By David in TN
Friday, January 19, 2018 at 5:00:00 PM EST
TCM's Sunday Film Noir of the Week for January 21 at 10 am ET, is Act of Violence (1949). It stars Van Heflin as a WWII veteran living the good life in late 40's Los Angeles County building the post-war suburbs.
Heflin's character has a dark secret. As a POW in a German camp, he betrayed an escape attempt by his fellow prisoners, resulting in all but one being killed by the guards. Robert Ryan plays the lone survivor, Heflin's former friend now sworn to kill him.
Janet Leigh plays Heflin's young wife and Phyllis Thaxter Ryan's girl. Both ladies stand by their man.
Van Heflin (who, as previously mentioned, was called another Spencer Tracy) gives his usual outstanding performance as the guilt-ridden veteran seeking atonement. Ryan looks his usual sinister self as the limping avenger.
On Saturday night, January 27, at 8 pm ET, TCM features White Heat (1949) with James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, and Steve Cochran. This is one of Cagney's most famous roles, as a mother-fixated psycho killer ("Top of the World!"). Edmond O'Brian is an undercover T-man who hooks up with Cagney in prison and joins a breakout, followed by a major heist.
ReplyDeleteImmediately following at 10:15 ET is D.O.A. (1950). Edmond O'Brien stars in perhaps his most famous role as a businessman who travels to San Francisco for a week of fun away from his girl friend. At a night club, someone spikes his drink. The next day doctors tell him he has only a day or two to live.
O'Brien then goes on a quest to find his killer. He does a lot of running around. I think our friend Eddie Muller previously called Edmond O'Brien the "master of perspiration."
Neville Brand plays the psycho henchman who enjoys punching the dying man in the stomach ("Bigelow can't take it in the belly!"). Good location shots, shows what San Francisco looked like in 1950.
On Sunday, January 28 at 10 am ET, TCM's Film Noir of the Week is Tomorrow is Another Day (1951). Not GWTW, it stars Ruth Roman and Steve Cochran.
Roman (in a blonde wig) is a hardened taxi dancer who has ex-con Cochran fall for her. Roman's lover, a jealous cop, slaps her around, Cochran intervenes, and a typical Noir follows.