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Directed by: Jacques Tourneur Starring: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas, Rhonda Fleming A lot of people disagree on what exactly it is that constitutes a film noir movie (and conversely, what films fall into that category), but I think few will contest that Out of the Past is one of the greatest examples of that series and period. It drips with the style and conventions of film noir, and if it were made in a later time era, it could easily be seen as a “Kill Bill” style homage in the way it so thoroughly encapsulates everything that makes up film noir. The movie was made at the height of the artistic mode of film noir, in 1948, and it’s interesting to think that such a “meta-film” type movie could be made before the conventions of noir were observed and defined, but perhaps it serves a double role as one of the ways in which we define the genre as a whole. Like many noirs, the plot is very complex and presented in a labyrinthine structure. The story follows Robert Mitchum, who is hired by Kirk Douglas to find and bring back his girlfriend, Jane Greer, who ran out on him. Mitchum reluctantly aggress to this, but once he finally meets Greer (in one of the greatest character introductions ever), he starts to develop plans for her of his own. Their love blooms, but they live in constant fear of Douglas’s inevitable discovery of the truth. Eventually, things come to worse and they part ways. From there, Mitchum finds himself involved with Douglas and Greer once again, but on completely different terms. The film combines flashback and voiceover exposition in an interesting way, capturing both the psychoanalytic confession of the noir voice-over as well as the “narration from beyond the grave” approach of the doomed noir hero. This makes it hard to describe the plot to someone who hasn’t seen the film (my summary is only the first half or third of the film, and is short on many of the details), but it’s not a difficult film to follow. That’s one of the great appeals of the noir genre; it’s both at once incredibly complex and intricate in design, but also very accessible and immediately satisfying. Perhaps more than any other American genre, film noir is all about character archetypes. The femme fatale is easily the best known, but there are many others, which are often similarly defined by gender roles and conventions. Out of the Past has two male “leads” and two female “leads,” each pair in direct contrast to each other. Robert Mitchum is cool, collected, and behaves with a certain existential, fatalistic quality. It’s almost as if he knows he’s doomed from the beginning. On the other hand, Kirk Douglas is aggressive and tireless in pursuing what he wants, never backing off or showing any sign of weakness. Together they make up the passive/aggressive templates for male behavior. As for the women, Jane Greer is a classic femme fatale, and perhaps the most perfectly rendered character of that style. She is so duplicitous, no one, not even the audience can see it until it is too late. Her sex appeal is irresistible, and her individual spirit gives her the strength to make it on her own. Virginia Huston on the other hand is completely boring. She has a sense of virtue and purity to her, sort of like the girl next door, but she isn’t really all that appealing. She seems incapable of doing anything on her own, and even says to Mitchum “everything you say I believe” after he questions her faith in him. Out of the Past is also noteworthy because of the filmmaking talent of director Jacques Tourneur, who is probably most famous for his noir/horror film Cat People. The density of each composition is staggering, and he is able to communicate a lot of information in even the most simple (but elegant) camera set-up. When Mitchum and Greer meet on one of their secret rendezvous, they stand in front a series of nets and fish-hooks, showing the fear and anxiety behind their lovers’ delight. The use of shadow and noir lighting is also exceptional, and helps bring the urban decay of cities like New York and Chicago to Acapulco and Lake Tahoe. The shadow play also works well with the contrast between the cast members, as well as with the character of Jane Greer who in two scenes that function together, steps “out of the sunlight” and “out of the moonlight.” It also has one of the best visual metaphors for sex this side of North by Northwest. Mitchum’s character is perhaps the perfect noir anti-hero. He starts as a detective, but is forced into a life on the run when his actions are uncovered, blurring the lines between good and evil in characteristic noir terms. He has that classic sense of tough-guy bravado and invincibility, but also a sharp wit and intelligence. Despite his strengths, he carries an aura of doom with him, and like most noir protagonists, is doomed from the very start. Mitchum’s cold, melancholy face is perfect for this kind of character, adding a sense of surrender and quiet acceptance to his more visibly qualities of strength. The dialogue is also classic noir. The characters have impossibly clever lines to spit at one another, and the actors all obviously enjoy delivering them. The exchanges between Mitchum and Greer pack tremendous erotic appeal without saying anything in plain terms, flirting in riddles and brief snippets of wit. The banter between Mitchum and Douglas is also highly entertaining. Out of the Past is one of the greatest films of all time, and is required viewing. Out of the two thousand plus films I’ve seen, it easily makes my top ten. A masterpiece by any standard. RATING: 5.0 PROS: great cast, characters, dialogue, directing, cinematography, uniquely film noir CONS: none ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039689/
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Nov 9, 2004 04:10
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| # ? Apr 23, 2024 21:06 |
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Unlike other detective heroes who are often left in the dark, Robert Mitchum in 'Out of the Past' plays a character that is all too aware of his situation, understands all too well what is happening around him, and yet finds that any attempts by him to change them are futile. Jane Greer plays a stone-cold bitch who easily earns his (and the viewer's) lust and eventually contempt. Unlike many similar film noir, Out of the Past takes us at times into the wilderness of Lake Tahoe and gives us an interesting visual counterbalance to the smoky and shadowed rooms that are more typical of the genre. This is a badass film noir, and probably the best of the new Warner boxed set that just came out. "Build my gallows high, baby."
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Nov 12, 2004 00:23
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