DAY 20: NOVEMBER 4th 2009

CLICK FOR “Who’s Your Fella?” CLIP

What?

In the ’30s, three prisoners flee from a state prison farm in Mississippi. Among them is 23-years-young Bowie, who spent the last seven years in prison and now hopes to be able to prove his innocence or retire to a home in the mountains and live in peace together with his new love, Kitty. But his criminal companions persuade him to participate in several heists, and soon the police believe him to be their leader and go after “Bowie the Kid” harder than ever.

Where?

At home.

With?

The weight of the world on my shoulders…

Why?

A few years ago, I picked up an RKO boxset as a result of catching a ton of great Film Noir flicks during some time off work. Long story short, it went missing and I didn’t actually get around to watching any of them. Well, in the year I decided to take the 365 challenge and like some kind of brilliant coincidence (yes, that’s coincidence, not Irony, thank you Alanis MorriBloodyssette) I just found it again and this is one of the movies contained that I haven’t heard a peep about, literally no idea as to how good it is and whether it’s my kind of film. Off of that criteria, it picked itself!

Worth It?

Yeah,  for sure. It was a good movie, not absolutely incredible and when held alongside the likes of Double Indemnity, its weaknesses radiate, but it was still a very entertaining Noir movie. The bleakness was retained, the performances strong and the winding narrative which is a staple of the genre was very much intact.

If you’re new to Film Noir, I’d put this off and take a look at Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard and The Big Heat before delving deeper into the genre (or if you want to ease yourself into the past, you can definitely do worse than to watch Rhian Johnsons incredible ‘Brick’ which is very much a noir film, albeit in the present day) and if you dig those movies, then definitely check this out.

A good way to end the evening I think, good stuff.

7/10