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After NTTD I tend to think of Elliot Gould as the Daniel Craig of Marlowe portrayals:
Gould's Marlowe feeds his cat (something Bogart would never be caught dead doing), and Craig's Bond feeds his kid (something Connery would never be caught dead doing).
You might have something there, as both Gould and Craig are my least favourite in their respective characters. ;) Though there are still some Marlowe films I need to get around to seeing. Of those I have seen...
1. Mitchum
2. Caan
3. Bogie
4. Garner
5. Powell
6. Gould
I suppose my ranking would be:
1. Bogie
2. Mitchum
3. Powell
4. Powers Boothe
5. Caan
6. Robert Montgomery
7. Gould
8. Garner
9. George Montgomery
I have yet to see Danny Glover's take on the role. James Garner is one of my favorite actors and heroes, but his Marlowe was closer to Jim Rockford and that film, IMO lacks a noir feeling.
https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2022/03/the-very-polite-letters-behind-double-indemnity/
Note from James M. Cain to Fred MacMurrary
The ultimate praise from the creator of the character, it must have been a proud moment for MacMurrary. That reminds me I really should revisit The Postman Always Rings Twice.
As iconic as DOUBLE INDEMNITY is, I actually prefer THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE. Mostly because I'm on a huge Lana Turner fixation lately and I'm also a big John Garfield fan.
I have two huge boxes full of DVD's in storage I am pretty sure I have The Postman Always Rings Twice I may have the Remake also. I am going to designate a shelf to Noir and Crime Thrillers next to my PC (I have started watching a lot of classic films on my PC since I upgraded) I will sift through my storage. Its about time I started watching all the films I did decades ago, contemporary film really does not appeal to me right now.
In my youth Bogart, Cagney and Edward G. Robinson were films I bought from that era. Just looking at my copy of Key Largo now great movie.
When I was a kid just getting into classic films, Bogart, Cagney and Robinson were my heroes. I loved the '30's era Warner Bros gangster films.
Really?! I had no idea! =))
James M. Cain actually wrote the POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE before DOUBLE INDEMNITY. And while they share a similar overall plot, both have very different vibes IMO.
In POSTMAN, there are times when we actually identify with Turner’s Cora Smith. Cora really does want to work hard and make the Twin Oats Dinner successful; dreams that are derailed when her husband decides to move so that she can take care of his dying sister. The fact that he doesn’t consult her about this decision is another factor which allows the audience to have a degree of sympathy for her character.
While issues between Barbara Stanwyck’s Phyllis Dietrichson and her husband are alluded to, I never have any degree of empathy with her character. She is a femme fatale through and through.
I generally prefer DOUBLE INDEMNITY to POSTMAN, but both are excellent films.
@Fire_and_Ice_Returns. Speaking of KEY LARGO, Claire Trevor is also excellent in the noirs MURDER, MY SWEET and (especially) BORN TO KILL. And back to KEY LARGO....
THE BIG SLEEP remains my all time favorite film, (though OUT OF THE PAST is close).
I have a close friend who is just getting into noir with DOUBLE INDEMNITY being one of his favorites so far. In fact he was the friend I dragged along to that wonderful double feature ages ago. He is a bit more generous in his definitions of noir: CASABLANCA and classic television shows like SPENSER FOR HIRE and MAGNUM P.I. he feels can qualify.
Here's one I'm on the fence with:
SIROCCO (1951)
What do you think, @Dwayne ?
Noir or not?
I like it. It's got Lee J Cobb, Nick Dennis and Zero Mostel alongside Bogie.
Sheer coincidence I am watching a film with Lee J Cobb now, the Noir The Man Who Cheated Himself first time watch. Its also stars John Dall.
Lee J. Cobb - The romantic lead!!! :))
Jane Wyatt - Spock's Mother and the mother in TV's Father Knows Best as the femme fatale!!! =))
Yet it somehow works...and works very well. And (as you stated) you have John Dall. Of real note, to we media hounds is the presence of Lisa Howard. After her brief acting career was over, Ms. Howard became - for a time - a kind of early 1960's version of Barbara Walters.
If you don't already have it, I highly recommend the Flicker Alley restored blu-ray of the film.
I was just thinking that Jane Wyatt (Spock's Mum) appears misscast. Lee J. Cobb is really underplaying his role.
I am watching it on late night TV, I was channel hopping and stumbled upon it.
I read there was a recent restoration.
Edited: Odd film it certainly had good moments and some interesting locations and camera shots. At times it seemed to drift into kitchen sink drama territory. Jane Wyatts character I would stay well clear 😂
Sad news James Caan has passed away.
Damn, We were just talking about him on this thread.
Saddened to hear of his passing.
Alas looking through my DVD storage I did not find much Noir my copies of Touch of Evil, The Maltese Falcon, To Have and Have Not and The Asphalt Jungle to name a few were all on VHS which I threw away years ago.
I thought some of these films were on DVD, well it gives me a good reason to seek out the Blurays or 4K versions.
I'll have to watch that Marlowe film again. It's one I haven't seen a million times.
I enjoyed it though the scene in Marlowe's apartment with the girl (I forget her name) as good as it was dragged a little, the story was good as expected though the adaption felt like it omitted a lot. Definitely worth a watch, Chandlers dialogue is just superb.
Thatis where I found The Brasher Doubloon there is a lot of Marlowe content YouTube. I have saved a few Noir playlists to look at later.
Pretty convenient they turn up on Youtube. That's where I caught I THE JURY amongst others.
I will add I THE JURY to my playlist.
I am looking to purchase The Big Heat with 'Supermans' Dad Glenn Ford, that movie is very highly rated and not sure I have watched it.
As for THE BIG HEAT[/b], if you haven’t seen it before you are in for a big treat. In addition to Glenn Ford, you have Lee Marvin Jeanette Nolan and Jocelyn Brando (Marlon Brando’s sister). And – most importantly – you have the always lovely Gloria Grahame (as Lee Marvin’s moll GF).
I’ve used this gif a few times on these forums to express my mood!:))
THE BIG HEAT, can be thought of (IMO anyway) as the grandfather of all of the various “good cop takes on the mob and his own corrupt system” films. Interestingly, it is the Gloria’s character (Debbie Marsh) that eventually takes the mob down, and not Ford.
A really fun watch, just be sure to make sure that your coffee pot isn’t on when you watch!!!!
PS. “Sisters under the mink” would make a cool name for an indie new-wave band, but I'll settle for a good coffee mug.
Lee Marvin then there is a good chance I have seen it though remember very little, most of my education in Film was in my youth then I neglected a lot of Film for decades as life got in the way. I am revisiting and discovering new films now in my old age lol
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Speaking of I, the Jury, anybody ever read the book? I haven't, only a few reviews, but I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on the quality of Mickey Spillane's writing.
I read several of Mickey Spillane's books. He's pretty brutal and they're very pulpy. I, THE JURY was one of my favorites.