...or can only Hollywood produce noir? Absolutely not. Brit noir is coming to the forefront and an untapped vein is Mexican noir. There are only a few cabareteras that have been subtitled for the U.S. market. For those of you who haven't seen Sensualidad (1951), it is as visually textured as any fi...

Pilgrim Soul- thanks for asking about the Film Noir Foundation. The Film Noir Foundation was organized three years ago as a 501-c non-profit by writer Eddie Muller and a few other kindred souls including yours truly. Our mission is to "restore America's noir heritage" through the location,...

Btw, I've never understood how in the world anyone--least of all Rod Taylor in The Birds--could have failed to find Suzanne Pleshette in that film infinitely more challenging and appealing than Tippi Hedren? And how! I always thought Rod Taylor's character needed professional help for dumping Suzan...

I don't know if this is the venue for this type of post, but I just discovered that Miss Pleshette has passed away. I really HATE hearing this. She was an underrated actress and from what I've heard from many people, a grand lady who was down to earth and well liked by all. I remember her in one of ...

Do you have a favorite role that showcases aspects of the traditional femme fatale? I have several favorites from my personal femme fatale Hall of Fame (in no particular order): Yvonne De Carlo in Criss Cross Jane Greer in Out of the Past Marie Windsor in The Killing Joan Bennett in Scarlet Street ...

A question I have for you - one that I realize you must answer speculatively, is how do you foresee the future of McGraw's career if he hadn't died so prematurely and tragically? As you state in your book, his career was pretty much on the skids at the time of his death -- but if he had managed to,...

McGraw was buddies with Robert Mitchum, right? Any choice tales to tell of that relationship? I go into the relationship in some detail in the book. Mitchum and McGraw shared a propensity for B.S.ing hours away in saloons and both were authentic characters, although Mitchum was much more of an lnte...

Body Heat is an entertaining movie. Yes, it is a neo-noir send-up on Double Indemnity , but that doesn't mean it doesn't stand on its own merits. High points include the witty byplay between the John Hurt, Ted Danson and J.A. Preston, characters, the rich John Barry musical score and the Florida lo...

My first conscious awareness of Charles McGraw was in the film, Spartacus (1960), where he plays the "drill instructor"/head tormentor of the slaves in gladiatorial training. I understand that the making of this movie was rather contentious. Did McGraw like working on it? Was he disturbed...

What is your definition of film noir? Is it always a picture with a 'criminal' element? or more a film dealing with mood and atmosphere?

Ann- I think it is both.

BTW- Saw you recently at a screening of DOUBLE HARNESS here in Hollywood. You and William Powell were terrific. together.

what about Joan Crawford classics like HUMORESQUE and MILDRED PIERCE ? MILDRED PIERCE is a pure classic, one of the great Hollywood films of the 1940's and a noir, through and through. HUMORESQUE is more soaper than dark film, but I haven't seen it for a long time, so I have to qualify my opinion. ...

My question has to do with another "Alan" - namely Mr. Ladd, who, after getting his early big "legs-up" with roles in This Gun for Hire, The Glass Key, & The Blue Dahlia, seemed to drift right out of noir films at a pretty quick rate . . was that his desire, or an indication...

My question is was RKO deliberately destroyed and it so why ? The studio was a hotbed of leftist producers, directers, sceenwriters, and actors. I detail the demise of RKO in the McGraw book in a lot of detail. In addition to the undermining of the studio system by the Consent decree and the advent...

Two great films. Detour is a striking example on what could be done on a nearly non-existent budget. I think Ann Savage's "Vera" is one of the great all-time noir characters. I got to know Ann fairly well and actually saw Detour with her several times. She is a sweet survivor and I am so g...

I did cover McGraw's appearance in Johnny Staccato in the book. The Staccato series is a striking example of film noir's migration to the small tube by the end of the 1950's. Watching McGraw hammer the ivories and indulge in some "hep-cat" repartee in this episode was a real treat! I was w...