Clik here to view.
‘Rififi’ lives up to its imaginative, evocative name
Rififi Written by Auguste le Breton, Jules Dassin and René Weeler Directed by Jules Dassin France, 1955 Having recently concluded a prison sentence, Tony ‘le Stéphanois’ (Jean Servais), former thief,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘The Big Heat’ is a bitter tale of corruption and the fight for true justice
The Big Heat Written by Sydney Boehm Directed by Fritz Lang USA, 1953 Opening with a bang, Fritz Lang’s The Big Heat begins with a carefully placed overhead shot of a hand claiming a small pistol...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘The Lady from Shanghai’ is the noir version of an Orson Welles fun house
The Lady from Shanghai Written and directed by Orson Welles USA, 1947 Michael O’Hara (Orson Welles) is an Irish émigré to the United States who earns his income as a sailor. Walking the streets of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘The Amazing Mr. X’ has a great story and some unexpectedly terrific special...
The Amazing Mr. X (a.k.a. The Spiritualist) Written by Crane Wilbur and Muriel Roy Bolton Directed by Bernard Vorhaus USA, 1948 Christine (Lynn Bari), widowed for two years, steps out one night on her...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘A Perfect Murder’ is well directed, but suffers from an uneven script
A Perfect Murder Written by Patrick Smith Kelly Directed by Andrew Davis USA, 1998 In a makeshift loft apartment in one of Manhattan’s forgotten districts, two lovers, Emily and David (Gwyneth Paltrow...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye’ has a cunning, scheming Cagney rip institutions and...
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Written by Harry Brown Directed by Gordon Douglas USA, 1950 Seven people stand on trial for murder in a court of law, but one man is missing, a convict named Ralph Cotter (James...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Pursued’ sees another dark past give chase to Robert Mitchum
Pursued Written by Niven Busch Directed Raoul Walsh USA, 1947 In a small, dilapidated home in the middle of the New Mexico desert, the beautiful but worried Thor Callum (Theresa Wright) arrives to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Phantom Lady’ sells itself on incredible craftsmanship and an impressive...
Phantom Lady Written by Bernard C. Schoenfeld Directed by Robert Siodmak U.S.A., 1944 Scott Henderson (Alan Curtis), owner of a small engineering company in New York, is already experiencing a poor...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘D.O.A.’ shows that one’s perception of everything changes in the face of...
D.O.A. Written by Russell Rouse, Clarence Greene Directed by Rudolph Maté U.S.A., 1950 In a terrifically dramatic opening, D.O.A. begins with a series of smooth tracking from behind one man as he walks...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gotham, Ep. 1.01, “Pilot” gives Gordon the spotlight
Gotham Season 1, Episode 1: ‘Pilot’ Written by Bruno Heller Directed by Danny Cannon Airs Mondays at 8pm ET on FOX Batman is one of the most iconic comic book superheroes of all time and has been...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Ride the Pink Horse’ rides hard and strong with its unique interpretation of...
Ride the Pink Horse Written by Ben Hecht, Charles Lederer Directed by Robert Montgomery U.S.A., 1947 Set in the small New Mexican town of San Pablo during a locally popular festival, actor-director...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Behind Locked Doors’ is serviceable, but fails to unlock its full potential
Behind Locked Doors Written by Eugene Ling and Malvin Wald Directed by Budd Boetticher U.S.A., 1948 When newspaper reporter Kathy Lawrence (Lucille Bremer) walks into private detective Ross Stewart’s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Lady in the Death House’ isn’t terrible, but doesn’t earn a ‘get out of...
Lady in the Death House Written by Harry O. Hoyt Directed by Steve Sekely U.S.A., 1944 Surrounded by friends and colleagues and sharing drinks, psychologist and criminologist Charles Finch (Lionel...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘The Amazing Mr. X’ has a great story and some unexpectedly terrific special...
The Amazing Mr. X (a.k.a. The Spiritualist) Written by Crane Wilbur and Muriel Roy Bolton Directed by Bernard Vorhaus USA, 1948 Christine (Lynn Bari), widowed for two years, steps out one night on her...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘A Perfect Murder’ is well directed, but suffers from an uneven script
A Perfect Murder Written by Patrick Smith Kelly Directed by Andrew Davis USA, 1998 In a makeshift loft apartment in one of Manhattan’s forgotten districts, two lovers, Emily and David (Gwyneth Paltrow...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye’ has a cunning, scheming Cagney rip institutions and...
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Written by Harry Brown Directed by Gordon Douglas USA, 1950 Seven people stand on trial for murder in a court of law, but one man is missing, a convict named Ralph Cotter (James...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Pursued’ sees another dark past give chase to Robert Mitchum
Pursued Written by Niven Busch Directed Raoul Walsh USA, 1947 In a small, dilapidated home in the middle of the New Mexico desert, the beautiful but worried Thor Callum (Theresa Wright) arrives to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Phantom Lady’ sells itself on incredible craftsmanship and an impressive...
Phantom Lady Written by Bernard C. Schoenfeld Directed by Robert Siodmak U.S.A., 1944 Scott Henderson (Alan Curtis), owner of a small engineering company in New York, is already experiencing a poor...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘D.O.A.’ shows that one’s perception of everything changes in the face of...
D.O.A. Written by Russell Rouse, Clarence Greene Directed by Rudolph Maté U.S.A., 1950 In a terrifically dramatic opening, D.O.A. begins with a series of smooth tracking from behind one man as he walks...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gotham, Ep. 1.01, “Pilot” gives Gordon the spotlight
Gotham Season 1, Episode 1: ‘Pilot’ Written by Bruno Heller Directed by Danny Cannon Airs Mondays at 8pm ET on FOX Batman is one of the most iconic comic book superheroes of all time and has been...
View Article