By 1958, the public, and the moviemakers, had pretty much done with noir as a genre. But Don Siegel hadn't. He and screenwriter Sterling Silliphant just got in under the line with this relatively little-known masterpiece. What's it got that's fantastic? Truly psychotic bad guys in hats. Placeholder detectives in overcoats. Cars with fins. Insanely great S.F. location shooting. Violence that hurts. And a smart, but not pleased with itself, script.
The climax, through the iconic Sutro's [above - Ed.], then in its last days as an ice rink, and onto the twisted perspectives of an unfinished highway, has all the cramped urgency of dream - there is no way out.
Some internet voices describe The Lineup as "little" for some reason - "a great little movie" - but there's nothing little about it. Siegel wrapped up the genre and set the scene for the wave of tough cop action movies to follow. Bullitt wouldn't have been the same without it.
Go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFaRIE7BJMk
ReplyDeleteAnd a link to the location: https://reelsf.com/reelsf/lineup-sutros
ReplyDeleteWait, so now we are goig into cinema?!? What'a next, Foam Food Classics?!?
ReplyDeleteLooks great. We discovered a fantastic streaming service in the states called Kanopy. But, you need a library card of all things to access it. Thousands of little known, offbeat, films that are free to view.
In the noir genre, see if you can find Panic In The Streets, gem of a flick filmed in the late 50s in NO, that stars Zero Mostel.
We had Artemis 81 at the Foam-O-Drome© a while back. I've seen Panic In The Streets a few times - we talked about it here. Next week's ticket will be a rarity, and an absolute gem, not on YouTube.
DeleteSince us 4 or 5 guys like to freeload, here's a link to a bunch of free to view movies, including some little known noir flicks:
Deletehttps://www.openculture.com/free_film_noir_movies
Fantastic resource! Thank you! (note absence of Lineup)
DeleteBTW - here's the Kanopy site.
Deletehttps://nolalibrary.kanopy.com/frontpage
Thanks pmac!
Delete"wrapped up the genre"??? - "Touch Of Evil" and "Kiss Me Deadly" called and want their titles back. Or else.
ReplyDelete(Ba careful, one of 'em has an H-bomb and is ready to go fission)
They did it too. It would be impossible for one movie to mark the absolute end of the genre, and I am familiar with both the movies you mention. Kiss Me Deadly is earlier at '53, Touch Of Evil the same year, '58. The Lineup is far less known than either, which is why I'm putting it up. For you to watch, if you haven't already. For you to kvetch about, if you have.
DeleteBob Dylan got his line "To live outside the law you must be honest" from the Lineup line "When you live outside the law, you have to eliminate dishonesty." He improved it, you ask me.
when you steal, steal from the best and give it a paint job to make it look new. dylan's always been a genius at that.
DeleteI have a pal who despises Dylan for plagiarising; me, I don't care. As you say, he's a smart and selective thief.
DeleteKiss Me Deadly is from 55 actually, but yeah, it was a fascinating period to see what the stragglers brought to wrap up the cycle. I have never seen The Lineup but will hopefully get a look at that (old b&w noirs are a bit of a tough sell for the wife)
DeleteCool flick!
ReplyDeleteNarcotics Noir
Who doesn't like Eli Wallach?
Vaughn Taylor is cool as the kingpin named "The Man". Sadly he's not "dressed in black, PR shoes and a big straw hat."
Of course the contents of that Japanese doll (and other tchotchke) wouldn't see Chet Baker through two sets at The Black Hawk, and if Art Pepper was on Alto, he and Chet would fight over residue in the folds of the glassine envelope. Art might even give Chet a beating with a trumpet, and with all those promises he left for him. Where are you tonight sweet Zimmerman
In a somewhat noir vein, Wallach did a great movie with Karl Malden, Baby Doll.
DeleteNoir films are still the best. Too many to name, but I always thought" the Lineup" was great.
ReplyDeleteAnd regarding that "dishonesty/honest line; My business mentor many years ago said "Know the world, steal the best".
Foam Food Classics from Uber Eats, pmac. I'm in. There's our retirement job. Thanks for the titles, Farq. Would you guys call the original Cape Fear film noir?
ReplyDeleteThis guy does (and he clearly knows what he's talking about):
Deletehttps://noirsville.blogspot.com/2016/04/cape-fear-1962-southern-tail-fin-noir.html
Noirsville makes a great point about The Lineup being shot during daytime, going against noir style, but the themes shed enough darkness on their own.
ReplyDeletehttps://noirsville.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-lineup-1958-slwb-september-30-2011.html
Was wanting to watch something similar after Kiss Me Deadly and hadn't heard of this one. Thanks FT, it's just the thing. Kind of the missing link between noir and 77 Sunset Strip in visuals.
ReplyDeleteThis movie is a quality production that looks way better in its B&W/Daytime context. What is it that keeps regular people intrigued by the nostalgic undertones these films glamourize. It's the fact that Hollywood has skillfully hidden the truth of the plots in the impeccable craftsmanship so that the whole thing might confuse anyone that doesn't understand that the real economy(U.S. ---> world)... is CRIME!
ReplyDeleteWe would like to thank the San Francisco Police Department for making this production possible!
DeleteHere's some connections: BELOW this entryway was the old Sutro Bath House; at the time of this movie it was an ice skating rink. It burned down in the late Sixties. A scene from the cult classic "Harold and Maude" (where the military guy falls through a hole in the ruins) was filmed there. To the left of this building is/was the Cliff House, which unfortunately just closed, victim of the COVID-19 crisis. I cooked there '80-'82. Made omelets for Angela Davis, Van Morrison, Christopher Lloyd. Note that two members of the Tubes painted the exterior of the Cliff House in a distinctive "wave" pattern back in the 70s. Below the Cliff House to the south lies Kelly's Cove, at the end of Ocean Beach. Chris Isaak surfed there when he was in Silvertone '82-84. Across the Great Highway was the Family Dog at the Great Highway: the Grateful Dead once played there. Next to that was my garage: my band rehearsed there '82-'83. We truly were awful, but played the Mabuhay Gardens and the Chi Chi Club. Naomi Ruth Eisenberg (Dan Hicks & the Hot Licks) lived nearby.
ReplyDeleteThis type comment is gravy to me biscuits.
Delete