Director: Jules Dassin
Producer: Samuel G. Engel
Screenwriter: Jo Esinger
Cinematographer: Max Greene
Music: Franz Waxman
Studio: 20th Century Fox 1950
Main Acting: Richard Widmark and Gene Tierney
Night and the City was filmed in London by an American director and three principle American actors. It was produced by 20th Century Fox and moved out of the country to better protect Jules Dassin from the impending blacklist he would face in the very near future. Darryl Zanuck was key in getting the film made and allowing the foreign setting to materialize. The U.S. version was also truer to Dassin’s overall intention, as it kept the bleak ending and was scored by the filmmaker’s choice of Franz Waxman instead of Benjamin Frankel. Still, in many ways, this 1950 film noir is as much an English production as it is a Hollywood one. A menacing London is the heart of all of the action and the rest of the cast and crew was composed of local talent. Chock full of more shadowy, sinister backdrops than any New York or Los Angeles location, the world inhabited by Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark) is one infused with peril and continuously broken ambitions. As the most clear-cut “fusion noir” ever created, Night And The City can rightly contend as not only the greatest American noir, but the most effective British one as well. Here is the picture that I personally would recommend a film-noir newbie watch to understand the classic movement. It can’t possibly get any better than this…
Jules Dassin and Max Greene really put together a technical marvel with this film. A rich, baroque, stylized mise-en-scene that is as busy and wonderful to look at as any directed by Welles or Siodmak. The chiaroscuro lighting and dark cloud of misery that hovers over our protagonist is one of the bleakest ever managed. It would not be much of a stretch to say that Dassin was not in the best of moods during this harrowing period. He was already, for all intents and purposes, exiled from his homeland without any sort of reassurance he would ever direct again. Night And The City looks like a film being made by a creative artist who knows his time in the spotlight is almost up, and has decided to reach for the celluloid summit or put every last ounce of expertise into his last effort. The movie refuses to pander or allow any sort of sentimentality. This is a long and draining ride through an existential nightmare that is far more authentic than merely filming a great script. This is the hopelessness that a great cinematic talent knows he will soon endure and trying to fight away that encroaching pestilence with sweat and tears. Film noir agony and pathos bathed in real-life hardships that make every image ring with a ragged desperate synergy.
“Harry is an artist without an art.”
These are telling words coming from Adam Dunne (played by Hugh Marlowe) as Mary Bristol (Gene Tierney) asks to borrow three pounds to give to her lover, Harry. They get at the root cause of Fabian’s dilemma. He is a bright guy who can’t seem to succeed in life. It has nothing to do with smarts or ambition, but more to do with his erratic temperament and forever restless nature. He is a man that has not found the proper conduit to funnel all of his boundless energy into. Instead, Fabian is lost in the shadows, forever cooking up a new grift or hustle to make the big time. Unfortunately, the easy road has been closed off to him. Deep down, he is an unhappy soul who, like most noir characters, can’t find a worthwhile connection to his environment and fellow man. Every scheme is subconsciously torpedoed due to his inability to truly believe his own self-worth. Bad choice after bad choice serve only to administer another bout of misery that further deepens his alienation. Deserted by everyone but Mary at the end, his one good act of sacrificing his life for her monetary welfare, is a final moment of goodness and a cry for eternal peace. As Mazurki throws his body into the Thames, I’m reminded of Laird Cregar’s mention of how still water runs dark and deep in The Lodger. Maybe once and for all, Harry Fabian can finally let go of the unrequited search for his life’s calling.
“I don’t want any help. I just want to sit down and rest. I can’t run anymore.”
Night And The City is far from a feel-good movie. Its central theme of failed ambition and wavering bonds, both romantic and familial, are rendered for maximum effects. We see many groups of people facing betrayals and double crosses, most committed out of self-preservation and a selfish desire to protect one’s own interests over another. Very similar indeed, to the blacklisted testimonials from artists who wanted to keep their own careers intact by sacrificing the well-being of others. It should also be noted that the role of fate plays a big part in Harry Fabian’s life. The colossal failure of his wrestling enterprise was for once, not entirely his own fault. An ugly twist of circumstance leads to his well-conceived plan slowly unraveling and backfiring. All these noir touchstones are diced up and included in Jo Eisinger’s powerful script. The fatalistic journey adheres to many noir conventions and augment them to uncompromising levels. Everything is amped up to the nth degree, from visuals right down to the pessimistic and dour core of Dassin’s interests in this gloomy stretch of city, a nightmare world that takes noir to the farthest reaches of expressionism. It’s a great adaptation of Gerald Kersh’s book even though the filmmaker never even bother to read it.
Like most classic film noir, Night And The City was remade in a inferior version in 1992 that everyone has gladly forgotten about. Nostalgia for a different time makes us think that older audiences had more sophisticated and refined tastes than we do today. In truth though Dassin’s film (like many great noirs) bombed at the box office and did very poorly. Audiences stayed home or most likely went to see something more upbeat. Dassin would need to wait five more years before making his third masterpiece, Rififi. It was a long and torturous hiatus that watched him slowly go broke. How he must have related to Harry Fabian and empathized with his harrowing plight. Making matters worse, the director actually held dominion over an art form, but was unable to command it over lousy politics.
Night And The City….. a staggering masterpiece.
I thank everyone who followed this countdown and contributed their comments.
It’s a great film, Maurizio, but you cannot talk of it as the best British noir without seeing Brighton Rock (its superior). It is like saying Elgar is the greatest British composer but not listening to Purcell.
Still, congrats on getting to the end. Take a well-earned break, old son.
I have seen Brighton Rock and would place it in the top three with this and The Third Man for Brit noirs. Brighton Rock was ineligible due to my strict guidelines, but I still like Night And The City slightly more (Brighton has no significant ties to America, which the other two possess, thus the exclusion). All three are ***** obviously.
Oh Yeah I sure will take a break after today or tomorrow…
Where has the pay pal account been set up to send Maurizio a ten spot so he can go buy himself a drink on us? Congrats and cheers on a great countdown.
Ironic that your strict imposed ‘American only’ countdown would allow 1 of the two foreign films to reside at the top spot. A great film, hardly a quibble from me, even if it wouldn’t get my top spot, or even top 5.
I’ll need to see this and BRIGHTON back to back or relatively close together to decide which I like ‘better’, as you say they’re both superb, first rate films.
Well Night And The City really was an American film that was moved over to London to keep Dassin working. It’s a half and half overall, but the irony is worth noting lol.
A worthy and brilliant no. 1 choice. I’ve only just recently seen it and can’t get Harry Fabian out of my head – his smug little face when taunting Herbert Lom, whilst hitting the punching bag, has to be one of my highlights.
A brilliant series and one that’s reminded me of several gems I’ve yet to see, I’ve enjoyed the whole thing immensely.
cheers!
Thanks for the compliment Ibetolis. Yeah Harry Fabian is a unforgettable character in the noir universe and beyond it.
I strongly disagree with Allan on the statement he made here. I have seen BRIGHTON ROCK, have owned it on DVD for years, and just this week received the blu ray in the mail. It is NOT a better film than NIGHT AND THE CITY, though it is great and it makes my own Top 10.
As I stated earlier this week I am ready to stage a celebration in my home town after this thrilling selection. What were the chances that Maurizio and I would settle on the same #1 film, and one that’s a bit off the regular track? I could say so much about the film, but I’ll settle here to let this great, defining review serves as the final word. My own discussion of the film was posted many months back here at WitD after I viewed the film during noir weekend at the Jersey City Loews:
Maurizio must be toasted for his stupendous work here, the scope of originality and personal conviction in this countdown, and at the end of the day GREAT numerical placements and progressively outstanding essays. You have served the form magnificently my friend, and have given noir lovers an eternal reference for their own examinations of this great form.
As promised, I would present my own personal Top 50 noirs on this thread. So many made Maurizio’s great list:
1. Night in the City (Dassin)
2. The Third Man (Reed)
3. You Only Live Once (Lang)
4. On Dangerous Ground (Ray)
5. Out of the Past (Tourneur)
6. In A Lonely Place (Ray)
7. Sunset Boulevard (Wilder)
8. The Set-Up (Wise)
9. Double Indemnity (Wilder)
10. Brighton Rock
11. The Night of the Hunter (Laughton)
12. Clash by Night (Lang)
13. Le Circle Rouge
14. The Big Heat (Lang)
15. Raw Deal (Mann)
16. Rififfi (Dassin)
17. The Spiral Staircase (Siodmak)
18. The Prowler (Losey)
19. The Maltese Falson (Huson)
20. The Killing (Kubrick)
21. Kiss Me Deadly (Aldrich)
22. Force of Evil (Polonsky)
23. Le Samurai (Mellville)
24. Ossessione (Visconti)
25. The Big Sleep (Hawks)
26. The Ministry of Fear (Lang)
27. Sweet Smell of Success (Mackendrick)
28. House by the River (Lang)
29. Nightmare Alley (Goulding)
30. Scarlet Street (Lang)
31. Criss Cross (Siodmak)
32. Mildred Pierce (Curtiz)
33. They Live by Night (Ray)
34. Detour (Ulmer)
35. Murder My Sweet (Dmytryk)
36. Pickup on South Street (Fuller)
37. D.O.A. (Mate)
38. Fury (Lang)
39. Ace in the Hole (Wilder)
40. Laura (Preminger)
41. Devil’s Doorway (Mann)
42. Le Doulos (Melville)
43. They Drive by Night (1938; Woods)
44. Leave Her to Heaven (Stahl)
45. This Reckless Moment (Ophuls)
46. Thieves Highway (Dassin)
47. The Asphalt Jungle (Huston)
48. The Killers (Siodmak)
49. The Naked City (Dassin)
50. Border Incident (Mann)
Take a bow Maurizio! Take ten in fact. You’ve reached the top of that mountain!
I was under the impression a separate post would contain lists, if not I’ll get started on my own.
Great list though Sam, when I get a moment I’ll return with more comments, but initially I love the personality of, say 41 and 4. I love how high you have Le Circle Rouge and that all era’s are virtually represented.
Well I didn’t want to add another post and bump yours further down Jamie. I figured everyone could post a list here or I would add a separate entry tomorrow if no one attempted one. I see the big honcho has taken control of the situation (thankfully) so this will be the thread that everyone can post their own respective lists…. that includes you Dee Dee!!!
OK will do. Coffee in had over lunch I’ll be in deep deliberation. I’ll try and take a unique spin.
Massive list Sam. I knew you loved Night And The City, but I had no idea it was your absolute top pick. It really is an interesting development that we both pick a movie that is generally considered great, but not usually designated for the top spot like Double Indemnity or Out Of The Past. I thank you for allowing me to do this countdown and I added a sly little nod of recognition at the end of the piece…
I read that link you did for the Diary and I hope everyone clicks it as well. You further add why Night And The City is perhaps the greatest noir of all. I own the region 2 DVD of Brighton Rock, lovely film. I may put together a list of my favorite foreign noirs in a bit.
Can tell you haven;t watched Brighton Rock enough, you don’t even know the director…LOL
Sam’s angry response in 3…2…1… (you 2 kill me!)
They need a show on TV. Not sure how Allan would be in front of a camera, but Sam has quite the knack for it based on those Oscar/Musical countdown videos.
Actually I left the director off TWO of the entries, so it’s more in line with typographical oversight.
Thanks for that Maurizio! We should do something.
Now that would be my dream TV/Youtube project.
Keeping the same rules that were applied to the list, 1941-1958 etc., this is what I would call my top 10 favorite noirs, without going back and reviewing some of the ones I know I need to see again.
1. Touch of Evil – Welles
2. Out of the Past – Tourneur
3. Sunset Boulevard – Wilder
4. The Maltese Falcon – Huston
5. The Sweet Smell of Success – Mackendrick
6. Kiss Me Deadly – Aldrich
7. The Third Man – Reed
8. Night of the Hunter – Laughton
9. The Big Heat – Lang
10. Pickup on South St. – Fuller
I had a few others knocking on the door of the list like Double Indemnity (Wilder), The Killing (Kubrick), The Asphalt Jungle (Huston), and Gun Crazy (Lewis). I also realized though that if I didn’t hold myself to the same restrictions as far as country of release, but still kept the same time period, I would have included Stray Dog by Kurosawa (1949), and Elevator to the Gallows by Malle (1958) in my top 10. Now what would be really interesting is if we included all film noirs (neo, post or whatever) from anywhere, from all time periods in a top 10. It’s almost blowing my mind trying to think of that.
Originally Jon I was going to include Neo’s. It sure blew my mind or at least turned it into a puddle of indecisiveness. Your list is very solid though Pickup is a tad weaker than the company it keeps (including your nearlies).
I know what you mean, however Pickup I would place in my “personal favorite” category and probably wouldn’t expect many others to put it in the top 10. I’m a huge Fuller fan so I felt compelled to include it more than the others. I would replace it by Elevator to the Gallows if I changed the list to include France.
Also Sam, if I’m correct, you left off Touch of Evil. Was that on purpose? If so, what don’t you like about it?
Jon, TOUCH OF EVIL would have come up in the next five. I’ll admit I never found this film to be on the level as many others, though I don’t blame you in the least for placing on top. It’s general reputation is unquestioned.
Interesting that it doesn’t grab you. Some films are like that for me, but not this one for sure. Fair enough.
Maurizio, bravo to you on this countdown and all of your work. Your top 3 slots are films that I need to watch again, so I think you have done your job and gained my interest to see these. It’s probably been at least 10 years since I’ve seen this one, on an old VHS copy. I owe myself to watch your top 3 as I would never have put them in even my top 10 before, but I’ll give them a look-see. Now that you’re done though, I need to start thinking of my top 10.
Thanks for your participation Jon. I hope you post your own list here soon, as I am interested in seeing what falls where.
One of the bleakest movies I’ve watched, Night and the City drew a truly nightmarish picture of crime, corruption, human weakness, urban paranoia and existential angst. So its great to see the movie being ranked #1 in your countdown, though you’ve said it umpteen number of times that this high in the countdown, there’s hardly any difference in class between #1 and #10.
Its often said that the worst of times produces the best in an artiste. In fact in the other great Brit Noit, Carol Reed’s The Third Man, the iconic statement that Orson Welles’ character made which ended with “…cuckoo clock” is so true. And this incredible noir is a fascinating example of that.
“It would not be much of a stretch to say that Dassin was not in the best of moods during this harrowing period.” Indeed!
With McCarthy’s horrendous and utterly despicable witch-hunt having forced him to quit the US, Dassin must surely have thought that the whole world had turned against him. And in such a state of personal & professional crisis, he came up with this towering masterpiece which, in more ways than one, reflected his state of mind too.
Yet, on the contrary, had Jules Dassin not been subjected to what he was subjected to, he might never have made this truly devastating masterpiece… sounds cold & cynical, but I guess that’s something to ponder about. 🙂
By the way, I didn’t get time to log on to my system yesterday, so saw your post on The Killers, another favourite of mine, only today. As a token of appreciation, I’ve posted a comment there too, though I reckon the comments’ thread for that one has perhaps been closed. 🙂
As a final note, it has been an absolute pleasure following your marvelous Noir countdown, Maurizio, and joining in the discussion for the movies that I’ve been fortunate to have watched.
Thanks Shubs. I did read your response to The Killers, and I knew that you were a big fan, having read your 5 star capsule review posted on your blog Cinemascope. It really is amazing how bad times will lead to an explosion in creativity from artists. Jules Dassin was a master filmmaker with three great pictures. Thieves Highway started his ascent, and it probably is no accident that the threat of the blacklist spurred him on to further heights.
Maurizio, I might not call it the best but it’s one of the best. Massive props are due to Mike Mazurki, the young Herbert Lom and the once-in-a-lifetime find of Stanislaus Zybyszko, the performers who make the wrestling side of the story more than a sideshow. They could have been a powerful movie unto themselves, and as it is Night is probably the greatest movie ever made about professional wrestling, with only Arenofsky’s film challenging it. But I don’t want to distract from Widmark. I’ve seen a lot of movies lately that don’t really seem to know what to do with him. Whenever a writer or director figured it out, he revealed himself as one of the greatest noir actors.
I saw the remake before I saw the original and didn’t find it forgettable at all. DeNiro and especially Alan King are very good in it, but in retrospect I can see what was lost by the shift from UK to USA and from wrestling to boxing. I’d still call it a good film, but the original is great.
“They could have been a powerful movie unto themselves, and as it is Night is probably the greatest movie ever made about professional wrestling, with only Arenofsky’s film challenging it.”
I’d take the Rick Flair box set over THE WRESTLER 6 days a week and twice on Sunday.
One of the reasons I didn’t mention Mazurki’s role in Night And The City during the Nightmare Alley piece was because I had decided to place City in the top spot. I didn’t want to tip my hand about how wonderful he was Samuel. I did reedit that omission into an inclusion because the slight was to great!!! Yeah Widmark was a fine actor…
Congratulations, Maurizio, on a great list finally finished! I think the quality of the essays just got better as the list went on, and you went out on a high note.
I have not seen Night and the City either, (I haven’t seen any Dassin), and in the end I have seen only about a third of the top 50 picks, so I can’t give a full opinion on your placements. (Though I would say that I wouldn’t put The Spiral Staircase anywhere near the top 50!) I bow to your judgment, then, and hope to see most of these in the future.
For my own Top Ten, I would disregard a few of your rules and time limits, but restricting myself to black and white and roughly the classic noir time period, here’s what I would come up with:
1. M
2. The Third Man
3. The Night of the Hunter
4. Touch of Evil
5. Shadow of a Doubt
6. Sunset Boulevard
7. Out of the Past
8. Cape Fear
9. Gun Crazy
10. Double Indemnity
Of course, if I could include neo-noirs, Chinatown and Blade Runner would be on here as well.
As I tell Judy in another thread, I have had some doubts lately if The Spiral Staircase is indeed noir. I think it’s an absolute classic, but maybe not fit to be in a noir countdown. I still stand by including The Seventh Victim and Hangover Square though. Great list you provide Stephen. I am not a huge fan of either Cape Fear, but I know plenty of people who love that one.
And, I’m one of the people who would go to the may for CAPE FEAR (1962)…
CAPE FEAR (1991) that bloated and over-bearing piece of trash by Scorsese (yup, Scorsese) is a sin in comparison.
One of Robert Mitchum’s best performances. There, I said it…
I love a lot of these films and really like this list. Cape Fear I don’t love as much, but it looks like it’s a personal fav of yours. I didn’t include M on mine only because it’s much older.
Jon, I never considered M a noir, yet a number of people do. It’s my favorite German film of all time in any genre for sure.
Great list there Stephen! I never considered Fritz Lang’s M a noir, but you and a number of others have. I’d say it’s the greatest German-made film in the history of cinema.
Well, the way I see it, M basically invented 3 genres all on its own: The film noir, the serial killer movie, and the police procedural. So yes, it’s certainly the greatest German film I know of, and easily in my top ten greatest films of all time.
Absolutely Stephen, on every count!
Great work, Maurizio! Your project has installed such a fertile range of waywardness. You’ve introduced so many films I’ve never seen, and your excellent accounts have made me take note of them, to track them down.
Jim, I couldn’t agree with you more! Maurizio took the bull by the horns and navigated a splendid presentation!
Thanks Jim for your comment.
Not sure if I took the bull by the horns. More like the bull was ready to pierce me in the butt, and I scrambled to do something about it…
I tried to compose a top ten but it was futile! I’d have to have at least 13 to 14 and that’s without ‘The Lost Weekend’ and ‘The Naked City’ both of which I don’t consider part of the movement.
Passionate and brilliant countdown Maurizio, well done. It was so good, that I’m going to have to revisit some of them.
Always a special treat to have you chime in Bobby!
Thanks Bobby for the compliment.
MAURIZIO-
You owe Sam a $25.oo rental fee for the use of his time-worn and often over-used term “STAGGERING MASTERPIECE”. Only those with express written permission from the firm Hysterics and Juliano Inc. can use that catch-phrase here at WITD.
In any case…
WAY TO GO MAUR-EE-ZEE-OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
A big hand and a round of congratulations for you tireless devotion in bring us all a superlative count-down and, at least for me anyway, a truly educational and eye-opening journey through the cigarette-smoke clouded terrain of NOIR movies. I will admit that my eyes have been opened to a genre that I have never really taken seriously and now look forward to immersing myself in. Yesterdays selection of THE KILLERS got me excited and (thanx to DEE DEE offering the whole film up in a YOUTUBE window) I sat through its’ entire glorious runnning time. The film won me over and I found myself totally engrossed. I look forward to discovering and rediscovering a majority of the films that your amazing count brought to the spot-light…
Now, the embarrassing note of disjuncture…
(Sheepishly)….
Um, ah (gulp), wheez, um…
I’VE NEVER SEEN NIGHT AND THE CITY….
😦
SAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!
I feel that since everyone teases him about it, that term has largely gone missing on this blog. Sam needs to start throwing it out again with impunity. 100% correct on that written out example of how to say my name in Italian proper Dennis…. either an Azzurri jersey or Tarantella CD reward is in the mail. Unfortunately, The Snooki autobiography sold out already, which was shockingly rumored to be ghost written.
Yes Dee Dee came through in the clutch by posting The Killers. It makes up for her dodging any attempt at posting a film noir list lol. I’m 10,000% sure Sam has Night And The City on Criterion for you to see with outstanding visual audio qualities. A stellar release as usual from the company.
My inexpertice with noir has been shown, even if it’s a genre I’m mostly interested in, I’ll try to make a list of the best of the little amount I’ve seen of those listed here (http://www.theyshootpictures.com/noirchron.htm) so my list widens:
1. Vertigo (Hitchcock)
2. Breathless (Godard)
3. Citizen Kane (Welles)
4. Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Huston)
5. The Maltese Falcon (Huston)
6. M (Lang)
7. Rope (Hitchcock)
8. Shadow of a Doubt (Hitchcock)
9. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Siegel)
10. Strangers on a Train (Hitchcock)
11. Underworld (von Sternberg)
12. Shoot the Piano Player (Truffaut)
13. Saboteur (Hitchcock)
14. Cat People (Tourneur)
15. The Killing (Kubrick)
I have to agree…
Although I am the last guy in the world to be claiming expertize on this subject and genre, I must go along with JAIME and say that VERTIGO by Hitchcock is definately NOIR and one that should be taken into consideration.
That said, and IF Vertigo is ultimately accepted by the know-hows on the subject as a representative of the NOIR genre, then VERTIGO would be my choice for No. 1 as well…
Great choice Jaime!!!!!
Vertigo is my favorite Hitchcock film and in my top five movies ever made. My guidelines made me leave it out due to it being in color, but it is truly magnificent. I don’t consider Breathless to be noir at all. Another great film otherwise. Your 3 and 4 are both two of my favorites as well, even if they would fall outside of the noir genre by me and most people.
The film I really am interested in seeing on your list was Invasion Of The Body Snatchers at #9. I flirted with the idea of including it on the list at one point because it does have some noir similarities. In the end, I felt that thematically it aligned itself too much with sillier aspects of sci-fi. If the pod explanation wouldn’t be so pronounced and explicit then I might have given it much more consideration. Ambiguity on it’s (absurd but fun) scientific logic might of helped. I just can’t find it in my heart to include a picture that unequivocally asserts that little plant spores are hatching replica humans with soulless personalities in the noir canon. Great film overall.
Fantastic way to wrap up the list, Maurizio! This is a worthy entry for sure…and would make my top ten no doubt. The ending to this is unforgettable – the way Christo just looks down from the bridge and Fabian’s body is so nonchalantly dumped in the Thames. Great stuff. The only other thing of Dassin’s I have seen is The Naked City – clearly he was a great director I need to become more familiar with. I thought the performances were verging on overwrought here, though. This teetered on melodrama at times, but hey…it was damn entertaining. The music score left me wanting as well, though that’s a minor quibble when such great directing and cinematography were on display.
That being said – nothing holds a candle to The Third Man in my book. The complexity and layers in the writing and the characters and plot – and Reed’s direction – and the performances – and the Venice setting – and that zither score! Everything about that film hit the perfect note.
But I can’t argue with your persuasive essays and recaps here…and your list shed so much light on noirs I wasn’t previously aware of. I’ve been sampling some all along the way here…and my Netflix queue is still loaded!
So is there going to be a post dedicated to people putting up their own lists?
And do you plan to do a neo-noir list in the future after a well deserved break?
David, you need to see Thieves Highway and Rififi which are Dassin’s two other great films (in my opinion). I have never been a huge fan of The Naked City.
Night And The City and The Third Man are of equal value. Both candles sit side by side equally illuminating the screen. I leave future countdowns for others to attempt. I might start up my Electronic Music series again on Sunday, but don’t think I will partake in another mammoth writing contest any time soon.
BRUTE FORCE is also essential to the ones you name here. I also think TOPKAPI is extremely underrated, as it features some sequences of brilliance, pleasure, and excitement (such as the dancing scene).
I like Brute Force and it made this countdown, but it is a slightly lesser film than Dassin’s big three. Not a fan of Topkapi.
Hey Jamie, when I clicked on to the Noir Countdown sidebar to add the “Almosts” Judy was looking for, I realized that #19 Force Of Evil and #39 Kiss Of Death did not show up. I then went to your horror countdown sidebar and your #19 and #39 are gone as well… strange.
yeah, must be a glitch scrolling between pages, as both/all in the countdown remain if you manually search them. For example 19 in the Horror countdown remains (https://wondersinthedark.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/19-onibaba/)
There have ben all kinds of problems with wordpress over the past weeks. This has wrecked all kinds of havoc on a number of functions, sad to say.
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone – I will be sure to check these out.
Hi! Maurizio…
What an excellent choice as your No#1 film…Dassin’s “Night And The City” and what a very detailed and well-written review Of a film that I had the pleasure Of viewing only once…
“This is a long and draining ride through an existential nightmare that is far more authentic than merely filming a great script. This is the hopelessness that a great cinematic talent knows he will soon endure and trying to fight away that encroaching pestilence with sweat and tears. Film noir agony and pathos bathed in real-life hardships that make every image ring with a ragged desperate synergy…”
…After reading this passage in your review…maybe this is the real reason that I viewed this film only once…Therefore, I hope to re-visit this film again in the very near future.
Maurizio said,”I see the big honcho has taken control of the situation (thankfully) so this will be the thread that everyone can post their own respective lists…. that includes you Dee Dee!!!”
Maurizio…
Being a novice I don’t like to make list, but I have something better coming-up than me listing my favorite Film noir in recognition Of the completion Of your Film Noir Countdown being completed.
Clue No#1…Is the “headless” man on the revolving banner…reading author Gerald Kersh’s [Unfortunately, I’am not familiar with the author Gerald Kersh, or his writings…] book Night And The City.
Once again, a very noirish Congratulation! on a very interesting countdown with a lot Of great feedback from all the commenter here at WitD too!
Maurizio said,”I thank everyone who followed this countdown and contributed their comments.”
Dennis said,” thanx to DEE DEE offering the whole film up in a YOUTUBE window) I sat through its’ entire glorious running time…”
You, and Dennis, are both very welcome!
[I’am glad that you enjoyed viewing the film Dennis, “shot” in glorious black&white…a great fatalistic film noire with all the elements firmly in place.
By the way, I like your response to Sam Juliano, after you admit that you never watched Maurizio’s No#1 choice…“priceless!”]
DeeDee 😉
I knew you were not going to provide a list Dee Dee!! Give me a top five at least lol. Thanks for making every thread you participated in better.
Reading what you say here Dee Dee brought a big smile to my face. You are simply incomparable. And a wonderful congratulations banner for Maurizio if I may say so!
I haven’t seen this one yet, Maurizio, though I hope to put that right soon, but congratulations on the whole countdown – I am already going back to your older postings as I catch up with some of the movies I hadn’t seen.
I also wanted to look back at your “almosts” but had a job finding them as they weren’t tagged for the noir countdown – (I kept searching for “nearlies” and drawing a blank!) – I see that ‘The Postman Always Rings Twice’ was in there – I’d forgotten that and kept expecting it to turn up in your 50. No mention for ‘White Heat’, though?
I have always viewed White Heat as a gangster film Judy.
Perhaps if you click my name under one of my posts you can scroll through written essays until you find my “Almosts”. I’ll try to change the tag for that piece.
Yes Postman didn’t make my top 50 as I don’t consider it a first tier noir.
I found that posting in the end by searching for “Postman”, Maurizio, but it would be good if you can change the tag so others can track it down too! I’m a bit surprised you don’t regard it as first-tier noir, though I know some people feel the ending lets it down. To me both Garfield and Turner raise it to greatness nonetheless – but anyway, you did include it in your 100.
That’s interesting about ‘White Heat’ – I have seen it discussed as both a noir and a gangster film.
Change completed Judy. You can now find it within the noir countdown.
Thanks very much, Maurizio!
“I knew you were not going to provide a list Dee Dee!! Give me a top five at least lol. Thanks for making every thread you participated in better…”
@Bonjour! Maurizio Roca…
I will give you her top five…“The Maltese Falcon,”
“The Maltese Falcon,”.“The Maltese Falcon,” “The Maltese Falcon,“The Maltese Falcon,”and “The Maltese Falcon.”
[As my head turn from left to right…Oh! yes, I C&P the film titles too!]
Oops! That’s Six!
Hmmm…On the other hand, maybe it’s Ratatouille?!?…perhaps! (As I scratch my temple…in uncertainty.
By the way, I wonder what is up with the three dots she have me inserting them in my comment(s) too and your names aren’t suppose to be in italics neither!…lol!!!!)
@Bonjour! Sam Juliano…
Hmmm…you are still The “Kindest” man in New Jersey? The Blogosphere? The United States?…No, make that the Universe! (Always with the kindest words to everyone!)
Merci, pour le partage!
You write about some fascinating old movies. The problem I have, reading your blog, is I don’t know where to start! So many classic films that you like!
First off, congrats Maurizio on compiling this incredible list of films. I have many many films to hunt down from your precious countdown. So huge thanks for that.
I did not expect to see Night and the City #1, only because I have not seen it. Last year, I saw 5 Dassin films but I did not have Night and the City in that list. I had a choice between The Naked City and Night and the City and I opted for the former because it was more readily available for viewing. Now, I have to rectify my error and pick the other option 🙂
Congratulations Maurizio on a great countdown!
I’ve picked up tips for films I haven’t seen (including this number one, I’m afraid to say) and lots of interesting descriptions and insights into those I have.
Thanks.