“What a fetid, stinking, scummy, crappy, little world this is!”–Princess Melita Bonaparte-Film Noir Day Two Continued

“Film me in the dark, or by candlelight. I look better that way. You can’t see the blood as easily.”–Princess Melita Bonaparte (recently overheard when she was booked for credit card fraud, when attempting to sell off-shore oil drilling rights that weren’t hers to sell).

WHAT MAKES FILM NOIR LOOK GOOD? THE BLOOD? NO, THE LIGHTING THEY USE TO FILM THE BLOOD & THE REACTIONS THEREOF>>>>

2014 FILM NOIR FOUNDATION MONTAGE–“It’s a bitter, little world.”

Film Noir just makes crime look good & it's no wonder John Waters thought it was beautiful–but that's where the comparison ends. With Noir, the crime is real, real people, real crime–no parody intended—only the occasional dry & flippant humour when the crime in question seems about to devour the person(s) in the act of committing it.

No body got crime better than Lizabeth Scott in TOO LATE FOR TEARS. Why, this woman was way ahead of the game, if a husband was an inconvenience, she just bumped him off. O.J. Simpson must have been one of her early fans, only he played it out for real, instead of for reels.
Her ambition was along the lines of Wallis Simpson, only she just looked better, and a trail of dead husbands or boyfriends were collateral damage. What would you do if you were driving down a road, minding your own business, and some doofus dropped a briefcase containing sixty grand in the back seat of your open convertible? You know that isn't much money these days, but it might pay for the car! So, if the dolt would make it worth your while & add few more zeros, wouldn’t that be a sweet joyride?

The action takes off from there & Lizabeth Scott (as Jane Palmer–and that surname is no accident, clever writers them Noir script developers), along with Dan Duryea (Danny Fuller–yes, I read into the fuller, as in 'fill her up")–get on each other's nerves. She gets the upper hand for a while in this bumpy ride, but you know those moral purists have to spoil the fun. They were a jealous lot, could not stand how good Lizabeth Scott looked in those designer (by Adele Palmer) outfits while making bad. She wore those works of art with total authority. Yes, Lizabeth Scott is a class act, a real star. She played her role to perfection.

YOU TUBE: TOO LATE FOR TEARS-LIZABETH SCOTT, DON DE FORTE, DAN DURYEA-1949

The last of the five films screened on Day Two of Noir was THE HITCH-HIKER. Does anyone remember what their mothers texted them about taking candy from strangers or picking up hitch-hikers? This fun ride was well before texting, you smoked real cigarettes, not those horrible electronic ones! You got real cancer, not virtual cancer, and there was no cure, no 12-Step Programme. Back then, it seemed that multi-tasking, before it was ever given that silly name, was a fact of life. You could drive, smoke, and shoot a gun all at the same time. If you grew up watching Perry Mason on television, then you will remember William Talman was that other attorney who gave Perry Mason a run for his money. William Talman played the hitch-hiker, a serial murderer, based upon the real deal–Two fishing buddies pick up the historic psychopathic killer, Billy Cook: a film version of Clyde without Bonnie, directed by Ida Lupino, one of the few women who worked behind the cameras as well as in front of them.

The two buddies out for a nice weekend, got a whole lot more than they bargained for–and William Talman made for an excellent psychotic on the lam. You need an adult beverage before (during) and after this tail of terror. But the unblinking eye sees all, so don’t try to get over on hitch-hiker who has an eye that won’t close. You will be very sorry if your try it!

The Hitch-Hiker can be viewed in its entirety on You Tube, as it is in public domain! Don’t pick this guy up, go home, and watch it on You Tube!

Remember, “It’s a bitter, little world.”

It may be a a bitter, little world, but you can keep warm in a shirt that will remind you that it could be a lot worse. Yes, they have merchandise tables–and there’s one with your name on it!

Film Noir 2014-Tres puntos de vista de México/3 Views of Mexico

Yesterday, I watched 5 full length feature films–my eyes came out as special effects, but it was well worth the time. Day Two of Film Noir 12 started with three films which featured the culture of Mexico as the background of the stories that were being told. The first film was an American view of Mexico, the second & third films were produced in Mexico, showing how Mexico sees it’s own reflection while peering in the cultural mirror as reflected & told in 1951.

The first film starred Ricardo Montalban–in English the film was released as BORDER INCIDENT, in Spanish, INCIDENT de FRONTIERE. Many aspects of this film are still very much a part of both cultures, that of the United States & of Mexico. In a general sense, those of us who live North of the Mexican border depend upon those who are born South of the Mexican border to do the work we don’t want to do–harvesting the crops that make the food for menus in fancy restaurants or food courts possible. Generally speaking, children born North don’t work, children born South, know nothing else but work. Can one imagine a child attending Beverly Hills High School having to work the fields on weekends? The film focuses on the illegal trafficking of human beings who end up working for menial wages. It’s a form of slavery, indentured servitude, that has thrived since the World War II era. Before that, California agribusiness was supplied with people who fled the droughts in Oklahoma. Now the Grapes of Wrath that are celebrated with artful wine labels with grapes grown in Napa Valley, and other areas, are harvested by mostly by agricultural workers from Mexico. The dynamics of the work force for this industry have not changed much since 1949, when this film was released. Time has only provided more complex levels of technology to aid and abet in the crime of human slavery & border enforcement against the illegalities ends up sort of like the war against drugs, a counter-productive effort that was designed only to allow the rich to win. It’s a lose-lose if you are brown & are born South of the fabled border.

YOU TUBE OF METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER’S VIEW OF MEXICO-1949
BORDER INCIDENT-Starring Ricardo Montalban & George Murphy.

Film Number Two dealt with a fraudulent fortune-teller. That’s sort of like having a fake Titian, and telling house guests that you got it from the Gallery down the street. Little matter how one may personally feel about the subject, seems like every small town North of the Border has at least one, ready, willing,and able to tell the unfortunate who have a need to know when their unemployment checks will end (and part of those checks go to support that need!). It seems they must thrive South too. One of my impoverished Grandmother’s managed to find money to pay one, just wonder if he told her that she’d end up poor & that her children would inherit the wind? In this film, the slime bag in question redeems himself in the end by giving some of his ill-gotten money to an illiterate woman whose son was killed in the Korean War. I had to go home & look up the role of Mexico in the Korean war–and you can read about this by searching–(http://www.historyrocket.com/American-History/timeline/1950-1999/korean-war/Roles-Of-Mexican-Americans-In-Korean-War.html). So, there was a history lesson there for us that was never taught in our North high schools. The main lesson this film has to offer is chicanery pays, but only in the short-term. The palm reader had beautiful hands–amazingly beautiful hands & I suppose that was appropriate. Maybe someday, I will make it to the Tenderloin, and pretend to want to know what the future has in store for me—“My child, you will be instrumental in the Restoration of the Greek Monarchy & go on to become a famous film star & Hollywood Royalty.”

YOU TUBE OF En la palma de tu mano (In The Palm Of Your Hand)-1951

The third film of the Mexican Trilogy was as hard-core & real as it gets. This one dealt with women whose work was not in the fields, but in the bed. The world’s oldest profession was explored without any hint of wink & nod, but with complete & unblinking candour that told of a slavery that was based upon women who had only one option to survive in a man’s world, and that was to sell their bodies as directed. Here we call their managers pimps–but the general idea is the same. The abuse & shame that went with this territory was not glossed over. The women had their night club dance acts as fronts, while the real money was made after the applause was over. They kept doctors in business with clap of a different meaning. The mistake of having a child, and the choice of keeping the child versus having a “career” was @ the core of this film’s plot. It was a vivid exploration of what happens after the Night Club closes. In the programme notes a quotation is recalled by André Breton, “In Europe we talk about surrealism, in Mexico they live it every day.”

YOU TUBE OF VICTIMS OF SIN/Víctimas del Pecado-1951

Surrealism from Mexcio

Noctural Visit By Bonaparte Princess To Noir Czar

Her Serene Highness, The Princess Melita Bonaparte, pretends to show interest in film preservation, when in fact, she had the unmitigated gall to pose before the beautifully restored Noir Era, 1937 Buick just prior to driving off with it. “Possession is 9-10ths ownership,” she quipped as she managed to evade local law enforcement. Little did any one know, that she entered the Castro Theatre not to see the offerings of Film Noir, but to live it, carrying concealed weapons, making off with priceless restored film reels, and freshly made popcorn. Little doubt remains in our minds what she does when taking trips to Tiffany’s. She is armed, dangerous, and knows all about playing dumb. She packs a heater & knows how to use it. She is a Noir by night and a witch by day. So far, there seems to be no stopping her! Someday her luck will run out…

Little did Eddie Muller know that he was being set up by the Bonaparte Princess for a car heist! It’s her style to steal only the best & get away with it in plain sight of all concerned!

The Princess Meltia Bonaparte has unmitigated gall to drive off with classic car parked in front of theatre, claiming “possession is 9/10ths ownership.”