Hi Karen, I can't believe that this week has flown by so quickly. Your nightly visits and sprightly answers have really made me want more and more film noir...and we didn't even have time to discuss at length the cosmic injustice of Dan Duryea 's neglect as an unsung prince of this corner of the da...

Karen, thank you so much for visiting with us here at the Oasis this week; it would certainly be deli g htful if you could continue to drop-in on us, and share your thoughts & insights about our on-going film discussions. My question is: in your opinion, why wasn't Sterling Hayden used more tho...

Karen, thanks so much for your thorough (and thoroughly enlightening) responses. I'm more anxious than ever to dig into your books---you have a keenly intense knowledge of your subject and your writing is a delight to read. Thanks again! Thank you for your kind words, Dewey -- I have loved answerin...

Do you personally feel that film noir is confined to specific perameters such as: Period of time (i.e., post-WWII up to...???) Black-and-white photography only American/Hollywood produced pictures only ....or do you consider it a style applicable to all sorts of pictures from all times and countrie...

Tell me, us...what is your next [/i] project? What do you have in the works? I just finished watching "Kiss of Death" and "Road House" (on the Fox Movie Channel). I wasn't quite taken by Ida Lupino in this as I was with Celeste Holm. I know she's not NOIR [/i] but do you have an...

My question revolves around the actresses who appeared in poverty row noirs, most notably . . . Jean Gillie . . . Hi, again, Dewey -- I'd intended to mention last night that the May/June 2007 of my bimonthly film noir newsletter, The Dark Pages, contains an excellent cover story on Jean Gillie by o...

I was delighted to read that I'm not alone in my soft spot for Richard Conte , but was wondering if you could please write a bit about the many character actors who have enriched film noir, making every gunsel, crooked cop and rummy believable. I've always found that fine supporting actors such as ...

Did you ever get a chance to meet Lizabeth Scott? Or any of the others (the great Marie Windsor , Audrey Totter et al). . . .Gee...a real live author. Others here can tell you I have a tendency to gush. Again, I thank you for your response and as for Hedy Lamarr...aaaah, that's another [/i] story!!...

I'm a big fan of film-noir and some of my favorites are "Double Indemnity", "The Blue Dahlia", "The Maltese Falcon", "Murder, My Sweet", "The Glass Key" etc. In many of the film-noirs I'm facinated with the performances of the character actors espec...

My question revolves around the actresses who appeared in poverty row noirs, most notably Ann Savage, Jean Gillie and Janis Carter. Do you have any opinions regarding the differences between these actresses (and the parts they played) and those who achieved a much higher level of fame. I'd also be ...

Is there a hidden gem in noir for you? A rare one you have seen and we probably have not that we should hunt down. Hi, Movieman! The film that first comes to mind is one that I’ve mentioned several times here already – New York Confidential. Released in 1955 and directed by Russell Rouse (who also ...

I have three points of interest that I'm hopeful you would address, if [/i] your time permits : 1. I wonder if you would speak a little of two of my very fav'rite blondes, and two knock-out brunette(ish) gals: Gloria Grahame [/i], Lizabeth Scott [/i], Ella Raines [/i] and the best of lethal lady of...

One of the most interesting chapters of your book on women of noir was the detailed look at Helen Walker . Most people ascribe her brief, dazzling rise, most memorably appearing as Lilith in Nightmare Alley , and her subsequent rapid fall, to that accident that occurred when she gave some serviceme...

What do you think of The Reckless Moment ? I absolutely love this film. Joan Bennett and James Mason gave me the biggest surprise when I first saw it. . . I always admired both stars, but never had they moved me emotionally as they did in this marvelous film by director Max Opuls. how I wish TCM wo...

Since Charliechaplinfan brought the subject up. could you please list some essential noirs for a neophyte fan, Karen? I love this question, Moira! One of the best times I can recall in my film noir-loving life was about 10 years ago when I introduced a young co-worker to film noir. It was not only ...