Out of the Past

[poetman]

I saw Out of the Past this weekend, and it was okay. In fact I'm surprised how enthusiastic the reveiws are for the film. It was not bad--at all--but it just was not "wow!" It was good, but I imagine Mitchum and Greer in better roles, with stronger, more developed characters. Perhaps this is Film Noir blasphemy, but I'd like to hear others' responses. To me, The Maltese Falcon is much stronger or even Double Indemnity. I think the flashback element in Out of the Past did not work well for me, and in general, I wanted more grit, almost roughness. There was a calm about the film that was odd to me. Mitchum's character seemed too cool, not edgy enough. I think the film lacked some cynicism, some edgy grit and dark qualities. It wasn't terrible, but it didn't feel fully arrived for me. Any thoughts?

 

[Feraud]

There is some talk about the movie here.

 

[jake_fink]

I saw Out of the Past this weekend, and it was okay. In fact I'm surprised how enthusiastic the reveiws are for the film. It was not bad--at all--but it just was not "wow!" It was good, but I imagine Mitchum and Greer in better roles, with stronger, more developed characters. Perhaps this is Film Noir blasphemy, but I'd like to hear others' responses. To me, The Maltese Falcon is much stronger or even Double Indemnity. I think the flashback element in Out of the Past did not work well for me, and in general, I wanted more grit, almost roughness. There was a calm about the film that was odd to me. Mitchum's character seemed too cool, not edgy enough. I think the film lacked some cynicism, some edgy grit and dark qualities. It wasn't terrible, but it didn't feel fully arrived for me. Any thoughts?

Yep. I couldn't disagree more.

 

[poetman]

Yep. I couldn't disagree more.

Okay, so tell me why. What am I missing? Don't Double Indemnity, Murder, My Sweet, or any Bogart noir have the qualities that Out of the Past does not?

 

[Feraud]

Okay, so tell me why. What am I missing? Don't Double Indemnity, Murder, My Sweet, or any Bogart noir have the qualities that Out of the Past does not?

Which qualities is this film lacking? A femme fatale, protagonist resigned to his fate(understandably perceived as calm), greed, deception, murder, a detective in a trench coat...
Out of the Past has all that and more. Kirk Douglas in a menacingly restrained performace, some of the coolest dialogue on film, an independent and manipulative femme fatate(Jane Greer clocked in with three murders!).
Brigid Shaughnessey is a bumbling schoolgirl compared to Greer.

 

[jake_fink]

Okay, so tell me why. What am I missing? Don't Double Indemnity, Murder, My Sweet, or any Bogart noir have the qualities that Out of the Past does not?

I'm afraid I'll only be echoing what Feraud has already posted, but here goes.

I don't dislike Double Indemnity or Maltese Falcon by any means, but they are shiny, pristine studio pictures and sometimes - most times - I like my noir a little grubbier, with fewer sets and more location photography for example. Murder My Sweet is at best a competent film with a badly cast Dick Powell - he makes a good Marlowe only when comapred to all the other dreadful Marlowes. All three of the above films are built around a single, identifiable macguffin, a thing or event around which the plot turns. Out of the Past is a messy amour fou, a love triangle as well as a story of stolen money, with a really nasty, nasty femme fatale thrown in for good measure. The performances are all great, the dialogue is fun, the film looks fantastic and the layers upon layers make this a film that continues to interest and surprise after multiple viewings.

I'd put this right up alongside Maltese Falcon (which isn't really a film noir so much as a serious detective movie) and Double Indemnity and well ahead of Murder My Sweet. I have lot's of room on my shelves for all of them.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

Watch it again at a later date, preferably late at night when distractions are usually at a minimum and you are relaxed from your workday. When I first saw CHINATOWN 18 years ago, it did absolutely nothing for me. Nine years later, I ran into it on cable and it blew my mind. Of course I'm not saying wait years to watch OOTP again, but you may also want to watch some more Noir. From the titles you've listed, you have only seen a few. (If that's not the case, I apologize).

 

[poetman]

I think what I wanted was a sharper dialogue and a bit more edge and grit. I don't know what it was precisely, perhaps the setting in the California mountains and Mexico, but part of the film felt more pristine than gritty.

I'm watching The Third Man this weekend, and I have high expectations for it.

 

[Caroline]

I think what I wanted was a sharper dialogue and a bit more edge and grit. I don't know what it was precisely, perhaps the setting in the California mountains and Mexico, but part of the film felt more pristine than gritty.
QUOTE]
I know what you mean by the need for grit. I can't really obsessively watch an American noir without it being B&W, and generally speaking, an urban setting.

I'll have to re-watch Out of the Past and report back...

 

[skyvue]

See it in a theater if at all possible.

No matter how good a setup you have at home, the experience is not the same, and I speak as someone who watches plenty of old movies at home. But when I see those same films at a theatre (thankfully, here in NYC, I have ample opportunity to do that), I'm always amazed anew at the difference.

 

[skyvue]

As for the settings of the picture, lots of noirs have scenes in Mexico and much of OOTP takes place in San Francisco.

But hey, if it wasn't your cup of tea, so be it. Leaves more tea for the rest of us! I consider OUT OF THE PAST a top five noir, and I'd place THE MALTESE FALCON and DOUBLE INDEMNITY there, too.

But all three are much better seen in a theatre.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

Here are some quotes from the good old reliable IMDB.

One not listed, however, is when Stephanos first finds Jeff working with the deaf kid at the gas station:

Stephanos: "Funny racket to find you in, Jeff."

Jeff: "Oh, yeah, me and the kid laugh all the time."

---------------------

The Mitchum humor shines through on that one.

 

[Feraud]

---

You know, a dame with a rod is like a guy with a knitting needle.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

Ann: "She can't be all bad. No one is."

Jeff: "Well, she comes the closest."

 

[Nathan Dodge]

For real hilarity, activate the English subtitles for OUT OF THE PAST around 50minutes into the movie, when Bailey and Meta visit Leonard Eels San Francisco digs. Eels offers Bailey a Martini by saying "have a Martini?", but on the subtitles it reads Eels as saying: "APPLE Martini?" Aaargh! Can't Warner Brothers hire techies who at least have a feel of the era? They must hire the youngest, greenest kids they can to do up the subtitles...