Virgin Film: Film Noir (Virgin Film Guides)

Plodding and derivative but useful, 19 Aug 2010

By 

L. E. Cantrell (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada) –

  

I stumbled across this book during one of my rare visits to a local, soul-less Mega-Chain-Bookstore. It was displayed for a nominal price beside the main entrance on the get-this-stuff-outta-here table.

Considered as a handbook on American, studio-based films noir, this British volume isn’t bad. It is completely dependent on published sources, some of them at second-hand. Its style is determinedly plodding, for the author, Eddie Robson is, to say the least, not a gifted raconteur. I doubt that he would recognize a ray or wit or flash of insight if either or both came up and spat in his eye. Nevertheless, I take comfort in the feeling that Robson is such an earnest drudge that he has almost certainly collated his published sources with diligence and quoted from them with care.

The book is structured on a chronological basis. After some introductory material and general chit-chat, Robson begins with what he says is the consensus choice for “first true film noir”: a Peter Lorre vehicle called “Stranger on the Third Floor.” This and seventeen other films are given the dignity of their own chapters, ranging in length from ten to fifteen pages. The eighteen films are presented in chronological order:

Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Murder, My Sweet (1944)
Detour (1945)
The Big Sleep (1946)
The Killers (1946)
Out of the Past (1947)
The Lady from Shanghai (1948)
Force of Evil (1948)
Gun Crazy (1949)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
The Big Heat (1953)
The Big Combo (1955)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
The Killing (1956)
Touch of Evil (1958)

So far, so good. Except for “Stranger,” a dismal dud, this is a fairly respectable selection of films noir. On the other hand, it omits many fine and characteristic works, such as “D.O.A.,” “I Wake Up Screaming,” “He Walked by Night,” “Laura,” “Angel Face” and “The Narrow Margin,” just to name a few. Things, however, are not as bad as they seem, for between the chapters are brief, boxed comments on other films. For example, between “Sunset Boulevard” and “The Big Heat” are 178 words on “The Narrow Margin” and a few more on “Angel Face.” I, for one, would be perfectly happy to jettison “Stranger,” “Gun Crazy” and “The Big Combo” for more on “Laura,” “The Narrow Margin” and absolutely “D.O.A.,” but I suppose I can’t expect everything.

The major films are presented in this standardized format:

Table of production credits
Cast list
Summary of plot
Director – biographical sketch and a few anecdotes where available
Writer(s) – biographical sketch and anecdotes
Development – from concept to shooting script
Casting – profiles of major cast members and pertinent anecdotes
Production – notes on procedures, locations and difficulties overcome (or not)
Reception by the public
“Aspects of Noir” – a critical evaluation and analysis (by far the weakest part of the book, but easily ignored.)

On the whole, this is a handy manual of the great age of the American film noir. It is aimed at the reader who wants a general overview of the consensus position without excessive detail, controversy or style.

I think it’s worth four stars to such a reader.

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