I had to re record some audio so near the end there is a bit of shift in my voice. You can watch the films mentioned in this video for free at the links below⬇ 🥊 The Set Up: archive.org/details/1949these... ✉ Somewhere in the Night: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mv9l... 💀 Ladies in Retirement: archive.org/details/LadiesInR... 💵 Fallen Angel: archive.org/details/fallenang... Like the music? Here's a link to some of the moody jazz I use in some of these videos🎶: share.epidemicsound.com/l84tue/?playlist=d2qs5fkf8c2rofu41l0fnz90sxn918bk if you love classic Hollywood you should subscribe to the free cinema cities newsletter 📰screenspectator.substack.com?sd=pf If you're loving these videos consider supporting the channel at: ☕www.buymeacoffee.com/cinemacities ⭐ patreon.com/CinemaCities
@@speaktrueyou-shanetaylor7345 the opening cityscape footage is from raw footage taken in 1947 of a night drive through LA. The rest is from the films Murder, My Sweet, Act of Violence, and The Naked City.
"Lifeboat" (1944) was John Hodiak's biggest chance & success, but yes he was underused & under-appreciated, being labelled "Box Office Poison" in 1948, despite supporting Clark Gable in 2 hits that same year. Broadway was better a better fit for him later on, but sadly he died prematurely at 41 from a heart attack.
You're all right, kid. I like your style. You got the knack, the touch, the feel. You'll go far in this racket. Just make sure you toe the line and don't step over it, sister. I wouldn't wanna hafta put your pieces back together. Like that dish back in Altoona.
I really think Dana Andrews would of been the perfect Phillip Marlowe. I’ve been watching a lot of his movies lately. He’s definitely my favorite noir actor.
I get Dana and John Payne mixed up until I dial back and ask, "Which one was doing the song-n-dance routines? Oh yeah - THAT is John Payne." But both fellows were rather plain-faced and could on this inscrutable mask-of-stone appearance, as if no event affected them. (I'm thinking of Dana playing that child's ball-bearing game while Clifton Webb rages in LAURA, and Hodiak's mental calculator almost blowing up as he is confronted by little wimp George Murphy who is standing up to Big John in THE ARNELO AFFAIR.) Mostly, I'm sorry that studio(s) didn't present all of the Raymond Chandler books. I'm not even sure how many Marlowe books there are 9 plus some short stories? Every time I see a modern Marlowe film being threatened, I get my hopes up. Will some studio actually do that? Will the REACHER 20+ stories overwhelm the fewer Marlowe choices? "We only want to do the John Wicks now." sigh
Thanks for the suggestions. 👍 Despite my decades-long crush on Ida Lupino, i avoided "Ladies in Retirement" because of the title. That was not smart because it's now one of my favorite movies. Great story, nice twists, terrific characters. Hard to believe Ida was only 22 in that role.
As a big fan of Where the Sidewalk Ends and the biggest fan of Laura Fallen Angel has naturally been one I've been looking forward to and tis the season after all, this month I may just get to it.
Recently watched Ladies... Lupino is great. I worked right by her old London family home (blue plaque) in my last job. She was a London girl originally. . Road house is her best noir I think. Great video as usual
These are all awesome. The Set Up is in every way a flat-out masterwork. People don' realize how lucky they are today to be able to even see Ladies in Retirement, as it was pretty much MIA for a few decades when I was fruitlessly trying to see it in the '70s, '80s and '90s. It was worth the wait, as it is an incredible movie. Leslie Halliwell's movie guide rated it very highly and it was one of the last movies on my must-see checklist that finally got checked off about 20 years ago.
Over the past few years, The Set Up has crept onto my list of favorite films. I remember the first time I saw Ladies in Retirement. I had no idea what the film was about, only that it starred Ida Lupino. Boy, was I surprised in the best possible way.
I love this film because of one of my top noir crushes, Audrey Totter. I fell in love with her in Lady in the Lake and feel she is tremendously underrated. Thanks for featuring this film!
Because of this upload I watched "Fallen Angel," and I absolutely loved it! All actors brought their A game, and the story was not predictable. I'll continue to monitor and view your recommendations, and I have subscribed to your channel! Thanks so much!
I watched "Ladies in Retirement" and "Somewhere in the Night" today. Both excellent. My personal favorite of the two was "Ladies in Retirement". The entire cast and story were superb. I've always been a big fan of Elsa Lanchester and this was quite a different performance from the other films I've seen her in. She usually plays a likeable character with humorous overtones; a character that one usually loves. She's quite DISlikeable in "Ladies". However, I found myself becoming sympathetic towards both her AND Edith Barrett as the picture progressed and we learn the circumstances of their eccentricities. Ida Lupino was wonderful. That restrained performance in the midst of all that pressure and stress was mesmerizing and it just builds and gets worse as the movie progresses. I would have never guessed that she was only 23 when that was made. Anyway, by the end of the picture I was exhausted and felt like I needed to lie down. Lol, in fact I DID lie down since I watched it in the middle of the night. It's hard to believe this film was not a huge hit. "Somewhere in the Night" was very good as well and I was glued to the screen as the story became more involved. My only problem with it was that I thought the ending was slightly anti-climactic. But all in all it was very good film. I really like that character actor who plays Anzelmo. I have only seen him once before with Tyrone Power in a brief, but important, scene in "The Razors Edge". He plays a coal miner who is in reality a defrocked priest. I was always wishing I could see him in something else and today I got my wish. That said, these were great recommendations. Thanks, CC.
Love ALL these movies! 'Ladies in Retirement' should be better known; terrific performances by everyone, and a great story. Robert Ryan had boxed when he was in college, and he's just beautiful to watch in the fight scenes in 'The Setup' -- all his motions come from a deep sense of how a boxer moves, stands, even breathes. You can see how his body works by training, discipline, and muscle memory.
@@CinemaCities1978 That's so true, unfortunately; the title sounds so genteel and mild. Per Wikipedia, the movie was based on a play of the same title that had been a Broadway success around 1940-41. I'm guessing the moviemakers wanted to keep the association to a Broadway hit, to enhance (at the time of its release) the film's appeal.
You won't be sorry! It's a good one, and, like I said, it sits in that sweet spot of gothic melodrama/Victorian noir. Plus, the delightfully and darkly funny performances of Elsa Lanchester and Edith Barrett make it a must-watch.
I’ve seen a lot of film noir, but not these four and they all look great. I’m surprised I haven’t seen them since I’m a big fan of Robert Ryan and Ida Lupino. I’m sure you know Lupino was a fine director. Thanks for the heads up on these films.
I have never seen “Ladies in Retirement”. But I do welcome any movie with the likes of Ida Lupino and Elsa Lancaster. The “Set Up” is one good movie. Also, it’s one of the best boxing ever made. Fun Fact: Ryan had boxed while in college. Film critics and boxing aficionados have stated that the fight scene is one of the most realistic ever portrayed in films. And this mostly due to his skill and agility. As for “Fallen Angel “ , it seems like Preminger threw everything at it: a dash of “Laura”, the full bodied moodiness of “Nightmare Alley”, and a drop of “Where the Sidewalk Ends”. Stirred and poured into a chilled martini glass to produce a very delicious cocktail of a movie. Then there’s fine performances by Anne Revere, John Carradine, Charles Bickford, and Percy Kilbride. Finally, there’s John Hodiak. The handsome “Everyman” who died way too soon. He was the perfect yin to Tallulah Bankhead’s yang in “Lifeboat”. Although, one performance that sticks out for me is his portrayal of a mobster in “Desert Fury”. The romantic triangle between Wendell Cory, Hodiak, and Lizabeth Scott is something else. And then there’s a young Burt Lancaster’s as the heavy and fourth wheel in this very interesting affair. How both the director and producer got this script past the Breen Office is nothing short of a miracle.
If you like Ladies in Retirement you also might like Night Must Fall with Rosalie Russell and Robert Montgomery. This movie also has both, a noirish and a Gothic touch. It was named the best film of 1937 by the National Board of Review.
Love this selection of noirs! I have to watch Ladies in Retirement, love Ida Lupino and the film's atmosphere. The Set Up is fantastic. Somewhere in the Night was a surprise for me and the name of Larry Cravat still haunts me :) Some amazing dialogue and comebacks in it too and always great to see John Hodiak mentioned in a video. Same goes for Fallen Angel, one of my favorite noirs. So many pieces to it, yet as you say, it can truly stand on its own. Dana Andrews also has a more ambiguous part which I enjoy. I love also the mood you achieve with these videos. It's great work, Sydney. Happy Robert Ryan day!
This is one of the best contributions about film noir. The background music, the excellent narrative style. It makes you want to revive the dark series and make your own noir movie. A fantastic channel. I am thrilled and hope for many more contributions.
Hey CC - just wanted to send you a note of thanks for your most recent noir recommendations. Of the four films mentioned two were new to me, Somewhere in the Night & Ladies in Retirement. Both were extremely enjoyable and gave me two evenings in a row of noir heaven. Obviously, you know your stuff. I will definitely check your previous “must watch noir” to see what else I may have missed. Thanks again !!
Thanks CC. I tried 'Fallen Angel' once and couldn't get through it. Not sure why and I probably need to give it another go. I didn't expect much from 'Somewhere in the Night' because Hodiak may be handsome in a lounge lizard kind of way, but he never seemed much of an actor and I'd only seen Nancy Guild in 'The Brasher Doubloon' and that movie had the worst Marlowe I can remember (have't seen Liam Neeson's attempt, but rumour has it that he doesn't carry it off). I was so wrong about 'Somewhere in the Night', though, that I clearly need to challenge my preconceptions more. I may even give 'Ladies in Retirement' a go as I assumed it was a gothic 'woman's film' and when Hollywood made films aimed at women, they hit their target pretty well with not much collateral damage among the males in the audience.
Audrey Totter and Linda Darnell. Now there are a couple of beautiful women. Totter is bright and light while Darnell is deep and smokey. Hubbah-hubbah!
Another wonderful video! Great job! Another engaging and insightful discussion of classic noir. I really enjoyed it. I totally agree about The Set-Up and Fallen Angel. And I'm excited to see the other two films. Thank you!
Once again, great choices! I don't know Ladies In Retirement, but I'll put it on the watch list The other three I've watched quite recently (due to YOUR rekindling of my interest in noir!) The Set-Up is so great! I'm not generally a fan of boxing pictures so I had avoided this one until recently, but it's a brilliant film - the fact that it takes place in real time is pretty amazing (if you spring for the dvd, the commentary points out that the filmed the final shot in a bunch of versions so they could match the clock to the actual runtime of the film after editing - so cool!). Robert Ryan as the sad-sack palooka is brilliant and very touching. The whole film feels almost like a stage play - it's very contained without being claustrophobic. Loads of great character parts including Percy Helton, George Tobias ... Somewhere In The Night is a lot of fun - a somewhat convoluted amnesia plot with a nice twist ending (similar to a much later neo-noir/horror pic with Mickey Rourke), loads of colorful characters and some pretty wacky goings on. Fallen Angel is a beautiful film filled with moral ambiguity, more great characters (John Carradine as a scam spiritualist really shines! and Percy Kilbride - aka Pa Kettle - as the hapless diner owner) and really interesting camera work. At about 1:25:40 there's a pair of shots (broken up by short cutaways) that could've been a single tracking shot following Dana Andrews and Alice Faye from a table at the diner, out onto the street where they split (hence the short cuts) she gets arrested and the camera follows the police car in a 180 degree spin pushing in to a close-up of Dana Andrews, still on the street corner - it's a fantastic little sequence that will make your head spin! Great choices, though each of these could use a full-length entry on its own.
The cold-hearted algorithm may think differently, but this is another fantastic video. Would Stranger on the Third Floor be a film worthy of discussion, especially considering that it is oftentimes referred to as the first Film noir, along with its amazing dream sequence.
My goodness! What gems! I've only seen The Set-Up! Thank you! PS Thinking about the future, is any movie as hardboiled as Ace in the Hole? I can't think of one! PPS Sorry I use so many exclamation marks! I just like this channel so much!
Just watched "Fallen Angel." It was terrific and totally underrated. The cast was stellar. But it was Linda Darnell that smoldered in her sultry seductress role. I also loved John Carradine in the small role of "the medium." The noir atmosphere was a character unto itself. Thank you for recommending it. I plan to watch the others as well. You do a wonderful job of bringing these gems to our attention.
Awesome as always! You do such great work. The Set Up was my gateway to being a Robert Ryan fan. And, you got me again, I can’t believe I have never seen Ladies In Retirement. It’s in the queue. Thanks and keep up the great work, it always leaves us wanting more!
Thank you, this was a wonderful selection (as all your selections). I wish ours were the Cahiers du Cinema days (when the publication mattered) and someone had already written a paean on Linda Darnell's film presence and voice.
@@CinemaCities1978 Yes, very sad. She was an exceptional actress with big star allure but forced into second-tier parts. Very underutilised by the studio system. Even when given a silly name, a silly sombrero and some border-racist stereotype to wear, not to mention going against a great like Henry Fonda, in a film by John Ford, a film built around the bromance between Earp and Doc Holliday, she still managed to outact them all. She is the first thing I remember about that film. And she towered over all others in 'A letter to Three Wives'. I adore her voice and womanly (non-girly) face, even when she was a 16 year old playing Tyrone Power's wife (that was Hollywood, folks), her beuaty and youth was non-girly. It was only recently I found out she had a terrible and untimely end. RIP. Linda.
"Somewhere in the Night," "The Set Up," and "Fallen Angel" are all great movies. I'm most familiar with "Somewhere in the Night"; I always thought it was a top-tier noir. John Hodiak really is criminally under-rated and he's especially good here. Nancy Guild did a great job for her very first screen appearance and Lloyd Nolan's scruffy and smart persona is outstanding. Richard Conte, as always, is coolness personified. I want to thank you for talking about "Ladies in Retirement" as I'd not even heard of it before. Victorian noir! I've always been a huge Ida Lupino fan, and Elsa Lanchester's special brand of strange is always fun to watch. That movie goes straight to the top of my must see list.
My ten most underrated favorite noir films are. The dark corner (1946), The big clock (1948), Somewhere in the night (1946), Cry of the city (1948), Raw deal (1948), Murder, my sweet (1944), Ride the pink horse (1947), Mr. soft touch (1949), Lady in the lake (1947) and The narrow margin (1952).
My dearest Cinema Cities. Thank you for stimulating me to try rewatching 'Fallen Angel'. Linda Darnell was beyond fantastic; Charles Bickford was very ominous; Dana Andrews showed more emotion, in a relatively emotionless way, than usual; Percy Kilbride was a damned good Pop; John Carradine was a sublime charlatan; Alice Faye and even Bruce Cabot had their moments; and all-in-all it was a better film than I first thought. Still, it didn't really work for me. The pacing was schizophrenic - dragging on and on and then suddenly resolving plot lines with no lead-up. Once the beautiful and talented Ms Darnell suddenly disappeared - what was there left to the film? It wasn't really a mystery, there was no tension about Eric or most of the others being the killer. Maybe a bit about Clara protecting her sister (if it had turned out to have been Alice fighting for her husband - now that would have been a great twist of an ending - and far more Noir) and once the kid gloves were on, there was no doubt. Pretty disappointing Preminger in my opinion and the dialogue needed a Chandler to witty it up. 6 our of 10 for me, or maybe 7 because of Darnell - I tended to think of her in costume dramas, but this was a superb performance.
Thank you for another fascinating video concerning film noir. I’m just starting to dig more deeply into that film genre so I’m regularly checking here to see what you have to share. This is one of my favorite channels. You do a great job!
You were right about Somewhere in the Night!Good movie well made! Bosley was wrong again!:) Lloyd Nolan and Richard Conte were together in Guadalcanal Diary. and Conte was the infamous Barzini in the Godfather!:)
Thanks both for the excellent analyses of some very good noir films, and for providing links to where they can be watched for free! I’ve subscribed and look forward to more great content.
Is it the light, the clothes, the dialogue or that they are in black & white; modern cinema rarely captures the essence of these old films. Elsa Lanchester from Bride of Frankenstein to Katie Nanna and a lot more in between
Honestly, I don't think The Set Up is underrated, I would think it would be on many top 10 lists of greatest noirs of all time. I think Hodiak is underrated, and she have been a bigger star, too bad he died so young. Ladies in Retirement is just a terrific film, not really more like you are saying it could be considered goth. I am going to try to see Fallen Angel and Somewhere in the Night this weekend, as I have not seen. My Mrs. thinks Dana Andrews is the cat's meow, and likewise for me with Linda Darnell.
I dug around and found you'd covered the 'later edition' of THE CROOKED WAY in your Part 1 of this excellent series, 1946's SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT with one of the best of the pencil thin mustaches, John Hodiak. I really enjoy both films because their 2nd halves diverge and make each a unique pleasure to enjoy. I rate Hodiak's THE ARNELO AFFAIR at the top of my most under-viewed films, and a personal favorite of the post-WWII crime-noir films. Hodiak stars as a nightclub owner who wants to go 'big-time' - as a gangster and step up to 'classy' nightclubs. One of his spurned lovers appears one evening, points a gun at him and they struggled - the gun goes off - and she's dead. Kerplop. His dreams would certainly take a hit when a dead woman's found in his apartment. And worse - most beautiful Frances Gifford has slipped out of sight of the rampaging ex. And Frances is the wife of Hodiak's honest accountant, little, puny George Murphy. Frances had received a week or two's flirtatious remarks from Hodiak, and he discovers she's undder appreciated by the workaholic George, and offers her an interior decordating job for his place. "Come up and see me sometime..." But the surprise of the movie is milquetoast George Murphy - this little, retiring soul with a most beautiful wife. And now he's got to fight John for her. Those are some GREAT scenes.
Also, it looks like all four of these FOUR MUST WATCH videos are full of excellent films, all favorites. And of course, there's always a few more... I wish someone could catalog Pencil Thin Mustache films, like Jimmy Buffett's song advocates (from his LIVING & DYING IN 3/4 TIME): ua-cam.com/video/QxbVModReMo/v-deo.html
Linda Darnell always seemed too "beautiful" to be real. And she never got to grow old. Then again, Dana Andrews never looked real to me either. Well...except in The Best Years of Our Lives, a miracle of a film in so many ways.
I had to re record some audio so near the end there is a bit of shift in my voice.
You can watch the films mentioned in this video for free at the links below⬇
🥊 The Set Up: archive.org/details/1949these...
✉ Somewhere in the Night: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mv9l...
💀 Ladies in Retirement: archive.org/details/LadiesInR...
💵 Fallen Angel: archive.org/details/fallenang...
Like the music? Here's a link to some of the moody jazz I use in some of these videos🎶: share.epidemicsound.com/l84tue/?playlist=d2qs5fkf8c2rofu41l0fnz90sxn918bk
if you love classic Hollywood you should subscribe to the free cinema cities newsletter 📰screenspectator.substack.com?sd=pf
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Love the city scape footage at the beginning of the video. From what films are these scenes lifted from? Please and thank you!
Not seen 😢😢
@@speaktrueyou-shanetaylor7345 the opening cityscape footage is from raw footage taken in 1947 of a night drive through LA. The rest is from the films Murder, My Sweet, Act of Violence, and The Naked City.
@@CinemaCities1978 thank you so much! Nice work putting it all together. I’m a fan!
Another great video thank you😊
"Lifeboat" (1944) was John Hodiak's biggest chance & success, but yes he was underused & under-appreciated, being labelled "Box Office Poison" in 1948, despite supporting Clark Gable in 2 hits that same year. Broadway was better a better fit for him later on, but sadly he died prematurely at 41 from a heart attack.
You're all right, kid. I like your style. You got the knack, the touch, the feel. You'll go far in this racket.
Just make sure you toe the line and don't step over it, sister. I wouldn't wanna hafta put your pieces back together.
Like that dish back in Altoona.
Definitely interested in watching Fallen Angel...this certainly looks like a hidden gem, in terms of aesthetic, plot, and involved talent. Thanks!
I really think Dana Andrews would of been the perfect Phillip Marlowe. I’ve been watching a lot of his movies lately. He’s definitely my favorite noir actor.
I agree he would've made a wonderful Marlowe.
He would have been perfection, for real.
@@CinemaCities1978 What about Sterling Hayden or Robert Ryan? They were possibilities... & we'd be discussing their relative merits!!
I get Dana and John Payne mixed up until I dial back and ask, "Which one was doing the song-n-dance routines? Oh yeah - THAT is John Payne." But both fellows were rather plain-faced and could on this inscrutable mask-of-stone appearance, as if no event affected them. (I'm thinking of Dana playing that child's ball-bearing game while Clifton Webb rages in LAURA, and Hodiak's mental calculator almost blowing up as he is confronted by little wimp George Murphy who is standing up to Big John in THE ARNELO AFFAIR.) Mostly, I'm sorry that studio(s) didn't present all of the Raymond Chandler books. I'm not even sure how many Marlowe books there are 9 plus some short stories? Every time I see a modern Marlowe film being threatened, I get my hopes up. Will some studio actually do that? Will the REACHER 20+ stories overwhelm the fewer Marlowe choices? "We only want to do the John Wicks now." sigh
Thanks for the suggestions. 👍
Despite my decades-long crush on Ida Lupino, i avoided "Ladies in Retirement" because of the title. That was not smart because it's now one of my favorite movies. Great story, nice twists, terrific characters. Hard to believe Ida was only 22 in that role.
The title makes the film sound like a stuffy drama, which is unfortunate because I think a lot of people have overlooked it because of the title.
I would also recommend The Bigamist and The Hitch-Hiker, both noirs directed by Lupino.
Adding all 4 to my Must Watch list!
As a big fan of Where the Sidewalk Ends and the biggest fan of Laura Fallen Angel has naturally been one I've been looking forward to and tis the season after all, this month I may just get to it.
I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Every time I think I’ve seen every noir worth seeing, you hit me with a few new gems I need to get to right away.
Recently watched Ladies... Lupino is great. I worked right by her old London family home (blue plaque) in my last job. She was a London girl originally. . Road house is her best noir I think. Great video as usual
I agree Road House is great. I forget that she's an English girl because she plays hardboiled American women so well.
These are all awesome. The Set Up is in every way a flat-out masterwork. People don' realize how lucky they are today to be able to even see Ladies in Retirement, as it was pretty much MIA for a few decades when I was fruitlessly trying to see it in the '70s, '80s and '90s. It was worth the wait, as it is an incredible movie. Leslie Halliwell's movie guide rated it very highly and it was one of the last movies on my must-see checklist that finally got checked off about 20 years ago.
Over the past few years, The Set Up has crept onto my list of favorite films. I remember the first time I saw Ladies in Retirement. I had no idea what the film was about, only that it starred Ida Lupino. Boy, was I surprised in the best possible way.
I think The Set Up is the best film about boxing, bar none. A gritty classic.
4 great selections featuring some of my favourites John Hodiak Audrey Totter Dana Andrews
They are all so good in these films.
I love this film because of one of my top noir crushes, Audrey Totter. I fell in love with her in Lady in the Lake and feel she is tremendously underrated. Thanks for featuring this film!
you're welcome!
And that is three more films added to the watch list, thank you! The Set-Up was already on there😀
Thanks once again for these recommendations. My list is so long now 🤓
Because of this upload I watched "Fallen Angel," and I absolutely loved it! All actors brought their A game, and the story was not predictable. I'll continue to monitor and view your recommendations, and I have subscribed to your channel! Thanks so much!
Now I know what I am watching this Thanksgiving weekend. Thanks for another awesome video
I watched "Ladies in Retirement" and "Somewhere in the Night" today. Both excellent. My personal favorite of the two was "Ladies in Retirement". The entire cast and story were superb. I've always been a big fan of Elsa Lanchester and this was quite a different performance from the other films I've seen her in. She usually plays a likeable character with humorous overtones; a character that one usually loves. She's quite DISlikeable in "Ladies". However, I found myself becoming sympathetic towards both her AND Edith Barrett as the picture progressed and we learn the circumstances of their eccentricities. Ida Lupino was wonderful. That restrained performance in the midst of all that pressure and stress was mesmerizing and it just builds and gets worse as the movie progresses. I would have never guessed that she was only 23 when that was made. Anyway, by the end of the picture I was exhausted and felt like I needed to lie down. Lol, in fact I DID lie down since I watched it in the middle of the night. It's hard to believe this film was not a huge hit. "Somewhere in the Night" was very good as well and I was glued to the screen as the story became more involved. My only problem with it was that I thought the ending was slightly anti-climactic. But all in all it was very good film. I really like that character actor who plays Anzelmo. I have only seen him once before with Tyrone Power in a brief, but important, scene in "The Razors Edge". He plays a coal miner who is in reality a defrocked priest. I was always wishing I could see him in something else and today I got my wish. That said, these were great recommendations. Thanks, CC.
Love ALL these movies! 'Ladies in Retirement' should be better known; terrific performances by everyone, and a great story. Robert Ryan had boxed when he was in college, and he's just beautiful to watch in the fight scenes in 'The Setup' -- all his motions come from a deep sense of how a boxer moves, stands, even breathes. You can see how his body works by training, discipline, and muscle memory.
The title of Ladies in Retirement is so misleading and turns some people off. It sounds like a drawing-room comedy, which it is totally not. 😂
@@CinemaCities1978 That's so true, unfortunately; the title sounds so genteel and mild. Per Wikipedia, the movie was based on a play of the same title that had been a Broadway success around 1940-41. I'm guessing the moviemakers wanted to keep the association to a Broadway hit, to enhance (at the time of its release) the film's appeal.
I AM SO WATCHING Ladies in Retirement! 😆 Looks amazing. Great selections here. Great video CC! Bravo!
You won't be sorry! It's a good one, and, like I said, it sits in that sweet spot of gothic melodrama/Victorian noir. Plus, the delightfully and darkly funny performances of Elsa Lanchester and Edith Barrett make it a must-watch.
@@CinemaCities1978 looks like great cinematography too, your edit really brought that across. Nice job!
@@MoreMovies4u George Barnes is the cinematographer. He also shot Hitchcock's Rebecca and Spellbound as well as John Garfield's Force of Evil.
I’ve seen a lot of film noir, but not these four and they all look great. I’m surprised I haven’t seen them since I’m a big fan of Robert Ryan and Ida Lupino. I’m sure you know Lupino was a fine director. Thanks for the heads up on these films.
If you're a fan of both Ryan and Lupino, I can guarantee you won't be disappointed by The Set Up or Ladies in Retirement.
I have never seen “Ladies in Retirement”. But I do welcome any movie with the likes of Ida Lupino and Elsa Lancaster. The “Set Up” is one good movie. Also, it’s one of the best boxing ever made. Fun Fact: Ryan had boxed while in college. Film critics and boxing aficionados have stated that the fight scene is one of the most realistic ever portrayed in films. And this mostly due to his skill and agility. As for “Fallen Angel “ , it seems like Preminger threw everything at it: a dash of “Laura”, the full bodied moodiness of “Nightmare Alley”, and a drop of “Where the Sidewalk Ends”. Stirred and poured into a chilled martini glass to produce a very delicious cocktail of a movie. Then there’s fine performances by Anne Revere, John Carradine, Charles Bickford, and Percy Kilbride. Finally, there’s John Hodiak. The handsome “Everyman” who died way too soon. He was the perfect yin to Tallulah Bankhead’s yang in “Lifeboat”. Although, one performance that sticks out for me is his portrayal of a mobster in “Desert Fury”. The romantic triangle between Wendell Cory, Hodiak, and Lizabeth Scott is something else. And then there’s a young Burt Lancaster’s as the heavy and fourth wheel in this very interesting affair. How both the director and producer got this script past the Breen Office is nothing short of a miracle.
Ladies in Retirement sounds great. Definitely going to check that one out!
It's just so wonderfully gothic with some very subtle dark humor.
If you like Ladies in Retirement you also might like Night Must Fall with Rosalie Russell and Robert Montgomery. This movie also has both, a noirish and a Gothic touch. It was named the best film of 1937 by the National Board of Review.
Has Evelyn Keyes been mentioned this Noirvember? How could I forget The Prowler!
A recommendation for The Set Up perfectly timed for Robert Ryan's birthday (November 11th). Nicely done! 😎
Happy Robert Ryan day!🥊
Love this selection of noirs! I have to watch Ladies in Retirement, love Ida Lupino and the film's atmosphere. The Set Up is fantastic. Somewhere in the Night was a surprise for me and the name of Larry Cravat still haunts me :) Some amazing dialogue and comebacks in it too and always great to see John Hodiak mentioned in a video. Same goes for Fallen Angel, one of my favorite noirs. So many pieces to it, yet as you say, it can truly stand on its own. Dana Andrews also has a more ambiguous part which I enjoy. I love also the mood you achieve with these videos. It's great work, Sydney. Happy Robert Ryan day!
This is one of the best contributions about film noir. The background music, the excellent narrative style. It makes you want to revive the dark series and make your own noir movie. A fantastic channel. I am thrilled and hope for many more contributions.
Hey CC - just wanted to send you a note of thanks for your most recent noir recommendations. Of the four films mentioned two were new to me, Somewhere in the Night & Ladies in Retirement. Both were extremely enjoyable and gave me two evenings in a row of noir heaven. Obviously, you know your stuff. I will definitely check your previous “must watch noir” to see what else I may have missed. Thanks again !!
Thanks CC. I tried 'Fallen Angel' once and couldn't get through it. Not sure why and I probably need to give it another go. I didn't expect much from 'Somewhere in the Night' because Hodiak may be handsome in a lounge lizard kind of way, but he never seemed much of an actor and I'd only seen Nancy Guild in 'The Brasher Doubloon' and that movie had the worst Marlowe I can remember (have't seen Liam Neeson's attempt, but rumour has it that he doesn't carry it off). I was so wrong about 'Somewhere in the Night', though, that I clearly need to challenge my preconceptions more. I may even give 'Ladies in Retirement' a go as I assumed it was a gothic 'woman's film' and when Hollywood made films aimed at women, they hit their target pretty well with not much collateral damage among the males in the audience.
All of these movies are great. Love your channel!
Thank you so much! 😊
Audrey Totter and Linda Darnell. Now there are a couple of beautiful women. Totter is bright and light while Darnell is deep and smokey. Hubbah-hubbah!
I've seen the first two. Never heard of Ladies in Retirement before. Looks like fun. I think that's next for me.
I hope you enjoy it!
@@CinemaCities1978 I did! Thanks.
Great video! I have learned to check out your recommendations every time if I haven't already. Thank you so much!
you're welcome!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge of the lesser known , but no less notable, gems of the 40’s and 50’s! ( and how to view them! )
You're welcome. I hope you enjoy them!
Another wonderful video! Great job! Another engaging and insightful discussion of classic noir. I really enjoyed it. I totally agree about The Set-Up and Fallen Angel. And I'm excited to see the other two films. Thank you!
I think you will really enjoy them!
Once again, great choices!
I don't know Ladies In Retirement, but I'll put it on the watch list
The other three I've watched quite recently (due to YOUR rekindling of my interest in noir!)
The Set-Up is so great! I'm not generally a fan of boxing pictures so I had avoided this one until recently, but it's a brilliant film - the fact that it takes place in real time is pretty amazing (if you spring for the dvd, the commentary points out that the filmed the final shot in a bunch of versions so they could match the clock to the actual runtime of the film after editing - so cool!). Robert Ryan as the sad-sack palooka is brilliant and very touching. The whole film feels almost like a stage play - it's very contained without being claustrophobic. Loads of great character parts including Percy Helton, George Tobias ...
Somewhere In The Night is a lot of fun - a somewhat convoluted amnesia plot with a nice twist ending (similar to a much later neo-noir/horror pic with Mickey Rourke), loads of colorful characters and some pretty wacky goings on.
Fallen Angel is a beautiful film filled with moral ambiguity, more great characters (John Carradine as a scam spiritualist really shines! and Percy Kilbride - aka Pa Kettle - as the hapless diner owner) and really interesting camera work. At about 1:25:40 there's a pair of shots (broken up by short cutaways) that could've been a single tracking shot following Dana Andrews and Alice Faye from a table at the diner, out onto the street where they split (hence the short cuts) she gets arrested and the camera follows the police car in a 180 degree spin pushing in to a close-up of Dana Andrews, still on the street corner - it's a fantastic little sequence that will make your head spin!
Great choices, though each of these could use a full-length entry on its own.
The cold-hearted algorithm may think differently, but this is another fantastic video. Would Stranger on the Third Floor be a film worthy of discussion, especially considering that it is oftentimes referred to as the first Film noir, along with its amazing dream sequence.
My goodness! What gems! I've only seen The Set-Up! Thank you!
PS Thinking about the future, is any movie as hardboiled as Ace in the Hole? I can't think of one!
PPS Sorry I use so many exclamation marks! I just like this channel so much!
To me, Somewhere in the Night is one of the very, very best film noir. Fabulous film.
Just watched "Fallen Angel." It was terrific and totally underrated. The cast was stellar. But it was Linda Darnell that smoldered in her sultry seductress role. I also loved John Carradine in the small role of "the medium." The noir atmosphere was a character unto itself. Thank you for recommending it. I plan to watch the others as well. You do a wonderful job of bringing these gems to our attention.
Awesome as always! You do such great work. The Set Up was my gateway to being a Robert Ryan fan. And, you got me again, I can’t believe I have never seen Ladies In Retirement. It’s in the queue. Thanks and keep up the great work, it always leaves us wanting more!
you're welcome!
Thank you, this was a wonderful selection (as all your selections). I wish ours were the Cahiers du Cinema days (when the publication mattered) and someone had already written a paean on Linda Darnell's film presence and voice.
When Darnell was given quality material she was sooo good! Unfortunately, she was rarely given good films. ugh. . .Zanuck. . . .🤬
@@CinemaCities1978 Yes, very sad. She was an exceptional actress with big star allure but forced into second-tier parts. Very underutilised by the studio system. Even when given a silly name, a silly sombrero and some border-racist stereotype to wear, not to mention going against a great like Henry Fonda, in a film by John Ford, a film built around the bromance between Earp and Doc Holliday, she still managed to outact them all. She is the first thing I remember about that film. And she towered over all others in 'A letter to Three Wives'. I adore her voice and womanly (non-girly) face, even when she was a 16 year old playing Tyrone Power's wife (that was Hollywood, folks), her beuaty and youth was non-girly. It was only recently I found out she had a terrible and untimely end. RIP. Linda.
"Somewhere in the Night," "The Set Up," and "Fallen Angel" are all great movies. I'm most familiar with "Somewhere in the Night"; I always thought it was a top-tier noir. John Hodiak really is criminally under-rated and he's especially good here. Nancy Guild did a great job for her very first screen appearance and Lloyd Nolan's scruffy and smart persona is outstanding. Richard Conte, as always, is coolness personified.
I want to thank you for talking about "Ladies in Retirement" as I'd not even heard of it before. Victorian noir! I've always been a huge Ida Lupino fan, and Elsa Lanchester's special brand of strange is always fun to watch. That movie goes straight to the top of my must see list.
I checked out Somewhere in the Night based on your recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed it - thank you!
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Another great collection of movies.
My ten most underrated favorite noir films are. The dark corner (1946), The big clock (1948), Somewhere in the night (1946), Cry of the city (1948), Raw deal (1948), Murder, my sweet (1944), Ride the pink horse (1947), Mr. soft touch (1949), Lady in the lake (1947) and The narrow margin (1952).
Great movies. Great video.
Excellent choices, I love The Set Up.
Me too. Robert Ryan gives one his best performances as Stoker Thompson.
Around 6:32 the voiceover mentions “The Stranger” but the video shows “The Suspect”.
I noticed it and thought I remember seeing the movie with this alternate title. However I couldn't find any evidence.
Love those short taut stories like The Set Up, you can't help but pay attention to every second of it.
The Set Up is a great movie with a greater star. Sterling Hayden is a special actor. Thanks great channel.
My dearest Cinema Cities. Thank you for stimulating me to try rewatching 'Fallen Angel'. Linda Darnell was beyond fantastic; Charles Bickford was very ominous; Dana Andrews showed more emotion, in a relatively emotionless way, than usual; Percy Kilbride was a damned good Pop; John Carradine was a sublime charlatan; Alice Faye and even Bruce Cabot had their moments; and all-in-all it was a better film than I first thought. Still, it didn't really work for me. The pacing was schizophrenic - dragging on and on and then suddenly resolving plot lines with no lead-up. Once the beautiful and talented Ms Darnell suddenly disappeared - what was there left to the film? It wasn't really a mystery, there was no tension about Eric or most of the others being the killer. Maybe a bit about Clara protecting her sister (if it had turned out to have been Alice fighting for her husband - now that would have been a great twist of an ending - and far more Noir) and once the kid gloves were on, there was no doubt. Pretty disappointing Preminger in my opinion and the dialogue needed a Chandler to witty it up. 6 our of 10 for me, or maybe 7 because of Darnell - I tended to think of her in costume dramas, but this was a superb performance.
Thank you for another fascinating video concerning film noir. I’m just starting to dig more deeply into that film genre so I’m regularly checking here to see what you have to share. This is one of my favorite channels. You do a great job!
you're welcome! I'm so glad that I could be the one to introduce you to some of these great films.
Thank you for the recommendations and links! I watched Ladies in Retirement tonight it was excellent!
You were right about Somewhere in the Night!Good movie well made! Bosley was wrong again!:) Lloyd Nolan and Richard Conte were together in Guadalcanal Diary. and Conte was the infamous Barzini in the Godfather!:)
Fallen Angel was incredible.
Thanks both for the excellent analyses of some very good noir films, and for providing links to where they can be watched for free! I’ve subscribed and look forward to more great content.
Is it the light, the clothes, the dialogue or that they are in black & white; modern cinema rarely captures the essence of these old films.
Elsa Lanchester from Bride of Frankenstein to Katie Nanna and a lot more in between
Looking forward to this one with bated breath! (Does that mean my breath smells like bait?)
Only if stray dogs and cats obsessively follow you home.
I love Robert Ryan soooo much
When are you going to do a synopsis of Edmond O'Brian?
Honestly, I don't think The Set Up is underrated, I would think it would be on many top 10 lists of greatest noirs of all time. I think Hodiak is underrated, and she have been a bigger star, too bad he died so young. Ladies in Retirement is just a terrific film, not really more like you are saying it could be considered goth. I am going to try to see Fallen Angel and Somewhere in the Night this weekend, as I have not seen. My Mrs. thinks Dana Andrews is the cat's meow, and likewise for me with Linda Darnell.
The Set Up is one of my favorite film noirs. Yet there is no other film where I hate as many characters as I do in that one lol.
I dug around and found you'd covered the 'later edition' of THE CROOKED WAY in your Part 1 of this excellent series, 1946's SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT with one of the best of the pencil thin mustaches, John Hodiak. I really enjoy both films because their 2nd halves diverge and make each a unique pleasure to enjoy.
I rate Hodiak's THE ARNELO AFFAIR at the top of my most under-viewed films, and a personal favorite of the post-WWII crime-noir films. Hodiak stars as a nightclub owner who wants to go 'big-time' - as a gangster and step up to 'classy' nightclubs. One of his spurned lovers appears one evening, points a gun at him and they struggled - the gun goes off - and she's dead. Kerplop. His dreams would certainly take a hit when a dead woman's found in his apartment. And worse - most beautiful Frances Gifford has slipped out of sight of the rampaging ex. And Frances is the wife of Hodiak's honest accountant, little, puny George Murphy. Frances had received a week or two's flirtatious remarks from Hodiak, and he discovers she's undder appreciated by the workaholic George, and offers her an interior decordating job for his place. "Come up and see me sometime..." But the surprise of the movie is milquetoast George Murphy - this little, retiring soul with a most beautiful wife. And now he's got to fight John for her. Those are some GREAT scenes.
Also, it looks like all four of these FOUR MUST WATCH videos are full of excellent films, all favorites. And of course, there's always a few more... I wish someone could catalog Pencil Thin Mustache films, like Jimmy Buffett's song advocates (from his LIVING & DYING IN 3/4 TIME): ua-cam.com/video/QxbVModReMo/v-deo.html
LD is fantastic in Fallen Angel
More noir
I watched "Fallen Angel" and hated the conclusion. It should have ended the other way
I had a similar feeling. I didn't hate it, but that beginning made me fantasize a darker second part. :)
Linda Darnell always seemed too "beautiful" to be real. And she never got to grow old. Then again, Dana Andrews never looked real to me either. Well...except in The Best Years of Our Lives, a miracle of a film in so many ways.
None of the links work anymore
Fallen angel was good but Dana Andrews needed to take no for an answer he kept forcing kisses on lynda Darnell. It was a different time
I watched it yesterday and I felt like he had an angry way of dealing with intimacy. Until June showed him true love. :)
thank you for your Robert Ryan's propaganda ❤
you're welcome 😂
👍🤓
Have to disagree re Robert Ryan…. One the great Hollywood lumps of wood. Fred MacMurray top of the tree so to speak.