Classic Movie Hub Blog

Film Noir Review: Marlowe (1969)

Posted on November 24, 2022 by Danilo Castro

“It would give me great pleasure to see you do something foolish.”

The private detective struggled to find footing in the swinging sixties. The occupation, as far Hollywood was concerned, almost went extinct in the decade prior (save for a few exceptions: Kiss Me Deadly being the most notable). The first half of the sixties was all about super spies, secret agents, and the campy tone that accompanied them. The James Bond franchise, the Matt Helm franchise, etc.

When the private detective did come back around, he traded in postwar cynicism for post-hippie mockery. Harper (1966) got the ball rolling, and when it proved a hit, the guy who turned it down, Frank Sinatra, opted to make Tony Rome (1967). These detectives were conscious of the tropes they perpetuated, and went about them with a wink. The winking era didn’t peak with Lew Harper or Mr. Rome, however. In a supreme case of irony, it peaked with the character most closely associated with the classic era: Philip Marlowe. More specifically, Marlowe in Marlowe (1969).

This is a silly film. The most famous scene involves henchman Winslow Wong (Bruce Lee) karate-chopping his way through Marlowe’s office, while the latter just sits there and watches. It reeks of the type of gimmicky that typified the Bond films of the day, and is arguably one of the least noir-sequences ever put into an official noir. If one were looking from a particularly critical vantage point, they could argue that it resembles something out of the Batman TV show. The flat lighting and Marlowe’s mugging (his rationale when the rubble gets discovered is to blame “termites”) certainly welcome the comparison.

The film has a slightness to it that did little to distinguish it from its peers, and truthfully, the adaptation by writer/director Paul Bogart leaves much to be desired. It’s messily told, and the motivations of the characters are harder to follow than they are in the Chandler novel (which is saying quite a bit).

The calm before the storm. The storm being Bruce Lee.

Here’s the thing, though: Marlowe is actually pretty fun. It’s no classic, and it pales in comparison to the Raymond Chandler adaptations that preceded it (well, barring The Brasher Doubloon), but taken on its own merits, it’s a charming romp with a wonderfully wry James Garner performance at its core.

Garner occupied the rare space between television A-list and movie B-list. He was preternaturally likable in both, but it often seemed like he was better suited to the small screen. This was no doubt the result of opportunity. Garner was never going to get a script that guys like Steve McQueen and Paul Newman didn’t pass on first, whereas with TV, he was given priority. He’d already distinguished himself with the hit series Maverick, and Marlowe was a rare chance to brandish his gift for playing tough fast-talkers. If done right, it could have led to increased stardom and sequels, as was the case with Harper and Tony Rome.

Garner brings a lot to the table. His Marlowe has a snappy comeback for everyone he encounters, and he makes the more ludicrous elements of the plot mesh through sheer force of charm. He also has terrific chemistry with the rest of the cast, which includes (to be is not limited to) Carroll O’Connor, Rita Moreno and William Daniels. Moreno and Bruce Lee are particularly good here, as they rely less on mugging and bring some real emotional weight to the proceedings. The former’s final scene, which I will leave unspoiled here, is one of the best in the entire film.

The Marlowe sequel might not have materialized in a literal sense, but in a rare case of things working out in Noirville, we got a spiritual sequel. Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell liked Garner’s performance in the film, and with Cannell having been the creative behind Maverick, decided to update the formula with a modern-day twist. They took the central premise of Marlowe, renamed him Rockford, and went on to hit pay dirt with the classic detective series The Rockford Files. Anyone who likes the series will no doubt find much of its classic components in their embryonic form via Marlowe (Marlowe and Rockford share specific lines, co-stars, and even the same phone number).

Marlowe fumbles his way to the finish line.

Marlowe would go on to have radical reinventions in the decades that followed, which has led to Garner’s version being lost to time. It’s understandable, given the cult status of the other films, but there’s still plenty to like here, if for no other reason, the fact that it’s an unfamiliar corner of the detective’s legacy. Besides, spending a few hours on a Rockford Files prequel doesn’t sound too bad.

TRIVIA: James Garner was taking martial arts lessons at the time Marlowe was being filmed. His teacher? None other than Bruce Lee.

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You can find all of Danilo’s Film Noir Review articles here.

Danilo Castro is a film noir aficionado and Contributing Writer for Classic Movie Hub. You can read more of Danilo’s articles and reviews at the Film Noir Archive, or you can follow Danilo on Twitter @DaniloSCastro.

Posted in Film Noir Review, Posts by Danilo Castro | Tagged James Garner, marlowe, Rita Moreno | 3 Comments

Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – The Son of the Sheik (1926)

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Lea Stans

**Silents are Golden: A Closer Look At – The Son of the Sheik (1926)**

After covering the iconic film The Sheik a couple months ago, I thought it’d be fitting to visit its equally iconic sequel. I hope you enjoy it!

The Son of The Sheik (19266) Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky — Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky, The Son of the Sheik.

A lot happened to Rudolph Valentino in the five years between his big starring roles in The Sheik (1921) and its exciting sequel, The Son of the Sheik (1926). Having first achieved fame as Julio in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921), Valentino was quickly pigeonholed as the screen’s great “Latin Lover,” his Italian ancestry being deemed “exotic” in that time period. While many of his ‘20s films focused on living up to that image, he jumped at opportunities to branch out. He would play a bullfighter in Blood and Sand (1922), an Indian prince in The Young Rajah (1922), and a French barber who disguises himself as an 18th century nobleman in Monsieur Beaucaire (1924). One of his most popular roles was the Russian lieutenant in The Eagle (1925), a crowd-pleasing mix of romance, drama and action.

Blood and Sand (1922) Rudolph Valentino — *Blood and Sand*, one of Valentino’s personal favorite roles.

But despite these years of eclectic roles under his belt, Valentino agreed to return to his most iconic role of Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan for The Son of the Sheik (1926) – playing both the original character, now in his old age, and his virile son Ahmed. While this might seem surprising at face value, the lushly-photographed sequel gave Valentino chances to show his red-blooded fighting skills, partake in some truly steamy love scenes, and use the dual role to prove his acting range.

The Son of the Sheik (1926) younger Ahmed Rudolph Valentino — As the younger Ahmed.

The original The Sheik, based on the popular romance novel by E.M. Hull, was a big hit but also received some criticism for being “tamer” than the book. Director George Melford also played it safe in some dated ways, such as lightening Valentino’s naturally tan complexion so that he almost matched his fair costar Agnes Ayres. George Fitzmaurice’s The Son of the Sheik, also based on an E.M. Hull novel,would finally make Valentino’s character the menacing, exotic he-man of many viewers’ dreams. In some ways it also honored his status in cinema – which even at the time was already iconic.

The Son of The Sheik (1926) George Fitzmaurice directing Rudolph Valentino and Velma Banky — Fitzmaurice directing his two leads.

Valentino’s recent films hadn’t been box office extravaganzas, and he’d recently walked out on a contract with Famous Players-Lasky and signed with United Artists. The idea of doing a sequel may have been inspired by Douglas Fairbanks, who had recently released Don Q, Son of Zorro (1925), the followup to 1920’s popular The Mark of Zorro. United Artists president Joseph M. Schenck would also be capitalizing on Valentino’s “sheik” image, which persisted in sticking around–fans were always hoping to see him in more desert romances.

By this point in the 1920s there was a growing self-consciousness in the movie industry and a fresh awareness of pop culture, which we can discern in The Son of the Sheik’s knowing winks to the original film. Both Valentino and Ayres seem to enjoy reprising their original roles (while aged with makeup), and the younger Ahmed is introduced in a dreamy flashback sequence that seems to be a nod to Valentino’s romantic symbolism to his fans.

The Son of The Shiek (1926) Rudolph Valentino and Agnes Ayres — Valentino and Ayres.

Valentino’s main costar this time around was Vilma Banky as the dancer Yasmin, a beautiful blonde whose fair skin contrasted well with his “Arabian” complexion–no skin-lightening for him this time around. Having worked together previously in The Eagle, they had a lovely rapport onscreen. Their love scenes, played out in appropriately moonlit desert surroundings and captured with lingering closeups, can certainly be filed under “Valentino fan service.”

The Son of the Sheik is daring in other ways too, much in the vein of the novel. Most infamous is the scene where Ahmed, having gotten Yasmin alone and believeing her responsible for his being kidnapped and tortured, stalks towards her while extreme closeups show her horrified eyes. While the film discreetly cuts away from any lurid action, the aftermath of Yasmin in tears on a bed leaves no doubt what occurred. Controversial in retrospect, strangely enough this was the type of menacing scene audiences had been expecting in the original The Sheik – and the menace had finally arrived, five years later.

The Son of the Sheik (1926) Velma Banky and Rudolph Valentino — Fun Fact: *The Son of the Sheik* (1926) is the oldest sequel to be inducted into the National Film Registry.

With its action, adventure, love scenes, beautiful cinematography and lush costumes, The Son of the Sheik was determined to be everything The Sheik had tried to be – and more. While the original had its charms, the sequel went above and beyond and included a truly magnificent performance by Valentino. That performance would turn out to be especially poignant.

The Son of the Sheik (1926) Velma Banky Rudolph Valentino kiss — Banky and Valentino

Initially released to first run theaters in major U.S. cities in the summer of 1926, The Son of the Sheik was promoted by Valentino in a nationwide tour of personal appearances. At the time his health was growing shakey and he complained of having stomach pains. On August 15, while at a party in a friend’s New York City apartment, he collapsed. At the hospital doctors discovered he had a perforated stomach ulcer, and unfortunately the resulting emergency surgery was unsuccessful. Peritonitis set in, and after lingering for several days he passed away on August 23.

The nation – indeed, the world – was shocked by the death of the screen idol, especially when he appeared to be so much in his prime on the screen. Two weeks after Valentino’s death The Son of the Sheik went into general release, eventually earning over $1 million as saddened fans flocked to see his final performance. His life may have come to a heartbreakingly premature end, but there’s bittersweet comfort in knowing that he left the world with a performance that will always be remembered.

Rudolph Valentino illustrated as The Sheik — Valentino illustrated as The Sheik

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–Lea Stans for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Lea’s Silents are Golden articles here.

Lea Stans is a born-and-raised Minnesotan with a degree in English and an obsessive interest in the silent film era (which she largely blames on Buster Keaton). In addition to blogging about her passion at her site Silent-ology, she is a columnist for the Silent Film Quarterly and has also written for The Keaton Chronicle.

Posted in Posts by Lea Stans, Silents are Golden | Tagged Agnes Ayres, blood and sand, Don Q son of Zorro, douglas fairbanks, George Fitzmaurice, Joseph M. Schenck, Monsieur Beaucaire, rudolph valentino, The Eagle, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Mark of Zorro, The Sheik, The Son of the Sheik, The Young Rajah, Vilma Banky | 4 Comments

Monsters and Matinees: Beyond Lugosi – 9 Classic Film Actors who Played Dracula

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Toni Ruberto

9 Classic Film Actors who Played Dracula

Say the name Dracula and who do you see? Most likely Bela Lugosi.

The Hungarian actor remains the face of Bram Stoker’s iconic character even for some who have never seen him play the role. So here’s a surprising fact that I have to remind myself of: Lugosi only played Count Dracula twice on film: First in the original 1931 Universal film, then 17 years later when he donned the cape again in the comedy Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).

Christopher Lee, in contrast, played Count Dracula 10 times and he remains equally memorable.

But perhaps it’s because Lugosi starred in so many horror films that we equate him with the face of Dracula. He also was in two other non-Dracula vampire films, Mark of the Vampire and The Return of the Vampire. Whatever the reason, Lugosi has owned the character since he walked on stage in the 1927 Broadway production of the play from Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderson. (Just look at the face on Halloween plates and decor and tell me it doesn’t look like Lugosi.)

Bela Lugosi remains the cinematic face of Bram Stoker’s *Dracula,* but there other actors who took on the role who are worth noting.

Lugosi is credited with creating the makeup, style of dress and mannerisms for the stage and bringing them to the Universal films. (Stoker’s original description of his creation was of a “tall old man, clean shaven, save for a long white mustache.” For that look, see Francis Ford Coppola’s sumptuous 1992 Bram Stoker’s Dracula.)

There are hundreds of vampire films but a decidedly smaller number that are retellings of Dracula or use the character, not a generic creature. And while we love Bela Lugosi, let’s take a quick look at other actors who have played Dracula. This list only includes films made up to 1980, my upgraded cutoff for the classic movie genre, otherwise there would be entries on two of my favorites: Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Luke Evans in Dracula Untold (2014).

The unforgettably demonic face of Max Shreck in *Nosferatu*.

Max Shreck in Nosferatu (1922). OK, this is the only film here without Dracula in its title or as the name of the vampire. But it is a Dracula film as proven by the fact that Bram Stoker’s widow fought the production for what could have been the first case of copyright infringement. That led to an order for all copies of the film to be destroyed. Decades later, copies began to resurface, and the once-thought lost film was found. Shreck’s nightmarish portrayal of the vampire is notable for its demonic look. He’s a repulsive creature with rat-like facial features – a hideous contrast to the sensual cinematic vampires to follow. Orlock’s makeup would be replicated for the 1979 Werner Herzog remake Nosferatu: The Vampyre starring Klaus Kinski.

Carlos Villarias and Lupito Tovar starred in Universal’s Spanish-language version of *Dracula*, made at night after the Bela Lugosi movie was done filming for the day.

Carlos Villarias in Dracula (Spanish, 1931). The advent of talking pictures caused more than one adjustment for the film industry including ways to reach the foreign-language market. For some studios, including Universal, that meant making a second version of the movie in Spanish like Dracula. During the day, Tod Browning filmed the Lugosi Dracula; at night, the sets were turned over to director George Melford to make a Spanish-language version of the film. Sometimes the cast even used the same markings for actors that were used by the Browning crew. Dracula would be the most famous role for Vallarias, who was born in Spain. His portrayal was met with mixed reviews but was generally lauded. His co-star Lupito Tovar recalled in interviews how Vallarias rehearsed by himself and when he came to the set “he was absolutely marvelous … never did you need to do a second take,” she said. Tovar’s grandsons are filmmakers Chris and Paul Weitz who announced earlier this year that they would co-write and direct Spanish Dracula, a film about their grandmother and the making of this film.

Christopher Lee played Dracula in seven movies for Hammer Films.

Christopher Lee in multiple films. Though Lugosi’s halting speech pattern and hypnotic gaze captivated audiences in 1931, it wasn’t until Hammer Films started its vampire franchise that the creature became overtly sexual. Thank the casting of the handsome, aristocratic and imposing Christopher Lee that made his Dracula both sexy and terrifying. His first of seven appearances as Count Dracula for Hammer was the 1958 film Dracula (released in the states as Horror of Dracula). His screen presence could be so intense that you could watch Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1965), without realizing Lee never spoke a word. In total, Lee played the role 10 times during his illustrious career.

Dracula (John Carradine) is awakened by a deranged scientist in *House of Frankenstein*. Notice that he’s wearing the Ring of Dracula.

John Carradine in multiple films. Tall and gaunt, Carradine isn’t the typical physical idea of Dracula. But he has that hypnotic “stare down” look and that’s a big part of the character. Carradine played Dracula twice for Universal pictures in the monster mash-ups House of Frankenstein (1944) and House of Dracula (1945); later, he was part of the campy horror WesternBilly the Kid vs. Dracula (1966).

Jack Palance in Bram Stoker’s Dracula/Dan Curtis’ Dracula (1974). Jack Palance is one scary dude and that would seem to indicate his portrayal of Dracula would be more evil than romantic. However, this adaptation of Stoker’s novel by Richard Matheson used the idea of a reincarnated love story between the Count and Lucy that would again be used in the similarly titled Bram Stoker’s Dracula from Francis Ford Coppola. Palance has the natural ability to look dangerous without doing a thing, so watching his restraint and softness in scenes with his great love is a pleasant surprise. The film is directed by Dan Curtis (Dark Shadows) who previously worked with Palance in the TV movie The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1968).

Francis Lederer takes his Count Dracula to small-town California in *The Return of Dracula*.

Francis Lederer in The Return of Dracula (1958). Lederer was tall, dark, handsome and stoic as the Count who takes over the identity of an artist he murders and then visits his American family in his search for “freedom.” In a nice touch, Lederer wears his coat on his shoulders like a cape. The actor is from Prague, so his accent and halting speech will be reminiscent of another Dracula.

Love the funky graphics for the 1977 BBC version of Dracula starring Louis Jourdan.

Louis Jourdan in Count Dracula (1977). This BBC miniseries is clearly a product of the ‘70s with psychedelic graphics used to increase scary moments. Jourdan puts an intriguing spin on the Count: he’s handsome, elegant and hip in his black suit, but there is a blank intensity to his face that makes him appear soulless.

George Hamilton was both debonair and goofy in *Love at First Bite*.

George Hamilton in Love at First Bite (1977). If you like your Dracula suntanned, handsome, regal and with a sense of humor, here he is in this parody from director Stan Dragoti.

Frank Langella gave Dracula a romantic sensuality.

Frank Langella in Dracula (1979). Like Lugosi, Langella originated his Count Dracula on Broadway in the Hamilton Deane/John L. Balderdash play. Langella said he wanted to separate himself from Lugosi and Lee in his portrayal and he succeeded: “I decided he was a highly vulnerable and erotic man, not cool and detached and with no sense of humor or humanity. I didn’t want him to appear stilted, stentorian or authoritarian as he’s often presented. I wanted to show a man who, while evil, was lonely and could fall in love,” he’s quoted in Film Review magazine (1979). His seductive and graceful portrayal made the film more of a Gothic romance than a horror film. Langella’s performance is echoed by the gorgeous yet menacing score by the great John Williams.

– Toni Ruberto for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Toni’s Monsters and Matinees articles here.

Toni Ruberto, born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y., is an editor and writer at The Buffalo News. She shares her love for classic movies in her blog, Watching Forever and is a member of the Classic Movie Blog Association. Toni was the president of the former Buffalo chapter of TCM Backlot and now leads the offshoot group, Buffalo Classic Movie Buffs. She is proud to have put Buffalo and its glorious old movie palaces in the spotlight as the inaugural winner of the TCM in Your Hometown contest. You can find Toni on Twitter at @toniruberto.

Posted in Horror, Monsters and Matinees, Posts by Toni Ruberto | Tagged Bela Lugosi, Bram Stoker, Carlos Villarias, christopher lee, dracula, francis lederer, Frank Langella, George Hamilton, Hammer Films, Jake Palance, John Carradine, louis jourdan, Nosferatu, Vampire | 2 Comments

Noir Nook: In Living Color Noirs

Posted on November 10, 2022 by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Noir Nook: In Living Color Noirs

If there’s one thing that’s certain about film noir, it’s that it encompasses a lot of uncertainty. All noirs don’t have femmes fatales. They’re not all set in urban areas. They don’t all have detectives or Joe Normal characters led astray by bad women.

And they’re not all in black and white.

For my money, film noir is all about the feeling, the mood, the STORY – not whether or not it’s in color. Although the vast majority of classic noir features are in black and white, a color film with all the other markings of noir is still film noir. In other words, with a nod to Shakespeare, a color noir by any other name will still have you on the edge of your seat.

This month’s Noir Nook takes a look at my Top Five noirs that are in vibrant, living color. Check ‘em out and see if they give you that noirish feeling…

Leave Her to Heaven (1945)

My favorite color noir, Leave Her to Heaven (1945), stars Gene Tierney in her Oscar-nominated performance as Ellen Berent, a more-than-slightly unhinged socialite whose intense, possessive love impacts all of those around her. The hapless humans under her spell include her father, whose passing before the film’s opening is attributed to Ellen by two of the film’s characters – one says that Ellen “loved him too much,” and the other states quite plainly that Ellen “pressed him to death.” Another victim of Ellen’s unique brand of love is her husband, Richard (Cornel Wilde), who Ellen meets on a train and marries after a whirlwind (and that’s putting it mildly) romance. While initially entranced by Ellen’s beauty, poise, and charm, Richard soon finds that Ellen doesn’t want any interferences in their union, whether it’s from her sister and mother, Richard’s disabled brother, or their own unborn child.

Niagara (1953)

Set at – you guessed it – Niagara Falls, Niagara (1953) centers on a love triangle between the vibrant and excruciatingly sexy Rose Loomis (Marilyn Monroe), her unstable older husband, George (Joseph Cotten), and her luckless lover, Patrick (Richard Allan). Turning the triangle into a quintet, of sorts, are Ray and Polly Cutler (Casey Adams and Jean Peters), a homespun honeymooning couple who become more involved in the lives of the Loomises than they may have desired – an involvement that eventually includes more than one murder.

Slightly Scarlet (1956)

This film’s colorful title refers to titian-haired sisters Dorothy and June Lyons, played by Arlene Dahl and Rhonda Fleming. As Slightly Scarlet (1956) opens, Dorothy, a kleptomaniac (not to mention a nymphomaniac), has just been released from the pokey into her sister’s custody. Besides having to deal with her troubled sibling, June also finds herself in the midst of a scheme by local hood Ben Grace (John Payne), who wants to exploit Dorothy’s prison record to circumvent the mayoral candidacy of June’s fiancé, played by Kent Taylor. And matters are further complicated when Ben double-crosses his boss, Solly Caspar (the always great Ted deCorsia), who plans to use Dorothy in his attempt for revenge. It’s sometimes convoluted, but you’ll have a noirish good time.

House of Bamboo (1955)

A remake of the 1948 Richard Widmark starrer The Street With No Name, House of Bamboo (1955) is set in Japan and stars Robert Ryan as Sandy Dawson, a highly intelligent but callous leader of a gang of thieves. Dawson selects his crew from a specialized pool – they’re all ex-cons who were dishonorably from the Army. But he finds that he’s too smart for his own good when he meticulously investigates and hires a young American, Eddie Spanier (Robert Stack), for his number-one man, only to learn that Spanier isn’t what he appears to be. The film’s climax features an unforgettable scene involving the revolving planet Saturn on top of Tokyo’s Matsuya department store.

A Kiss Before Dying (1956)

In A Kiss Before Dying (1956), based on the novel by Ira levin (which won the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel), Robert Wagner is Bud Corliss, a charming, crafty, and highly ambitious college student who is determined to lift himself above his station. However, Bud’s painstaking plans for a future with wealthy fellow student Dorothy Kingship (Joanne Woodward) come crashing down when she tells him she’s pregnant and likely to be disinherited by her father. Bud’s no quitter, though – he promptly comes up with an alternative plan; unfortunately, that plan doesn’t bode well for Dorothy.

If you’ve never seen a color noir (or you’re in the camp which maintains that a color film simply can’t be a noir), check these out. I think you’re going to like what you see.

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– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Karen’s Noir Nook articles here.

Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is the author of the Shadows and Satin blog, which focuses on movies and performers from the film noir and pre-Code eras, and the editor-in-chief of The Dark Pages, a bimonthly newsletter devoted to all things film noir. Karen is also the author of two books on film noir – Femme Noir: The Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. You can follow Karen on Twitter at @TheDarkPages.
If you’re interested in learning more about Karen’s books, you can read more about them on amazon here:

Posted in Noir Nook, Posts by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry | Tagged A Kiss Before Dying, Arlene Dahl, casey adams, Cornel Wilde, film noir, Gene Tierney, House of Bamboo, Jean Peters, joanne woodward, John Payne, joseph cotten, kent taylor, leave her to heaven, marilyn monroe, niagara, Noir, Noir Nook, Rhonda Fleming, Richard Allan, robert ryan, Robert Stack, Robert Wagner, Slightly Scarlet, Ted deCorsia, The Street with No Name | 2 Comments

Classic Movie Travels: Betty Compson

Posted on November 3, 2022 by Annette Bochenek

Classic Movie Travels: Betty Compson

Betty Compson

Betty Compson was born Eleanor Luicime Compson on March 19, 1897, in Beaver, Utah. Her parents were Virgil and Mary Compson. Her father worked as a mining engineer and gold prospector, in addition to owning a grocery store. Her mother worked as a maid.

Compson’s father passed away when she was young and she began to seek employment opportunities in her teen years. After completing her second year of high school at Salt Lake High School, she worked as a violinist at a Salt Lake City, Utah, theater at the age of 16. Later, she would begin playing in vaudeville sketches and touring with her sketches, until she was noticed by Hollywood producers. Producer Al Christie offered her a contract, paving the way to her first silent film, Wanted, a Leading Lady (1915).

In 1916, she appeared in over 20 films, with the vast majority of them being for Christie. After the success of The Miracle Man (1919), she went on to work for Paramount. Compson followed this experience with the creation of her own production company, Betty Compson Productions, offering her autonomy and control over financing and screenplays. Her company’s first film was Prisoners of Love (1921), in which she appeared in the role of Blanche Davis.

Compson on the cover of Motion Picture Classic Magazine, March 1922

After Paramount refused to give Compson a raise, she signed a contract with a film company in London, starring in four films, including Woman to Woman (1923) and The White Shadow (1923). Both of these films were written by Graham Cutts and Alfred Hitchcock. They proved to be popular and Paramount offered her a raise.

Compson returned to Hollywood and appeared in The Enemy Sex (1924), directed by James Cruze, whom she married in 1925. They divorced years later, close to the release of her first sound film, The Great Gabbo (1929). Her divorce left her nearly bankrupt, forcing her to sell her home and several possessions.

When Comspon’s Paramount contract was not renewed, she turned to freelance work for low-budget studios. She appeared in The Belle of Broadway (1926), The Ladybird (1927), The Big City (1928), Court-Martial (1928), The Docks of New York (1928), and The Barker (1928). She received an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in The Barker but lost to Mary Pickford for Coquette (1929).

Compson’s final success was The Spoilers (1930) with Gary Cooper. She tested for the role of Belle Watling in Gone with the Wind (1939) but did not receive the role. However, she secured a small role in Hitchcock’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941).

Betty Compson Paramount Portrait — Betty’s Paramount portrait

Compson married twice more. She married producer Irving Weinberg in 1933, though the marriage ended in 1937. Next, she married boxer Silvius Gall and stayed married to him until his passing in 1962. Her final film role was in Here Comes Trouble (1948).

After leaving the film industry, Compson started a cosmetic line and assisted her husband with his Ashtrays Unlimited business.

Compson passed away on April 18, 1974, from a heart attack at age 77. She was interred alongside her mother at San Fernando Mission Cemetery in San Fernando, California.

In 1910, Compson and her family resided at 273 S. 400 E., Salt Lake City, Utah. By 1930, she lived at 4400 Oakwood Ave., Los Angeles, California with Cruze. In 1934, she resided at 7315 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California, with Weinberg. The homes no longer stand.

Compson’s 1940s home remains at 441 Randolph St., Glendale, California. She lived here with her mother and a lodger named James Kinney.

Betty Compson 1940's residence at 441 Randolph Street, Glendale, California — Compson 1940’s residence at 441 Randolph Street, Glendale, California

Compson has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, honoring her work in motion pictures. Her star is located at 1751 Vine St., Los Angeles, California.

Betty Compsons star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — Betty’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

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–Annette Bochenek for Classic Movie Hub

Annette Bochenek pens our monthly Classic Movie Travels column. You can read all of Annette’s Classic Movie Travel articles here.

Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is a PhD student at Dominican University and an independent scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for Classic Movie Hub, she also writes for Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco SocietyMagazine.

Posted in Classic Movie Travels, Posts by Annette Bochenek | Tagged Al Christie, alfred hitchcock, Betty Compson, classic movie travels, Coquette, Court-Martial, Gary Cooper, gone with the wind, Graham Cutts, Here Comes Trouble, Irving Weinberg, James Cruze, mary pickford, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Prisoners of Love, The Barker, The Belle of Broadway, The Big City, The Docks of New York, The Enemy Sex, The Great Gabbo, The Ladybird, The Miracle Man (1919), The Spoilers, The White Shadow, Wanted a Leading Lady, Woman to Woman | 1 Comment

Western RoundUp: Final Resting Places, Western Sidekicks & Supporting Actors

Posted on November 2, 2022 by Laura Grieve

Final Resting Places, Western Sidekicks & Supporting Actors

This month I’ll be sharing additional photos of the final resting places of several Western movie actors.

My chief focus in this column is on some of the great Western sidekicks and supporting actors, and we’ll begin with George “Gabby” Hayes. Hayes appeared in films alongside William “Hopalong Cassidy” Boyd, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, John Wayne and more. Hayes, who passed away at the age of 83, is buried at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.

George "Gabby" Hayes (1885 - 1969)
Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery — George “Gabby” Hayes (1885 – 1969)
Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery

Also at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, near his longtime costar Gene Autry, is sidekick Smiley Burnette, who was only 55 when he passed on in 1967. Relatively early death seems to be a recurring theme in this month’s column, as will be seen below.

Smiley Burnette (1911 - 1967)
Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery — Smiley Burnette (1911 – 1967)
Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery

I was touched to note that Gene Autry’s good friend, fellow cowboy star and singer Monte Hale, is buried just a couple spots away from Autry. Hale and his wife Joanne cofounded the Autry Museum of the American West along with Gene and Jackie Autry. You can read more about the museum in my January 2019 column. Hale lived to be 89.

Monte Hale (1919 - 2009)
Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery — Monte Hale (1919 – 2009)
Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery

Fuzzy Knight, who was born John Forrest Knight, was a familiar sidekick and supporting player in countless “B” Westerns. He died at age 74 and is at Valhalla Cemetery in North Hollywood.

Fuzzy Knight (1901 -1976)
Valhalla Cemetery, North Hollywood

Also at Valhalla is Douglass Dumbrille. One may not associate this Canadian-born supporting actor with Westerns, but he periodically appeared in the genre. I fondly recall him as the Marshal in one of my favorite “B” Westerns, Flame of the West (1945), which starred Johnny Mack Brown. An interesting bit of trivia is that late in life Dumbrille married the much younger daughter of his friend, actor Alan Mowbray (memorable in the Western My Darling Clementine); despite their considerable age difference, the marriage was a success and lasted nearly 14 years, until Dumbrille’s passing in 1974 at the age of 84.

Douglass Dumbrille (1889 - 1974)
Valhalla Cemetery, North Hollywood — Douglass Dumbrille (1889 – 1974)
Valhalla Cemetery, North Hollywood

James Millican was a longtime bit player who became an outstanding supporting player of the ’50s in Westerns such as Dawn at Socorro (1954) and Red Sundown (1956). Sadly his life was cut short by cancer at the age of 44; he was buried at Forest Lawn Glendale.

James Millican (1910-1955)
Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery

Also at Forest Lawn Glendale is character actor Louis Jean Heydt, whose resemblance to Millican sometimes causes confusion among film fans. Millican and Heydt even played brothers Ed and John Jennings in the Western Al Jennings of Oklahoma (1951), with Dan Duryea in the title role. Heydt died relatively young himself, only 56 when he had a heart attack while performing in a play in Boston.

Louis Jean Heydt (1903 - 1960)
Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery — Louis Jean Heydt (1903 – 1960)
Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery

Another great character actor who died young was Millard Mitchell, who passed on at the age of 50; he’s buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. Mitchell’s great Western roles were in a pair of Anthony Mann Westerns starring James Stewart; Mitchell played “High Spade” in Winchester ’73 (1950) and grizzled Jesse Tate in one of his last films, The Naked Spur (1953).

Millard Mitchell (1903 - 1953)
Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery — Millard Mitchell (1903 – 1953)
Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery

Winchester ’73 costar Stephen McNally is also at Holy Cross; he memorably played villain Dutch Henry Brown in that film. McNally alternated between supporting roles and villains in favorite Westerns such as Audie Murphy‘s The Duel at Silver Creek (1952) and Hell Bent for Leather (1960) and heroes in Westerns such as the great Val Lewton produced film Apache Drums (1951). McNally, born Horace McNally, was originally an attorney educated at Fordham University Law School before turning to work on Broadway and in films. McNally was 82 when he passed away in 1994.

Stephen McNally (1911 - 1994)
Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery — Stephen McNally (1911 – 1994)
Forest Lawn Glendale Cemetery

William Bishop is another Western actor who died at an early age; he was just 41 when he died of cancer in 1959. His memorable Westerns included Coroner Creek (1948) with Randolph Scott, Thunderhoof (1948) with Preston Foster, and Cripple Creek (1952) with George Montgomery, to name just a few. Bishop was the nephew of screenwriter Charles MacArthur and his wife Helen Hayes; he was also thus the cousin of actor James MacArthur. Bishop’s ashes are at Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica.

William Bishop (1918 - 1959)
Woodlawn Cemetery, Santa Monica — William Bishop (1918 – 1959)
Woodlawn Cemetery, Santa Monica

The great character actor James Gregory wasn’t in many Westerns, but he merits mention here as he was in a personal favorite of mine, Gun Glory (1957). I wrote about Gun Glory, which starred Stewart Granger, here in a 2019 column on “Unexpected Western Leads.” I visited Gregory’s gravesite at Sedona Community Cemetery while on a 2021 trip to Sedona, Arizona.

James Gregory (1911 - 2002)
Sedona Community Cemetery — James Gregory (1911 – 2002)
Sedona Community Cemetery

When I visit these cemeteries I appreciate the opportunity to take time to reflect on how each of these actors enriched cinema history and indeed, my own life as I have enjoyed their work.

For readers wondering about the absence of any actresses from this post: I intend to return to this topic in the future, focusing solely on Western Leading Ladies.

For additional photos of the burial sites of Western stars, please visit my columns from May 2019 and February 2022.

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– Laura Grieve for Classic Movie Hub

Laura can be found at her blog, Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, where she’s been writing about movies since 2005, and on Twitter at @LaurasMiscMovie. A lifelong film fan, Laura loves the classics including Disney, Film Noir, Musicals, and Westerns. She regularly covers Southern California classic film festivals. Laura will scribe on all things western at the ‘Western RoundUp’ for CMH.

Posted in Posts by Laura Grieve, Western RoundUp | Tagged Al Jennings of Oklahoma, Alan Mowbray, anthony mann, Apache Drums, Audie Murphy, Cemetery, Charles MacArthur, Coroner Creek, Cripple Creek, dan duryea, Dawn at Socorro, Douglas Dumbrille, Final Resting Places, Flame of the West, Fuzzy Knight, Gabby Hayes, Gene Autry, George Hayes, Gravesite, Gun Glory (1957), helen hayes, Hell Bent for Leather, Hopalong Cassidy, James Gregory, James Millican, james stewart, Jesse Tate, john wayne, Johnny Mack Brown, Louis Jean Heydt, Millard Mitchell, Monte Hale, my darling clementine, preston foster, Randolph Scott, Red Sundown, Roy Rogers, Smiley Burnette, stephen mcnally, The Duel at Silver Creek, the naked spur, Thunderhoof, val lewton, western, western movies, Western Roundup, westerns, winchester '73 | 10 Comments

Film Noir Review: I Walk Alone (1947)

Posted on October 27, 2022 by Danilo Castro

“Don’t worry about me, kid. I just got outta prison, not college.”

Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas are a unique duo in film history. They aren’t comically inclined, like Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, nor do they showcase the chummy camaraderie that made Paul Newman and Robert Redford such a likable pair. Their collaborations were terse, gritty, and barring the goofy swan song Tough Guys (1986), they rarely saw eye to eye. The magic of Lancaster and Douglas lied in the tension. They never quite seemed at ease with one another, and we could never take our eyes off them as a result.

Lancaster and Douglas got their start in the film noir of the late 40s. Both hit home runs in their screen debuts, and established the personas they would go on to perfect over the next several decades. The former, debuting in The Killers (1946), was a chiseled sap, a man whose chivalry and decency proved his undoing. The latter, debuting in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (also 1946), was a shyster, a sleaze who would cross anyone he needed to in order to get ahead. They were the perfect yin and yang, which Paramount producer Hal B. Wallis took note of when he was casting the 1947 release, I Walk Alone.

Contrary to the film’s title, I Walk Alone thrives on the chemistry between its stars. It’s a rare case of a star-studded cast in which none of the stars have yet broken out, and the result is a killer, often overlooked noir that kicks off the Lancaster-Douglas mythos.

The premise is simple as it is effective: Frankie Madison (Lancaster) and Noll “Dink” Turner (Douglas) are bootleggers during Prohibition. They get into a shootout with potential hijackers and the two men are forced to split up when police arrive on the scene. Frankie gets caught and sentenced to 14 years of prison, while Noll is free to build a bootlegging empire. The former gets out and looks up his old pal, expecting a cut of the profits, but Noll makes it abundantly clear that he doesn’t owe him squat. Neither man is willing to budge, and war is effectively declared.

There are power struggles abound between these three.

It’s clear from the jump that Lancaster and Douglas are dynamite together. Their approaches to characterization are radically different: Lancaster is the tortured soul fighting his bad tendencies, while Douglas is the louse who has to fight off fleeting moments of decency. They’re essentially a venn diagram of morality, which makes the overlap in the center all the more compelling. It’s generally easy to determine who will win in a given standoff, even if both sides are played by stars, but the actors bring such conviction to Frankie and Noll that the viewer is genuinely unsure of where things will go.

The supporting cast isn’t too shabby either. Lizabeth Scott plays Kay Lawrence, the nightclub singer who dates Noll and gradually falls for Frankie. It’s not a groundbreaking part, but Scott is in her element, bringing the same weary seduction that she provided in Martha Ivers and Dead Reckoning (1947). A lesser actress would have made the Kay scenes feel like filler between the meat of the plot, but Scott’s chemistry with both men ensure that they’re just as compelling.

Wendell Corey’s Dave (right) tries to play both sides.

Wendell Corey also delivers the goods in what turns out to be a crucial part. He’s Noll’s bookmaker, Dave, and while he’s spent the last decade and a half turning a blind eye, his reunion with Frankie reignites his sense of decency. He’s the character who’s most aware of the crimes that have gone on, and Corey manages to communicate said conflict through his subtly manic mannerisms. Few actors were better at being externally calm while being internally conflicted. He’d made his debut alongside Lancaster and Scott the year prior, in the supremely bizarre Desert Fury (1947), and the Dave character proved he was no flash in the pan.

Byron Haskin was a journeyman filmmaker whose biggest credits were as the special effects artist for household names like John Ford and Raoul Walsh. He never reached the A-list, but as evidenced by this film and Too Late for Tears (1949), he could snap off a taut film noir with the best of them. There’s no fat on the bone here, given the 97-minute runtime, and Haskin avoids the narrative detours that would (and did) sink other noir releases of the era.

The film was one of many Wallis releases starring Lancaster and Scott.

I Walk Alone is not a flawless release, and Lancaster and Douglas would go on to have more notable collaborations, but it’s criminally underrated in terms of giving fans what they want. It’s a perfect encapsulation of what made both actors so appealing at the start of their careers, and better yet, it gives them a chance to showcase their talents alongside one another. It’s no classic, but it’s a cult film ripe for rediscovery.

TRIVIA: Lux Radio Theater aired an hour-long adaptation of I Walk Alone in 1948. Lancaster and Scott reprised their roles.

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You can find all of Danilo’s Film Noir Review articles here.

Posted in Film Noir Review, Posts by Danilo Castro | Tagged burt lancaster, byron haskin, hal b. willis, i walk alone, lizabeth scott, wendell corey | 1 Comment

“Ain’t We Lucky We Got ‘Em” Good Times Blog: Interview with Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Annmarie Gatti

Karen Burroughs Hannsberry Talks about the
Launch of her “Good Times” Blog with CMH

I’m so happy to share that Karen Burroughs Hannsberry, author of Classic Movie Hub’s Noir Nook column, has launched a new blog! It’s called “Ain’t We Lucky We Got ‘Em,” and it focuses on the 1970s television series Good Times. We sat down with Karen to find out more about her latest writing project!

You’ve been writing about classic movies for many years – what made you want to venture into classic TV?

I’ve always loved classic TV – for me, it goes hand-in-hand with classic film. Even when I was little, I was watching TV shows that were before my time, like Leave it to Beaver and Blondie and, of course, I Love Lucy. And now, I still love the shows from the past. In fact, my favorite TV show of all time is The Dick Van Dyke Show.

Why Good Times? And why now?

I have the entire Good Times series on DVD, and for the last few years, I’ve been watching it every day. It seemed that whenever I’d watch an episode, I would notice something different, something interesting, something I wished I could share with other fans of the show. Then, in 2020, I was interviewed by Will McKinley for GetTV about Good Times, and that just served to increase my obsession with the show. I initially thought of writing a book, especially with the 50-year anniversary of the show coming up in 2024, but I ultimately decided on a blog. It’s more immediate and it fits better with the other projects I have going on. It was the perfect marriage!

What do you like about Good Times?

How much time do you have? There are so many reasons. It’s set in my hometown of Chicago. It made history by being the first network television show to depict a Black nuclear family. It employs comedy to discuss a variety of societal ills, from poverty to child abuse to gang violence. It’s filmed in front of an enthusiastic and vocal live studio audience. The characters have numerous personality traits to admire and even emulate. And it’s funny!

What will you be writing about on your blog?

I will write about each of the 133 episodes of the show, including an overview of the plot, my personal insights, information about guest stars, and a discussion of the pop culture references, which are such a significant part of this series. I’ll also have posts that focus on each of the principal cast members, trivia, character analyses, and much more!

And what is the meaning behind the name of your blog?

It’s taken from a line in the show’s theme song (remember in the Stone Age when shows had words to their theme songs?): “Ain’t we lucky we got ‘em – Good Times!”

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A Big Thank You to Karen for doing this interview with us!

You can visit Karen’s new blog at goodtimesblog.com – there are already a few articles posted for you to enjoy!

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Classic TV, Interviews | Tagged Good Times | Leave a comment

Noir Nook: Best Noir of the Year – Part 2

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Noir Nook: Best Noir of the Year – Part 2

For last month’s Noir Nook, I started one of my favorite lists to date – the best film from each year of the classic noir era; Part 1 covered 1940 through 1949. For some of those years, I’ll admit, it wasn’t easy to come up with a single film, but it was always fun. And this month, I’m serving up Part 2: the years 1950 through 1959. Here goes…

1950:

Next to 1947, I think that 1950 may just be one of the greatest years for noir – in fact, I’m going out on a limb to say it just might be even better! After all, this is the year that gave us so many gems: The Breaking Point, D.O.A., Gun Crazy, In a Lonely Place, Night and the City, No Man of Her Own, Shakedown, Sunset Boulevard, The Damned Don’t Cry, Where the Sidewalk Ends… it’s an embarrassment of riches – how’s a person supposed to choose??? But I finally made my pick: The Asphalt Jungle. This classic heist film tells the tale of a motley crew of men who come together to knock off a jewelry store. Led by notorious career criminal Doc Reidenschneider (Sam Jaffe), the participants include the getaway driver (James Whitmore), who has a hunchback and loves cats; the expert safecracker (Anthony Caruso) with a devoted wife and young baby; and the small-time hood (Sterling Hayden) with a dream to return to his old Kentucky home. With a first-rate cast that also boasts memorable performances by Marilyn Monroe and Jean Hagen, The Asphalt Jungle is a nearly perfect noir.

1951:

Interestingly, my choice for 1951 came down to two films starring Kirk Douglas: Ace in the Hole and Detective Story. As it happens, Detective Story is freshest in my mind, as I recently saw it on the big screen at a film noir festival in Chicago. Still, I have to go with Ace in the Hole. This ripped-from-the-headlines film centers on Chuck Tatum (Douglas), a former big-time reporter who’s now stuck in the sticks covering quilting bees and county fairs. That is, until he learns that a local man is trapped in a cave, and he sees his path back to his former glory – as long as the luckless man stays put.

1952:

I gave serious thought to Scandal Sheet. And Narrow Margin almost made the cut. But for 1952, I had to give the nod to Sudden Fear: it stars Joan Crawford and Gloria Grahame, and it’s got a cracking good story with a perfectly satisfying noir ending. Crawford is Myra Hudson, a wealthy and successful playwright who marries actor Lester Blaine (Jack Palance) after a whirlwind romance. Myra is blissfully happy, but her joy subsides when she finds out that (1) her husband doesn’t love her, (2) her husband is stepping out with his old girlfriend, and (3) her husband and his old girlfriend are planning to kill her. Bummer.

1953:

Yikes – two excellent films for this year, either one of which could, on any given day, be considered the best noir of the year: The Big Heat and Pickup on South Street. On this given day, I decided to go with The Big Heat. Even if you’re not familiar with this film, you probably know about its most iconic scene, where Gloria Grahame gets a face full of scalding coffee courtesy of her brutish boyfriend, played by Lee Marvin. Glenn Ford stars as a crusading cop who is determined at all costs to find the man behind the murder of his wife. Toss in standout performances by Jeanette Nolan as the steely widow of a corrupt cop, and Alexander Scourby as a refined but scary gang leader, and you’ve got yourself a first-rate noir.

1954:

So far, 1954 is turning out to be my easiest year – my pick, hands-down, is Shield for Murder. One of my favorite underrated noirs, Shield for Murder stars Edmond O’Brien as Barney Nolan, described on the cover of the paperback source novel as “a trigger-happy cop who hid behind the law.” The film opens with Nolan murdering a local bookie and covering it up as self-defense. What he doesn’t know is that there is a witness to his crime. Three guesses as to what he does when he finds out – and the first two don’t count.

1955:

Yikes. From the easiest year to the hardest. How to choose between The Big Combo and New York Confidential?? I gave it lots of thought and finally had to select The Big Combo. It’s one of those films that I can see a hundred times and still catch myself smiling with appreciation. Cornel Wilde stars as Lt. Leonard Diamond, who has two obsessions: a ruthless gang leader named Mr. Brown (Richard Conte), and Mr. Brown’s alluring but unstable girlfriend, Susan Lowell (Jean Wallace, Wilde’s then-wife). Also on hand are Mingo (Earl Holliman) and Fante (Lee Van Cleef), two of Mr. Brown’s loyal minions, and Joe McClure (Brian Donlevy), the number two man in Mr. Brown’s operation who meets an end that will be seared into your consciousness.

1956:

A no brainer year. My pick is one of my all-time favorite films: The Killing. This time-bending masterpiece directed by Stanley Kubrick tells the story of an unusual assortment of men – mostly non-criminals, in the traditional sense – who unite to execute a flawlessly planned racetrack heist. The men include ex-con Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden), the mastermind of the scheme; racetrack bartender Mike O’Reilly (Joe Sawyer), who needs the cash from the heist to care for his invalid wife; and mousy racetrack cashier George Peatty (Elisha Cook, Jr.), who’s hoping the big payday will build some esteem for him in the eyes of his buxom, gold-digging wife, Sherry (Marie Windsor). The Killing, for my money, is not just the best noir of 1956, but one of noir’s best offerings overall – I’ve seen it on the big screen, I own it on VHS as well as DVD, and I never miss it when it airs on TV. (Am I being clear on how much I love this one?)

1957:

I’d love to choose Plunder Road as the best film of 1957 – it’s a neat little noir, rarely discussed, but thoroughly time-worthy. But I simply must pick Sweet Smell of Success. Riveting from start to finish, this film stars Burt Lancaster as Walter Winchell-like columnist J. J. Hunsecker, who rules the streets of New York like a king with his realm, and Tony Curtis, in what I consider to be the role of his career, as Sidney Falco, a slimy press agent who’ll stop at nothing to get ahead. There’s not a dull moment in this top-notch feature – it’s one of those I can’t see enough.

1958:

I discovered Murder By Contract just a few years ago, and I’ve seen it several times since. That’s how good it is. Vince Edwards (who ain’t no Dr. Ben Casey) is spellbinding as Claude, a cold-blooded hitman with one rule: he won’t accept contracts on women. So when he’s hired to kill a witness in a mob trial, he’s thrown for a loop when he finds out his target is on the distaff side. Featuring interesting characters, first-rate writing, and a unique jazz guitar score, this is one noir you won’t soon forget.

1959:

No question: my pick for 1959 is Odds Against Tomorrow, which is also the film that I consider to be the last of the classic noir era. Directed by Robert Wise, this story centers on former cop Dave Burke (Ed Begley), who hires ex-con Earle Slater (Robert Ryan) and musician Johnny Ingram (Harry Belafonte) to carry out a bank robbery. Integral to the success of the heist is the fact that Earle is white and Johnny is black – but the scheme is complicated by Earle’s unabashed racism. The superb cast includes Shelley Winters as Earle’s devoted girlfriend, and Gloria Grahame as their trampy neighbor. Keep your eyes peeled for the film’s climax, which is literally explosive, filled with irony, and one of noir’s most powerful.

And that wraps it up for the best noirs from each year of the classic era. What are your picks? Leave a comment and let me know!

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– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Karen’s Noir Nook articles here.

Posted in Noir Nook, Posts by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry | Tagged Ace in the hole, Alexander Scourby, anthony caruso, brian donlevy, burt lancaster, Cornel Wilde, d.o.a., Detective Story, earl holliman, Ed Begley, Edmond O'Brien, Elisha Cook Jr, film noir, glenn ford, gloria grahame, gun crazy, harry belafonte, in a lonely place, Jack palance, james whitmore, jean hagen, Jean Wallace, Jeanette Nolan, joan crawford, john agar, Kirk Douglas, lee marvin, Lee Van Cleef, Marie Windsor, marilyn monroe, Murder by Contract, New York Confidential, Night and the City, No Man of Her Own, Noir, Noir Nook, Odds Against Tomorrow, Pickup on South Street, Plunder Road, Richard Benedict, richard conte, robert ryan, Robert Wise, sam jaffe, Scandal Sheet, Shakedown, shelley winters, shield for murder, stanley kubrick, sterling hayden, Sudden Fear, Sunset Boulevard, Sweet Smell of Success, the asphalt jungle, the big combo, The Big Heat, The Breaking Point, the damned dont cry!, the killing, The Narrow Margin, tony curtis, Vince Edwards, Where the Sidewalk Ends | 3 Comments

Silver Screen Standards: The Blob (1958)

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Jennifer Garlen

Silver Screen Standards: The Blob (1958)

I have a candy corn sweet tooth when it comes to classic science fiction movies. I love the wacky, B movie cult classics of 1950s sci-fi, with their low-budget monsters, stiff as cardboard authority figures, and screaming masses of hysterical townspeople. The Blob (1958) is one of the most iconic of this genre of creature features, partly because of Steve McQueen as its heroic human protagonist but even more because of its oozy, red jelly alien menace bent on absorbing every hapless victim who crosses its path. I’ve never had the opportunity to take part in the annual Phoenixville Blobfest in Pennsylvania, which recreates the famous movie theater scene at the Colonial Theatre, where it was originally filmed, but I love the idea of this movie being celebrated every year by hundreds of screaming fans. The Blob is justly beloved by Blobfest attendees and campy sci-fi horror fans because it’s just that much fun, and its shortcomings as serious cinematic “Art” are part of its appeal.

The Blob (1958) Aneta Corsaut and Steve McQueen — As the first people to encounter the Blob and survive, Steve (Steve McQueen) and Jane (Aneta Corsaut) struggle to get the adults in town to believe that a murderous alien goo is on the loose.

You know you’re in for silly fun the moment the rollicking bop of a theme starts the show. No creepy orchestral mood music here! The Blob gets its groove on thanks to Burt Bacharach and Mack David, who created a musical introduction that makes the alien goo sound like an older killer cousin of Slinky, the stair-climbing plastic toy (the Slinky jingle actually didn’t appear until 1962). Bacharach’s more frequent writing partner was Mack’s brother, Hal David, with whom Bacharach wrote over a hundred songs in the 1960s, including hits for Dionne Warwick. The hip beat of the theme is very much in the Bacharach style, and it connects with the novelty song craze of 50s hits like Sheb Wooley’s “The Purple People Eater,” which also debuted in 1958 and was a Billboard chart topper.

The Blob (1958) Lee Payton nurse — Kate the nurse (Lee Payton) tries to defend herself against the Blob with acid, but soon all that will be left is her nurse’s hat.

The movie that follows this theme is certainly more novelty than nightmare, with many common tropes of the 50s sci-fi shocker in use and Steve McQueen, at 28, alarmingly mature for a high school student, but it’s never dull and never expects us to take it seriously. Conveniently playing a character also named Steve, McQueen might be long overdue for a GED but still displays that easy charisma that would soon make him a star, and we understand why girlfriend Jane (Aneta Corsaut) and the other local teens follow his lead. Corsaut would go on to lasting TV fame as the amiable sheriff’s girlfriend, Helen Crump, on The Andy Griffith Show. Beyond the two leads, it’s not a star-studded cast – the Blob is the real star, after all – but the actors playing the adults get some fun scenes as they encounter the Blob and succumb to its relentless appetite. Horror-comedy fans can certainly see its influence on later films, especially Gremlins (1984), which would make a perfect double feature with The Blob if you’re in the mood to see small town America overrun by bizarre intruders. More recently, the legacy of The Blob can be seen in the Wellington Paranormal Season Three episode, “Fatberg,” in which a huge mass of congealed fat threatens residents of the New Zealand community.

The Blob (1958) theatre — In the movie’s most celebrated scene, the Blob threatens the Colonial Theatre during a packed midnight horror show.

The special effects created by Bart Sloane and Valley Forge Films hold up surprisingly well, thanks to a practical approach that employs simple techniques like stop motion to bring the goo to life. The use of garish DeLuxe Color pays off, too; we can see the Blob grow more bloated and crimson as it absorbs more townspeople, until it’s rolling over the Downingtown Diner like a giant mass of raspberry jam. More humanoid aliens from 50s sci-fi suffer from the limitations of a guy in a suit, but the Blob doesn’t have a face, or a voice, or any trappings of sentience about it. It’s just a relentless, devouring mass that absorbs frightened old men and nurses as eagerly as it consumes whole bars full of patrons. By the time we reach the climax, local police officer Dave (Earl Rowe) estimates that the oozy alien has killed 40 or 50 people, most of those entirely offscreen. We don’t need to see the actual process to understand the fate of those digested by the Blob, and the picture wisely suggests deaths without trying to document the gruesome stages by which live people are dissolved.

The Blob (1958) basement stairs — Undaunted by doors or windows, the Blob just oozes under, around, and through all obstacles, making the basement of the Downingtown Diner a poor choice of hiding places.

Despite its general sense of fun, The Blob ends with a disturbingly timely warning, as the ooze will only stay safely contained “as long as the Arctic stays cold.” Its final message of “The End?” has already inspired a 1972 sequel, Beware! The Blob, and a more graphic 1988 remake, also called The Blob. For more silly sci-fi scares from the 1950s, check out some of my other favorites, including Them! (1954), Fiend Without a Face (1958), The Alligator People (1959), and Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959). Director Irvin Yeaworth, who mostly made religious and educational films, also turned out a handful of other shockers, including 4D Man (1959), but The Blob is far and away the best known of his films.

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— Jennifer Garlen for Classic Movie Hub

Jennifer Garlen pens our monthly Silver Screen Standards column. You can read all of Jennifer’s Silver Screen Standards articles here.

Jennifer is a former college professor with a PhD in English Literature and a lifelong obsession with film. She writes about classic movies at her blog, Virtual Virago, and presents classic film programs for lifetime learning groups and retirement communities. She’s the author of Beyond Casablanca: 100 Classic Movies Worth Watching and its sequel, Beyond Casablanca II: 101 Classic Movies Worth Watching, and she is also the co-editor of two books about the works of Jim Henson.