#Noirvember | My Film Noir's Magnificent Seven

Few genres fascinate me and continue to do so as film noir. Surprisingly enough, I discovered this genre not through cinema but through literature. Although my love for movies began at a very early age, I was actually eighteen when I found a book in my house that combined the "The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler and "The Maltese Falcon" by Dashiell Hammett. On the cover of that book, you could see the pictures of Humphrey Bogart playing the starring role for their film adaptations. I was mesmerized. By that time, I had to do a final paper before I entered college and I knew I wanted to base it on cinema. I wasn't sure, though, which specific subject I would choose as there were so many movies and themes I adored. When I found that book, my search was over. I would not only complete the final paper but I would also learn everything about film noir. That genre truly captivated me as I dug into its history and evolution. My love for noir films grew exponentially and I would like to share a little of that love with you with this post.


It has been difficult to leave behind masterpieces such as Laura (1944, Otto Preminger), Gilda (1946, Charles Vidor), High Sierra (1941, Raoul Walsh), While the City Sleeps (1956, Fritz Lang) or Double Indemnity (1944, Billy Wilder), all of which probably deserve an individual post. Talk about fatality! In this instance, it has been my intention to combine some truly well-known classics with other perhaps neglected films. Now, forget excuses, regrets and any order of preference. Here are my film noir's magnificent seven!

"The Postman Always Rings Twice" by Tay Garnett

I've been lucky enough to see this film by Tay Garnett a couple of times on the big screen and it's hard to escape its seduction. Adapted from a novel by the great James M. Cain and successfully turned into cult pieces, it depicts one of the prototypical archetypes of the genre, that of the femme fatale. In this version, my favorite, I believe the cast is perfect. Lana Turner and John Garfield exude realism as the characters of Cora and Frank. They fit each other like a glove. One of my favorite aspects of noir stories, such as this one, is the slim chance that changes the character's fate from a close call to a total though poetic tragedy. Lana Turner's first scene in The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) in her white outfit I believe is one of the hottest in cinema history and certainly one that I could never forget.

Line from the film | Frank Chambers: With my brains and your looks, we could go places.

"This Gun for Hire" by Frank Tuttle

Although we all have in mind Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall as the perfect example of a noir couple, two years before they appear together in To Have and Have Not (1944, Howard Hawks) there was another pair that had already set the screen on fire. Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake were smoking hot together as they were paired in the box-office hit This Gun for Hire (1942) turning Ladd into an overnight success and his combo with Lake an absolute reference in the genre. Their performances and looks will remain in our minds and hearts for ages to come. This film was a true discovery for me and I still believe that Ladd's creation should be credited more often as one of the best psychopaths ever portrayed by an actor. Step aside Robert De Niro. Not only that, besides his magnificent role in Shane (1954, George Stevens), Phillip Raven is in my opinion his finest performance. His vulnerability and demeanor are phenomenal.

Line from the film | Phillip Raven: You are trying to make me go soft. Well, you can save it. I don't go soft for anybody.

"Fallen Angel" by Otto Preminger

This is another film that caught me by surprise. I watched it for the first time in Paris at the Cinema Mac Mahon, one of the most beautiful movie theaters that I have had the pleasure to discover. After the success with Laura, the German director Otto Preminger continued in the noir genre with this film, often overlooked in favor of the aforementioned. In Fallen Angel's main plot we can find two themes with a notable presence in film noir's story lines and almost in every other movie. One of them would be the classical "arrival of a stranger" into a small and peaceful community and the other would the juxtaposition of two female archetypes. Alice Faye and Linda Darnell represent these two different personalities but the film also suggests how this opposition usually coexists within the same person. That, to me, is the essence of Fallen Angel, the complexity and manifest duality of the human being. I have to say that the male protagonist is one of my absolute favorites, certainly of this genre but also in general, Dana Andrews.

Line from the film | Then love alone, can make the Fallen Angel rise.

'Union Station' by Rudolph Maté

If there is one way to describe Union Station (1950, Rudolph Maté) is by its gripping plot.  An agitated atmosphere centralizes in a train station where William Holden plays Lt. Calhoun in charge of a kidnap case brought to the police by Joyce Willecombe, interpreted by Nancy Olson. It was their immediate second film after the masterpiece Sunset Boulevard (1950, Billy Wilder) and their chemistry is palpable. Barry Fitzgerald as a dubious inspector has one of the most chilling scenes of this movie. Police methods are highly questionable in Union Station which adds to an already suspenseful and action-packed thriller. A true gem to be discovered by film noir fans. I came across this film while reviewing Holden's impressive filmography. I highly encourage any classic or contemporary cinephile, for that matter, to follow my lead at least once. Even though he didn't give much credit to his acting, much like Ladd, I strongly believe he was a truly fine actor who made impactful movies decade after decade with formidable performances such as this one.

Line from the film | Inspector Donnelly: Make it look accidental.

'The Asphalt Jungle' by John Huston

Another film with a star-studded cast, in which even minor roles fall are played by soon-to-be major actresses like Marilyn Monroe, in one of her first appearances on the big screen. A robbery is the primary trigger of a complex plot that was somewhat controversial due to the fact that criminals were presented in a sympathetic way and, conversely, police officers and lawyers were shown as corrupt. That was undoubtedly the view of its director and co-writer, the great John Huston. There is also that tragedy component that we can find in so many film noirs and that adds up to the human approach that Huston has. One of the most fascinating films for me in terms of a prominent ensemble cast, along with While the City Sleeps is The Asphalt Jungle (1950).

Line from the film | Doc Riedenschneider: Experience has taught me never to trust a policeman. Just when you think one's all right, he turns legit.

'Act of Violence' by Fred Zinnemann

Act of Violence (1949, Fred Zinnemann)  is yet another undiscovered gem of film noir. A story of vengeance and moral duel between acting powerhouses such as Van Heflin and Robert Ryan, alongside  Janet Leigh and Mary Astor, in a small role, who would get on to play mother and daughter the following year in the classic version of Little Women (1949, Mervin LeRoy). This movie, though, has nothing to do with Louisa May Alcott's story but is equally a thrill to watch. It is a shame that Astor didn't take part in more noir movies because just like in The Maltese Falcon (1942, John Huston), she is simply  terrific. What I particularly love about this film is how it builds up the intensity and the plot twist when we find out the true nature of the manhunt that Ryan's character is carrying out. It is quite an unusual subject for the genre and, in my opinion, an absolute must-watch film.

Line from the film | Frank R. Enley: You don't know what made him the way he is - I do!

'Out of the Past' by Jacques Tourneur

Much has been written already about Out of the Past (1947, Jacques Tourneur) as it is an irrefutable work of art and the quintessential film noir because it has it all and it is perfectly crafted. The complex story, the literary background, the femme fatale, the European director, the expressive photography –by none other than Nicholas Musuraca–, the fascinating voice-over, the fatality component, the detective, the gangster... You name it! The cast fits each character like a glove, the impervious Jane Greer, the languid Robert Mitchum, the intense Kirk Douglas are all tremendous in this film. If I could only recommend one movie to watch of this absorbing genre that would always be Out of the Past. 

Line from the film | Jeff Bailey: Maybe love is like luck: you have to go all the way to find it.

I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know in the comments below if you coincide with this list. It is my aim to work on more film noir posts analyzing movies individually so if you have any preferences, let me know!