Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on February 9, 2022

Once again, TCM is going film noir nutty! Coming up on February 10th (which happens to be the day that my beloved grandmother – who lived to be 109 – was born), TCM is airing not one, not five, not seven – but a whopping TEN features from the classic...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on February 6, 2022

Usually, in this spot, I offer my half of Pre-Code Crazy, where I share my recommended TCM pre-Code feature for the coming month. My partner in this venture, Kristina over at Speakeasy, is working on other projects for a while, so I’m doing a bit of retooling; starting in March,...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on January 2, 2022

I saw Flesh (1932) for the first time when it aired on TCM last year. I don’t remember now what made me decide to watch it, but I enjoyed it so much that I tracked down the DVD and promptly added it to my collection! And when I saw it...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on December 3, 2021

Perhaps best known to modern audiences as the blustering General Peterson on the hit television comedy I Dream of Jeannie, Barton MacLane was better recognized in his heyday as one of the screen’s most enduring heavies. In a film career that spanned decades, MacLane was seen alongside such cinematic   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on December 3, 2021

Now that another Noirvember celebration is behind us, it’s time to return to Pre-Code Crazy, where I join my pal Kristina, over at Speakeasy, in recommending a pre-Code feature that’s airing on TCM during the month. My pick for December is Man of the World (1931), a film that I’d...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 30, 2021

The final post for Noirvember 2021 shines the spotlight on a gal who’s often more femme than fatale: Millie Pickens in Among the Living (1941). WHAT’S AMONG THE LIVING ABOUT? Nestled in a category I think of as Gothic noir, Among the Living tells the story of a millionaire, John...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 29, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on a stand-up guy on a mission: Joe Rolfe in Kansas City Confidential (1952). WHAT’S KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL ABOUT? Flower deliveryman Joe Rolfe (John Payne) is framed for a million dollar heist and determines to find the men responsible. Simple, right?   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 28, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on a treacherous wolf in innocent lamb’s clothing: Connie Wallace in The Great Flamarion (1945). Never heard of The Great Flamarion? Do yourself a favor and take a stroll on over to YouTube. You can thank me later. WHAT’S THE GREAT FLAMARION ABOUT? The...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 27, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on the fatally flawed Earle Slater in Odds Against Tomorrow (1959). WHAT’S ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW ABOUT? Odds Against Tomorrow involves a bank heist engineered by bitter ex-cop David Burke (Ed Begley). To help him carry out his plot, Burke recruits a bigot   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 26, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on a seriously fatal femme: Jill Merrill in Night Editor (1946). WHAT’S NIGHT EDITOR ABOUT? Night Editor tells the story, via flashback, of a New York homicide detective, Tony Cochrane (William Gargan), who has a wife (Jeff Donnell), a son – and a high-so   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 25, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on Quinn in Body and Soul (1947). WHAT’S BODY AND SOUL ABOUT? Body and Soul centers on Charley Davis (John Garfield), who is determined to earn money for his family through the professional boxing game. He eventually works his way to the top, but...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 24, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on Stella in Fallen Angel (1945). WHAT’S FALLEN ANGEL ABOUT? Cynical, down-on-his-luck press agent Eric Stanton (Dana Andrews) finds himself in a small town in California (because he didn’t have the bus fare to make it to San Francisco), and he promptly b   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 23, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on Cleve Marshall in The File on Thelma Jordon (1950). WHAT’S THE FILE ON THELMA JORDON ABOUT? Thelma Jordon (Barbara Stanwyck) reports to the district attorney’s office that there have been a series of attempted burglaries at the home of her wealthy aunt   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 22, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on the titular star of The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946). WHAT’S THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS ABOUT? Martha Ivers (Barbara Stanwyck) is the head of an industrial empire, which she has expanded and enhanced since inheriting it from her wealthy (b   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 21, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on one scary dude: Tommy Udo in Kiss of Death (1947). WHAT’S KISS OF DEATH ABOUT? Career criminal Nick Bianco (Victor Mature) is arrested after a botched robbery attempt. He’s offered the chance for an early release if he squeals on his comrades, but...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 20, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on the luckless Pat Kroll in A Double Life (1947). WHAT’S A DOUBLE LIFE ABOUT? Anthony John (Ronald Colman) is a talented but extremely intense stage performer with a tendency to completely lose himself in his roles. When he’s offered the part of Othello,   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 19, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on Christopher Cross in Scarlet Street (1945). WHAT’S SCARLET STREET ABOUT? Based on the novel and play La Chienne, the story focuses on a married, middle-aged cashier who saves a young woman from an attacker in the street, and promptly falls in love with   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 18, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on Leona Charles in The Breaking Point (1950). WHAT’S THE BREAKING POINT ABOUT? World War II veteran Harry Morgan (John Garfield) operates a boat charter business in California, but his proceeds are barely enough to make the payments on the boat, let alon   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 17, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on a seriously scary dude: Ralph Hughes in My Name is Julia Ross (1945). WHAT’S MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS ABOUT? Julia Ross (Nina Foch) is an unemployed Londoner who is hired as the live-in secretary to a wealthy widow, Mrs. Hughes (Dame May...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 16, 2021

Today’s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on the beautiful but deadly Ellen Berent in Leave Her to Heaven (1945). WHAT’S LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN ABOUT? Socialite Ellen Berent (Gene Tierney) meets a novelist, Richard “Dick” Harland (Cornel Wilde), at Rancho Jacinto in Taos, New Mexico. Richard is ther   read more