12 Angry Men (1957) Directed by Sidney Lumet Lee J. Cobb, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Jack Warden, Henry Fonda, Joseph Sweeney, Ed Begley, George Voskovec… also stars John Fiedler, Martin Balsam and Robert WebberBroken Blossoms (1919) Starring Lillian Gish as Lucy the girl.The Cigarette Girl from Mosselprom (Moscow) 1924 Directed by Yuri Zhelyabuzhsky -starring Yuliya Solntseva as Zina Vesenina- the cigarette girlChristmas Holiday (1944)Directed by Robert Siodmak-starring Deanna Durbin & Gene KellyCurse of the Demon (1957) Directed by Jacques Tourneur-Starring Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins and Niall MacGinnis Diana Dors as Eunice Higginbotham inMy Wife’s Lodger (1952)Directed by Lew Landers Harry Woods is Borno in- Call of the Savage (1935)L’Inferno 1911, Dante Alighieri “A Divina Comédia”, Directed by Giuseppe de Liguoro.The Sea Hawk 1924 Directed by Frank LloydAlfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat (1944) cinematic stage play with the vast scope of the Ocean and the claustrophobic air of desperation. Brilliant performances by Tallulah Bankhead and John Hodiak looking his hunkiest best…The Virgin Spring (1960) directed by Ingmar Bergman-disturbing journey of revenge Gilda (1946) directed by Charles VIdor and stars the magnificent Rita Hayworth in the title role Gilda Mundson Farrell, here dancing with Glenn Ford. A film noir classicLast Tango in Paris 1972 directed by Bernardo Bertolucci-stars Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider as a pair of angst filled lovers whose relationship is based on sex & deathMan Made Monster 1941 starring Lionel Atwill as the deranged Dr RigasMonsieur Verdoux 1947 directed by and starring Charles Chaplin-brilliant dark comedy of murder and anti-conformity.Charles Laughton’s oneric fable of childhood terrors, the bonds of friendship and the plight of Love vs Hate… Beautifully filmed- starring Lillian Gish as Rachel Cooper and Robert Mitchum as the diabolical Harry Powell in Night of the Hunter (1955)Jane Eyre 1943 directed by Robert Stevenson starring Peggy Ann Garner is young Jane. Plunder Road (1957) directed by Hubert Cornfeld, perhaps one of the most edgy crime story film noirs headed up Gene Raymond and Elisha Cook Jr.The Set-Up (1949) Robert Ryan stars as boxer Stoker in Robert Wise’s extraordinary noir film centered around the boxing ring and a down on his luck fighter that still has a lot of fight left in him. One of my favorite film noir classics, much to do with Ryan’s performance and Milton R. Krasner’s cinematography…the Wonderful Norman Lloyd in Alfred Hitchcock’s Saboteur 1942Rock Hudson is psychologically and physically spun around on his head in Seconds 1966 by John Frankenheimer- A story about that precious commodity… one’s identitySEEDS (1968) Directed by Andy Milligan- it’s seedy and low budget and the perfect exploitative indulgence…Shack Out on 101 (1955) different styled film noir starring Lee Marvin as Slob.. directed by Edward Dein and co-stars Terry Moore and Frank LovejoyStanley Kramer directs this incredible ensemble of actors in Ship of Fools (1965) Here showing George Segal, Michael Dunn and Lee MarvinJohn Hodiak tries to remember in Somewhere in the Night (1946) -a taut amnesia themed noir with great characters. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Here with Fritz Kortner as Anzelmo or Dr Oracle.Street With No Name (1948) starring Mark Stevens and directed by William Keighly -This film noir also stars Richard Widmark and Lloyd Nolan…Sunrise (1927) directed by F.W. Murnau starring Janet Gaynor and George O’Brien-Beautifully filmed silent masterpieceNightbirds 1970 Andy Milligan’s gritty cult journey about two miscreants in London.Terror in the Crypt aka Crypt of the Vampire 1964 directed by Camillo Mastrocinque based on the Karnstein saga with Adriana Ambesi and Ursula Davis and the immortal Christopher LeeThe Fiend Who Walked the West (1958) directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Hugh O’Brian and a really psychotic Robert Evans.The Scavengers 1959 starring Carol Ohmart directed by John Cromwell -an obscure film noir also starring Vince EdwardsThe Secret Garden 1949 starring Margaret O’Brien and a wonderful cast Herbert Marshall, Dean Stockwell, Gladys Cooper, Elsa Lanchester, Reginald Owen, Brian Roper, Aubrey Mather isobel Elsom and George Zucco fill out this fantasy drama directed by Fred M. WilcoxThe Seventh Sin (1957) directed by Ronald Neame and Vincente Minnelli starring Eleanor Parker and Françoise Rosay Françoise Rosay as Mother SuperiorThe Soft Skin 1964 Françoise Dorléac directed by François TruffautThe Stranger 1946 directed by Orson WellesThe Terrible People (1960) directed by Harald Reinl adapted from the story by Edgar Wallace stars Joachim FuchsbergerThe Wild Boys of the Road 1933 directed by William WellmanThe Young One 1960 directed by Luis Buñuel starring Key Meersman as Evalyn. Also stars Zachary Scott and Bernie HamiltonThe Exterminating Angel (1962) directed by Luis BuñuelThe Twilight Girls (1957) by André HunebelleTo Kill a Mockingbird 1962 directed by Robert Mulligan -John Megna as Dill and Phillip Alford as Jem. adapted from Harper Lee’s masterpiece
Thelma Ritter is always a joy to watch as well as listen to- as no one can quite deliver swifter dead pan humor like this lady-“We’ve become a race of peeping toms” from Alfred Hitchcock’s Read Window 1954
Walter Baldwin is the lovable Orvy who might move a little slow in jail but brightens up the place in Robert Siodmak’s darkly powerful Cry of the City starring Richard Conte
Barbara Nichols getting pigeon holed all her career as the lovable blonde bombshell bimbo is just deliciously sympathetic in the hostile & darkly satirical noir masterpiece The Sweet Smell of Success 1957
Michael Dunn adds yet another layer of insight & fine character acting in the intensely dramatic social commentary Ship of Fools directed by Stanley Kramer
Betty Garde is truly an unsung character actor- here she gives a very compelling performance as Kitty Stark a woman who’s gotten used to life without men in John Cromwell’s prison noir sensation- Caged (1950)
Anita Sharp-Bolster nearly steals the show in the dark suspense thriller The Two Mrs. Carrolls starring Barbara Stanwyck and Humphrey Bogart as a deranged painter. Christina the maid adds much comic relief with her acerbic puss!
Franz Kortner’s Anzelmo also known as Dr. Oracle is a mysterious and conniving villain who tries to run circles around poor John Hodiak who has lost his memory in Joseph L. Mankiewicz Somewhere in the Night 1946
Jay C. Flippen always seems to be the guy whose got a mug only a mother could love. And in Nicholas Ray’s masterpiece They Live By Night his T-Dub is a pretty intimidating fellow!
Arthur Kennedy lends his depth of acting to this powerful drama by Upton Sinclair co-starring Jean Simmons and Burt Lancaster as Elmer Gantry. Report Jim Lefferts is the clear voice that cuts through the malarkey as the moral compass
This has been a little bit of love to these fabulous character actors who make the cinematic world go round!-Your Ever Lovin’ MonsterGirl
