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Sunday 8-14-10……….A NOIR CITY DOUBLE FEATURE!
Larceny (1948) – Noir City
Directed by George Sherman. Screenplay by William Bowers, Herbert H. Margolis and Lou Morheim from the novel “The Velvet Fleece” by Lois Eby and John Fleming. Starring John Payne, Joan Caulfield, Dan Duryea and Shelley Winters.
Two grifters try to con a war widow out of her fortune. Complications ensue, mainly due to pesky human emotions. Not enough Dan Duryea, but a great performance by Shelley Winters as a tramp with a heart of tramp.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
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The Hunted (1948) – Noir City
Directed by Jack Bernhard. Screenplay by Steve Fisher (Hey! He wrote that story I read on Thursday!). Starring Belita, Preston Foster and Charles McGraw.
An ice-skating blonde gets out of prison to return to her cop-boyfriend that put her away. Does she love him? Will she kill him? Who really stole those diamonds. Nice interaction between the cop and the girl, but I had a hard time getting settled into this one.
2.5 out of 5 stars.
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Once again, Alan K. Rode introduced both of these films and held Q & A’s afterwards.
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I also read the short story “Eight Ball” by Scott Wolven. Wolven is a great, great, great short story writer. His collection, CONTOLLED BURN, is required reading for fans of hardboiled literature.
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Monday 8-15-10
Chicago Deadline (1949) – Noir City
Directed by Lewis Allen. Screenplay by Warren Duff from the novel “One Woman” by Tiffany Thayer. Starring Alan Ladd, Donna Reed and June Havoc.
Reporter Alan Ladd finds a dead girl and becomes obsessed with finding out about her life. Lots of nice late-1940’s Chicago footage, especially Michigan Avenue. This was good, but I just can’t stay interested in investigator journey stories anymore. Whether they’re cops, private eyes or reporters, I get bored with go-here-and-interview-this-person, then go-there-and-interview-that-person, then check-in-with-the-boss, then go-interview-this-person.
Foster Hirsch took over hosting duties from Alan K. Rode by introducing the film and holding a Q & A afterwards.
2.5 out of 5 stars.
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I also read the short story “For the Rest of Her Life” by Cornell Woolrich. Woolrich is a bleak, depressing master of noir who lived a bleak, depressing life.