Runtime: 97 minutes
Directed by: Jacques Tourneur
Starring: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas, Rhonda Fleming, Richard Webb
From: RKO
Last night this played on TCM and as I haven't viewed any film noir in a few months, this was a natural.... even with the thought going through my mind that my late mother was a big Robert Mitchum fan.
Mitchum plays a gas station owner in the middle of nowhere, California; it is located in a scenic area. Various figures come out of the past, revealing that he had another life; after he is found, he has to find a dame for them. He ends up in Mexico, and... various twists and turns happen in a plot that is complex but never confused or convoluted. To reveal more would be criminal. Just note that Old Robert is great, along with the ravishing Jane Greer and they have tremendous chemistry with each other. Kirk Douglas is one of the memorable supporting roles but Mitchum and Greer are the true highlights.
There are the expected noir trappings, including the lighting, tough characters, noteworthy dialogue (in particular, that was one of the standout elements of the movie) and general mood. Plus, a trend I haven't really elaborated on before: at least one scene in a jazz club. That has been witnessed plenty of times by now; jazz was “cool” back then, probably because it was Black music, to be frank and being cognizant of attitudes at the time. Out of the Past (or its badass UK title Build My Gallows High; it is based on a novel w/ that name) is pretty cool in general and if you are a fan of the genre or want to do a deep dive into it as a newbie, this is one that has to be watched.
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