rocco (aka 'Mr. Brown') - Edward G. Robinson Nora Temple (Hotel Largo mgr.) - Lauren Bacall James Temple (her invalid father/Hotel owner) - Lionel Barrymore Gaye Dawn (ex-singer/Rocco's girl) - Claire Trevor Review: A bit slow for today's audiences but still a compelling hostage thriller with Edward G. Robinson's ("Double Indemnity") gangster pals holding visiting war veteran Humphrey Bogart ("Casablanca") and hotel manager Lauren Bacall ("The Big Sleep") hostage until a certain transaction can be completed (amidst a Florida hurricane no less)! Fairly small cast and single location make this a tricky story to tell for a director, but director John Huston ("The Treasure of Sierra Madre") isn't a legend for nothing. The leisurely pace of the action did have me nodding off at one point so you may want something caffeinated in front of your before you start this one up. One of brighter spots amidst the already star-studded cast is longtime, film noir veteran Claire Trevor ("Born to Kill") as the gangster's drunken moll. Her feistiness provides a bit of comic relief in what is primarily a tense drama though she is woefully underused. Surprisingly, she was the only one in the cast to be nominated for an Oscar (and she won)! Check it out! [Screened in 35mm @ the MoMA-NYC Titus I theater/08-07-06: 8pm] Additional cast: Monte Blue ... Sheriff Ben Wade John Rodney ... Deputy Clyde Sawyer (kidnapped by gang) John Litel ... Radio/Dispatcher (voice only) Alberto Morin ... Skipper of Rocco's boat Marc Lawrence ... Ziggy ('the deal' scene only) Luther Crockett ... Ziggy's henchman #1 Jerry Jerome ... Ziggy's henchman #2 ('the deal' scene only) John Phillips ... Ziggy's henchman #3 ('the deal' scene only) Felipa Gómez ... Old Indian woman Rodd Redwing ... John Osceola Jay Silverheels ... Tom Osceola Joe P. Smith ... Bus Driver (opening scene only) 1948 Oscar winner: Best Supp. Actress (Claire Trevor) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ |
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