tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post4873429638718919178..comments2024-03-25T15:38:16.880-07:00Comments on Surrender to the Void: Thursday Movie Picks: Gangstersthevoid99http://www.blogger.com/profile/03055459287396592446noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-30470774047725819062018-11-04T07:23:54.265-08:002018-11-04T07:23:54.265-08:00These sound e cellent but I never even herd of the...These sound e cellent but I never even herd of them never mind seeing them. I hope, one day, I will get the chance to see themBirgithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09439720285857050428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-63373391372877694142018-11-03T13:00:59.492-07:002018-11-03T13:00:59.492-07:00Haven't seen any of these. Le Samourai is the ...Haven't seen any of these. Le Samourai is the one I've wanted to see for a long time, though.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-46545984871096170522018-11-02T05:47:18.152-07:002018-11-02T05:47:18.152-07:00I haven't seen any of these but I'm intere...I haven't seen any of these but I'm interested in seeing Le Samourai as it sounds interesting and it has Delon. Sonia Cercahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07313734872038610058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-64509708728005684852018-11-02T04:57:26.696-07:002018-11-02T04:57:26.696-07:00I haven't seen any of your picks this week, no...I haven't seen any of your picks this week, nor anything by that director, I don't think.Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-45324247492130592112018-11-02T02:07:52.413-07:002018-11-02T02:07:52.413-07:00I have only seen one Jean-Pierre Melville film whi...I have only seen one Jean-Pierre Melville film which was Army of Shadows. I do intend to catch a few others because it's so highly regarded.Myerlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00772428029534463716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-18711852883469961072018-11-01T18:41:37.506-07:002018-11-01T18:41:37.506-07:00Tried watching Le Samourai two days ago for this, ...Tried watching Le Samourai two days ago for this, just not my type, haha.<br /><br />But the other two seem interesting, gonna add them to my watchlist!krhhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03350716036027710178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21463545.post-67598270234757790962018-11-01T15:02:51.525-07:002018-11-01T15:02:51.525-07:00I've seen and liked both of the first two whic...I've seen and liked both of the first two which look at crime in ways that are quite different. The third is on my list but I haven't gotten there just yet.<br /><br />SO many choices for this week. My solution was to focus on one actor who was representative of the genre, James Cagney, and pick three of his films that I enjoyed.<br /><br />The Public Enemy (1931)-Tom Powers (Cagney-in the role that made him a major star) is a small-time hood, vicious and consciousless who climbs to success on the back of Prohibition and his willingness to do whatever necessary-rob, maim, kill-to gain advantage. The film chronicles that rise, and fall, as well as his entanglement with two women Gwen (Jean Harlow, this was one of her earliest appearances, don’t judge her on it-she’s awful-look to her MGM comedies where she’s great) and Kitty (Mae Clarke) who famously receives a grapefruit in her kisser when she mouths off to Cagney. This William Wellman directed picture is one of the formative films in creating the gangster drama. <br /><br />The Roaring Twenties (1939)-Eddie Bartlett (Cagney), George Hally (Humphrey Bogart) and Lloyd Hart (Jeffrey Lynn) strike up a friendship in a foxhole during WWI. Once back in the States they go their separate ways but eventually circumstances bring them back together in the bootlegging business where they find enormous success until jealousies, rivalries and the stock market crash brings it all tumbling down. One of the last great gangster films of the 30’s with a fantastic cast including Priscilla Lane and a scene stealing Gladys George as the lovelorn songbird Panama Smith who delivers the film’s iconic last line.<br /><br />Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950)-Amoral gangster Ralph Cotter (Cagney) breaks out of prison along with fellow prisoner Carleton (Neville Brand).When Carlton is injured Cotter murders him to speed his escape and jumps right back into crime blackmailing Carleton’s sister Holiday (Barbara Payton) into a relationship to conceal her part in aiding their jailbreak. Discovering graft Cotter pressures a couple of crooked cops (Barton MacLane and Ward Bond) and an equally corrupt lawyer (Luther Adler) into a scheme to bilk heiress Margaret Dobson (Helena Carter) out of a fortune. Things do not go as planned. This was the highpoint of leading lady Barbara Payton’s career. A beautiful if somewhat hard looking blonde at this time she was considered a rising star but after a scandal plagued and notorious career she fell as far as it’s possible to go ending up a drug addicted skid row hooker (once being mistaken for a pile of garbage after being left next to a dumpster following a beating) before her death from organ failure at 39.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.com