Tag Archives: Film Noir

My Review of ‘The Narrow Margin’ (1952)

Posted on May 17, 2018 by

This is a taut film noir thriller that takes place almost entirely on a train. It starts with an LAPD detective, Walter Brown (played by Charles McGraw) and his partner Sergeant Gus Forbes (played by Don Bedoe) picking up their … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘Blast of Silence’ (1961)

Posted on May 10, 2018 by

There’s much to like about this movie, but it falls short of perfect. Let’s go over the good stuff before we turn our attention to the not-so-good. And—warning—this review does reveal spoilers. To begin with, Blast of Silence is an … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime Drama, Crime Movies, Film Noir, Movie Reviews, Thriller | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

My Review of ‘Crossfire’ (1947)

Posted on May 3, 2018 by

This movie goes beyond the usual territory of film noir—postwar, nuclear age anxiety about gender roles, etc., etc.—into the realm of social commentary. The message in this case being one against anti-Semitism. The plot revolves around a group of soldiers … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘Cry Danger’ (1951)

Posted on April 26, 2018 by

This is another entry in the lesser-known, but well-worth-seeing films noir. Shot in only 22 days and co-starring the talented Dick Powell and Rhonda Fleming, Cry Danger not only tells a taut and twist-laden story, but is set on location … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘The Blue Dahlia’ (1946)

Posted on April 19, 2018 by

Another twisty tale created by Raymond Chandler—except he wrote the original screenplay for the first time. It was also produced by (of all people) John Houseman. Yes, this John Houseman! 🙂 The story begins with a trio of World War … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘Act of Violence’ (1949)

Posted on February 1, 2018 by

This film is a magnificent study of a war’s effects on soldiers, not to mention the moral relativism inherent in war itself. Frank Enley (played to the sweaty and twitchy hilt by Van Heflin) returns home from WWII as a … Continue reading →

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My Review of ‘The Breaking Point’ (1950)

Posted on January 4, 2018 by

P This film is notable for being the second (and, arguably, better) adaptation of “Papa” Hemingway’s novel To Have and Have Not. Certainly, this version is more faithful to the source material than the romanticized Bogey and Bacall movie (which, … Continue reading →

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