Columbia is now releasing Film Noir Vol. 2 July 6, 2010. Included:
The Brothers Rico
Nightfall
Pushover
City of Fear
Human Desire.
Human Desire replaces the previously announced In a Lonely Place. The set was delayed from 11/3/09, when Vol. 1 was released:
The Sniper
The Lineup
5 Against the House
Murder by Contract
The Big Heat.
Box sets only, SRP $59.99 each.
That's good news; this should be on DVD for sure (I just saw it on TCM - apparently its first airing there, too). I wouldn't personally categorize it as a noir, but who cares (and if including it in a noir box gives them reason to release it...!).
It's an excellent Mafia movie; fans of "The Godfather" would surely enjoy it. Conte is perfect; I'm glad Bogart turned down the role (that is, if Robert Osborne had his facts straight in the TCM intro).
I didn't see the TCM broadcast, but I'm slightly suspicious of the Bogart claim. Maybe he was offered it at some point, but considering he died at the beginning of 1957, before this movie was released, it would have been natural enough for him to decline it: he was dying of cancer all through 1956. Anyway, glad the film is coming out.
shareI recall Osborne said the movie was originally set up with a different director (I forget who); and when Bogart turned down the part, that director moved on to a different project. So sounds like it could have been at least a year or two later when Karlson took over...
shareThat sounds a more likely possibility. I went to a screening of the 1957 film Designing Woman in NYC last evening where Lauren Bacall spoke (it was of one of her films), and among other things she talked of how Bogie was ill all the time she was filming it during 1956. So The Brothers Rico would have to have been kicking around for a while for Bogart to have been offered it. That sort of time lag in production, and changes in cast or director, were (and are) of course quite common.
shareI thought Volume 1 was very strong.
With only Murder by Contract being a somewhat weak entry.
The Lineup is great noir. 5 Against the House wildly entertaining.
Sniper and Big Heat very solid.
I'm a little disappointed in Vol. 2.
The Brothers Rico has some good situations, but a lot of clumsy plodding to reach those moments. Some real creaky storytelling, extremely underdeveloped female roles, not much imagination in the direction.
Human Desire is good, with a very nice Gloria Grahame performance. But Renoir's Bete Humaine is better (same Zola story). Nightfall was my favorite with a good edgy Brian Keith and fairly interesting flashback structure, if a rather pat ending. Pushover is fine, but something of a Double Indemnity knockoff. Just getting to City of Fear.
Volume 1 a much stronger release.