“When we’re young we have dreams that never pan out, but we go on dreaming.”
If you were to ask a cinephile whose bag of tastes was a mix of classic films, tragic characters, dark stories, and thrills what their favorite month is, chances are they would say Noirvember. It’s currently that time of year when tales of crime, deceit, and dark alleyways are either ripe for revisiting or first-time discovery. Friends are asking each other for recommendations, while in our home, every Sunday evening has been devoted to a new or little-seen noir title.
Few labels produce output celebrating Noirvember quite like Kino Lorber. Their commitment to the genre continues to grow and never ceases to amaze. This year, the company has lovingly restored and brought out a collection of stand-alone noir releases, each one rich in unique flavor and deep genre roots, including two collaborations between Fritz Lang and Joan Bennett as well as a pair of titles that mix realism with classic noir.
Scarlet Street
Few filmmakers could make noir as poetic or mesmerizing as Fritz Lang. The director’s 1945 offering, Scarlet Street, is a testament to that with a tale of a middle-aged businessman (Edward G. Robinson) who falls for a mysterious but beautiful woman (Joan Bennett). Every part of Scarlet Street just clicks, from the silence accompanying the two characters’ introduction to Dan Duryea’s perfect turn as the third part of the love triangle. What makes Robinson’s pathetic anti-hero so compelling is the way he allows himself to be taken in by the fantasy promised to him. Lang’s camerawork (especially during the wonderfully tense interview sequence), staging, and angles are all superb, greatly adding to the heightened tragedy when Robinson finds himself imprisoned by the fantasy he so longed for. In its own uniquely tragic way, Scarlet Street conveys the dangers and consequences of a life in noir as few other titles did.
He Walked by Night
Boasting a great documentary-like style, He Walked by Night tells the true story of a cop killer (Richard Basehart) running loose in the streets and sewers of Los Angeles. Directors Alfred L. Werker and Anthony Mann inject the film with stark plot turns that are especially uncompromising for a noir. This is also reflected in the no-nonsense depiction of the police, led by Scott Brady, who will go to any length to capture the man who slaughtered one of his own. He Walked by Night‘s narration aids in the style of realism that the film is going for, while other such touches include Basehart fixing his own wound, the film’s minimal score, and a lack of typical punchy dialogue. However, the excellent cat-and-mouse dynamics as well as Basehart and Brady’s powerful performances ensure the film remains a purely cinematic experience. Fun fact: besides casting Harry Morgan and Jack Webb as a pair of heavies, the film was originally the inspiration for the long-running TV series Dragnet.
Secret Beyond the Door
Lang and Bennett reteamed for this taut thriller about a socialite (Bennett) who marries a wealthy man (Michael Redgrave), whom she soon becomes convinced is a disturbed killer. Beginning with a decidedly eerie opening complete with the leading lady’s haunting narration, Secret Beyond the Door plays out like a lush fantastic love story that proves utterly romantic in every sense of the word. Yet the way Lang shifts the romance into the realm of suspense is a true magic trick as the film’s tone exquisitely becomes darker with every scene. The levels of paranoia, obsession, and disbelief running rampant in Bennett’s mind carry the bulk of Secret Beyond the Door and help it rise above the fact that the movie is just a bit too overscored. Once again, Lang’s fantastic camera work never fails him as we are treated to some of the most imaginative shots ever constructed for the genre, culminating in a fantasy sequence that’s just spellbinding.
99 River Street
A mix of realism and classic noir filmmaking comprise this underrated noir from director Phil Carlson in which a prizefighter turned New York cabbie (John Payne) and a theater actress (Evelyn Keyes) find themselves on the run from police when the former ends up being framed for murder. Even by noir standards, the plot of 99 River Street is pretty threadbare, at least from a suspense standpoint. But the plot comes second compared to the world the film is depicting and the ruthless way in which it operates. Its two central characters spend so much time trying to make it in their respective professions, striving to not be defined by what the world sees them as. This makes for a noir title that’s less about murder and more about tired dreams and the strength it takes to hold onto them. Enough happens throughout the movie’s runtime for it to earn its genre stripes, but 99 River Street works best as a stirring document about the world of noir, the hopelessness that exists there, and a person’s attempt to fight against it before it swallows them up.
All of these titles are now available on Blu-Ray and DVD from Kino Lorber.
