Dead men don't wear plaid

 Steve Martin

Film Noir

Steve Martin

To many viewers if you mention Steve Martin, you think of Little shop of Horrors. However, he made an excellent pastiche with the film noir movie, Dead men don't wear plaid.

What is the difference between pastiche and parody?

A pastiche is what you get when you take cuttings from films, and make another film. A parody is when you make a movie to poke fun at something.

I haven't seen the movie Bilko, I don't think I'd enjoy it, to me Bilko is Phil Silvers. Also, the times have changed, a modern audience wouldn't know half of what went on

Though I am not a fan of musicals, I did enjoy Little shop of Horrors, as it wasn't purely musical, also it had Bill Murray and Rick Moranis in before they played in Ghostbusters.

Iconic Films

 Nightmare Alley

Movie Nights

Film Noir

This film noir movie is about a fairground fortune teller, and shows a side of us, that we cannot avoid.

The story is about how people are judged by their appearance.

I have both version of the film, the 1947 version with Tyrone Power, and the 2021 remake with Cate Blanchett.

The basic storyline is most fortune tellers have a "mark" in the crowd, a person chosen by the teller for the show.

The film is about not breaking rhe Golden Rule of doing a cold call, making a judgement on someone you met a few minutes ago. How many of us do that?

You see a person approaching, and try to judge them, a soft hand means they don't do manual work, a firm handshake usually means a strong personality. NIce clothes means they are paid well, or have money. 

When I was working for Bristol Museum, I met a man who slept on the doorstep of Blaise Castle Musuem, at first glance he didn't look like a typical down-and-out, it turned out a year earlier he had a well-paid job, a wife, and a family. Then things went from bad to worse.

He lost his job, his car, and the wages. After struggling for months, his wife left him, and he lost the house they had lived in. So, he'd gone from running a business to living on handouts in only a year.

I got to know a young lady who had chosen to live on the "fringe" as she found regular life too stressful. She was attractive, polite, friendly, and loving, she had two dogs which were well-fed. One Boxing Day, I went to give her some food, but she'd gone.

The Blue Dahlia

Alan Ladd

Tonight's Iconic film is going to The Blue Dahlia with Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, and William Bendix. The story is one similar to what many G.I.'s found after returning home from WW2, their wives had been having affairs while they were away. In some ways, you cannot blame the lady, as she didn't know if her husband would return, or how long he'd be away, many men came back and couldn't adjust to civilian life after the war.

Hold your man

Jean Harlow

This Jean Harlow and Clark Gable movie is about a lady sent to reformatory, after her boyfriend kills a man in a robbery that goes wrong.

Movie NIghts

 Shanghai Express

                                                Film Noir evenings

I'll end the day with the Film Noir, Murder my Sweet starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, and Anne Shirley. The film was later released as The Big Sleep

I didn't see a film last night (16th July), so I will see the fim tonight. The Glass Key featuring Alan Ladd, and Veronica Lake.

After the drama of last night, I think my film for tonight will be Man of the World, with Carole Lombard, and William Powell.

They were married not long after this film came otu, though thier marriage lasted only two years, they remained friends until Carol died in a plane crash, William atteded her funeral, in 1942.

I am ending this evening with the Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy, and James Stewart film, Wife versus Secretary.

There is a double link to the last film, at the time of their deaths, Caorle Lombard was married to Clark Gable, and Jean Harlow was married to William Powell. Jean was the original "blonde bombshell.

We're not dressing

I shall be honest, this film would have been almost impossible for me to enjoy. A Bing Crosby musical, is one of my least favourite movies, which is why I didn't enjoy the "Road" series, though I can watch Bob Hope films for hours.

I like the comedy of George Burns, and his wife Gracie Allan is a very good singer, all told, I am not a fan of musicals.

Hands across the table

I shall watch "Hands across the table" with Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, and silent icon Marie Provost tonight, this is more like a film I could enjoy. I saw Fred in the classic Film Noir, Double Indemnity, with Barbara Stanwyck a few months ago.

This gun for hire

After the glamour and romance of Myrna Loy, Carole Lombard, and Jean Harlow, tonight's addition is the Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake classic, This gun for hire.

China seas

I am ending the evening by watching the Clark Gable - Jean Harlow film, China seas. The lady in the centre is Rosalind Russell, this is the first film with her in I will  have seen

After the Thin Man

Libeled Lady

William Powell and Myrna Loy 

This evening's films will both feature William Powell and Myrna Loy, they lead cast for After the Thin Man, with a young James Stewart in a minor role. After that, I shall watch Libeled Lady where they appear with Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy.

Alan Place - Noir Writer

 Spider Noir

My first eBook sale

I will admit from the get-go, I have not seen a Spiderman movie, and as far as I recall I can't recall seeing a Nicholas Cage film. With that information at hand, you would think Spider Noir wouldn't be of interest to me, but it is, I am looking forward to seeing the series on Amazon Prime.

I enjoy most film-noir movies, it is the dark side of life, when people make bad choices, and leave mysteries in their wake

Film Noir evenings

Why do I enjoy Film Noir?

The Pat Canella Story

One of the things Clara talked me into believing was that we could enjoy some Film Noir together on an evening.

It didn't take me long to realise, she wasn't making suggestions, but going with my ideas, such as visiting Slimbridge.

Anyway, she is behind me now, though she did contact the blog last night, my reply was polite, but uninviting.

She may thibk she can get back on my good side, but I have moved on. I am not broken-hearted, I was prepared to leave her over a month ago; I was tired of her lies.

I didn't intend to find a mature lady friend, again but I did

My Film Noir Romance

 Romance in Whitchurch?

Romance in Didcot

My partnership / friendship with a lady who claimed to live in Bristol is over.

It ran like a classic film noir movie.

Guy with a good heart falls a pretty lady, who turns out to be a rat.

The difference is I am not heart-broken at the end, I'd decided it was over months ago, when she addmited shed been telling me lies, not that I hadn't reckoned that long before I was told. Like any good guy, I hoped things would turn out well for me, and like every dame, she betrayed me.

I'm moving on though, by adding my profile to two Mature Dating Apps, I have found ladies find me attractive, to my suprise

Spider Noir

 Amazon Prime

Film Noir

I am looking forward to watching Spider Noir on Amazon Prime. This may appear odd as I haven't seen many Nicholas Cage films, not by choice,I haven't seen many films: and I have not seen any of the Spiderman films. Why would I wish to see it then? I am a big fan of Film Noir movies. I have to locate a Noir with Steve Martin in that I bought some years ago, called Dead men don't wear Plaid.

Love Goddess

 Film Noir

Hollywood alone

Any list is personal, here is my list of Love Godesses of Hollywood.

Before I list the ladies, number 1 & 2 have no comaprison in my eyes.

Ava Gardner

Jane Russell

Lana Turner

Hedy Lamarr

Myrna Loy

Barbra Stanwyck

Jane Greer

There are names I missed out, and ladies such as Veronica Lake, who I think had over-rated beauty.

There are four you mny be suprised I omit

Brigette Bardot, Katherine Hepburm, Claudia Cardinale and Audrey Hepburn.

Bardot was more attractive as she aged, I never liked Audrey Hepburn or Claudia Cardinale, my dislike could be because I don't enjoy the light comedy of the flms they were in.

Katherine Hepburn was a brilliant actress, that cannot be argued, but I never considered her as attractive.

Claudia was over-rated in my opinion, never better shown than in the film The Red Tent, when her presence, almost closed the film. The producer, her boyrfriend, wanted a larger part for her, even though she was only in the film so it could be sold to Italy.

An evening with Svitlana

 My birthday present

                                                Film Noir evenings

Meeting Svitlana

The ideal birthday present for me, would be a sleepover with my friend, Svitlana, she has suggested it, not at my request. As Svitlana mentioned the subject, it is her choice to ask. I will not raise the subject again, if she raises the subject we can discuss how to go forward. I will be happy to spend the day with her, and return to Bristol with happy memories. All this is a long way off, as my birthday isn't until October

From Bollywood to Film Noir and Beyond

 Why do I enjoy Film Noir?

The Pat Canella Story

I have alwas had a thing for Film Noir movies. probably because like life, there is no real right or wrong, only shades of grey. 

The first eBook sale I had was for a Film Noir themed short story (shown above).

I got the idea for the story while on vacation in Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada when I saw a lake beginning to freeze in the November of 2009.

Do YouTube uploaders care?

 All About Eve

Sunset Boulevard

If you read my blog, one common theme is that YouTube uploaders can't be bothered to check their information, all it takes is a few seconds, and some care to treat the viewer as more than a number.

Today's incident involves two film noir movies from the 50's.

The title says it is about All About Eve, yet the uploader says the star is Gloria Swanson. Anyone with a little film knowledge can see the error without Google.

All About Eve was a film starring Bette Davis, NOT Gloria Swanson. Gloria Swanson's big film of the era is Sunset Boulevard, in which she parodies herself as a fading 20's actress holding onto her memories thinking she can make a comeback

Robert Mitchum

 Who would you choose?

                                                              Film Noir

The answer I posed a week or two ago, "Who would I choose to play me in a movie?" is Robert Mitchum.

Some men would go for Robert Redford, others would go for Humphrey Bogart, I've never considered myself either attractive to ladies, or as tough guy, which is why Robert Mitchum suits me

Who would you choose?

 Film Noir

                                               The Dockland Murders

Here is an interesting question, who would you choose to play me in a movie?

Here a few clues.

He was an Icon of Film Noir during the late 1940's, until the mid-70's. He died in 1997.

Why do I enjoy Film Noir?

 That's Life

There are no heroes

My eBook, The Dockland Murders, is a venture into the world of Film Noir.

This is the first eBook I sold on Draft2Digital, a short story which was praised for its authentic feel, by a police officer I used to know, who lived in Queensland, Australia. He is one of the three writers which my blog helped boost their profile, in this case, his sales jumped from 20 a month to over 200.

I like film noir because it is like life, there is no black, no white, only shades of grey. The actions of the characters are not choices, they are often decisions forced on them by circumstances out of their control

Why do I enjoy Black & White movies so much?

 The films rely more on the story

Black and White Romance

Gothic Romance

I prefer black and white movies to colour, as the director can't rely on masses of colour to distract the viewers. For example the Peter Lorre crime movie M is an excellent example.

I am watching Spider Noir in Black and White as it is a film noir, and they are typically B&W