What is your favorite film noir movie from the 1940s or 1950s?

I know there are earlier and later ones, but for this question, I want to concentrate on the classic film noir period, from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Asked by tabbycat 47 months ago Similar questions: favorite film noir movie 1940s 1950s Entertainment > Movies.

Similar questions: favorite film noir movie 1940s 1950s.

Laura One of cinema’s most famous examples of film noir, is Otto Preminger's 1944 "Laura" focuses on the murder of beautiful young Laura Hunt . "Laura" marks an important transition in film history. Visually it harks back to Hollywood's Golden Era, flooding with light elaborate sets and the glamorous stars they hold--but at crucial moments a noir vision bubbles up to artfully blemish this smooth facade.

The cast includes: Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson It is a classic love story--except that it hinges on forbidden fantasy and murder. Sources: My love for old movies *Carla*'s Recommendations Laura (Fox Film Noir) Amazon List Price: $14.98 Used from: $5.98 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 173 reviews) .

This is an easy choice for me, because there's one movie I can watch over and over again... My favorite classic film noir movie is "Sorry, Wrong Number," starring one of my favorite actresses, the wonderful Barbara Stanwyck, and costarring Burt Lancaster in an early role. When I saw this movie for the first time in the 1970s the suspensefulness of the film, and fright displayed in the film by Barbara Stanwyck simply made me sit on the edge of my seat in fear and anticipation. I don’t want to spoil the movie for those who have not seen this film, so I’ll go into the basic premise of movie... Barbara Stanwyck portrays Leona Stevenson, Burt Lancaster is her husband, Henry.

Leona is bedridden with a "heart condition. " In the beginning of the movie, Leona is in bed, and receives a phone call, which turns out to have major ramifications in her life. The phone has a problem with cross wires.

During the phone call, Leona hears a conversation between two men discussing plans to murder someone. Suffice it to say, Leona comes to the realization that she is the intended victim. The cross wire theme may be a bit farfetched for some, but it works so well in this film that the coincidence is easily overlooked.

The supporting cast is so well cast. Just to name a few outstanding actors, Ed Begley is Leona’s father, Ann Richards plays the woman "Henry" loved, William Conrad as a mobster and Wendell Corey as Leona’s doctor. Editorial Reviews Amazon.Com "Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster star in Sorry, Wrong Number, an odd telephonic thriller that starts off with a bang.

Stanwyck, playing a shrill invalid, is at home alone and phoning around to find her husband. Thanks to a crossed wire, she overhears a murder plot, but she can barely get anyone to pay attention to her, let alone believe her. The rest of the film is played out in telephone conversations and flashbacks as our increasingly frightened heroine tries to find her husband and unravel the murder.

Stanwyck, as always, gives a terrific performance, managing to make her character both unlikable and compelling at the same time. Lancaster, as her kept husband, is handsome, virile, and trapped all at once. The plot, expanded to a film from a tight, dark little radio play, wanders at times but gathers itself back together for a corker of an ending.

--Ali Davis " From the Back Cover "Young, rich, bedridden Barbara Stanwyck dials a telephone number one night and overhears two men plotting the murder of an unidentified woman. She becomes frantic. Her terror is intensified by mysterious calls from an old college rival and a friend of her father.

With time running out, Stanwyck pieces evidence together that leads her to suspect that it is her husband (Burt Lancaster) who wants her murdered. Sorry, Wrong Number is a classic, extraordinary example of cumulative suspense and sheer terror. Barbara Stanwyck received an Oscar nomination for her magnificent performance.

" There are so many wonderful classic film noirs, "D.O.A. " starring Edmund O’Brien is a wonderful movie, and comes in very close to being my favorite film of this genre. "D.O.A. " has one of the greatest lines in movies: "I want to report a murder...mine." Sources: my opinion, http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0040823/, www.amazon.com?Lin?™'s Recommendations Sorry, Wrong Number Amazon List Price: $14.98 Used from: $8.51 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 46 reviews) 5 Film Noir Killer Classics (D.O.A./Detour/The Stranger/Scarlet Street/Killer Bait) Amazon List Price: $29.99 Used from: $15.95 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 6 reviews) "Sorry, Wrong Number" is my favorite classic film noir movie, and "D.O.A. " starring Edmund O'Brien comes in second.

Double Indemnity - Without a doubt Before playing father to Ernie, Chip and Robbie, Fred MacMurray had a film career. This was the best role of the bunch, playing a conniving insurance guy named Neff who gets love interest Barbara Stanwyck to buy an insurance policy that pays double in the case of an accident and she subsequently offs her husband. Edward G.

Robinson is the suspicious gumshoe that ferrets out the plot.

I saw Touch of Evil (1958) several years ago, and it was the first thing that popped into my mind. Very dark. IMDB score = 8.4 Charlton Heston ... Ramon Miguel 'Mike' Vargas Janet Leigh ... Susan 'Susie' Vargas Orson Welles ... Police Captain Hank Quinlan Joseph Calleia ... Police Sergeant Pete Menzies Akim Tamiroff ... 'Uncle' Joe Grandi Joanna Cook Moore ... Marcia Linnekar (as Joanna Moore) Ray Collins ... District Attorney Adair Dennis Weaver ... Mirador Motel night manager Sources: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052311/ pfzlsk's Recommendations Touch of Evil (Restored to Orson Welles' Vision) Amazon List Price: $14.98 Used from: $6.59 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 143 reviews) .

The Razor's Edge - about life's values Frankly, I don't know if this is considered a typical film noire but I would think so. The Razor's Edge (1946) It really is my favourite for many reasons. It has always intrigued me ever since I first saw it many years ago and I always seem to pick up something new each time.

I know the story well enough but when I see it again I still like to take time and absorb the how and why of the main characters as they move through the events. Tyrone Power does a superb job of portraying someone looking for answers to life after the nightmare of the First World War when another soldier sacrificed his own life to save him. It’s understandable that Ty would play this part as he’d just come out of the service, WW2, and was looking for more serious roles.

Clifton Webb almost steals the scenes with his portrayal of a fastidious man-about-town. Gene Tierney is just exquisite but I think Anne Baxter really does outshine her in dramatic acting ability. Her role of a woman who has lost her husband and child is really heartwrenching and so obvious to her friends who find her in such dissolute circumstances.

She won an Academy award for best supporting actress in her role as Sophie, and much deserved, in my opinion. ----------------------------- This is a brief writeup in IMDb about this movie: Well-to-do Chicagoan, Larry Darrell, breaks off his engagement to Isabel and travels the world seeking enlightenment, eventually finding his guru India. Isabel marries Gray, and following the crash of 1929, is invited to live in Paris with her rich, social climbing, Uncle Elliot.

During a sojurn there, Larry, having attained his goal, is reunited with Isabel. While slumming one night Larry, Isabel and company are shocked to discover Sophie, a friend from Chicago. Having lost her husband and child in a tragic accident, Sophie is living the low-life with the help of drugs an abusive brute.

Larry tries to rehabilitate her, but his efforts are sabotaged by Isabel who has tried in vain to reignite Larry’s interest in her. Written by Richard Blinkal {phelam@netcom. Com} ------------- Sources: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038873/ goldie080's Recommendations The Razor's Edge Amazon List Price: $14.98 Used from: $5.68 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 57 reviews) .

Looking for biographies written for children in the 1940s or 1950s - these were chapter books.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.