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Asphalt Jungle (1950)

You have a lot of time to think when you're locked away seven years. So criminal mastermind Doc conceives what he believes is the perfect heist. John Huston explores the feverish grab for the big score and how it unravels in The Asphalt Jungle, a renowned tale of dishonor among thieves.

Gun Crazy (1949)

When gun fancier Bart Tare sees Annie Laurie Starr's sideshow sharpshooting act, he's a dead-bang goner. The two become bank robbers on the run, eluding roadblocks and roaring into movie history as one of the benchmark film-noir works.

Murder My Sweet (1944)

They say crime doesn't pay. Private detective Philip Marlowe knows better. The fat wad of folding money warming his pocket is the kind of thing that keeps him going through thick and thicker as he wades chin deep into a mystery involving a missing necklace and a missing hoodlum's moll named Velma. Murder, My Sweet is film at its most noir, creating a moody sense moody sense of a world that never plays on the level.

Out of the Past (1947)

Everything you want in a film noir you'll find in Out of the Past. A tenacious detective (Robert Mitchum) spinning his wheels to make good. A drop-dead beauty (Jane Greer) up to no good. A moneyed mobster (Kirk Douglas) with a shark's grin. Plus double-crosses and fall guys. Shadowy rooms and bleak souls.

The Set-Up (1949)

Boxing Wednesdays. Wrestling on Fridays. Stoker Thompson is on Paradise City's Wednesday card, fighting after the main event. He's been 20 years in the game and is sure he's just one punch away from big paydays. But there's one thing Stoker doesn't yet know: his manager wants him to take a dive tonight.

I would have expected more posts here also...and it is one fantastic little collection. Including Gun Crazy and Out of the Past is worth having to eat Murder My Sweet (I just could never buy William Powell's performance in this...come to think of it, I don't think I've seen anything with William Powell that I could buy into with the exception of the Goldiggers movies).

As good as Asphalt Jungle and The Set-Up are, Out of the Past is just an amazingly effective noir and I think it's starting to become as iconic of the movement (or genre or style or...) as Double Indemnity is. Robert Mitchum is just so goddamn cool in this and the dialogue is just full of classic lines, with classic deliveries.

Warners has gotta have more of these stashed in the vaults.

Tribe

Tribe wrote:I would have expected more posts here also...and it is one fantastic little collection. Including Gun Crazy and Out of the Past is worth having to eat Murder My Sweet (I just could never buy William Powell's performance in this...come to think of it, I don't think I've seen anything with William Powell that I could buy into with the exception of the Goldiggers movies).

As good as Asphalt Jungle and The Set-Up are, Out of the Past is just an amazingly effective noir and I think it's starting to become as iconic of the movement (or genre or style or...) as Double Indemnity is. Robert Mitchum is just so goddamn cool in this and the dialogue is just full of classic lines, with classic deliveries.

Warners has gotta have more of these stashed in the vaults.

Tribe

I'm starting not to like William Powell either, but I do still like Dick Powell, who you actually mean.

Dick Powell (the guy from Murder My Sweet)



Here's William Powell:

Doh!

Tribe

I liked Murder, My Sweet, even though it is the weakest link of the box. From my point of view it's a fairly basic film noir, with some nice roles, some great shots and an interesting, if unfollowable, story. I'm one of those guys who only got into 'older cinema' with DVD's, and the only film out of this box I saw before was The Asphalt Jungle. I was mildly disappointed by Out of the Past, finding all it's plot-twists a little too much. I really liked the performances and the great atmosphere, but it somehow in my eyes lacked the greatness of making it on so many greatest-lists. I'm most excited about The Set-Up, which I found exhilarating, tight and very well acted, and Gun Crazy, which was just a pleasure to watch, tons of energy and great characters.
The box itself is really a great thing to have, all movies are well worth having in your collection and they look GREAT. The commentaries were okay, and I liked how each one had a different approach to the movies (from viewing them as an example to say more about film noir - Out of the Past commentary- to a more personal recollection -The Set-Up commentary-).

So, can anyone explain to my why Out of the Past is a truly great masterpiece, and not just a very fun, dark and well-made example of film noir?

(I just could never buy William Powell's performance in this...come to think of it, I don't think I've seen anything with William Powell that I could buy into with the exception of the Goldiggers movies).

Not that he needs it, but a little back patting for Dick Powell is in order, as he had one of the more interesting and varied careers during Hollywood's heyday. (I'm presuming you mean Dick!) Yes, he was in countless Warner musicals as the beau to the dame, the constantly wide-eyed hoofer and crooner who always seemed to winking at the audience. But he soon tired of this and ventured out. Preston Sturges used him brilliantly in Christmas in July, as did Rene Clair in It Happened Tomorrow. Then came noir - the best being Pitfall directed by Andre de Toth. Damn wish this was on DVD.

Then came directing, producing, writing (sometimes all at once - The Enemy Below a fine example), and a role as one of the original heavy hitters in trying to raise the standard of live television during the 50s with his Playhouse productions. Now that's a life.

What he saw in June Allyson however is another thing entirely.

I'd like to add a comment of applause to Out of the Past, it's definitely my favorite of the set. Tourneur layers the atmosphere extremely thick and let's Mitchum cut through it. Worth the price of the set alone, I think.

All the films are well worth the $40 I paid for the box, although I would agree that 'Murder, My Sweet' is easily the most forgettable.

The 'Set-Up' was the real revelation. I've never liked Robert Ryan, but in this it would take a heart of stone not to like him. The boxing scenes are far more realistic than any seen since. Not bad for late 40's.

There is an interesting segment on the commentary close to the beginning which is probably worth checking out as good old Robert Wise 'show off' director's who move the camera. Somewhat tactless considering his co-commentator!

I find dough-faced Dick Powell generally irritating (esp. in The Bad and the Beautiful) but I like him as a crooner in Flirtation Walk and The Gold Diggers of 1933. He's okay in Pitfall and Tall Target.

N. Wilson wrote:
The 'Set-Up' was the real revelation. I've never liked Robert Ryan, but in this it would take a heart of stone not to like him. The boxing scenes are far more realistic than any seen since. Not bad for late 40's.

I think The Set-Up is the forgotten gem of the set. Great boxing scenes and one of Ryan's best performances. Out Of The Past is great to me because of the sense of dread & fate that hangs over the entire film. It's as if every character in the film knows what is in store for them but are helpless to do anything about it.

flixyflox wrote:THE SET UP is certainlly Wise's best movie and Ryan is wonderful. In fact, along with Mitchum we probably need a major thread on these two actors.
Back to Ryan - here's a list off the top of my head of Ryan's outstanding Noir performances:
THE SET UP
CAUGHT
CROSSFIRE
ON DANGEROUS GROUND
CLASH BY NIGHT not to mention minor and non-Noir roles.

I'd probably go with The Day The Earth Stood Still as Wise's best film with The Haunting close behind. The Set-Up is certainly in the top five. Speaking of Robert Ryan, I generally liked his bad guy roles such as House of Bamboo and The Naked Spur....speaking of, has anybody heard of release in any region of Spur? One of my favorite Mann westerns.

Mnay of Wise's films are 'lessons in filmmaking', as I like to call them. The Set-Up is one of Wise's greatest films. I don't want to exaggerate, but almost every shot is perfect and Robert Ryan is absolutely amazing - he is always amazing.

I love Wise's, Odds Against Tomorrow. Only the preachy ending lets it down, but, as ever, Ryan is solid and it is beautifully shot.

Born to Kill is great. It's one of the most savage Noirs.

Wise is a fine filmmaker. Individually, his films get high praise - but he himself doesn't, really. A bit like Andre de Toth.

Man, I like this new board incarnation. Last time around everybody hated The Set-Up (which I agree is the best flick in the set, closely followed by Gun Crazy).

Here is a USA Today article that mentions Crossfire as being included in the next box set.

Great news that it's being moved up to 2005, we should have all the details on the upcoming chat. Warner has so many titles to choose from, it would really make my day if they included The Narrow Margin and Born to Kill in the set. My concern now that the "set" concept is such a big success is that Warner will be tempted to hold back titles and dilute future releases with "filler" titles. The noir and the gangster sets are both great because all the titles in each set are top notch, let's hope they don't forget that.

George Feltenstein mentioned that Crossfire will among the titles in the next Noir set in USA Today interview a few days ago: http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/new ... main_x.htm

"The new collection will once again consist of five films, available individually ($20 each) or as a box set ($50). Most of the films come from the Warner-owned RKO library, including Crossfire, the 1947 murder mystery starring Robert Young and Robert Mitchum."

I reckon that The Narrow Margin will also be included, though I am not sure about Born To Kill. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it has become pretty obscure over the years - all the more reason to give it a new lease of life, I suppose.

On Dangerous Ground is also likely.

I'd gladly bear the children of anyone who could guarantee the inclusion of "Lady in the Lake" in this set.

Sure, it'd be messy come delivery time, but oh so worth it.

-BJ

Lady in the Lake is a weak Noir and a weak Chandler adaptation. But it has its fans.

Don't know what it is, but I just dig "Lady in the Lake." Sometimes I just like things that aren't perfect... that's me.

-BJ

Great news that this will be sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed that at least one Lang will make it - The Woman in the Window or Clash by Night. I'd love to see Bobby Driscoll in The Window as well.

devlinnn wrote:I'd love to see Bobby Driscoll in The Window as well.

A terrific little film, this. Brilliant, if atypical, noir. I guess that if we keep buying their Film Noir boxes, Warner will keep putting them out, but I hope this one is sooner rather than later.

My guess of the five are (all RKO releases)

- Cornered
- Woman in the Window
- Angel Face
- The Narrow Margin
- Crossfire (confirmed)

if an MGM is included, it will be Lady in the Lake

alandau wrote:My guess of the five are (all RKO releases)

- Cornered
- Woman in the Window
- Angel Face
- The Narrow Margin
- Crossfire (confirmed)

if an MGM is included, it will be Lady in the Lake

I for one would be thrilled with that list. I hope a line-up is announced at the Warner chat. I've finally made the plunge with a region free player and there are several noirs that I've got my eye on.

As far as I know Woman in the Window is a U/A title currently held by MGM, and soon Sony.
One title I believe is held by Warners is They Live by Night directed by Nicholas Ray. It was released by RKO, but there are a few films that slip through -like Pursued, and it might be owned by another studio.
I think They Live by Night is one of the greatest films of the 1940's, and a wonderful Noir.

P.S. I would not be totally suprised if one of the titles were a 2 disc SE of something previously released. I think it is a little too soon for a SE of The Maltese Falcon -as of last years chat it was only in the discussion stages- but I could see them including a re-release of something.

I'd be very happy to see Lady in the Lake in there as well. There are some hysterical (on purpose!) one-liners I'm looking forward to revisiting.

Although the joys of it are less for noirish reasons than for sheer oddity.