‘The Night of the Hunter’ a wondrous poem of terror, family, false gods and redemption

February 3, 2011 by

Michael Wilmington

The Night of the Hunter/1955/United Artists/93 min.

By Michael Wilmington

Some movies take a while to reach their audiences. Take, for example, Charles Laughton’s great Faulknerian film noir “The Night of the Hunter,” based on Davis Grubb’s Southern Gothic novel.

Beautifully scripted by James Agee, spellbindingly directed by Charles Laughton, evocatively shot by cinematographer Stanley Cortez, and memorably acted by Robert Mitchum (in his best performance), it’s a haunting tale of murder, terror and wild, lyrical flight.

Also unforgettable: the performances by Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, James Gleason, Evelyn Darden, Don Beddoe, Peter Graves, and two little-known child actors Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce.

In this mesmerizing movie, we see two orphaned West Virginia kids, John and Pearl Harper, desperately fleeing the honey-tongued but murderous preacher Harry Powell (Mitchum), a black-clad, brim-hatted charlatan who has “LOVE” and “HATE” tattooed on his knuckles as props to his sermons. Harry is the Hunter. The children are his prey because they can lead him to the money their father (Graves) stole and managed to hide before he was arrested and executed.

Harry cajoles them, bullies them, then kills their poor, sad, seducible mom Willa (Winters). The heroine of the film is the children’s savior Miss Cooper (Gish). Then close to 60, Gish is eternally enduring, a rustic angel with a hymn on her lips and a rifle in her lap.

John and Pearl escape down the river in an open boat. And for them, the world of the rural South in the Depression becomes a magical twilight of Halloween horrors, a nocturnal landscape of rushing water, moonlit skies, ghostly trees, croaking frogs, watchful owls, pensive rabbits and evil spiders spinning their webs.

As they flee, Preacher Harry follows them on horseback, far-off but omnipresent, a specter etched in silhouette against the evening sky, singing, in Mitchum’s rich, lazy  baritone: “Leaning, leaning…Safe and secure from all alarms. Leaning, leaning…Leaning on the everlasting arms.”   (You’ll recognize the soothing yet eerie tune; it’s the one threaded through the Coen Brothers’ remake of “True Grit” and sung under the credits.)

Are any classic noir images or sounds more scarily poetic than that flight, that drifting boat, those hands tattooed with “LOVE” and “HATE,“ that black-clad maniac preacher, that spider, that river, that song? [Read more…]

Comments

Filed Under: Classic Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Noir City 9 memorial reel honors movie greats

February 3, 2011 by

At the recent Noir City 9 in San Francisco, besides the marvelous movies, audiences got to see a memorial reel for talent who died in 2010, created by Richard Hildreth, Noir City showrunner.

Peter Graves in "The Night of the Hunter"

The reel honored: Blake Edwards (“Experiment in Terror”), Gloria Stuart (“The Old Dark House”), Peter Graves (“The Night of the Hunter”), John Forsythe (“In Cold Blood”), Anne Francis (“Rogue Cop”), Kevin McCarthy (“Invasion of the Body Snatchers”), Patricia Neal (“The Breaking Point”) and Tony Curtis (“Sweet Smell of Success”).

Seeing Graves’ name and the clip from “The Night of the Hunter” (recently re-released by Criterion) reminded me to feature this movie on my site and I’m lucky to have a review to share from critic Michael Wilmington.

MW rightly praises Robert Mitchum’s performance. But for me it is the child actors, Billy Chapin and Sally Jane Bruce, who make the film so moving and resonant.

Peter Graves image from today.msnbc.msn.com
 

Comments

Filed Under: Noir Style Tagged With: , , , , ,

Vintage expo and Valentine’s celebrations

February 2, 2011 by

Looking for some retro additions to your wardrobe? The Vintage Expo, now in its 23rd year, comes to Santa Monica this weekend (Feb. 5 and 6).

The clothing covers a period of about 100 years and there’s a broad selection of jewelry, shoes, textiles and accessories. Show organizers say you can expect to find: tailored suits, tiered petticoat skirts, long dresses, one-piece swimsuits, short shorts, “Grandpa” sweaters, lace-up oxfords, thigh-high and short lace-up boots, skinny belts, aviator sunglasses, chandelier earrings (and all large statement jewelry), platform sandals and high-waisted pants.

The Vintage Expo has a broad range of clothes, jewelry, shoes and accessories.

Expo co-producer Lis Normoyle explains: “Fashion magazines are full of vintage-inspired fashions. At the show, you can see and try on and take home the real vintage clothing that these styles try to imitate, but without the craftsmanship or unique style of the originals.”

The expo is held at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main St. It runs Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $10. On Saturday, for $20, you can get into the ­early-buying portion of the show that runs from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Students are free on Sunday with student ID.

For more information and to download a coupon, visit www.vintageexpo.com.

Also on Saturday, Feb. 5, SusieCakes home-style bake shop is teaching sweetheart baking classes, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Newport Beach, Calabasas, Marin and Manhattan Beach; and from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Brentwood. The cost is $145 per couple and includes a champagne toast. You’ll take home cupcakes, cookies and chocolate-covered strawberries. For more info, visit www.susiecakesbakery.com.

On Wednesday, Feb. 9, from 2 to 6 p.m., Only Hearts in Santa Monica, 1407 Montana Ave., is hosting a Valentine’s celebration with lingerie modeling, boudoir photo sessions by Nico Moon, and tea and pastries from Valen Dolce. There will be a raffle, specials and goodie bags for the first 50 guests. For more info, visit www.onlyhearts.com and www.nicomoon.com.

Expo photo by Lis Normoyle

Comments

Filed Under: Noir Style Tagged With:

Honey, your February horoscope is here …

February 1, 2011 by

Kim Novak in "Vertigo"

Fate reigns supreme in film noir, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love us some zodiac fun. Hope your February is full of riches and romance. And happy birthday, Aquarius and Pisces! A special shout-out to Aquarians Clark Gable and John Ford (both Feb. 1), Lana Turner (Feb. 8), Jennifer Aniston (Feb. 11), Kim Novak (Feb. 13) and Pisces women Drew Barrymore (Feb. 22), Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor (Feb. 27).

Capricorn (December 23-January 20): There is a Chinese proverb that says, “It’s as difficult to be rich without bragging as it is to be poor without complaining.” While bragging and complaining are equally unattractive, money means possibility, choices and freedom so don’t feel guilty for wanting an ample supply. Guilt (for any reason) saps your energy like a crack in your Limoges tea cup drains your ginseng peppermint. Treat yourself to a classic red mani-pedi (Revlon’s Frankly Scarlet, for instance, or MAC’s Asiatique) so you’ll look glam in Cupid’s honor. Be extra generous on the 12th.
x
Aquarius (January 21-February 19): There is a project that calls for your expertise and you are well placed to provide direction. Lovely! But do not get roped into executing the nitty-gritty tactics, just because someone asks you nicely. On the social front, keep in mind the old saying: If you can’t be good, don’t get caught. And when was the last time you were good, 1997?. You may need Excel to track your suitors in the leadup to Valentine’s. If you’re in an exclusive relationship, a long romantic weekend may be in the cards. Pay special attention to details on the weekend of the 18th. [Read more…]

Comments

Filed Under: Noir Horoscopes Tagged With: , ,

Banish dull skin with a gentle, fragrant scrub

January 29, 2011 by

Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Body Scrub has a fragrance that may inspire you.

I just realized that I haven’t talked about cosmetics or beautifying since Jan. 12; how very unlike me!

This has been a bad winter for dry skin and so I’m searching for products to help my parched hide. One of the first things I turn to is a good exfoliator to remove flaky skin. (Shaving your legs will also aid the cause.)

Laura Mercier Fresh Fig Body Scrub is a mousselike concoction with a rich, slightly sweet scent, which somehow conjures thoughts of sunshine and summer vacations.

Perhaps it will inspire you to plan a trip to Southern France. But the scrub does more than smell good. It buffs skin gently, has a light, airy texture and rinses away easily.

According to the company’s web site, this pampering body polish is made from natural fig seeds, jojoba, shea butter and honey. The fragrance blends essence of fresh Celeste figs, apricot nectar and ylang ylang.

Right out of the shower, I applied lotion to lock in the moisture and my skin has been baby soft all day long.

The scrub is $46 for 12 ounces (shown here is a 2-ounce sample size); you can buy it at department stores or online.

I received a sample of this product from the company. I tried it, liked it and decided to review. I did not receive compensation.

Comments

Filed Under: Noir Stuff Tagged With: , , ,

Exquisite suspense, anguished obsession and sleek blonde style in ‘Vertigo’

January 27, 2011 by

Vertigo/ 1958/Paramount Pictures /127 min.

Since I still have San Francisco on the brain, my next few reviews will highlight Fog City.

Kim Novak plays two parts, elegant Madeleine and brassy Judy.

On a cold morning several years ago, my colleague Joe bumped into me at Starbucks and said: “You look like Kim Novak in ‘Vertigo’ in that suit,” referring to my fitted gray jacket and skirt. I’d twisted my hair into the best chignon I could manage pre-coffee using the three hairpins I was able to find on my cluttered bathroom shelf.

I was relieved to put off a shampoo for another day, but never thought my impromptu bun had the added effect of contributing to a Hitchcock-blonde vibe.

Alfred Hitchcock was always extremely fastidious about his leading ladies’ wardrobes and for 1958’s “Vertigo” he and costume designer Edith Head agreed that a gray suit would lend a particularly eerie air to Novak’s character, Madeleine Elster. Though stylish, sophisticated and perfectly appointed, Madeleine seems to be struggling to hold onto her sanity.

Her worried husband Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) taps an old acquaintance and former police detective John “Scottie” Ferguson (James Stewart) to keep an eye on her. Gavin tells Scottie that Madeleine is tormented by family ghosts and that he’s afraid she’ll commit suicide.

Like Madeline, Scottie is a little delicate too, having recently been treated for his fear of heights, brought on by a nasty bout of vertigo. So, he’s taking it easy and hanging out with his upbeat buddy Midge (Barbara Bel Geddes). Reluctant at first, Scottie accepts Gavin’s assignment and, over time, becomes obsessed with saving Madeline, then falls in love with her.

But alas, Scottie can’t provide foolproof protection against her demons because he hasn’t completely conquered his vertigo. After Madeleine takes a fatal tumble, Scottie is inconsolable, until he encounters a shop clerk named Judy Barton (also played by Novak).

Judy bears an uncanny resemblance to his lost love, even if she’s less refined and has the wrong hair color. Scottie decides that’s where hair dye and haute couture come in and he sets his sights on transforming this new object of his affection into the spitting image of Madeleine. “It can’t mean that much to you,” Scottie growls at Judy when she balks at bleaching her hair. But the déjà vu does not go according to plan.

“Vertigo”’s surreal, sometimes unsettling exploration of two troubled minds bears Hitchcock’s distinctive stamps: intense but masked emotion, exquisite suspense, altered identity and disguises, and technical innovation – in this case, the use of forward zoom and reverse tracking to depict Scottie’s vertigo. Intense color and meticulous composition heighten our sense of Scottie’s anguish and frustration. Robert Burks, a longtime Hitchcock collaborator, was director of photography.

Though reviews were mixed upon its initial release (critics complained that the plot was far-fetched), “Vertigo” has since been acknowledged as a crowning cinematic achievement. In 2002, “Vertigo” landed the No. 2 spot on the Sight and Sound critics’ top 10 poll, second only to “Citizen Kane.”  Leonard Maltin calls it: “A genuinely great motion picture that demands multiple viewings.” [Read more…]

Comments

Filed Under: Neo Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

‘Vertigo’ quick hit

January 27, 2011 by

Vertigo/ 1958/Paramount Pictures /127 min.

James Stewart as Scottie and Kim Novak as Madeleine/Judy are unforgettable in this Hitchcock classic, one of the all-time great noirs. Stewart is an ex-detective with a fear of heights and Novak plays two women – one, a damsel in distress and another who receives the ultimate makeover. Best of all for femmes fatales: Novak’s timeless, elegant wardrobe.

“Vertigo” bears Hitchcock’s distinctive stamps: intense but masked emotion, exquisite suspense, altered identity and disguises, and technical innovation. Intense color and meticulous composition heighten our sense of Scottie’s anguish and frustration. Robert Burks, a longtime Hitchcock collaborator, was director of photography.

Tremendous performances from Stewart, Novak and Barbara Bel Geddes as Scottie’s pal Midge.

Comments

Filed Under: Neo Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

SF noir fest: Who’s driving whom nuts?

January 25, 2011 by

Hallucinations, imaginary family members, gold diggers and good girls, cheating spouses, murder, fake death certificates, freaks, fiends and assorted psychopaths … there was much to love over the weekend at Noir City 9, the ninth annual San Francisco Film Noir Festival. This year’s theme is “Who’s Crazy Now?” and the madness continues at the Castro Theatre through Jan. 30.

Addressing the sold-out crowd on Saturday night, fest founder and czar of noir Eddie Muller commented on the fact that this year’s lineup of films, all of which touch on insanity, featured more female protagonists than ever before.

“But there’s no hidden message there,” he said. “Men are driving them crazy. And the idea that noir is a man’s world? This festival disproves that.”

Good answer, Eddie. 😉

I spent a whirlwind weekend in SF, watching movies, eating, shopping and enjoying this pretty city. Here are some highlights from the trip.

The view from a balcony overlooking Union Square.

 

The Castro Theatre hosts Noir City 9.

 

The poster shows Marilyn in a red bustier, great to wear when baby-sitting, of course.

 

The festival crowd at the Castro on Saturday night.

 

Lobster cappuccino at Chez Spencer.

 

Christian Louboutin's retro red gingham in the window at Neiman Marcus.

Comments

Filed Under: Noir Style Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

‘Don’t Bother to Knock’ a showcase for Monroe’s talent

January 25, 2011 by

Don’t Bother to Knock”/1952/Twentieth Century Fox/76 min.

Richard Widmark and Marilyn Monroe

For any fool who still questions Marilyn Monroe’s depth as an actress, “Don’t Bother To Knock” should be required viewing. In this 1952 film directed by Roy Ward Baker and written by Daniel Taradash, Monroe stars with film noir icons Richard Widmark and Elisha Cook, Jr. and entirely holds her own.

She plays Nell Forbes, a vulnerable and mysterious young woman who might be dangerous. Well, if you look at the movie poster, she’s definitely dangerous, though the image (Marilyn wears a shiny bright-red bustier) is a bit misleading — Nell doesn’t wear anything quite that daring. Of course, no matter what she wears, she’s still uber sexy.

Anyway, Nell has recently moved to NYC, from Washington state, to make a fresh start after a long recovery from a broken heart (a pilot who died in World War Two). Her sole contact in the big city is her ever-nervous and slightly creepy uncle (Cook Jr.), an elevator operator at the McKinley Hotel. When a couple staying at the hotel needs a baby-sitter, Uncle Eddie taps Nell for the job. Lurene Tuttle and Jim Backus play the parents; Donna Corcoran is their daughter Bunny.

Once the little girl goes to bed, Nell kills time by trying on Mrs. Jones’ jewelry, perfume and a negligee. She also notices Jed Towers (Widmark) in a room across the courtyard. He’s a pilot in from Chicago trying to patch things up with ex-girlfriend Lyn Lesley (Anne Bancroft), a sultry and svelte singer who performs at the hotel lounge.

Nell and Jed flirt from afar and he eventually joins her in the Jones’ room, bearing a wicked smile and a bottle of rye. It slowly becomes clear that Nell needs more tonic than a handsome cocky stranger with hard liquor can provide. (Rats!) By leading Nell toward help, Jed reveals a side of himself that changes his relationship with Lyn.

Mirrors (and their suggestion of fractured reality) pop up frequently in film noir.

Though the plot’s quite simple, the film’s strong direction and writing as well as resonant performances from some of the finest actors of the era infuse it with tension that fairly crackles. Luminous, fragile, restless and alluring, Monroe brings an undercurrent of torment and confusion to this memorable role.

Widmark appeals as the insolent yet sympathetic suitor. And the supporting cast is marvelous; in addition to Backus and Tuttle, there’s Verna Felton and Don Beddoe (nosy hotel residents), Willis Bouchey (the hotel bartender), Corcoran as the cute kid, and of course Cook Jr. and Bancroft.

The story is based on the novel “Mischief” by best-selling suspense author Charlotte Armstrong; Taradash wrote the script a year before he won the Oscar for adapting “From Here to Eternity.” “Don’t Bother to Knock” also offers moments of wry humor, such as when Jed asks the bartender if he fights and argues with his wife. The bartender’s deadpan reply: “Some of the time she sleeps.”

If you are a Marilyn fan, you’ll love her even more after seeing this movie and you’ll have definitive proof of her sensitivity and subtlety as an artist from early in career, just in case you ever happen to be chatting with someone who is dismissive of her talent. In 1952, given the way she was marketed and managed, you could forgive an assessment based purely on her physical assets. Nearly 60 years later, however, so much has changed. 😉

Btw, I found a wonderful blog called Blonde & Red. Author Rosanna “loves vintage fashion, red lipstick and Marilyn Monroe” and each week runs Marilyn Mondays. Enjoy!

Comments

Filed Under: Classic Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

‘Don’t Bother to Knock’ quick hit

January 25, 2011 by

Don’t Bother to Knock/1952/Twentieth Century Fox/76 min.

Great writing and a strong cast (Marilyn Monroe, Richard Widmark, Elisha Cook, Jr., Anne Bancroft) make 1952’s “Don’t Bother To Knock” by Roy Ward Baker a cinematic treasure, but one that is, sadly, often overlooked. Monroe plays a deranged baby-sitter who likes diamonds, perfume and negligees (ok, she’s clearly not completely bonkers) but can’t seem to put her past behind her.

Comments

Filed Under: Classic Noir Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »