film-noirs | Hollywood Yesterday

Claire Trevor and Dick Powell in the Wonderful Film-Noir Murder, My Sweet

January 24, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Claire Trevor and Dick Powell: Murder My Sweet

Two of my favorite old Hollywood stars are Claire Trevor and Dick Powell. Love them both beyond distraction. So when it came time to watch a movie starring BOTH, I was a little nervous – I wondered how I’d feel if the movie was a total bomb (it’s happened a few times when favorites have teamed up).

I didn’t have to worry one bit about this movie, however, because it’s one of the best film-noirs made. Dick Powell plays Philip Marlowe and does so to perfection. As for Claire Trevor… come on, the lady is never anything but completely mesmerizing.

Someone once asked me why I didn’t post more Claire Trevor pictures on Twitter – my answer was as honest as it was logical… I don’t have very many Claire Trevor pictures in my collection! I am trying to buy some when I can and am in the process of taking screencaps from her movies. Believe me, nothing would give me greater joy than to help promote this extraordinary actress and keep her name and face alive and well!

You can watch Murder, My Sweet on Prime Video or buy the dvd (or blu-ray) on Amazon.

Lady in the Lake, Starring Robert Montgomery and Audrey Totter

January 22, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lady in the Lake Lobby Card

One of my favorite film-noirs (and one of the three that actually pulled me into the genre) is the classic masterpiece Lady in the Lake from 1946. Robert Montgomery both directs and stars in the unique, bold film and it’s a real work of art.

The movie also stars the always outstanding Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Jean Meadows, and Leon Ames.

As I mentioned above, this film-noir is one of three (A Woman’s Secret and A Woman’s Face being the others) that actually made me really give film-noirs a chance. By nature, I am most drawn to Westerns, comedies, Sherlock Holmes movies, swashbucklers, Charlie Chan, and musicals. Put me in front of Elvis movies or a John Wayne marathon and I am as happy as a cat sleeping in a bed of catnip. The dark contrast of film-noirs never appealed to me until I gave them a real chance. The three I’ve named drew me into the genre further and I’ve found that I absolutely love it.

Lady in the Lake is best known for the way the film was shot – from Robert Montgomery’s Philip Marlowe’s viewpoint. You only see his face at the beginning of the film (when he talks into the camera), a few times during the film when he sees a mirror, and the end of the film.

I won’t lie, when I first watched it, I spent the first 10 minutes trying to decide if I was going to bail or not. I was afraid it’d get tiresome. I stuck with it and, after a mere 5 more minutes, I was delighted that I had.

By the middle of the movie I was praising it’s boldness, artistry, exceptional story, flawless direction, and (of course) the beautiful powerhouse that was Audrey Totter.

If you’ve never seen Lady in the Lake, I hope you’ll make a point of seeing it soon. It truly is breathtaking. You can watch it on Prime Video or buy Lady in the Lake on dvd. I, personally, need it for my Audrey Totter collection, so that’s the route I’m taking!

Lady in the Lake Lobby Card

Dick Powell and Claire Trevor BURN Up the Screen in Murder, My Sweet

January 17, 2021 By Joi Leave a Comment

Dick Powell and Claire Trevor

There are many famous old-Hollywood pairings (Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire…) and just as many “would have been famous” pairings – you know, the dynamic partners who would have achieved similar fame if only they’d had more than one or two films together (Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge, Dick Powell and Claire Trevor, John Wayne and Claire Trevor, James Stewart and Donna Reed…).

Claire Trevor and Dick Powell worked together beautifully in Murder, My Sweet. In fact, they burned up the screen! How Hollywood neglected to pair them again and again is beyond me.

Claire Trevor and Dick Powell

You can watch Murder, My Sweet on Prime Video or buy the dvd (or blu-ray) on Amazon.

Henry Fonda and Vera Miles, The Wrong Man

November 9, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Henry Fonda and Vera Miles, The Wrong Man

Ever stop and think how funny it is that (very often), our favorite actors or actresses aren’t (even by our own judgement) the best actresses and actors. We just like them and that’s that. Every now and then, though, the two worlds collide and our favorites are, undoubtedly, among the very best. That’s the case with quite a few of my own personal favorites but none any more glaringly so than Henry Fonda (and his close friend James Stewart, too, for that matter).

Henry Fonda was as talented an actor as one could ever hope to find. Drama, comedy, westerns, romantic films.. he did everything and did it flawlessly.

The photos, shown here as the pictures of the day, are from his wonderful 1956 film-noir The Wrong Man. The movie co-stars Vera Miles and was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It’s an especially good movie and Fonda and Miles are exceptional.

You can find The Wrong Man (link to the dvd on Amazon) on Amazon.

Henry Fonda and Vera Miles, The Wrong Man

Dick Powell as Philip Marlowe…. Outstanding!

January 27, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Claire Trevor and Dick Powell

Dick Powell is one of my favorite actors (and anyone who knows me knows how much I adore Claire Trevor), so I was pretty destined to love this movie. Funny thing is, I believe I’d love it just as much if other stars were playing the leads – the story is that good.

Dick Powell’s portrayal of Philip Marlowe earned the approval of author Raymond Chandler, himself. Dick Powell was an incredibly versatile actor. He was wonderful on radio, in musicals, in dramas, and in comedies. He could do anything given to him and do it exceptionally well.

Before I saw Murder, My Sweet, I was most familiar with Dick Powell from his June Allyson comedies and his musicals – so finding him in a film-noir was kind of unusual at first. Fortunately, his talent and versatility made the transition as smooth as it was sensational. He was outstanding in the role of Philip Marlowe.

Absolutely outstanding.

Claire Trevor and Dick Powell

You can watch Murder, My Sweet on Prime Video or buy the dvd (or blu-ray) on Amazon.

Picture of the Day: Melvyn Douglas, Maureen O’Hara, and Gloria Grahame

November 22, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

A Woman’s Secret – Maureen O’Hara, Melvyn Douglas and Gloria Grahame

Two of my absolute favorite actresses are Maureen O’Hara and Gloria Grahame. One of my absolute favorite actors (right up there, shoulder to shoulder with Bogart, Keaton, and Stewart) is Melvyn Douglas. How in the world am I NOT going to be completely obsessed with A Woman’s Secret (1949) starring all three?!

Fortunately, it also happens to be a very good movie. It’d be a darn shame for me if it wasn’t, wouldn’t it?! I have a feeling I’d like it even if it was a turkey, simply because it has these three.

I’m working on my review of this wonderful film-noir, but for now, here’s a little tease as the picture of the day.