Film Noir Friday: The Killers [1946]

The Killers Swedish Movie Poster

Welcome! The lobby of the Deranged L.A. Crimes theater is open. Grab a bucket of popcorn, some Milk Duds and a Coke and find a seat.

Tonight’s feature is THE KILLERS based on a story by Ernest Hemingway. Directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, Albert Dekker and Sam Levene, THE KILLERS is a terrific film.   Enjoy the movie!

TCM says:

Two hitmen, Al and Max, drive into Brentwood, New Jersey, in search of Pete “Swede” Lund, and stake out a diner he frequents, questioning, among others, customer Nick Adams about Swede’s whereabouts. After the men leave, Nick races to Swede’s boardinghouse room to warn him and is stunned when Swede seems resigned to his fate. Shortly after Nick’s departure, Al and Max find Swede waiting in his room and shoot him to death. When it is discovered Swede had a small life insurance policy with Atlantic Casual, insurance investigator James Riordan begins investigating his murder.

http://youtu.be/jJm3ixVQKnw

The Cold Turkey Pinch

What’s a cold turkey pinch? In 1930s cop speak it referred to an officer who made an arrest without any effort–no gathering of evidence, no investigation, nothing. Read on…

cold turkey pinchThanksgiving Day on “The Nickel” (Fifth Street) in 1937 was desperate living personified. LAPD Detective Lieutenants Bailey and Olson sat in the Chicago Cafe at 209 Fifth and watched as drunks shuffled past oblivious to those who would do them harm. Thanks to Old Man Depression there was more than enough misery to go around and The Nickel lacked all of the warmth, joy, and delicious aromas evident in other neighborhoods in the city.

The detectives sipped their coffees and kept their eyes peeled for the predators who preyed on helpless drunks. Known as drunk rollers the vultures robbed Skid Row inebriates of their few possessions. A man, seemingly down on his luck, seated himself beside Bailey and said: “you wouldn’t mind staking a thirsty guy to a nickel beer would you.”  After looking the stranger up and down, Bailey bought the man a brew.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/00097/00097526.jpg

Chicago Cafe at 209 Fifth Street c. 1937. [Photo is from Schultheis collection at the LAPL]

The man sat quietly nursing his beer, then he turned to Bailey and pointed at a man in a booth who had obviously passed out.  “Watch me”, the beer drinker said–then he walked over to the unconscious boozer and searched through his clothing.

When he returned to his seat he grinned at Bailey and Olson and said: “See what I got?” and held up a dollar bill. “Now I guess it’s my treat.”

“Yes, brother, I sure guess it’s your treat all right,” said Bailey as pulled out his badge and arrested his would-be benefactor.

Jack Orchard, 35, was booked at the City Jail on suspicion of robbery.

May your Thanksgiving be much happier than Jack Orchard’s (although he did get a free beer!)  Have a great Holiday and stay safe, those Black Friday sales can be murder!

I’ll pick up the story of the Mary Pickford kidnapping conspiracy in my next post.

NOTE: Amy Condit — the “desperate living” is for you.

Film Noir Friday: The Capture [1950]

 

THE CAPTURE

Welcome! The lobby of the Deranged L.A. Crimes theater is open for a rare Saturday matinee. Grab a bucket of popcorn, some Milk Duds and a Coke and find a seat.

Tonight’s feature is THE CAPTURE (“Another Violent story by the author of “Duel in the Sun”) starring Lew Ayres and Teresa Wright.  Enjoy the movie!

TCM says:

Pursued by police across Mexican range land, American Linley Vanner seeks refuge in the adobe hut of Father Gomez. That night, an exhausted Lin, whose arm is injured, finally reveals his story to the priest: A year earlier, Lin is working as a supervisor at an oil field when he hears that the company’s payroll has been stolen and several guards who were protecting it, murdered. Lin is coaxed by his fiancée Luana to join the robbery posse, which is being led by company president Earl C. Mahoney. At first Lin refuses to consider the idea, but changes his mind when he develops a strong feeling about where the robber, whom witness Mahoney has described as “American,” might have gone.

 

Film Noir Saturday Matineee: Kansas City Confidential [1952]

Film Noir Poster - Kansas City Confidential_01

Welcome! The lobby of the Deranged L.A. Crimes theater is open for a rare Saturday matinee. Grab a bucket of popcorn, some Milk Duds and a Coke and find a seat.

Tonight’s feature is KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL (aka THE SECRET FOUR) starring John Payne, Coleen Gray and Preston Foster. Billed as ” The picture that hits with bullet force and blackjack fury!”  The film inspired Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs  Enjoy the movie!

TCM says:

For over a week, retired Kansas City police captain Tim Foster watches the Southwest Bank and the flower shop next door to ascertain the timing of each business’s delivery trucks. Satisfied that each truck leaves at exactly the same time every day, he then assembles a trio of criminals to help him rob the bank of its deposit: Pete Harris, a gambling addict; Tony Romano, a ladies’ man; and Boyd Kane, a cold-blooded killer.

You just know that mayhem will ensure…

Film Noir Friday: Fall Guy [1947]

 FALL GUY 1947

Welcome! The lobby of the Deranged L.A. Crimes theater is open. Grab a bucket of popcorn, some Milk Duds and a Coke and find a seat.

Tonight’s feature is FALL GUY starring Leo Penn (billed as Clifford Penn), Robert Armstrong, Teala Loring and Elisha Cook, Jr. Enjoy the movie!

TCM says:

Tom Cochrane, full of dope (cocaine) and covered with blood, is picked up by the police and then questioned by detectives Shannon (Douglas Fowley) and Taylor (Harry Strang), but manages to escape. His girl friend Lois Walter (Teala Loring), against the wishes of her guardian, Jim Grosset (Charles Arnt), assists Tom and his police-officer brother-in-law Mac (Robert Armstrong) in trying to clear Tom of a possible murder charge. Tom only recalls meeting a man in a bar and going to a party.

http://youtu.be/tCJp824nYE4