Nightfall

Nightfall: Aldo Ray and Anne Bancroft star, and Brian Keith and James Gregory are featured in this 1956 thriller about a man on the run from the police and a couple of killers. Jacques Tourneur directed this low budget film at the end of the film noir era. It is based on a story by famed crime writer David Goodis, and beautifully photographed by Burnett Guffey. The film also features a Hollywood fashion show for those interested in what well-dressed ladies were wearing in the 1950s.79 minutes. CC.

What sets this film apart from other crime thrillers is the love affair that develops between the leading characters. Anne Bancroft and Aldo Ray, an improbable pair, have real chemistry in this film. Eddie Muller's outro provides excellent background on them and the other players.

Aldo Ray and Anne Bancroft

 

Out of the Past

Out of the Past: Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer star in this 1947 film noir about a former private detective who is forced to get involved in a search for a gangster’s girlfriend. Mitchum plays the detective and I believe this early role is the best thing he ever did in his long career. Greer plays the sultry moll, and this one film makes her one of the top femme fatales in movie history. A young Kirk Douglas plays the gangster, and it is obvious that he is on the road to stardom. 97 minutes. CC.

Jacques Tourneur directed this film noir classic that critics rank among the top three of the genre. Eddie Muller of TCM's Noir Alley ranks it at the top of his list along with Double Indemnity. Here is a link to his intro. ###

Jane Greer and Robert Mitchum