The Film Noir File: A Day with Fritz Lang, Der Noirmeister
Mr E Man Classic Noir Reviews, Neo Noir Reviews	film noir, Fritz Lang, TCM
By Mr E Man and Mark Harrington
The Noir File is FNB's guide to classic film noir, neo-noir and pre-noir from the schedule of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), which broadcasts them uncut and uninterrupted. The times are Eastern Standard and (Pacific Standard).
PICK OF THE WEEK: Friday, May 30: A Day of Noir with Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang lived in a world of nightmares: in 20th century Germany during World War I, the economic collapse of the Weimar Republic, the turbulent sturm und drang of the 1930s, the murderous rise of the Nazis and the subsequent conflagration of WWII.
Lang created cinematic nightmares as well: crafting terrifying frescoes and mad (but sometimes all too true) visions of a world of crime and war. His movies, mostly done in the ultra-noir hues of high-style black and white cinematography, spanned the silent era, when he made "Metropolis," "Die Nibelungen" and the "Dr. Mabuse" thrillers, and the sound era, when he made "M," "Fury," "Scarlet Street" and "The Big Heat."
Fritz Lang was a noir master.
Lang, who started his artistic career as a sculptor, was equally great as a director of German art films and of American crime movies. He made cinematic classics in both countries. His early collaborator, and also his wife, was the brilliant scriptwriter Thea Von Harbou "M"), who ended up leaving him and joining the Nazi Party.
Lang managed to elude Fascist censorship and was once offered the leadership of the entire German film industry by Joseph Goebbels, who (like Hitler) was an admirer of Lang and Von Harbou's spectacular science fiction epic "Metropolis." (See below.) A leftist and anti-Nazi, and also a man who had Jewish relatives, Lang fled Germany and Europe instead, and wound up one of the top directors of the Hollywood studio system during its heyday. He was also, indisputably, one of the reigning masters of the movie style we call film noir.
Young French critic-directors (Godard, Truffaut, Chabrol) idolized Lang, as much for his American films as his German ones. Finally, in the mid-1950s, he returned to Germany. He made a last few German pictures, and co-starred, as himself. in Jean-Luc Godard's French classic "Contempt."
Fritz Lang, born in Vienna in 1890, died in Los Angeles in 1976, at age 85. Eight of his best pictures are screening on TCM this Friday.
(The Lang films without notes below have been reviewed previously in Mr E Man. Next week, starting Thursday, seven Lang films will play on the big screen at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica.)
"Scarlet Street" (1945) stars Edward G. Robinson (center) and Joan Bennett.
6 a.m. (3 a.m.): "Metropolis" (1927, Fritz Lang). The rich vs. the poor, the factory owners vs. the workers, and the mad scientist vs. the people and their heroine (Brigitte Helm as the human Maria and her double, the false robot Maria) in the greatest of all silent era science fiction epics. And it's noir as well. With Alfred Abel and Rudolf-Klein-Rogge).
7:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m.): "M" (1931). With Peter Lorre, Otto Wernicke and Gustaf Grundgens.
9:15 a.m. (6:15 a.m.): "Fury" (1936). Spencer Tracy, Sylvia Sidney, Bruce Cabot, Walter Brennan and Walter Abel.
11 a.m. (8 a.m.). "Scarlet Street" (1945). With Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea.
1 p.m. (10 a.m.). "Clash by Night" (1952). With Barbara Stanwyck, Robert Ryan, Paul Douglas and Marilyn Monroe.
3 p.m. (12 p.m.). "The Blue Gardenia" (1953). With Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, Raymond Burr, Ann Sothern and Nat King Cole.
4:45 p.m. (1:45 p.m.). "Moonfleet" (1955). A moody Robert Louis Stevenson-style costume adventure-romance, about a dashing pirate (Stewart Granger) who wins the hearts of a young lad (Jon Whiteley) and several beautiful and susceptible ladies (Viveca Lindfors, Joan Greenwood). Based on a bodice-heaving bestseller, with supporting turns by George Sanders and Ian Wolfe. They especially loved this one in "Cahiers du Cinema."
6:15 p.m. (3:15 p.m.). ""While the City Sleeps" (1956). With Dana Andrews, Ida Lupino, George Sanders, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Howard Duff, Rhonda Fleming and John Drew Barrymore.
8:30 a.m. (5:30 a.m.): "Berlin Express" (1948, Jacques Tourneur). With Merle Oberon, Robert Ryan and Paul Lukas. (Reviewed in FNB on April 9, 2013.
4 a.m. (1 a.m.): "Al Capone" (1959, Richard Wilson). The rise and fall of the legendary Chicago gangster. With Rod Steiger, Fay Spain, James Gregory and Martin Balsam.
12 p.m. (9 a.m.): "The Barefoot Contessa" (1954, Joseph Mankiewicz). With Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien, Rossano Brazzi, Valentina Cortesa and Marius Goring. Reviewed in FNB on May 15, 2014.
2:15 p.m. (11:15 a.m.). "Laura" (1944, Otto Preminger). With Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price and Judith Anderson. Reviewed in FNB on April 18, 2014.
4 p.m. (1 p.m.): "Leave Her to Heaven" (1945, John M. Stahl). With Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Vincent Price and Jeanne Crain. (Reviewed in FNB on August 18, 2013.
6:45 a.m. (3:45 a.m.): "Night and Fog" (1955, Alain Resnais). One of the great documentaries about World War II and the Holocaust: a powerful portrait of life in the death camps, the persistence of memory and man's inhumanity to man. Narrated by Michel Bouquet. (In French, with subtitles.)
10:45 p.m. (7:45 p.m.): "Alien" (1979, Ridley Scott). Lost in deep space, the diverse astronauts of the starship Nostromo discover that there's a monster aboard. Along with director Scott's "Blade Runner," Lang's "Metropolis" (see above) and Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove," this is one of the ultimate science fiction noirs. The Nostromo's talented crew includes Sigourney Weaver, Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm, Veronica Cartwright, Tom Skerritt and (burp!) John Hurt.
Honoring heroes on Memorial Day
Mr E Man Noir Style	James Stewart, Memorial Day
WWII vet Jimmy Stewart rose to the rank of Brigadier General. A heartfelt thank-you and deepest appreciation to all our servicemen/women and veterans for their sacrifices.
Shady lady delight: 'The Lady from Shanghai' at Lacma
Mr E Man Classic Noir Reviews	film noir, LACMA, Orson Welles, Rita Hayworth, The Lady from Shanghai
As part of the Essential Orson Welles series at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, "The Lady from Shanghai" and "Mr. Arkadin" will play Saturday, May 24, starting at 7:30 p.m.
The Lady from Shanghai/1948/Columbia Pictures/87 min.
Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles
"Citizen Kane" is hallowed cinematic ground, I know, but my favorite Orson Welles film is "The Lady from Shanghai" (1948), which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in, playing opposite his real-life wife Rita Hayworth, one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s.
In "The Lady from Shanghai" Welles plays Michael O'Hara, an Irish merchant seaman, in between ships in New York. By chance, or so he thinks, he meets the wily blonde operator Elsa Bannister (Hayworth) and saves her from being mugged in the park. Elsa invites Michael to join her as she sets sail for Acapulco.
The boat belongs to her husband, a wizened, creepy criminal lawyer named Arthur Bannister (Everett Sloane), and he'll be on the trip too. So will his partner, the moon-faced and sinister George Grisby (Glenn Anders).
O'Hara agrees regardless. "Once I'd seen her," he says, "I wasn't in the right frame of mind." On their voyage (the yacht belonged to Errol Flynn), Elsa and Michael flirt every chance they get; Arthur gets touchy and calls her "Lovah," in a most unloving way; Grisby is generally unpleasant.
The tension builds, then breaks when they reach San Francisco. But not for long. Grisby has a plan to cash in on an insurance policy by faking his own murder and bribes Michael to help him. Need I say the plan doesn't quite work out as they'd hoped? This is film noir, you know. "The Lady from Shanghai" is richly surreal and haunting in its intensity.
Welles and cinematographer Charles Lawton Jr. use staggering angles and startling black shadow almost to the point of abstraction. Two of the most famous sequences are the aquarium and the funhouse hall of mirrors at the end. Of the latter, Time Out notes that "it stands as a brilliant expressionist metaphor for sexual unease and its accompanying loss of identity."
The script, based on the Sherwood King novel "If I Die Before I Wake," crackles with noir attitude ("Everybody's somebody's fool," says O'Hara). Hayworth, the perfect femme fatale, looks contemporary and sexy whether in her chic nautical garb or the filigree hat she wears in the courtroom.
Welles had to endure tremendous interference from Columbia Pictures execs, particularly studio chief Harry Cohn. Though the film was shot in 1947, Cohn delayed the release until 1948 in order to "fix" it. Welles' original 155-minute cut was chopped to 87. Cohn also insisted that the movie have more closeups of Hayworth and that Welles film a scene of her singing. Welles was displeased with the score by the studio-appointed composer who disregarded Welles' guidelines for the music; the mirror scene, for example, was to be unscored to heighten the sense of terror.
"The Lady from Shanghai" did not do well in the U.S. upon its release, though it was admired in France. Welles' decision to have Hayworth cut her long red hair and bleach it blonde caused a controversy, and many in Hollywood believed it contributed to the film's poor box-office returns. Watch this film for its serpentine plot twists, stunning images and as a testament to the fact that you should never underestimate the power of a good-hair day.
"The Lady from Shanghai" plays at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 24, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), 5905 Wilshire Blvd.
The Film Noir File: Anthony Mann's sizzling 'Raw Deal'
Mr E Man Classic Noir Reviews	Anthony Mann, film noir, Raw Deal, TCM
The Film Noir File is FNB's guide to classic film noir, neo-noir and pre-noir from the schedule of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), which broadcasts them uncut and uninterrupted. The times are Eastern Standard and (Pacific Standard).
"Raw Deal" (1949, Anthony Mann). Friday, May 23, 5:15 p.m. (2:15 p.m.)
The eternal triangle: Claire Trevor, Marsha Hunt and Dennis O'Keefe in "Raw Deal."
We're in Washington state, on the run, surrounded by mountains, fog and guys with guns. Dennis O'Keefe is one of them: a tough, angry escaped convict named Joe Sullivan. Joe, need we say, got a raw deal. He took the rap and went to stir for fat, sleazy mobster Rick Coyle (Raymond Burr), a rat who double-crossed him and now wants him dead. Claire Trevor is Pat Cameron, the moll who loves Joe and sprang him from jail. She's on the lam too. Marsha Hunt is a pretty legal caseworker who thinks Joe is innocent and got mixed up in the jail break; she also has a yen for the guy. John Ireland is bad news walking: Coyle's murderous torpedo.
Here is a vintage, top-of-the-line B-movie film noir from the Golden Age and they don't get much better or more noir. Director Anthony Mann was as much a master of this form as he was of the Western, or the epic, and he's at his peak in "Raw Deal." The cast is top-notch. The writers, a crack team, included Leopold Atlas (Wellman's "The Story of G.I. Joe") and Mann's frequent collaborator, John C. Higgins ("T-Men," "Border Incident.") The photography – grim, moody, coldly romantic – was shot by the master, John Alton. These guys and gals all know what they're doing, and the picture is a little masterpiece, the real deal.
8 p.m. (5 p.m.): "The House on 92nd Street" (1945, Henry Hathaway). With William Eythe, Lloyd Nolan, Signe Hasso and Gene Lockhart. Reviewed in FNB on March 13, 2013.
5:15 p.m. (2:15 p.m.): "Raw Deal" (1948, Anthony Mann). See Pick of the Week.
1:45 p.m. (10:45 a.m.): "The Steel Helmet" (1951, Samuel Fuller). With Gene Evans, Robert Hutton, Steve Brodie and James Edwards. Reviewed in FNB on April. 25, 2014.
5:45 p.m. (2:45 p.m.): "The Hill" (1965, Sidney Lumet). A brilliant drama of sadism and brutality unleashed by a vicious, bullying officer (Ian Hendry) in an isolated North African British military-prison stockade.
The prisoners include Sean Connery (the rebel), Alfred Lynch (the victim), Roy Kinnear, Jack Watson and Ossie Davis (who has a hilarious strip-tease scene). The other stockade officers include Harry Andrews (his all-time best performance) and Michael Redgrave. Ian Bannen is a sympathetic guard. All these actors are absolutely terrific. Ray Rigby wrote the explosive, uncompromising script. The great Oswald Morris shot the picture. We sometimes forget what a superb director of actors Sidney Lumet is; you'll remember after you watch the incandescent British ensemble (plus Ossie) do their stuff in this unjustly neglected stunner of a movie.
10 p.m. (7 p.m.): "Laura" (1944, Otto Preminger). With Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price and Judith Anderson. Reviewed in FNB on January 15, 2011.
1:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m.): "Shadow of the Thin Man" (1941, W. S. Van Dyke). Dashiell Hammett's sharp-witted society sleuths Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) – who were said to be based by Hammett on his own relationship with playwright Lillian Hellman – solve another one, this time at a racetrack. By now, all original Hammett material, and even Hammett story ideas, were used up, but ace screenwriters Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett keep things crackling. With Donna Reed, Sam Levene, Stella Adler (yes, that Stella Adler, Brando's acting teacher), Barry Nelson and (arf!) Asta.
FNB tributes to 'Double Indemnity' continue: Look on twitter
Mr E Man Classic Noir Reviews	Barbara Stanwyck, Billy Wilder, Double Indemnity, Edward G. Robinson, film noir, Fred MacMurray
In honor of the 70th anniversary of "Double Indemnity," we at FNB are hosting intermittent tributes. On Valentine's Day, we compiled a list of 14 reasons we adore the flick. Yesterday, we started tweeting the novel (by James M. Cain). Not sure how long that will take, but it should be fun. And here we are rerunning a review. Next, we should host a party in the Hollywood Hills. Until then ...
Double Indemnity/1944/Paramount/106 min.
Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck
She's got a plan, she just needs a man. And that's a welcome challenge for a femme fatale, especially one with an ankle bracelet.
In Billy Wilder's film noir masterpiece, "Double Indemnity," from 1944 Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) wants out of her marriage to rich, grumpy oldster, Mr. Dietrichson (Tom Powers). Poor Phyllis doesn't get much love from Dietrichson's adult daughter, Lola (Jean Heather) either. Fresh-faced and feisty, Lola is hung up on her temperamental boyfriend Nino Zachetti (Byron Barr).
For Phyllis, seducing a new guy to help make hubby disappear is so much more cost-effective than hiring a divorce lawyer. A smart insurance man is even better. Along comes Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) trying to sell a policy, just as Phyllis finishes a session of sunbathing, wearing an ankle bracelet and not much more. That's about as much bait as Walter needs.
They flirt, fall for each other and eventually arrange to bump off Mr. Dietrichson, making it look like he fell from a train. It's a one-in-a-million way to go with a huge payoff from a double-indemnity insurance policy issued by Walter's company. After that, they play it cool and wait for the check. They've planned it like a military campaign, so they're in the clear until Walter starts to suspect that he's not the only guy who's been drooling at Phyllis' ankles.
Besides his lust for the blonde (and their chemistry truly sizzles), Walter's real love is the platonic father/son relationship he has with his boss at the insurance company, Barton Keyes, sharp, cynical and married to his job, played brilliantly by Edward G. Robinson.
Critic Richard Schickel says "Double Indemnity" is the first true noir. I disagree – what about 1941's "The Maltese Falcon" and "Stranger on the Third Floor" from 1940? Or even Fritz Lang's "M" from Germany in 1931? But the point is "Double Indemnity" was the standard against which every subsequent noir was measured. It's a glorious treat visually. John Seitz's luscious lighting and captivating use of shadow bring to mind Vincent Van Gogh's observation: "There are no less than 80 shades of black." The score by Miklos Rozsa works perfectly with the visuals to build and sustain atmosphere.
The performances (Stanwyck, MacMurray and Robinson) are tremendous. Though Stanwyck was nominated for the best actress Oscar and "Double Indemnity" was also nominated in six other categories (picture, director, screenplay, cinematography, sound recording and score), MacMurray and Robinson were not in the running and the film didn't win any Oscars. In retrospect, their work in this movie is some of the best acting of the decade. MacMurray (who might be most familiar as the father in TV's "My Three Sons") is such a natural as the easily tempted yet very likeable Neff, it's surprising now to learn that the role was a major departure from his usual nice-guy parts.
As James Pallot of "The Movie Guide" writes: "Robinson … beautifully gives the film its heart. His speech about death statistics, rattled off at top speed, is one of the film's highlights." When Keyes realizes that Walter has betrayed him, it's heartbreaking in a way that few other noirs are.
Wilder co-wrote the script with Raymond Chandler, based on the taut little novel by James M. Cain, published in 1936. (The novel was inspired by the real-life 1927 Snyder-Gray case.) In the book "Double Indemnity," smitten Walter says of Phyllis' physical charms, "I wasn't the only one that knew about that shape. She knew about it herself, plenty."
The dark, witty script follows the book pretty closely, but Chandler's contributions are key. For example, check out this bit of simmering dialogue:
Phyllis: There's a speed limit in this state, Mr. Neff, 45 miles an hour.
Walter: How fast was I going, Officer?
Phyllis: I'd say around 90.
Walter: Suppose you get down off your motorcycle and give me a ticket.
Phyllis: Suppose I let you off with a warning this time.
Walter: Suppose it doesn't take.
Phyllis: Suppose I have to whack you over the knuckles.
Walter: Suppose I bust out crying and put my head on your shoulder.
Phyllis: Suppose you try putting it on my husband's shoulder.
Walter: That tears it...
Chatting things over while Mr. Dietrichson is away.
Now it seems egregious that Wilder (1906-2002) and "Double Indemnity" were snubbed at the Oscars. Born in what is now Poland, Wilder escaped the Nazis, but his mother and other family members perished in a concentration camp. He knew firsthand the dark, sometimes horrific, side of life and that knowledge imbued his work with an unparalleled richness and depth. He was also hilarious. If I could have martinis with any film noir director, living or dead, it would be Billy.
I've seen interview footage of him where he punctuated his conversation with deep and frequent laughter. And I've heard stories about him playing practical jokes – apparently he when he lost the 1944 best director Oscar to Leo McCarey (who won for "Going My Way" starring Bing Crosby) Billy stuck out his foot and tripped McCarey as he walked down the aisle to pick it up. Maybe if I get that fantasy date with the spirit of Billy, I'll bring Dick Schickel along too. He might benefit from a girly martini and tagging along with Billy and me.
So, suppose you do yourself a favor and watch "Double Indemnity" the first chance you get. You won't be sorry.