Film Noir Friday: The Big Knife [1955]

 the big knifeWelcome! 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 BIG KNIFE starring Ida Lupino, Jack Palance, Wendell Corey, Jean Hagen, Rod Steiger and Shelley Winters.

Enjoy the movie!

From a TCM article by Jeff Stafford:

The tone of the entire film is set in the opening shot of The Big Knife accompanied by a portentous voiceover by Richard Boone stating, “This is Bel Air. Lush, luxurious retreat of the wealthy and powerful. If you work in the motion picture industry and are successful, this is where you will probably make your home. Failure is not permitted here.” Regarding his true intentions, director Robert Aldrich stated (in The Films and Career of Robert Aldrich by Edward T. Arnold and Eugene L. Miller) that he did not feel The Big Knife was “exactly anti-Hollywood, for that would make it too sectional. To me it can apply to any sphere of business, or the arts, where man’s natural liberty or expression is squelched by unworthy, incompetent, tyrannical leaders or bosses, many of whom are not deserving of their powers.”

Film Noir Friday: The File on Thelma Jordon [1950]

file on thelma jordon 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 FILE ON THELMA JORDON, directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Wendell Corey, and Paul Kelly (who, in real life, served time in prison).

Turner Classic Movies says:

Assistant district attorney Cleve Marshall goes on a drunken binge and misses celebrating his anniversary with his wife Pamela. Left alone in chief investigator Miles Scott’s office, Cleve drunkenly pursues Thelma Jordon, an alluring and confident woman, who is reporting an attempted burglary at her elderly aunt Vera’s house. Thelma agrees to join Cleve for a drink after he offers to fix a parking ticket for her. He stays with her until late that night, when she throws him out of her car for proclaiming his love.

It’s a complicated tale of theft and murder!