Category: Crime

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) starring Lana Turner & John Garfield / Z-View

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The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

Director: Tay Garnett

Screenplay: Harry Ruskin Niven and Busch;  based on THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE by James M. Cain

Stars: Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn, Leon Ames, Audrey Totter and Alan Reed.

Tagline: Their Love was a Flame that Destroyed!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Frank Chambers, a drifter stops at a diner and is offered a job by the middle-aged owner, Nick Smith.  As Frank begins to turn down the work, he spots Cora, a very attractive waitress and changes his mind.

Soon enough Frank learns that Cora is Frank’s wife.  Frank would be ready to move on except that Cora seems interested in him.  Although both Frank and Cora attempt to fight the attraction, it’s strong and won’t be denied.  It doesn’t take long until Frank and Cora are planning Nick’s demise.

And we all know how those things work out, don’t we?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Garfield and Turner definitely had chemistry.  I love how each of them fights the attraction.  

James M. Cain, who wrote the novel that the movie was based on, was so impressed with Lana Turner that he gave her a leather-bound copy of the book inscribed, “For my dear Lana, thank you for giving a performance that was even finer than I expected.”

The Postman Always Rings Twice has a couple of great twists.  The cast and direction are top notch.

A classic.

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Double Indemnity (1944)

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Double Indemnity (1944)

Director: Billy Wilder

Screenplay: Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler from the novel by James M. Cain

Stars: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson and Walter Huston


The Pitch: “Hey, let’s turn James Cain’s Double Indemnity into a movie!”

Tagline: From the Moment they met it was Murder!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Walter Neff [MacMurray], an insurance salesman, meets and falls hard for the wife [Stanwyck] of one of his clients.  Before too long they’re plotting his murder to cash in on an insurance policy that Neff tricked him into buying.  Because Neff is in the business he believes they can pull off the murder and make it look like an accident so they can collect on the double indemnity clause.

The only thing between them and the cash is to commit the murder and pull it off without a hitch or Neff’s partner figuring out it wasn’t an accident.

If you like noir, you’ll love Double Indemnity.  Directed by Billy Wilder with snappy dialogue and mounting tension.  If you only know MacMurray from My Three Sons or Stanwyck from The Big Valley, prepare to be shocked!

A classic.

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Robert B. Parkers Cheap Shot (A Spenser Novel) by Ace Atkins

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Robert B. Parkers Cheap Shot (A Spenser Novel) by Ace Atkins

Hardcover: 308 pages
Publisher: Putnam

First sentence…

I had dressed for Chestnut HillL a button-down tattersall shirt that Susan had bought me, a crisp dress khakis, a navy blazer with gold buttons, and a par of well-broken in loafers worn without socks.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Spenser is hired by super star New England Patriots linebacker Kinjo Heywood’s sports agent.  Kinjo has had some shady characters following him and although Kinjo fells he can handle it, Spenser is given the task of looking into it.  Before Spenser can make a determination, Kinjo’s son is kidnapped.

The stakes have been raised and Spenser knows that the boy’s life may rest in Spenser discovering the kidnapper(s) identity.

Another excellent Spenser tale by Ace Atkins.

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Holy Death (A Billy Lafitte novel) by Anthony Neil Smith

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Holy Death (A Billy Lafitte novel) by Anthony Neil Smith

Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books

First sentence…

One-thirty in the morning in a truck stop outside of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Holy Death is the fourth yarn in Anthony Neil Smith’s Billy Lafitte series.  If you’re not familiar with it and you like crime stories, then you’re in for a treat.

Billy Lafitte is an ex-cop, an ex-con and is on the run from a prison escape.  Lafitte’s in bad shape from steroid abuse and the wear and tear of escaping from the joint during a prison riot.  Lafitte wants to make it back to his one true love to give her the merciful death she wants and then he hopes to disappear.

As luck [at least Lafitte’s luck] would have it, he crosses paths with DeVaughn Lagrenade, a professional gambler, ex-gang banger and brother of a kid that Lafitte killed.  Now in addition to all the cops looking for him, Lafitte has Lagrenade, his psycho girlfriend and members of Lagrenade’s gang hunting him down.  As they close in on him, Lafitte knows it’s his last chance to make it right [or as right as he can] for the love of his life and his dead child’s mother.

Holy Death is not for the faint of heart of the sqeemish, but if you like a gritty, modern crime story, then this may be for you.  Holy Death is the fourth in the Billy Lafitte series and I’m hoping there’s more.

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The Devil Doesn’t Want Me by Eric Beetner

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The Devil Doesn’t Want Me (A Lars and Shaine Novel Book 1) by Eric Beetner

Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: 280 Steps

First sentence…

Seventeen years is a long damn time.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is the first in Eric Beetner’s Lars and Shaine series.  Lars is a semi-retired hitman living on the west coast.  His boss, Nikki Senior, is one of the old guard mobsters who finds himself being pushed out by his son, Nikki Junior.

In an effort to clear the books and show his pop he can run things, Nikki sends a young hitman out to find Mitch the Snitch — a job given to Lars seventeen years prior.  Although Mitch was in government protection and killing him could cause more problems than it would solve, Nikki wants it done.

Enter Trent.  A cocky young hitman who immediately rubs Lars the wrong way.  Although Lars and Trent are at odds, they know they have to work together to find Mitch the Snitch.  And they do.  Without planning, Trent guns down Mitch and when the Snitch’s sixteen year old daughter stumbles in, Mitch turns to kill her as well.  Lars steps up and saves her and finds himself on the run with a sixteen year old orphan in tow.

It takes all of Lars’ skills and then some to keep himself and Shaine alive now that Nickki Junior has called out a team to kill them both.  And of course Trent killing a government protected witness has the feds on their trail as well.

Eric Beetner has never disappointed me.  I really liked  The Devil Doesn’t Want Me and have the sequel, When the Devil Comes to Call waiting in my to be read pile.

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The Prowler (1951)

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The Prowler (1951)

Director: Joseph Losey

Screenplay: Hugo Butler and Dalton Trumbo from a story by Robert Thoeren and  Hans Wilhelm 

Stars: Van Heflin, Evelyn Keyes and John Maxwell


The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a cheating couple and a murdered husband…”

Tagline: She had to keep THE PROWLER from telling…

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Police officers Webb Garland [Heflin] and Bud Crocker [Maxwell] respond to a prowler call made by a woman [Keyes] waiting up for her husband to get home.  Although no evidence of a prowler is found, Garland returns later alone under the pretense of checking on her.  She invites him in and it becomes clear that he’s there for more than just a wellness visit.  One thing leads to another and her husband ends up murdered… by Garland.

The Prowler is a low-budget noir that is under-rated.  If you’re a fan of noir you owe it to yourself to check out The Prowler.

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The Killer Inside Me (2010)

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The Killer Inside Me (2010)

Director:  Michael Winterbottom

Screenplay: John Curran based on the Jim Thompson novel

Stars: Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Ned Beatty, Simon Baker and Bill Pullman.


The Pitch: “Hey, let’s turn Jim Thompson’s noir classic into a movie.”

No Tagline

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Lou Ford [Affleck] is a mild-mannered small town Texas Deputy in the 1950’s.  Ford is also a psychopathic killer.  One murder leads to another and although the local DA begins to suspect Ford, witness keep ending up dead.

Rating:

Black Rain (1989) / Z-View

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Black Rain (1989)

Director: Ridley Scott

Screenplay: Craig Bolotin, Warren Lewis

Stars: Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, Ken Takakura, Kate Capshaw, John Spencer and Luis Guzman.


The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a movie with American cops caught up in a Japanese gang war.”

Tagline: An American Cop in Japan. Their country. Their laws. Their game. His rules.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A detective [Douglas] under investigation for an ethics violation and his young clean cop friend [Garcia] accidently witness a Japanese gangland killing on US soil.  When they capture the Asian murderer, they are tasked with taking him back to Japan.  Once there they find themselves teamed with a straight-laced and uptight Japanese cop and in the middle of a gang war.

Michael Douglas in arguably his best role.  Andy Garcia is perfect as Douglas’ partner.   Ken Takakura is a joy.  Kate Capshaw has never been more attractive.  Yûsaku Matsuda as Sato is creepy evil.  And they’re all directed by Ridley Scott.  Black Rain is a winner!

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Crossfire (1947) / Z-View

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Crossfire (1947)

Director: Edward Dmytryk

Screenplay: John Paxton adapted from the novel by Richard Brooks

Stars: Robert Young, Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan and Gloria Grahame


The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a novel based on the novel Crossfire.”

Tagline: Hate Is Like A Loaded Gun!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Homicide Detective Finlay [Young] investigates the murder of a man.  Evidence points to one of a group of soldiers on leave but something just doesn’t feel right…

Rating:

Knock Knock (2015) directed by Eli Roth, starring Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo & Ana de Armas / Z-View

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Knock Knock (2015)

Director: Eli Roth

Screenplay: Eli Roth & Nicolás López & Guillermo Amoedo

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns and Colleen Camp.

Tagline: ONE NIGHT CAN COST YOU EVERYTHING

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Evan decides to stay home to get caught up on work while his wife and two young children take a weekend trip. Working late, Evan is surprised when two young women show up at his door.  They were dropped off for a party, had the wrong address and are soaked.  Evan calls a cab but it will be forty-five minutes.

He allows them to wait inside.  Despite his best efforts one thing leads to another and Evan learns that all is not what it seemed and “one night can cost you everything.”

Thoughts…

Knock Knock is a remake of Death Game (1977), which co-starred Colleen Camp and Sondra Locke.  Camp and Locke co-produced Knock Knock.  Colleen Camp also had a role in this remake.

Co-star Lorenza Izzo was Director Eli Roth’s wife at the time.  Keanu Reeves said this made  filming the nude scenes awkward.

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Mr. Majestyk (1974) / Z-View

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Mr. Majestyk (1974)

Director: Richard Fleischer

Screenplay: Elmore Leonard

Stars: Charles Bronson, Linda Cristal and Al Lettieri.

The Pitch: “Hey, Charles Bronson wants to be Mr. Majestyk!”

Tagline: He didn’t want to be hero… until the day they pushed him too far.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Vince Majestyk [Bronson] just wants to get his watermelon crop harvested.  When a run-in with a local hood lands him jail, Majestyk stops a hitman’s escape.  Now the hitman and the mob are out to kill Majestyk.

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