The Postman Always Rings Twice Overview:

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) was a Crime - Drama Film directed by Tay Garnett and produced by Carey Wilson.

The film was based on the novel of the same name written by James M. Cain published in 1934.

BlogHub Articles:

Noirvember Day 14: The Postman Always Rings Twice Quiz

By shadowsandsatin on Nov 14, 2024 From Shadows and Satin

I love lots of things ? watching old episodes of Biography (like the ones I saw today on Robert McCormick and Ma Barker), rearranging furniture, making lists . . . And taking classic movie quizzes. I hope you do, too, because this Noirvember, Thursday is quiz day, so you know what that means! Time t... Read full article


Pierre Chenal's 1939 Adaptation of James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice"

By The Lady Eve on Oct 28, 2016 From Lady Eve's Reel Life

SAN FRANCISCO'S 3RD FRENCH FILM NOIR FESTIVAL COMES TO THE ROXIE THEATER From Thursday, November 3, through Monday, November 7, San Francisco's Roxie Theater will host the city's third annual French film noir festival, The French Had a Name For It 3. Fifteen films are set to screen, and opening nig... Read full article


Pierre Chenal's 1939 Adaptation of James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice"

By The Lady Eve on Oct 28, 2016 From Lady Eve's Reel Life

SAN FRANCISCO'S 3RD FRENCH FILM NOIR FESTIVAL COMES TO THE ROXIE THEATER From Thursday, November 3, through Monday, November 7, San Francisco's Roxie Theater will host the city's third annual French film noir festival, The French Had a Name For It 3. Fifteen films are set to screen, and opening nig... Read full article


Pierre Chenal's 1939 Adaptation of James M. Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice"

By The Lady Eve on Oct 28, 2016 From Lady Eve's Reel Life

SAN FRANCISCO'S 3RD FRENCH FILM NOIR FESTIVAL COMES TO THE ROXIE THEATER From Thursday, November 3, through Monday, November 7, San Francisco's Roxie Theater will host the city's third annual French film noir festival, The French Had a Name For It 3. Fifteen films are set to screen, and opening nig... Read full article


The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) – Updated

By 4 Star Film Fan on May 18, 2015 From 4 Star Films

The first time I saw this gripping noir, my least favorite part of the film probably was the title, and it still is. That’s saying a lot, and the film is adapted from the James M. Cain crime novel anyways, with title included free of charge. Otherwise, Postman is a wonderful example of the fil... Read full article


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Quotes from

Cora Smith: It's too bad Nick took the car.
Frank Chambers: Even if it was here we couldn't take it, unless we'd want to spend the night in jail. Stealing a man's wife, that's nothing, but stealing a man's car, that's larceny.


Nick Smith: [about his plan to sell Twin Oaks and move to Canada to take care of his sister] My mind's made up.
Cora Smith: So, you've given it a great deal of thought, your mind's made up? Without even talking it over with me, your mind's made up. Well, mine isn't!
Nick Smith: [coldly] That's too bad.


[Arthur Keats enters, closes the door]
Cora Smith: If it's the last thing I do, I'll put you out of business. There must be a law, even for lawyers.
Arthur Keats: Of course you know the district attorney fooled you into that confession, don't you? And you fell for it, both of you.
[small hrmph]
Arthur Keats: He planned to get you working against each other. Don't you see?
Cora Smith: You bet I see.
[turning to Frank]
Cora Smith: So when Sackett couldn't get anything out of me, he started in on you, and right away you turned yellow.
Arthur Keats: Yellow? Yellow is a color you figure on in a murder, and nobody figures it better than Kyle Sackett.
[to Frank]
Arthur Keats: That was Sackett's trump card. Once he tricked you into signing that complaint against her, he knew no power on earth could keep you
[to Cora]
Arthur Keats: from turning on him.
[back to Frank]
Arthur Keats: That way he gets you both.
Cora Smith: If you knew all that, why didn't you stop me from confessing?
Arthur Keats: Oh, I tried. I tried, but nobody could've stopped you. However, now that you've got it off your chest...
[moving to door, opening it]
Arthur Keats: Kennedy?
Ezra Liam Kennedy: Yes, sir?
[enters]
Arthur Keats: [closes door] That confession Mrs. Smith signed. What did you do with it?
Ezra Liam Kennedy: I gave it to Jimmy White to lock up in your safe like you told me to.
Arthur Keats: [opening door] That's all.
[Kennedy leaves, he closes door]
Cora Smith: You mean he's not from the D.A.'s office?
Frank Chambers: He's a plainclothes dick if I ever saw one.
Arthur Keats: He used to be a dick, but he's not a dick anymore. He works for me no

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Facts about

It took 12 years to adapt the explicit material (by 1940 standards) of the novel into a screenplay tame enough to comply with the Production Code prevalent at the time.
After the first murder attempt, Nick is hospitalized in Blair General Hospital, also the locale for MGM's Dr. Kildare franchise.
This movie's title has often erroneously been referred to as The Postman Always Knocks Twice.
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Also directed by Tay Garnett




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Also produced by Carey Wilson




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Also released in 1946




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