Review of Out of the Past (1947) by Vinnie G — 26 Dec 2012

I've honestly never seen a film that carries such intensity it almost chokes you and yet it never allows itself to go too far; it still has a story to tell and never does it submit to style over substance. Breathtaking dialogue, well-carved characters and a tense but steady pace, all dovetail beautifully together. I was constantly surprised how mendacious and underhanded Kathie was - played so brilliantly by Jane Greer - and yet how coolly Jeff (Robert Mitchum) simply adjusts to her devilishness with a measured and charismatic confidence.

This, from memory, is my first real foray into the genre of so-called Film Noir; it's such a massive area of Cinema that it's always been too big a task for me to know where to really start. Well, I started here with Out Of The Past and I adored it.