The bad news is: Red Eddie Muller is back, with crime movies (alias: “films noir”) on TCM; the good news is, his first picture back has an A-cast: Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at 12:30 and 10 a.m. ET is Rosten, Reilly, Mercer and Gage’s The Velvet Touch (1948), with Rosalind Russell, Leo Genn, Claire Trevor, Sydney Greenstreet and Leo Ames

By David in TN
friday, march 7, 2025 at 11:23:00 p.m. est

TCM’s Film Noir of the Week returns after a month’s hiatus for Academy Award films.

This week, Saturday Night-Sunday Morning at 12:30 and 10 a.m. ET is John Gage’s The Velvet Touch (1948), with Rosalind Russell, Leo Genn, Claire Trevor, Sydney Greenstreet and Leo Ames.

Film Noir Guide: “Russell plays a stage actress who kills her former lover, Broadway producer Ames, by clubbing him with a statuette when he threatens to ruin her career and her relationship with her new boyfriend (Genn). It seems she’s gotten away with murder when one of her co-stars (Trevor), Ames [sic] former girlfriend, gets the blame.

“Guilt-stricken, Russell also must endure the constant pressure of a jocular, food-loving detective (Greenstreet). Russell does a good job as the comedienne with a yen to be a dramatic actress, and Greenstreet is enjoyable as the portly police captain. Look for former screen Tarzan Lex Barker in a small role as Russell’s leading man, and Martha Hyer as an understudy.”