This 1949 film is one of the quintessential Hollywood gangster movies. Tracing the violent life of psychotic robber Cody Jarrett (James Cagney) who despite being married to Verna (Virginia Mayo), has a deeply unhealthy bond with his equally ruthless mother (Margaret Wycherly) who is the only person that he seems to have any real feelings for.
This is an exciting, influential film and is widely regarded as one of the best films ever made. It has aged well, and the almost documentary style film-making is still in evidence today. The ending of the film has become one of the iconic scenes in movie history, and the prison cafeteria sequence is startling. James Cagney turns in a gripping performance as the savage, but strangely sympathetic Jarrett, and Virginia Mayo is impressive as Verna, who Jarrett cruelly ignores, but has her own capacity for extreme ruthlessness. Edmond O'Brien makes less of an impression, however, as the square-jawed hero. This is a must see for thriller fans.
Showing posts with label thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thriller. Show all posts
Sunday, 24 September 2017
Saturday, 2 September 2017
The Limehouse Golem
Year of Release: 2017
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Screenplay: Jane Goldman, based on the novel Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem by Peter Ackroyd
Starring: Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Booth, Daniel Mays, Sam Reid, Maria Valverde, Henry Goodman, Morgan Watkins, Eddie Marsan
Running Time: 105 minutes
Genre: Horror, crime, period drama, mystery, thriller
Limehouse is one of the poorest and roughest areas of Victorian London where every kind of crime, degradation and vice is rampant, and now it is targeted by a brutal serial killer, the so-called "Limehouse Golem" which strikes seemingly at random, targeting the young, the old, men and women. World weary Police Inspector John Kildare (Nighy), who has been passed over for promotion due to rumours about his private life, is put in charge of the case and during the investigation finds himself drawn to troubled music hall actress Elizabeth Cree (Cooke), who is on trial for the poisoning of her husband, one of several suspects in the Golem case.
This is a lurid, full-blooded Victorian melodrama, rich with atmosphere and period detail. It's full of gore and horror, but also works as an intriguing mystery. The film uses historical figures as characters, such as Karl Marx (Goodman), novelist George Gissing (Watkins) and comedian Dan Leno (Booth). Bill Nighy is great as the sensitive, troubled police inspector and the connection he forms with Elizabeth is genuinely touching. The film explores themes of social inequality and the pursuit of fame.
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Screenplay: Jane Goldman, based on the novel Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem by Peter Ackroyd
Starring: Bill Nighy, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Booth, Daniel Mays, Sam Reid, Maria Valverde, Henry Goodman, Morgan Watkins, Eddie Marsan
Running Time: 105 minutes
Genre: Horror, crime, period drama, mystery, thriller
Limehouse is one of the poorest and roughest areas of Victorian London where every kind of crime, degradation and vice is rampant, and now it is targeted by a brutal serial killer, the so-called "Limehouse Golem" which strikes seemingly at random, targeting the young, the old, men and women. World weary Police Inspector John Kildare (Nighy), who has been passed over for promotion due to rumours about his private life, is put in charge of the case and during the investigation finds himself drawn to troubled music hall actress Elizabeth Cree (Cooke), who is on trial for the poisoning of her husband, one of several suspects in the Golem case.
This is a lurid, full-blooded Victorian melodrama, rich with atmosphere and period detail. It's full of gore and horror, but also works as an intriguing mystery. The film uses historical figures as characters, such as Karl Marx (Goodman), novelist George Gissing (Watkins) and comedian Dan Leno (Booth). Bill Nighy is great as the sensitive, troubled police inspector and the connection he forms with Elizabeth is genuinely touching. The film explores themes of social inequality and the pursuit of fame.
Saturday, 6 February 2016
Triple 9
Year of Release: 2016
Director: John Hillcoat
Screenplay: Matt Cook
Starring: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet
Running Time: 115 minutes
This movie is a gritty, urban, cop thriller set in Atlanta, Georgia. The story concerns a group of corrupt cops who are blackmailed by a powerful Russian-Israeli mob boss (Winslet) into attempting a dangerous heist. The gang decide that the only way to pull off the heist is to kill a fellow police officer, thereby distracting the attention of the cops ("triple 9" refers to the police code for "officer down").
The film is well performed by a very good cast, and there are some really good moments. The opening robbery scene is fantastic, but the middle of the film sags, although it does pick up as it goes along. The problem is that there is nothing really distinctive about it. There is really nothing here that you haven't seen before in countless other cop thrillers. The characterization is minimal with the result that it is very hard to care about anyone in the film, and the relentlessly moving camera just makes the action look confused.
It's the kind of movie that will probably have a long life on late night cable, and it passes the time, and it is quite entertaining, but you'll probably have seen it all before.
Director: John Hillcoat
Screenplay: Matt Cook
Starring: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet
Running Time: 115 minutes
This movie is a gritty, urban, cop thriller set in Atlanta, Georgia. The story concerns a group of corrupt cops who are blackmailed by a powerful Russian-Israeli mob boss (Winslet) into attempting a dangerous heist. The gang decide that the only way to pull off the heist is to kill a fellow police officer, thereby distracting the attention of the cops ("triple 9" refers to the police code for "officer down").
The film is well performed by a very good cast, and there are some really good moments. The opening robbery scene is fantastic, but the middle of the film sags, although it does pick up as it goes along. The problem is that there is nothing really distinctive about it. There is really nothing here that you haven't seen before in countless other cop thrillers. The characterization is minimal with the result that it is very hard to care about anyone in the film, and the relentlessly moving camera just makes the action look confused.
It's the kind of movie that will probably have a long life on late night cable, and it passes the time, and it is quite entertaining, but you'll probably have seen it all before.
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