Film Noir: Films of Trust and Betrayal (The Pocket Essential)

The laconic private eye . . . the corrupt cop . . . the heist that goes wrong . . . the femme fatale with the rich husband and dim lover—all are trademark characters of the movement known as film noir, that elusive mixture of stark lighting and even starker emotions. "Noir" explores the dark side of post-war society—gangsters, hoodlums, prostitutes, and killers—and shows how it corrupted the good and the beautiful. Many of these films are now touchstones of classic Hollywood—The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Big Sleep (1946), Double Indemnity (1944), and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). This Pocket Essential charts the progression of the noir style as a vehicle for filmmakers, who wanted to record the darkness at the heart of American society as it emerged from World War into Cold War. As well as an introductory essay on the origins of film noir, this guide discusses all the classics from the heyday of the movement in detail and includes a handy reference section for readers who want to know more. The laconic private eye...the corrupt cop...the heist that goes wrong...the Femme Fatale with the rich husband and dim lover - all are trademark characters of the movement known as film noir, that elusive mixture of stark lighting and even starker emotions. Noir explores the dark side of post-war society - gangsters, hoodlums, prostitutes and killers - and showed how it corrupted the good and the beautiful. Many of these films are now touchstones of what we regard as 'classic' Hollywood - The Maltese Falcon(1941), The Big Sleep(1946), Double Indemnity(1944) and The Postman Always Rings Twice(1946). This Pocket Essential charts the progression of the noir style as a vehicle for film-makers who wanted to record the darkness at the heart of American society as it emerged from World War into Cold War. As well as an introductory essay on the origins of Film Noir, this Pocket Essential discusses all the classics from the heyday of the movement in detail and includes a handy reference section for readers who want to know more. The laconic private eye . . . the corrupt cop . . . the heist that goes wrong . . . the femme fatale with the rich husband and dim loverall are trademark characters of the movement known as film noir, that elusive mixture of stark lighting and even starker emotions. "Noir" explores the dark side of post-war societygangsters, hoodlums, prostitutes, and killersand shows how it corrupted the good and the beautiful. Many of these films are now touchstones of classic Hollywood The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Big Sleep (1946), Double Indemnity (1944), and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). This Pocket Essential charts the progression of the noir style as a vehicle for filmmakers, who wanted to record the darkness at the heart of American society as it emerged from World War into Cold War. As well as an introductory essay on the origins of film noir, this guide discusses all the classics from the heyday of the movement in detail and includes a handy reference section for readers who want to know more. Acknowledgements......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Film Noir: Films of Trust and Betrayal......Page 11 Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)......Page 23 Shadow of a Doubt (1943)......Page 27 Double Indemnity (1944)......Page 30 Force of Evil (1948)......Page 37 The Killing (1956)......Page 43 Touch of Evil (1958)......Page 51 Vertigo (1958)......Page 60 Filmography......Page 63 German Expressionists......Page 64 Film Noir (1940–1960)......Page 65 Post-Noir (1961–1975)......Page 136 Neo-Noir (1976–1992)......Page 138 France......Page 143 UK......Page 144 Italy......Page 146 Japan......Page 147 Resource Materials......Page 149 Index......Page 157 Pocket Essentials Stock Titles......Page 160 From 'Stranger On The Third Floor' in 1940 to 'Touch Of Evil' in 1958, this book outlines the progression of film noir from a style for low budget filmmakers who could only afford one light, to complex tales of mislaid trust and constant betrayal Paul Duncan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 149-155) And Index.