Many of these actors achieved stardom because of their start in film noir; others, despite it. In any case, at one time or another, sometimes many times, they played cops and robbers, hoodlums and toadies, doomed anti-heroes and femme fatales in one of filmdom’s richest genres. And all of us fans of film noir are richer for that. A tip of the fedora to them all.
ROBERT MITCHUM
Robert Mitchum (1917-97) was a marijuana smoker in an era of drinkers, and his heavy-lidded eyes and laconic drawl seemed to come straight out of the postwar cool-jazz age. The looming actor – who left his Hell’s Kitchen home at 14 to travel by boxcar – brought an offbeat energy to the screen that practically defined film noir, yet he was underrated as a leading man and frequently buried his talent beneath an air of disinterest. Mitchum is most remembered for his roles in the film noir genre of the late 1940's and early 1950's, including OUT OF THE PAST, CROSSFIRE and THE BIG STEAL, but he made numerous movies that spanned virtually every genre.
Gawd, I love this guy. What a face -- and his on-screen presence was the epitome of "don't give a damn" cool for me.
ReplyDeleteTwo of his most memorable movies wrer pverlooked here;Cape Fear and The Night of The Hunter.genius riveting and scary. He's definately not hard on the eyes, either.
ReplyDeletea danger to any body who crossed him in film noir! the best of the best
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