Friday, May 10, 2024

TCM’s Film Noir of the Week Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at 12:45 and 10 a.m. ET is Richard Fleischer’s Follow Me Quietly (1949) with William Lundigan, Dorothy Patrick, Jeff Corey and Edwin Max

By David in TN
friday, may 10, 2024 at 6:44:00 p.m. edt

TCM’s Film Noir of the Week Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at 12:45 and 10 a.m. ET is Richard Fleischer’s Follow Me Quietly (1949) with William Lundigan, Dorothy Patrick, Jeff Corey and Edwin Max.

Film Noir Guide: “‘I have been ordained to destroy all evil. Beware! The Judge.’ This foreboding note is one of many clues to the identity of a psychopathic, self-righteous serial killer (Max).

“In a silly piece of police work, homicide detectives Lundigan and Corey construct a faceless mannequin based on the many vague descriptions provided by witnesses and begin showing photographs of it around town.

“Despite the absurd premise, this low-budget noir works well thanks to a well-developed script and solid performances by Lundigan as the frustrated cop and Patrick as the eager reporter.

David in TN: Follow Me Quietly is only 59 minutes but has a fair amount of plot. It has a great scene. This one has been on Noir Alley previously, like most of Red Eddie Muller’s selections in recent months. Here are some excellent Noir films yet to be on Noir Alley:

Robert Siodmak’s The Killers (1946): Sometimes on TCM, but not on Noir Alley.

The Enforcer (1951): Humphrey Bogart plays the prosecutor of Murder, Inc.

The Woman on Pier 13 (1950): Anti-Communist film.

I Was a Communist for the F.B.I. (1951): Excellent portrayal of Communists.

Walk East on Beacon (1952): A realistic film of F.B.I. agents against Soviet sleeper operatives. Filmed on actual Boston locations.

To my knowledge, Walk East on Beacon was on TCM once a dozen years ago. The late host, Robert Osborne, denounced it in his intro.

N.S.: I generally liked Robert Osborne, but that had much to do with his restraint from constantly alibiing for Reds, unlike Red Eddie. However, Osborne occasionally would start referring to party members as “alleged Communists,” showing his true colors.



2 comments:

David In TN said...

A few years ago TCM began showing TV movies and an occasional Mini-Series. On Friday Night at 11:30 p.m. TCM features The Murder of Mary Phagan (1988) with Peter Gallagher as Leo Frank and jack Lemon as Georgia Governor Slaton.

This was an NBC Mini-Series in 1988 shown over two nights meaning it's over four hours long. It's a good one to record and watch at your leisure.

The black janitor at a pencil factor in Atlanta, 1913, rapes and murders a White girl and manages to blame the factory manager, Leo Frank.

David In TN said...

TCM's Film Noir of the Week Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at Midnight and 10 a.m. ET is a Japanese film, Take Aim at the Police Van (1960).

The plot according to Satellite Direct magazine is: "A sniper kills two prisoners in a police van, and the driver sets out to find the killer."