Black & White and Chic All Over
The 11th annual Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival starts tonight in Palm Springs.
I am thrilled to be here and, since it’s about 95 degrees, I’m hoping to go for a quick dip before heading to the opening night movie, “Experiment in Terror,” from 1962 by Blake Edwards. Actress Stefanie Powers will attend the screening.
The fest runs through Sunday. I will be posting updates on Facebook and Twitter.
The Man Who Wasn’t There/2001/Good Machine, et al/116 min.
Scarlett Johansson plays a high-school student in this 2001 film.
What would life be without a dark and handsome companion at night? One I highly recommend is “The Man Who Wasn’t There” by master filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen. This homage to vintage film noir, gorgeously shot in black and white by cinematographer Roger Deakins, conjures a guy you’ll always remember.
Set in 1949, the film introduces us to a choice cast of characters. Top of the list is introspective and blasé Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), who has fallen into a comfortable, if dull, life in Santa Rosa, Calif. He’s fond of his wife Doris (Frances McDormand), both cynical and oddly sweet, but there’s never been any passion between them.
To earn a living, Ed cuts hair with his brother-in-law Frank (Michael Badalucco) at the family barbershop. (“I don’t talk much,” Ed tells us. “I just cut the hair.”) Doris is a bookkeeper at Nirdlinger’s, the town’s big department store, and together they have it “made” – after all, Ed points out dryly, they have a garbage grinder built into the sink.
When he’s not working or tossing scraps down their fancy drain, Ed kills time mainly by smoking and taking care of Doris after she’s had too much to drink, which is quite often. Doris passes the hours of their lives by playing bingo and having an affair with her boss at Nirdlinger’s, Big Dave Brewster (James Gandolfini), a blustery WW2 vet. Dave’s married to Ann Nirdlinger (Katherine Borowitz), whose family owns the store. Ed knows about the affair but, as he does with everything, takes it in stride.
Ed’s life changes forever the day that unctuous big-mouth businessman Creighton Tolliver (Jon Polito) walks into the barbershop as it’s about to close, gets a very quick trim and happens to mention that he’s in town trying to raise money to invest in drycleaning, which he’s convinced is “the biggest business opportunity since Henry Ford.”
Ed decides later that night that he wants in on the putative drycleaning empire and figures he can raise the requisite $10,000 by anonymously blackmailing Dave. No sooner does Ed get the cash than Tolliver takes off with it. And because Tolliver is so quick to bend ears and beg for money, Dave gets to the bottom of the blackmail scheme and intends to get his money back.
What Dave doesn’t count on is that Ed’s mild facade hides nerves of cold steel; when cornered, Ed’s response to him is quick, instinctive and deadly. But, after news breaks of Doris and Dave’s affair, Doris is arrested for Dave’s murder. [Read more…]
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he Man Who Wasn’t There/2001/Good Machine, et al/116 min.
What would life be without a dark and handsome companion at night? One I highly recommend is “The Man Who Wasn’t There” by master filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen. This homage to vintage film noir, gorgeously shot in black and white by cinematographer Roger Deakins, conjures a guy you’ll always remember.
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini, and a peerless supporting cast.
Anne Brennan To Go
Dita Von Teese set the sartorial pace at Coachella last month.
Katy Perry on the cover of Vanity Fair.
Dita Von Teese in a 2008 photo.
Michael Wilmington
I’m very pleased to share some exciting news. Contributing FNB writer Michael Wilmington has won a Peter Lisagor award for exemplary journalism from the Chicago Headline Club. Wilmington won in the arts reporting and criticism category for a non-daily publication, circulation less than 20,000. His “Front Row” DVD column runs in the Chicago Jewish Star, which is owned and operated by Doug and Gila Wertheimer.
“Thanks to the Headline Club and thanks to the Star – I love writing for them,” Wilmington told FNB. He also won a 1993 Lisagor as an individual critic for the Chicago Tribune and was part of a Tribune critics’ project that won a 2007 Lisagor.
Roger Ebert
Additionally, three veteran journalists received lifetime achievement awards. They are: Roger Ebert, film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967; Richard C. Longworth, who spent nearly 30 years at the Chicago Tribune as an economics reporter, business editor, chief European correspondent and senior writer; and Elizabeth Brackett, correspondent and substitute host for WTTW’s flagship public-affairs program Chicago Tonight.
The Chicago Headline Club is the country’s largest chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The club announced the winners of the 34th annual Lisagor awards Friday at Chicago’s Hotel Allegro.
Few things in life are more important than serendipity when shopping. It’s sort of like when you stay in the moment and become open to happy coincidences and new connections.
From left: Mor lip gloss, soapette and hand cream.
While recently browsing around my local boutiques, I stumbled upon products from Mor Cosmetics, the 10-year-old brainchild of Melbourne-based designers Dianna Burmas and Deon St. Mor.
Finding inspiration in traditional apothecary practices, they blend “age-old and contemporary ingredients” to create their pretty, pampering products (they have about 150). The packaging draws on the classicism of Art Deco and it’s so pretty, there’s really no need to wrap if you’re buying gifts.
I picked three items from the Little Luxuries/Cassis Noir collection. The lip nectar gloss ($14*) looks great alone or with lipstick and it has just the right amount of peppermint oil to give a pleasant sensation without actually tingling. Mor’s triple-milled, softly scented soapette ($9*) cleanses and moisturizes. The tins are, of course, reusable. The hand cream ($12*) contains shea and cocoa butter as well as vitamins to leave your hands feeling silky and well cared for.
If you don’t already, these hip products with a nod to the past will have you yearning for a vanity table, a half-moon manicure, silk stockings, a lacy brassiere and a girdle. OK, maybe not a girdle, but you get the idea. 😉
Product Source: From my own collection; I did not receive product or compensation from Mor.
*These are base prices – if you buy online, there are shipping charges (starting at $8.50); if you buy at a store, you may pay more than the base price. For example, I paid $20 for the lip gloss at a boutique in Brentwood. Visit Mor’s web site for details and for a store locator (on the Contact page).
It’s been so hot and sunny this week, I’m in definite need of some cool darkness and poolside lounging. For me, that will come next week in the form of the 11th annual Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival in Palm Springs. The fest runs May 12-15. I like the fact that when I was calling for info on accommodation, I was told repeatedly, “This is a desert town, of course we have a pool.”
Stefanie Powers will appear at the fest's opening night film, "Experiment in Terror."
Along with “an eclectic mixture of landmark and obscure vintage movies from the classic film noir era,” the festival will host a number of special appearances, such as actress Stefanie Powers, a star (along with Lee Remick, Glenn Ford and Ross Martin) of the opening night film “Experiment in Terror” from 1962, directed by Blake Edwards.
Critic Leonard Maltin gave the movie three stars, calling it “realistic, unsentimental, with convincing performances by Remick and Martin. Great Henry Mancini score, good use of San Francisco locations.”
Other fest guests include actress Julie Adams, actress/dancer Barrie Chase, actress Jeanne Cooper, actress Diane Baker and actor/producer Norman Lloyd.
The rest of the movies are: “The Underworld Story” (1950, directed by Cy Endfield); “Six Bridges to Cross” (1955, Joseph Pevney); “A Kiss Before Dying” (1956, Gerd Oswald); “Cape Fear” (1962, J. Lee Thompson); “99 River Street” (1953, Phil Karlson); “Plunder Road” (1957, Hubert Cornfield); “Loophole” (1954, Harold Schuster); “Mirage” (1965, Edward Dmytryk); “Crashout” (1955, Lewis R. Foster); “Saboteur” (1942, Alfred Hitchcock) and “The Damned Don’t Cry” (1950, Vincent Sherman).
Now I just need to come up with a few ensembles that qualify as desert chic. 😉
Stefanie Powers image from TV Guide.com.
Winners of the April giveaway have been selected and contacted. One will receive “Blow Out,” Brian DePalma’s 1981 neo-noir thriller starring John Travolta. The movie was recently rereleased by Criterion. The other winner will receive a copy of “The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It,” a book by Sharrie Williams.
For the May giveaway, I am giving away a copy of my friend and former colleague Robert K. Elder’s book: “The Film That Changed My Life: 30 Directors on Their Epiphanies in the Dark.” Directors include: Danny Boyle, Peter Bogdanovich, John Dahl, Henry Jaglom, Guy Maddin, Atom Egoyan, Richard Linklater, John Woo, John Landis, Neil LaBute and John Waters.
(Meanwhile, Rob has a new book out called, “It Was Over When: Tales of Romantic Dead Ends,” based on stories compiled via his web site of the same name.)
To enter the May giveaway, just leave a comment on any FNB post through May 31. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month and announced in early June. Include your email address in your comment so that I can notify you if you win. Your email will not be shared.
Good luck!
Alicia Arden of "General Hospital" is also in the upcoming film, "The Critic."
Peter O'Toole was honored with a hand and footprint ceremony at Grauman's later in the festival.
Anne Jeffreys was a '50 TV star and '40s B-movie star.
Ann Rutherford (left), best known for the "Andy Hardy" movies with Mickey Rooney, joins Anne Jeffreys.
Alexis Gershwin, niece of George and Ira, keeps their legacy alive.
Leonard Maltin smiles for cameras.
Mickey Rooney yells his name back to crowd.
Actor Grey Damon pauses for photographers.
Leslie Caron, star of 1951's "An American in Paris," attended the screening.
Rose McGowan co-hosted TCM's "The Essentials" in 2008.
TCM's Ben Mankiewicz hosted several events during the festival.
After Grauman's, Chris Isaak attended the screening of Elvis Presley's "Girl Happy" at the Roosevelt Hotel pool.
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"Girl Happy" with Elvis screened pooside at the Roosevelt.
"An American in Paris" opened the festival.
Four days of devouring big-screen classics has left me deliciously sated! At least until my next film fest.
About 25,000 people attended this year’s sold-out TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, which featured more than 70 films and special events. Stars who made appearances included Julie Andrews, Alec Baldwin, Drew Barrymore, Warren Beatty, Leslie Caron, Kirk Douglas, Angela Lansbury, Hayley Mills, Peter O’Toole, Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds and Mickey Rooney.
Before the screening of 1940’s “Fantasia,” in Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Sunday night, TCM’s Bob Osborne announced that there will be a third fest in 2012. He also announced a new event: the TCM Classic Cruise, Dec. 8-12, 2011, a five-day/four-night event aboard Celebrity Millennium. The cruise will sail from Miami to Key West and Cozumel.
Most important for me was getting my noir fix and, happily, dark delights abounded. For example, there was the chance to see Nicholas Ray’s “Bigger Than Life” with James Mason as a teacher struggling with an addiction to prescription cortisone. As co-star Barbara Rush told Osborne before the screening, this 1956 psychological drama has been programmed in several film noir festivals “because it’s so dark and so scary.”
Bob Osborne talks with Barbara Rush.
As you’d expect from Ray, it’s very well done and the performances are excellent. Despite telling the audience that she was “very old,” Rush is very lively. When Osborne asked her to talk about her leading men, she replied, “I had them all!”
Another noir high point was meeting the charming Marya of Cinema_Fanatic and chatting with renowned author Foster Hirsch at the screening of 1953’s “Niagara,” directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Marilyn Monroe (as a murderous wife), Joseph Cotten (as her off-kilter husband) and Jean Peters (as a plucky, pretty brunette). Hirsch told the audience that film noir can absolutely be in color, describing “Niagara” both as a “minor masterpiece” and a “pulp-fiction paperback come to life.”
He pointed out the contrast in lighting between the bright exteriors and dark interiors, ending with the comment: “If you’ve come for laughs and joyous uplift, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
Also a treat was seeing “The Man with the Golden Arm” from 1955. Adapted from a Nelson Algren novel, it’s a story about drug addiction in a gritty urban setting, by master noir director Otto Preminger. I’d seen it before but, as with “Niagara,” the big screen really intensifies the storytelling. It is definitely Frank Sinatra’s best performance and one of Kim Novak’s finest as well. In attendance were Preminger’s daughter Vicki Preminger and Sinatra’s daughters Nancy Sinatra and Tina Sinatra. Rounding out the noir programming were “The Third Man” (Carol Reed, 1950), “Gaslight” (George Cukor, 1944) and “Taxi Driver” (Martin Scorsese, 1976).
Other films with noir elements included Orson Welles’ masterpiece “Citizen Kane” (1941), “The Tingler” (1959), “The Mummy” (1932), “Went the Day Well (1942) and “Whistle Down the Wind (1961). (I saw all but “Kane,” which I’ve seen several times before.)
Ana Alexander and Anya Monzikova of Cinemax's new series, "Femme Fatales," which starts May 13.
The festival also honored master composer Bernard Herrmann, who scored “Citizen Kane” and “Taxi Driver” as well as “Psycho,” “Vertigo,” “Cape Fear” and many others.
On the neo-noir front, I’ll be excited to see Cinemax’s upcoming “Femme Fatales” anthology series “about powerful, sexy and dangerous women” starring Ana Alexander and Anya Monzikova, both of whom walked the fest’s red carpet to promote show.
The first of 13 stand-alone episode starts May 13 and I hope to catch up with the actresses sometime soon.
From FNB readers