MovieChat Forums > The Big Heat (1953) Discussion > Some of the best dialogue in a film noir...

Some of the best dialogue in a film noir...ever!

posted 17 years ago by jcremona
25 replies | jump to latest

This movie had some of the toughest, tough-guy and tough-girl dialogue I have ever heard in a movie, past or present. I was amazed at the venom coming from Glenn Ford's mouth. Handled by any other director or set of actors, this would be a parody of the genre. But this movie is as powerful as coffee in your face, and it makes you appreciate the experience. It's true - if you want to see a textbook, but by no means common, example of film noir, see this film.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] bobdylanatemybrother 16 years ago

I agree about the dialogue - how about Gloria's comment when she looks round Glen Ford's cheap hotel room "I like this - early nothing"

[–] sole2soul 16 years ago

According to Suicide Blonde, a biography of Gloria Grahame, this line and several others of hers were contributed by her then-husband, director Nicholas Ray.

[–] bradjanet 15 years ago

my favourite line ... made me laugh out loud when I heard it.

But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.

[–] demosthenes2 11 years ago

That line made me laugh out loud as well. It wasn't just the words--the delivery was terrific.

[–] Backstreet-Abortionist 16 years ago

"We don't talk about those things in this house, do we? No, it's too elegant, too respectful. Nice kids. Party. Painting of mama up there on the wall. No place for a stinking cop, it's only a place for a hoodlum who built this house out of twenty years of corruption and murder! I'm gonna tell you something... you know you couldn't plant enough flowers around here to kill the smell!"

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] retpo 15 years ago

The lid's off the garbage can.

[–] bang-3 15 years ago

I agree, some of the best noir dialogue around and delivered perfectly by all of the cast.
The one that made me laugh the hardest is during the coffee scene when the commissioner tries to leave:

Commissioner Higgins: "I suggest we call it a night."

Vince Stone: "I suggest you shut up!"

[–] yuma310 14 years ago

Wow, the people on this thread are easily amused. The dialogue in Big Heat was some of the worst in any movie. Compared to the stuff in Double Indemnity, The Big Sleep, Out of the Past, or even - god forbid - Chinatown, it was downright embarrassing. Maybe y'all need to watch some more noirs, or read some more books or something?

[–] garethdavis17 14 years ago

Yup, because people who you disagree me with must be of a lower intelligence than you, right?

I've read many, many books in my life, but that has absolutely no bearing on me thinking that yes, some of the dialogue in this was terrific.

[–] Godfather_Corleone2 14 years ago

While the Big Sleep, Chinatown, Sunset Blvd, Double Indemnity (Wilder is the best), and others rival it the dialogue here is still top 10 out of the 50 or so noirs I have seen.

[–] licangel 13 years ago

Being an *beep* is doing nothing to establish your superior taste in movies/noir, if that's your intention. It's one thing to say the dialogue off The Big Heat was "some of the worst in any movie" (I didn't love much of the dialogue myself, which is a shame as I'm a big fan of noir dialogue, but they did have some solid lines in the film), particularly when compared to the likes of Out of the Past, The Big Sleep, Sunset Boulevard, and (especially) Double Indemnity. But taste is subjective, and condescending on others for liking what they like makes you look like a supercilious prick.

[–] mr-defleur 11 years ago

Yep Yuma, just watched it now for the first time. Agree with you.
Secret of good dialogue is to say something but your words have OTHER meaning. But here it was just all so on the nose.
And I loved how Glenn Ford held the dying girl's hand & started talking about his dead wife. His delivery was so awful.
She's bleeding to death & he's talking like it's Little House on the Prairie.
I think he bored her to death.

[–] nimstic 10 years ago

There's always one guy like this, with taunts and insults distracts any beautiful discussion on any forums. God forbid you uttered some brilliant movie names with your filthy mouth.

[–] Andz-P 13 years ago

There was some great dialogue, the monologue about a stinking cop in a nice home in particular but overall, I wouldn't say it is as good as some other noir classics, like Double Indemnity etc.

[–] franzkabuki 13 years ago

When it comes to noir dialogue, nothing beats Out Of The Past.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan