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Somewhere in the Night (1946): John Hodiak and Amnesia Noir

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 19, 2019

Of the plethora of returning G.I. films and film noirs, this one reflects their fears most overtly and for this very reason, it might be generally the most forgotten today. That and the assembly of a lower-tier cast. Most of these names have been lost to time. The one name remaining fairly enduring read more

Human Desire (1954): Fritz Lang vs. Jean Renoir

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 17, 2019

Edgar Buchanan always annoyed me endlessly on Green Acres reruns, and it’s affected me for a long time. Because only recently have I begun to realize just how broad and robust his body of film work is. He can be categorized with a breed of movie actor that is generally lost in today’s i read more

The Blue Gardenia (1953): Anne Baxter a Victim of Noir

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 16, 2019

The Blue Gardenia chooses to establish its characters and allow ample time for the audience to get acquainted with all the players. It’s genuinely a pleasure as we have a number of affable people to grow accustomed to over the course of the story. There’s local journalist Casey Mayo (Ri read more

Classic Movie Beginner’s Guide: 1940s Film Noir

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 15, 2019

In our ongoing series to help budding classic movie fans know where to start with the classics, I thought it would be fitting time to offer up 4 movies to try and summarize the film noir movement. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s literally the French term for “black” read more

Brighton Rock (1947) Grahame Greene’s Seedy Side of England

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 14, 2019

Brighton Rock, based on a Graham Green novel from 1938, opens with a disclaimer about the proceeding content. Great pains are made to differentiate the place depicted within the frames of the film — set before WWII — and Brighton circa 1947. The only reason such a note would be necessar read more

Ministry of Fear (1944): Nazis & Noir

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 12, 2019

In screenwriting 101 they always say engaging movies employ ticking clocks from start to finish. Ministry of Fear takes this quite literally, opening with the tick-tock of a clock face as Stephen Neale (Ray Milland) sits in rapt attention, waiting for the bells to chime. At first, we’re not s read more

Grace Kelly & Audrey Hepburn Part II

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 11, 2019

Two years ago I contributed a post to The Wonderful Grace Kelly Blogathon to commemorate the actress and cultural icon alongside my other favorite performer Audrey Hepburn. For my initial point of reference, I started with a pair of photos I’d seen backstage at the 28th Academy Awards in 1956. read more

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955): Spencer Tracy and Small-Town Bigotry

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 10, 2019

In its theatrical cut, Bad Day at Black Rock opens furiously, charging forward with the momentum of a freight train as the credits roll and Andre Previn’s score thrashes in the film’s most manic moment. From thenceforward, its greatest strength is restraint. The whole town cowers around read more

Classic Movie Beginner’s Guide: Grace Kelly

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 9, 2019

Here is my latest installment in my beginner’s guide to classic movies where I look to profile a Hollywood star by highlighting 4 of their films and getting sidetracked by a few others too good to pass up. This week we’ll be talking about none other than Princess Grace of Monaco who will read more

Border Incident (1949): Mann and Alton Enchanced Docu-Drama Noir

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 8, 2019

A voice of God with a certain newsreel ethos sets the scene. California’s Imperial Valley. An area renowned for its robust agricultural industry. The Bracero Program, that brilliant reflection of U.S.-Mexican relations during the war years and beyond. However, if this scenario sounds too simp read more

Thieves’ Highway (1949): Apple Crates and Femme Fatales

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 7, 2019

Nick Garcos (Richard Conte) makes a joyous homecoming to his parents after literally traveling the seven seas, armed with boxes of gifts to lavish upon them. In a matter of minutes, we already have a warm feeling and an affection, however cursory, for these characters we have just met. With money t read more

Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954): Social Commentary in The Guise of Exploitation

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 5, 2019

If you’re like me you met Don Siegel because of Dirty Harry (1971) or maybe The Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). But it was only after discovering the rest of his work — the likes of The Big Steal (1949), The Lineup (1958), or even this film, where you began to appreciate the consu read more

Armored Car Robbery (1950): Wrigley Field L.A. Noir

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 3, 2019

Armored Car Robbery instantly had my rapt attention in part because of its location shooting and due to one place in particular. We start out at L.A. City Hall and soon a shooting and a robbery are being called in from nearby Wrigley Field, which sends Lt. Cordell (Charles McGraw) and his partner o read more

Classic Movie Beginner’s Guide: Cary Grant

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 2, 2019

It’s that time again to profile a classic Hollywood star by briefly looking at 4 of their films. Today’s centerpiece is Archibald Leach more commonly remembered as Cary Grant, the suave, debonair, screwball extraordinaire who groomed himself into one of Hollywood’s preeminent leadi read more

4 Living Legends Part 6

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 1, 2019

Here is another entry in our ongoing series of Classic Hollywood Stars who are still with us. Please enjoy their many talents! Peggy Dow is most well-remembered for her enchanting turn as a nurse opposite Jimmy Stewart’s disarming Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey. In later life, she’s been a pro read more

The Curse of The Cat People (1944): The Oddest of Horror Sequels

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Oct 30, 2019

The Curse of the Cat People feels like entering a storybook only to find ourselves in Tarry Town near Sleepy Hollow. Fittingly, we are placed with a group of kindergarteners who have come with their teacher to frolic and enjoy a field trip to the place brought to life in the tall tales of Washington read more

The Irishman (2019): Painting Houses Between a Rock and a Hard Place

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Oct 29, 2019

NOTE: I’m never too concerned about spoilers but just be warned I’m talking about The Irishman, which will come out in November. If you want to be surprised maybe wait to read this… The opening moments caused an almost immediate smile of recognition to come over my face. There it i read more

The Ghost Ship (1943): Creaky Yet Atmospheric

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Oct 28, 2019

“What a hobby to pick: authority.”  The Ghost Ship is yet another serving of shadows and sound courtesy of legendary cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca and former editor-turned-director Mark Robson. However, the film is punctuated by few dramatic notes and instead settles in to develop read more

Classic Movie Beginner’s Guide: Audrey Hepburn

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Oct 26, 2019

I wanted to continue with my series of classic movie beginner’s guides. The idea is to make learning about old movies more manageable by providing bite-sized chunks to watch. In other words, 4 films to begin with. Here’s our latest list on Audrey Hepburn, one of the most beloved and wide read more

The Seventh Victim (1943): Lewton’s Economy Rules

4 Star Films Posted by 4 Star Film Fan on Oct 25, 2019

What a picture for Kim Hunter to have come into her own (and Mark Robson for that matter). The 7th Victim is a chilling gem and the motor to move the story forward is an audacious girl, Mary Gibson (Hunter), who makes a decision to leave her boarding school of stain glass and angelic choirs, to sear read more
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