Looking at how one of the most beloved of film genres survived the 1950s
Anytime I think of film noir in the ‘50s, my thoughts immediately go to The Killing, Stanley Kubrick’s 1956 heist tale featuring Sterling Hayden (in his best performance) as the ringleader of a group of men who decide to rob a race track. That film, with its flawless pacing, intricate plot, and gasp-worthy ending, was as good as film noir got in a lot of ways. For me (and I suspect, a few others), The Killing felt like the ending of an era, the last noteworthy entry into a genre which had ushered in methods of storytelling and filmmaking techniques which would become indelible in the world of film.
It’s not unfair to assume that noir didn’t occupy much of an existence in a Hollywood now belonging to the likes of Debbie Reynolds and Alfred Hitchcock. Yet, as this year’s Noir City Austin proved, film noir did indeed remain a presence in the movie world as it both adjusted to the changing times and found new ways with which to reinvent itself. At the same time, its helmers managed to hold onto that element of human darkness which had always made the genre so mystifyingly compelling.
Put on by the Film Noir Foundation and hosted by Founder and President Eddie Muller, this year’s festival (held at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz) continued the tradition of treating local cinephiles to a weekend full of little-known noir titles, some of which hadn’t been screened for audiences since their initial run. Muller (who also serves as the host of TCM’s Noir Alley) took some time to remind audiences of the FNF’s principle mission of “rescuing and restoring at risk films” before unveiling a collection which not only held on to its noir ancestry, but also skillfully commented on the decade itself.
In an effort to recap another stellar Noir City Austin, here are some highlights of a few of the festival’s featured titles which showed how the transformative nature of film noir more than thrived in the ‘50s.
It’s Okay to Root for the Cops – Trapped (1949)
The newest gem restored by the FNF, Trapped told the story of an infamous counterfeiter (Lloyd Bridges) recently escaped from prison and the team of secret service agents determined to bring him down. Trapped is draped in plenty of noir tropes while turning the genre on its head by electing to follow the lawmen rather than the criminal. While most noir titles feature a bevy of anti-heroes living in a sea of moral gray, Trapped instead chooses to stick with the men trying to bring such a figure down. The technique is an effective one, leading to a suspense that’s all its own and an experience both classic and unconventional. Maybe it was the burgeoning era of the ‘50s where it was OK to trust the government that compels Trapped to paint its these men in the most heroic of lights. If this means the beginning of the movie comes across as a sort of PSA, with an introduction featuring a reminder of the importance of U.S. treasury, the twists and turns that come shortly thereafter place the film squarely in the world of noir.
Noir Uncovered – The Turning Point (1952)
If there was one undeniable transformation in the storytelling side of noir in the decade following its peak, it was the bringing down of the kind of corruption that existed within society. “Expose movies became the new sub-genre of film noir; that was where noir went in the 1950s,” Muller told the audience before introducing The Turning Point. This little-seen 1952 film tells the story of a hungry special prosecutor (Edmond O’Brien) who teams up with his close friend (William Holden), a hard-hitting reporter determined to help bring down the city’s most crooked public officials. Featuring the kind of elements which made the likes of Ace in the Hole such an experience, the themes of doing what’s right and a loyalty to both family and justice ring incredibly true throughout here. Yet the film stays true to its noir roots through both its plot turns and conflicted main characters. But it’s that spotlight on the far-reaching strong arm of corruption and the battle to bring it down at whatever the cost which gives The Turning Point its true power. It’s a power that remains right up until the final scene which features an exhausted O’Brien commenting, “Sometimes someone has to pay an exorbitant price to uphold the majesty of the law.”
Melodrama Meets Noir – A Kiss Before Dying (1956)
“One thing people ask me is: ‘Can it be film noir it it’s in color?’” Muller told the crowd just before the last screening on Saturday. “My answer is always: ‘Yes.’” Nothing proves the color noir theory more true than 1956’s A Kiss Before Dying, a romantic thriller starring Robert Wagner (in a rare villainous role) as a handsome college student with a dark side determined not to let anyone stand in his way of getting to the top, including his wealthy pregnant girlfriend (Joanne Woodward). Probably the best example of film noir melding into the conservative ‘50s, A Kiss Before Dying has a quintessential villain at its center, with Wagner perfectly balancing both the tender and the maniacal side by side in technicolor glory. The film’s plot twists are intriguing in their own right, as are the Douglas Sirk-lite soapy aspects, with the pregnancy angle being especially daring for the day. Yet it’s the movie’s comment on social climbing and the intoxicating power of attaining the American Dream (certainly amplified by the decade) which makes A Kiss Before Dying a product of two distinct worlds.
The Influence of Television – Nightfall (1956)
While the rise of television meant big changes for film noir, one of the more significant ones was in the way such films were made. For years, the genre had been associated with a visual darkness which had given way to some of the most expressive filmmaking ever to exist. However, with television in its nascent state, things had to adjust. With the idea that every film would eventually play on TV, films shrouded in darkness had to have their filters adjusted for the new medium. “You weren’t allowed to shoot movies the way you could in the ‘40s because television couldn’t handle those dark angles,” Muller explained. “Directors had to film them so that they could eventually play on television and not bleed out.” If the visual difference may be a tad obvious, you would never guess it from the plot of Nightfall, which detailed the story of an ordinary man (Aldo Ray) on the run after being suspected of a bank robbery. The movie’s idea of the wrong man being caught up in a situation outside of his normal life makes Nightfall come off like an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, especially where its construction is concerned. But with a slow-burning tension and a pulsating climax, the film truly fits in the vein of what Muller describes as “hardcore noir.”
Indie Noir – Murder by Contract (1958)
Although independent films existed before the 1950s, they were made by either big name stars or established directors. Yet that all changed in the ‘50s with the arrival of Kubrick. “When Stanley Kubrick made Killer’s Kiss, it was the first time that a ‘kid’ did it,” Muller said before the screening of the quietly intense Murder by Contract. “It inspired director Irving Lerner to do the same with this.” Shot in about a week, Murder by Contract follows contract killer Claude (Vince Edwards), whose job of taking out hits begins to wear on his mental state when he’s tasked with killing a woman. “Hitmen are always about guys living in the margins,” said Muller, “which was perfect for low budget filmmakers.” Indeed, watching this movie, it becomes apparent that the film is less about plot and more about the silent madness consuming the main character in what amounts to a chilling character study. Reportedly a favorite of Martin Scorsese, who used Claude as inspiration when preparing Taxi Driver, Murder by Contract represented the beginnings of maverick directors telling stories which prided themselves on not lining up with the Hollywood fashion of the day. Striking, startling, provocative and a milestone in independent filmmaking.
The Experimental Side of Noir – Blast of Silence (1961)
That theme of indie noir carried over into the close of the festival with 1961’s incredibly dark Blast of Silence, the story of a hitman (Allen Baron) who comes back home to New York City on Christmas to pull of a job. Regarding the film, Muller commented, “It is completely unique in one way; the only voice over narration is in the second person, addressing the main character. It’s the most bizarre thing.” The technique does contain a bit of surrealism for sure, with Lionel Stander’s voice a constant, invisible presence, haunting the protagonist. Yet the experiment also imparts a sort of Jiminy Cricket feel, giving a real insight into the mentality and existence of someone who has immersed themselves into this world so much that breaking away from it is no longer possible. Director Baron (who took over acting duties when Peter Falk dropped out) not only furthers the rise of independent film noir with Blast of Silence, but also manages to strip away the glamorous romanticism which had pervaded the genre for so long, managing a level of realism that is nothing short of breathtaking.
For more about the Film Noir Foundation, including information about their quarterly magazine, ways of donating and other Noir City stops, please visit their website.