Out of the Past

If I liked the film better, I'd be curious to read the original novel entitled Build My Gallows High, written by Daniel Mainwaring. Mainwaring used a pseudonym and adapted his work for the screen, resulting in one of the most famous film noirs in screen history. The main problem I had with the film Out of the Past was the odd storyline and construction. I imagined a 4 hour running time, including every plot point and character development from an original 800-paged novel-the studios insisted that the film be shortened and the end result was a lack of character development for anyone and a haphazard story cut to bits. I've since learned the original book is only 160 pages, and I can't understand why the film's story was choppy scenes were so confusing. The "good guys" are the "good guys" and the "bad guys" are the "bad guys", with no explanation for anyone's behavior. The plot moves so quickly with such swift deviation that I kept pressing pause trying to figure out what was going on; by the end, I'd given up. I got the characters confused and had no idea what was happening. Here's what I was able to get out of the plot: Robert Mitchum runs a garage in a small town. His assistant is a deaf and dumb teenage boy, and his sweetheart is the innocent Virginia Huston. Then, Paul Valentine finds him, and he confesses his secret past to Virginia. His secret past includes being indebted to Kirk Douglas, a gangster who wanted Bob to find and retrieve his runaway girlfriend Jane Greer. If there was a reason why Bob and Kirk were thrown together in the first place, it went over my head. And I couldn't count how many times I got Jane Greer and Rhonda Fleming mixed up! And what was the reason why Dickie Moore was deaf and dumb and inexplicably loyal to Bob Mitchum? I watched the movie because I knew it was famous and I love to drool over Robert Mitchum. If you absolutely love film noir films, you might want to rent this one, but be forewarned. And be on the lookout for the very famous line, "Baby, I don't care," that inspired the title of Lee Server's famous biography of Robert Mitchum!

source: Out of the Past

Jacques Tourneur is a personal favorite director, but not because of Out of the Past, considered his very best work for those who didn't pay close attention to the unique, intricate details of Cat People, The Leopard Man, Canyon Passage or Curse of the Demon... Those movies had tiers to climb, and obstacles to cross. This movie, like Robert Mitchum's character, sleepwalks from scene to scene where everything is just too easy: Find the pretty girl who stole Kirk Douglas's dirty money. No problem. She's in Mexico and in a matter of scenes, there she is... Ready to be swept off her feet in a matter of seconds. After all, Mitchum is handsome and Jane Greer's really pretty... There have been more intriguing and spicy romances on daytime soaps. And not even Tourneur's direction rises above the dull script, so full of contrived, forced-quotable one-liners, there's hardly a complete sentence uttered... Out of the Past is a random collection of snapshots that aren't even postcards...

Okay, it's odd that I would give a film a score of 8 and still say it's overrated. That's because as of the time I wrote this review, this film was #203 on the IMDb Top 250--and this just seems too high a rating. Part of it is because there are many better Film Noir movies that didn't make the list and because the plot, at times, is awfully convoluted. It earns it's 8 more because of the film's excellent style and snappy Noir dialog. In many ways, it reminds me of the excellent Bogart film, THE BIG SLEEP, because they both have plot problems BUT still are excellent films to watch. Now as I said already, the dialog was great and Robert Mitchum is a great Noir actor. He is big, tough, kind of ugly and not 100% good or evil--the perfect Noir hero. And in support, you've got quite a few similar characters--except that they ARE 100% evil! In true Noir fashion, the other "unsung" supporting actors were the sets and camera angles and music that really set the mood. Director Jacques Tourneur did a great job of setting the mood--just like he did in his famous collaborations with producer Val Lewton. So give the movie a try, but also try to see some other Noir gangster films from the era that are also great films but somehow have gone unnoticed, such as T-MEN, THE KILLERS, DOA, BOB Le FLAMBEUR, KISS OF DEATH, ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW, WHITE HEAT, THE RACKET and THE NARROW MARGIN and many, many more.

Try as I might, I could never get this film noir starring Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer to be as good to me as it's reputation. This film is often mentioned as one of the best of the film noir genre, but I never found it so. The poster is far better. In fact, if you want to see a more interesting film noir with Mitchum and Greer, then watch "The Big Steal." Nonetheless, I think the confusing story with its convoluted storyline brings it down. Unlike most noirs than occur in a big city, this one involves the countryside from San Francisco to Acapulco. Kirk Douglas doesn't have a big role in here but he makes his presence felt. He does a good job of being both menacing and personable at the same time. It also was nice to see this on a good DVD transfer as I was never able to find a good VHS of this movie. It does make the viewing experience a lot better....but I'm still looking for more with this film. I'll say what most "crtiics" are afraid to admit: it's overrated.

Out of the Past is one of the best film noir of all time. It's use of story line and lighting alone makes this film a winner. Robert Mitchum is the perfect detective character. Like a superhero, he gains his power from the city and is weak to his enemies when in the country. Great use of symbolisim throughout the film. When Mitchum falls for Moffat, we see the spider woman at work as she catches him in her spider web. (more like a fishing net on the beach) A terrific ending and beautiful camera work. A pure classic in film noir.

Full of atmosphere and heat, "Out of the Past" is a classic film noir, directed by a master, Jacques Tourneur. Although considered only an above-average B movie at the time of release, it's doubtful anyone thinks of it that way today, as it is superior to many "A" films. With a top-notch cast and a deceptively easy pace that belies the tension and danger underneath, "Out of the Past" makes for an intriguing, absorbing film. Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer make a great pair - both are sultry, sexy, hard to read, and gorgeous. I found Greer's performance quite interesting. In the beginning, she appears quite warm, frightened, and sincere, as opposed to, say, Lizabeth Scott in "Dead Reckoning." When she turns hardboiled, it's subtle, with only a change in her eyes and voice, when she comments that Fisher isn't going to say anything to anybody. I love the way Mitchum sizes up women. He absolutely smolders, and 40 years later, in "The Winds of War," he was still smoldering. Kirk Douglas is appropriately edgy in his supporting role as Whit. Rhonda Fleming has a small role, but no one that incredibly beautiful was going to go unnoticed for long. What a wonderful film, what a perfect example of a genre.

This is an extremely stylish film noir with a balanced, touching performance by Robert Mitchum. I was not expecting to be as moved by this film as I ultimately was. It has the snappy banter that one would expect of a film from the 40s, but the dialogue transcends mere wit and left me more than a little emotional. Mitchum is remarkably understated and cool, making his self-destructive behavior all the more entrancing. Kirk Douglas also adds a really light touch to his role, keeping his slick gangster more genuine than one might expect. I would have to say that while it is in many ways a typical film noir (and a fine example of the style), I have never seen anything quite like it. There are locations you would never expect to see in a film noir and a surprising bittersweet ending. Fantastic film.

Tremendously stylish, brilliantly scripted and wonderfully directed noir classic about a man who cannot escape from his past. Rarely does the genre get away from the grimy city streets with it's dark corridors and alleyways only partially lit by un-realistic streams of bright light. In this film we not only see the underworld gangs, the bars and floozies, the heavies and the fatales, but we also see the bright beautiful countryside, the streams and the rocks - a complete otherworld. Mitchum is superb as the man who has escaped the city to live a new life in the country only to be dragged back by powerful forces. This broadening of the cinematic landscape makes the movie more affecting than your assorted Bogarts' & Ladds'. As with 'I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang' I feel much more sympathy for the lead actor who gets dragged back into the bear pit to wrestle for his life and soul. 'Out of the Past' also has some of the finest dialogue and narration I have ever heard, probably matched only by 'The Maltese Falcon'. 'She was like an autumn leaf blowing from gutter to gutter', is one gem that sticks in my mind. The mood of the film is pleasantly melancholic and the portrayal of the fatale figure (Jane Greer) is particularly sympathetic. In most noir movies the male perspective of the double-crossing woman predominates (not that there's anything wrong with that, it's usually very funny). Here however, whilst Greer presents one of the blackest of women you at least know why she does what she does and can sympathise with her plight. She is trapped too. Tourneur, tragically made few films but was a master at getting messages deep into your psyche, into your soul. 'Cat People 'and 'I Walked With a Zombie' both had otherworlds where the demons lived. We all have otherworlds too, places we'd rather not go very often, but as with Mitchum we are sometimes confronted with those demons and have to do battle once again. When I go next I hope to be wearing my hat at an exquisite angle and have my trench coat well belted.

I have been a fan of Jacques Tourneur's horror movies ('Cat People', 'Night Of The Demon', 'I Walked With A Zombie',etc.) for many years, but for some reason I hadn't seen 'Out Of The Past' until very recently. Regarded by many noir buffs as one of the very best examples of the genre, if not THE best, it knocked my socks off! Some movies are so good that you almost can't believe they exist. 'Vertigo', 'Rashomon', 'Taxi Driver', 'Cool Hand Luke', 'The Wild Bunch', 'The Wages Of Fear', these are some titles that immediately spring to mind. Your jaw just drops in amazement, and repeated viewing reveal more layers and levels of enjoyment. 'Out Of The Past' now joins that group of very special movies for me. Tourneur's horror classics are brilliant works, but this movie surpasses them all to me. Everything about this movie is superb. The direction, photography, script (which crime legend James M. Cain of 'The Postman Always Rings Twice' and 'Double Indemnity' fame contributed to anonymously), and the actors. The cast are all good, but Robert Mitchum steals the show with a first rate performance, second only in my opinion to his unforgettable role in the extraordinary 'Night Of The Hunter'. The beautiful Jane Greer is also excellent, as is Kirk Douglas. If you want to get into film-noir and understand just how influential it was on subsequent movies, make 'Out Of The Past' your first stop. It is a masterpiece, pure and simple. I know this movie will be in my life for a very long time, and that gives me a lot of satisfaction. 'Out Of The Past' comes with my highest recommendation. I can't put into words just how great this movie is, so just watch it for yourself.