Hollywoodland

July 14 2024

AS CRAZY DOES

Beauty is skin deep. Insanity is through and through.

We ran across a set of promo images from the film noir Where Danger Lives, and since we didn’t share any when we talked about the film some years back, thought we’d remedy that omission today. The shots show stars Robert Mitchum and Faith Domergue. We didn’t love the movie, but Domergue plays one of the stranger femmes fatales you’ll come across, which makes the movie worth a watch. You can read a bit more about it here, see a couple of very nice Italian posters here, and see a Domergue promo here. Where Danger Lives premiered today in 1950.

Where Danger Lives, Robert Mitchum, Faith Domergue, cinema, film noir

Femmes Fatales

July 5 2024

SLIP INTO SOMETHING

It's an extravagant look because if she ever needs to shoot someone she wants them to notice the gun last.

Above is a publicity image featuring the legendary Rita Hayworth made when she was filming 1947’s The Lady from Shanghai. We shared a promo from the movie several years back. This is another frame from the same session, showing Hayworth in the same slippery sheath. She plays a slippery character too.

The Lady from Shanghai, Rita Hayworth, film noir

Vintage Pulp

June 14 2024

DOUBLE TROUBLEMAKERS

I'm conflicted. You strangled my husband, but you're the first man who does what I want without me nagging him.

Above: a U.S. six sheet poster and zoom followed by an insert poster for the all-time film noir classic Double Indemnity. If you don’t like this one, you don’t like movies. It premiered in the U.S.—at a special event in Norman, Oklahoma of all places—today in 1944. We shared its West German poster here, joked about one of its classic sequences here, wrote about its modernized remake Body Heat here, and shared its Australian poster and covered the film in detail here.

Double Indemnity, Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, poster art, cinema, film noir

Hollywoodland

February 21 2024

THE SHOW STOPPER

She's one act you shouldn't miss.

How many times have we circled back to Gilda? Four or five, we guess. It isn’t because it’s good, which it is, of course, but rather because it has excellent promo materials. Above are two images (plus a crop we made) from the Hollywood set of the film showing Rita Hayworth performing her signature number “Put the Blame on Mame,” which was one of the more provocative sequences put onscreen post-Hays Code. For those who don’t remember or haven’t seen it, just after the number ends she’s willing to let audience members undress her. Supporting actor Joe Sawyer prevents it by intercepting the guys struggling at Hayworth’s zipper. But nothing is preventing you from watching Gilda. We consider it at least a top fifteen film noir.

Gilda, Rita Hayworth, Joe Sawyer, film noir

Femmes Fatales

December 22 2023

FINAL EDITION

I find it fascinating that today's paper says nothing about you, but by tomorrow you're all it will talk about.

Above: Lizabeth Scott looking like she means serious business in a promo photo made for her 1948 film noir Pitfall. Scott was an a-list actress and a noir stalwart, so her movies are usually safe bets. Pitfall isn’t her best, but it’s certainly worth watching.

Pitfall, Lizabeth Scott, film noir

Vintage Pulp

November 25 2023

UNRESOLVED TENSION

Give credit where credit is due—when possible.

Above is an MGM promo handout for the film noir Tension, which starred Audrey Totter and hit cinemas today in 1949. It was painted in ink by the same person who did the poster, one of the greatest artists in cinema poster history—the inimitable uncredited. It’s a great piece by a true master. We’ve shown you a lot of Tension‘s U.S. promo art, and today’s doesn’t even empty the well of what’s out there, but it’s the last time we’ll dip into it. So many vintage films, so little time…

Tension, Audrey Totter, cinema, film noir

Femmes Fatales

November 23 2023

GREAT SCOTT

Not just another brick in the wall.

Lizabeth Scott, who you see above, has an outsize legacy in film history thanks to her appearances in several film noir landmarks: Dead Reckoning, I Walk Alone, Pitfall, and Too Late for Tears come to mind. She also appeared in Dark City, Paid in Full, The Racket, the bizarre British noir-adjacent melodrama Stolen Face, and others. The above promo image was made when she appeared in one of her best movies—the Barbara Stanwyck headlined film noir The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, from 1946.

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Dead Reckoning, I Walk Alone, Pitfall, Too Late for Tears, Dark City, Paid in Full, The Racket, Stolen Face, Lizabeth Scott, Barbara Stanwyck, film noir

Vintage Pulp

November 14 2023

CRIME IN LA CITTA

There's a new prosecutor in town—and his name is Humphrey.

Above: an Italian poster for La città è salva, better known as The Enforcer, starring Humphrey Bogart as a prosecutor tasked with cleaning up rampant corrutpion in the big city. The movie is middle tier for Bogart, but that means it’s still very good. The poster is uncredited, but spectacular, with its abstract skyscraperscape and elongated figures. If we ever find out who painted it we’ll updated this post. La città è salva premiered in Italy today in 1951.

Italy, La città è salva, The Enforcer, Humphrey Bogart, poster art, cinema, film noir

Vintage Pulp

October 11 2023

A PASSAGE TO ITALY

With Bogart and Bacall in the starring roles an unusual fugitive movie takes flight.

This beautiful poster for La fuga was painted by Italian artist Luigi Martinati, and you doubtless recognize Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. They starred in four movies together and had a dual cameo in a fifth. This promo was made for their fourth outing Dark Passage, retitled to “the escape” in Italy. And therein lies the plot. Bogart breaks prison and undergoes a backalley cosmetic surgery procedure on his face in order to evade the cops and have a chance to solve the crime for which he was unjustly sent up the river.

The filmmakers decided to use the gimmick of having the first section of the film in Bogart-vision—i.e. first person pov until he gets his new face. It makes sense. Otherwise they’d have needed to have another actor play pre-surgery Bogart, or have resorted to clunky make-up and prosthetics. Bacall co-stars as unlikely shelter and succor, plus the prospect of love—if Bogie can survive. It’s a good movie.

But we’re going to tack upwind at this point and suggest that Dark Passage, while good, isn’t as scintillating as its reputation. Certainly it isn’t in the class of To Have and Have Not, Key Largo, or The Big Sleep. But hey—it stars B&B, and that’s all audiences of the era really cared about. Three years into her film career Bacall had grown into superstardom—or stardom as it was called back then—and dished out a performance here that did plenty with a thin script and a belief defying scenario.

The other star here is San Francisco, where most of the movie was shot. The city appeared in many period productions, but we can’t think of it ever being used to such an extent as in Dark Passage. Since we lived across the Bay in Berkeley for a couple of years, we got to know San Fran well and it’s fun to see it as it once was. Dark Passage—slightly overrated and all—is fun too. It premiered in the U.S. in 1947 and reached Italy today in 1948.

Italy, San Francisco, La fuga, Dark Passage, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Luigi Martinati, poster art, cinema, movie review, film noir

Vintage Pulp

October 9 2023

NIGHTMARE SCENARIO

When the worst that can happen actually happens.

Nine years ago when we discussed Nightmare Alley we shared its West German poster, so we thought we’d circle back to the movie today, first because it was excellent, second because we wanted to share the U.S. poster, and third because Mexican auteur Guillermo del Toro remade it a couple of years ago, which made us think we needed to remind people there was a previous version. Well, here’s the reminder: the original Nightmare Alley is one of the darkest films of the mid-century period. Tyrone Power is great in it, and Coleen Gray never hurts to have around, but what really makes the film worthwhile is that it’s loaded with interesting subtext. If you want to know more about it, our previous write-up is here. Nightmare Alley premiered in the U.S. today in 1947.

Nightmare Alley, Tyrone Power, Coleen Gray, poster art, cinema, film noir

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HISTORY REWIND

The headlines that mattered yesteryear.

September 10

1935—Huey Long Assassinated

Governor of Louisiana Huey Long, one of the few truly leftist politicians in American history, is shot by Carl Austin Weiss in Baton Rouge. Long dies after two days in the hospital.

September 9

1956—Elvis Shakes Up Ed Sullivan

Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time, performing his hit song “Don’t Be Cruel.” Ironically, a car accident prevented Sullivan from being present that night, and the show was guest-hosted by British actor Charles Laughton.

September 8

1966—Star Trek Airs for First Time

Star Trek, an American television series set in the twenty-third century and promoting socialist utopian ideals, premieres on NBC. The series is cancelled after three seasons without much fanfare, but in syndication becomes one of the most beloved television shows of all time.

September 8

1974—Ford Pardons Nixon

U.S. President Gerald Ford pardons former President Richard Nixon for any crimes Nixon may have committed while in office, which coincidentally happen to include all those associated with the Watergate scandal.

September 7

1978—Giorgi Markov Assassinated

Bulgarian dissident Giorgi Markov is assassinated in a scene right out of a spy novel. As he’s waiting at a bus stop near Waterloo Bridge in London, he’s jabbed in the calf with an umbrella. The man holding the umbrella apologizes and walks away, but he is in reality a Bulgarian hired killer who has just injected a ricin pellet into Markov, who develops a high fever and dies three days later.