Customer Reviews

Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics II (Human Desire / The Brothers Rico / Nightfall / City of Fear / Pushover)

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I was very impressed by the 1st volume that Columbia released of their Film Noir titles: Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics, Vol. 1 (The Big Heat / 5 Against the House / The Lineup / Murder by Contract / The Sniper) This set promises just as much!

This Columbia set features 5 films (each on it's own separate disc):

*FAV* Human Desire (1954) 91 minutes
directed by Fritz Lang (ONE OF THE MASTERS!)
starring: Glenn Ford Glenn Ford & Gloria Grahame

The Brothers Rico (1957) 92 minutes
directed by: Phil Karlson
starring: Richard Conte, Dianne Foster, Kathryn Grant, Larry Gates

*FAV* Nightfall (1957) 78 mins
directed by: Jacques Tourneur (one of the masters!)
starring: Aldo Ray, Brian Keith, Anne Bancroft, Jocelyn Brando

City of Fear (1959)| 81 mins
directed by: Irving Lerner
starring: Vince Edwards, Lyle Talbot, John Archer, Steven Ritch

*FAV* Pushover (1954) 88 mins
directed by: Richard Quine
starring: Fred MacMurray, Philip Carey, Kim Novak, Dorothy Malone

If you've never seen a Columbia Film Noir before - here is what to expect: they are gritty, psychological; distinctive in a dark and claustrophobic visual style, their narrative are often come from deep rooted-anxiety, desperation and entrapment; they are focused on the crime itself. These are *Hard-boiled Detective Stories*

Compared to more familiar Fox Film Noirs (Laura (Fox Film Noir), Nightmare Alley (Fox Film Noir), Shock (Fox Film Noir), Where the Sidewalk Ends (Fox Film Noir), & Whirlpool (Fox Film Noir) which are very sleek & surround a central character: a "Dame"; Fox Film Noirs are twisted with themes of suspicion, betrayal, paranoia. The crime usually being an after-effect of greed and desires in a world whose morals have become unattractive and distorted or even disappeared altogether. Fox Film Noirs are sexy, hot ....with some crime thrown in.

In my opinion the simplest comparison I could make would be Columbia Film Noirs are more like the meat & potatoes of Film Noir; ie: Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series).. (the actual planning & tension in execution of the crime not the fast double talk) which was an Universal Studios release. vs. Fox Film Noir as a flambé dessert such as "The Postman Always Rings Twice": slick and sexy (a MGM/Warner Bros release).

They are both wonderful products - just with different style.

Film Noir was huge in the 40's - it was dark & edgy, something people could really sink their teeth into during the post-war era. The production code was being a bit more lenient after the horrors shown to the world during the war.

For your further study please consider looking up:

Great Noir Directors; Fritz Lang, Otto Preminger, Michael Curtiz, Jules Dassin, Orson Welles, Jacques Tourneur, Billy Wilder, Robert Siodmak, Rouben Mamoulian & one people don't think of much as a NOIR Director but he certainly was one of the best: Alfred Hitchcock.

Noir Literary sources: Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, and W. R. Burnett.

examples of their work:
Hammett= The Maltese Falcon

James M. Cain= Double Indemnity (1944), Mildred Pierce (1945), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), and Slightly Scarlet (1956)

Raymond Chandler= Murder, My Sweet (1944; adapted from Farewell, My Lovely), The Big Sleep (1946), and Lady in the Lake (1947)--he was an important screenwriter in the genre as well, producing the scripts for Double Indemnity, The Blue Dahlia (1946), and Strangers on a Train (1951)

W. R. Burnett= Little Caesar (1929), During the classic era, his work, either as author or screenwriter, was the basis for movies now widely regarded as three of the most famous film noirs; High Sierra (1941), This Gun for Hire (1942), and The Asphalt Jungle (1950).[40]

If you go to [...] and search for year 1946 you can see the top movies released in 1946 - you'll actually see ALL the movies released and just how many of them were Noirs/ crime dramas! It's really impressive and may just turn you on to making a list of movies to watch!
Do this for 1956 or 1957 also to see more Columbia releases. :)


I hope my review has been useful especially to new fans of Noir and seasoned fans who were unsure of spending so much money on this box set; it really is worth it! If you are still uncertain - Give the first volume a try Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics, Vol. 1 (The Big Heat / 5 Against the House / The Lineup / Murder by Contract / The Sniper)- it can be found for a little bit less ($39) & then you'll be hooked on Columbia Film Noir, I know I am!



*FAV* before movie title denotes favorite film in set!

I wanted to correct the 2 previous reviewers. In a Lonely Place IS NOT in this collection. If you notice the art work for the set you will see the title HUMAN DESIRE. I looked up the press release for this set on the web and it lists Human Desire, NOT In a Lonely Place. I gave this set 5 stars because I really like Human Desire which reunites Gloria Grahame and Glenn Ford who costarred together in The Big Heat. I will preorder this set just for that title. Please verify your information before posting a review; people do read them you know!!

The five films featured in the Columbia Film Noir Classics II set were made as the classic film noir cycle was winding down, 1954-1959. These are not high noir, but most are solid films with noir themes and even some noir archetypes. If you're a casual noir fan, these films are neither the highest quality nor most exemplary of the noir style, so they may not be of much interest. If you're a more hard-core noir fan, this is a nice selection of moderate quality noir and noir-influenced thrillers from the mid-to-late 1950s. The social milieu here is very much post-War. If there is a dud in the bunch, it is "City of Fear", a thriller whose premise seems interesting enough but is rather flat.

"Human Desire" (1954) is a post-War American adaptation of Emile Zola's 1890 novel, directed by Fritz Lang. Korean War veteran Jeff Warren (Glen Ford) has just returned to his rail yard job, when a co-worker, Carl Buckley (Broderick Crawford), is fired for his violent temper. Carl's younger, comely wife Vicki (Gloria Grahame) is an old friend of owner, though, and Carl asks her to call in a favor. Too bad that Carl's temper is so easily ignited by jealousy. His actions leave him in a bind and Vicki stuck in a miserable marriage with no where to turn but to Jeff. This is a must-see for Gloria Grahame fans. The psychological games and cruelty are memorable, and Vicki is easily the most complex character. 4 stars.

"The Brothers Rico" (1957) is a post-noir thriller based on the story "Les Frères Rico" by Georges Simenon. It features a middle-aged Richard Conte as Eddie Rico, former mob accountant, now the proud owner of a successful legitimate laundry business. But Eddie's brothers Gino (Paul Picerni) and Johnny (James Darren) still work for the mob, and they have gotten themselves in deeper than Eddie would have liked. They're both on the run, in fear of their lives, after a hit job. Eddie turns to his old boss Sid Kubik (Larry Gates) to straighten things out. But Eddie has been out of the loop for a long time, and Kubik isn't what he thinks. Filmed in flat television lighting, but Eddie's anguish is palpable. 4 stars.

"Nightfall" (1957) is another post-noir thriller starring Aldo Ray as Jim Vanning, a man dogged by two trigger-happy thugs whom he had the misfortune to encounter while on a camping trip in Wyoming the previous winter. Things went wrong then, and they're going wrong again, as the thugs will do anything to find out where Vanning hid the loot that they lost in Wyoming. Director Jacques Tourneur presents Vanning's predicament partly in the present tense and partly in flashback. Anne Bancroft has a nice role as Marie, an unusually appealing late-1950s heroine, who falls for Vanning after he tries to protect her from his pursuers. It's only slightly noir, but two appealing stars and some well-conceived action scenes make this film a winner. 4 stars.

"City of Fear" (1959) might be most notable for its jazz score by Jerry Goldsmith, as it relies entirely on the score to create tension. Vincent Ryker (Vince Edwards) has escaped from San Quentin prison. He took with him a canister from the hospital's infirmary that he believed contained a pound of heroin. He heads for Los Angeles to reunite with his business associates and girlfriend June (Patricia Blair). But the contents of the canister is actually radioactive Cobalt 60, which will kill anyone with prolonged exposure. The police scour the city for Ryker and that canister, while the mayor contemplates evacuating the population. The premise is interesting enough, but the film never picks up speed or builds tension. 3 stars.

"Pushover" (1954) employs noir archetypes in a way that sometimes seems like a self-conscious imitation. Nevertheless, it's fun and even has its moments of introspection. Police detective Paul Sheridan (Fred MacMurray) falls for the curvaceous gangster's moll, Leona McLane (Kim Novak), whom he is trying to hit up for information on bank robber boyfriend Harry Wheeler (Paul Richards). Paul and his partner surveil Leona's apartment around the clock, waiting for Wheeler to show up. But Paul and Leona have made other plans: to abscond with the $200,000 from Wheeler's last bank job. This would be a run-of-the-mill noir from late in the cycle were it not for the film's focus on voyeurism, which gives it a little more edge and intellect than it would otherwise have. 4 stars.

The DVDs (Sony 2010): This is a 5-disc set with one movie per disc. There are some sparse bonus features but no audio commentaries. On the "Human Desire" disc, the actress Emily Mortimer comments on that film's emotions and what impresses her about it in "Terror and Desire with Emily Mortimer" (9 min). On "The Brothers Rico" disc, director Martin Scorsese talks about the film's tone and visual style in "Martin Scorsese on The Brothers Rico" (3 1/2 min). On the "City of Fear" disc, director Christopher Nolan talks about film noir at times of societal uncertainty in "Pulp Paranoia with Christopher Nolan" (6 min). All disks include an original theatrical trailer, and all offer subtitles in English SDH.

As the previous reviewer said, and to clear up arguments, "In A Lonely Place" is not in this set. It was originally announced in press releases as part of the set, but was dropped in favor of "Human Desire."

That being said, it would be better if people were to actually own titles prior to reviewing them.

Although all the films contained here are worthy of a collection, the main reason I bought this set is 1954's "Human Desire"--- a remake of Jean Renoir's 1938 "La Bete Humaine" with Simone Simon from the story by Emile Zola. Fritz Lang reunited Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame from Lang's 1953 "The Big Heat" for this murder tale. While not packing the same punch as "Heat", the film still offers a compelling look at a sexy woman, Vicki (Grahame), trapped in a miserable marriage to brutish Broderick Crawford and ensnaring ex-GI Ford in a web of deceit and murder. Set at a dreary railroad yard, "Desire" offers an oppressive atmosphere and a heavy performance from Crawford as a murderously jealous husband. Grahame matches him as his younger,restless wife with her own agenda. Ford is the quiet, nice everyman drawn to Grahames' sultry allure. "Human Desire" had previously been available only in inferior form. Here, it looks great---a b&w treat of powerhouse acting and illicit schemes 50's style. I'm just not crazy about the current trend of packaging discs by stacking them. I just feel it's too easy for them to be damaged. Yet, there we are. Enjoy the whole set, but don't overlook "Human Desire".

I had been looking forward to watching these great old movies but none of the 5 discs would play. Amazon sent me another set right away now those will not play either. All my other movies play ok. Wondering if anyone else had trouble with this set? I saw HUMAN DESIRE and PUSHOVER many years ago and have just been thrilled to be able to buy them on dvd. PLEASE POST IF ANYONE ELSE HAD TROUBLE PLAYING THEM. THANKS!

This set contains 5 films and no extra features have been announced. The set is due to go on sale November 3 along with a volume 1 of film noir from Sony on the same day. Sony continues to hit it out of the park with classic sets being announced rather regularly. The films in volume two are as follows:

The Film Noir Collection, Vol. 2
Pushover (1954) - directed by Richard Quine and stars Fred MacMurray as a detective who gets mixed up with the girlfriend (Kim Novak) of a suspected bank robber. The girlfriend wants the detective to kill her bank robbing boyfriend and then the two can take the money. This is difficult since MacMurray's detective has both the girlfriend and the robber under surveillance along with a bunch of other detectives.

Nightfall (1957) - directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Aldo Ray, Brian Keith, and Anne Bancroft. A man falsely accused of robbery and murder goes on the run, persuading the woman he loves and an insurance investigator to help find the real culprits and clear his name. Great cinematography in this low budget thriller.

The Brothers Rico (1957) - directed by Phil Karlson and starring Richard Conte and Dianne Foster. A former Mafia accountant is going straight and starting a business with his new wife. He is pulled back into the dangerous world of organized crime when he learns that the Mob and the cops are looking for his younger brother who is still in the dark world he left.

City of Fear (1959) - directed by Irving Lerner and starring Vince Edwards, Lyle Talbot, and John Archer. An escaped convict comes into possession of a cannister of deadly radioactive material. The cops know this and are trying to track down the convict and the cannister. The film gets many facts about radiation poisoning just plain wrong, but it is still an enjoyable little film joining the elements of noir and the nuclear age.

In a Lonely Place (1950) - directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame. A novelist is out of ideas when a hat check girl gives him a story for his next book. Later that night she is murdered and Bogart's Dixon Steele is a prime suspect. His strange ways aren't helping any with the police when his neighbor gives him an alibi. A romance starts up between the two, but the neighbor is still having doubts about the true nature of the man she saved. The best film in the bunch, in my opinion.

The preceding descriptions come from a combination of the press release for this set and my own memories of these films, some distant and some very recent.

Here is a set of excellent film noir that tops Columbia Pictures Film Noir Vol. I in that there isn't a turkey in the bunch. After viewing each film twice, I am happy to join the chorus of praise that has greeted the release of Vol. II.
I'm not going to rehash each film as that has already been ably done. I'm just going to rank the films in order of excellence and tell you why I rank them that way. Picking the best is tough, as three of the movies contend strongly for that honor. Here's my list:
1)The Brothers Rico. Richard Conte is excellent as Eddie Rico, a former mafia accountant who is tricked into leading his former associates to his brothers whom he is led to believe they want to protect. To his anguish, he finds out differently and exacts his own form of revenge. The messages are that once you join the 'organization', you can never really leave it and that the organization is all-pervasive with eyes and ears in places you would least suspect. The acting is generally excellent with Conte playing Eddie Rico with real emotion and grit. The combination of the acting and the story line make The Brothers Rico an exciting film. 5 stars.
2)Nightfall. Aldo Ray is excellent as the protagonist in this stark film. Though the story line is not always realistic, the story of fear, senseless violence, and finally triumph over evil is spellbinding and comes to a gripping climax. The scene where the snow blower shreds one of the bank robbers at the end is reminiscent of the scene in Border Incident where a government agent is tilled into the soil by a corrupt and vengeful farmer. Great use of chiaroscuro techniques in bleak landscapes which makes the story all the more menacing. 5 stars.
3)Human Desire. Fritz Lang puts it all together here with a taut tale of lust, violence, and betrayal largely filmed in an industrial setting brimming with testosterone and machismo. Especially exciting are the scenes on the train. A shining moment in the careers of all the principals who include Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, and Broderick Crawford. 5 stars.
4)City of Fear. Vince Edwards excels as a dirtbag who murders a guard while escaping from prison, stealing as he goes a canister he believes to contain heroin but which actually contains a radioactive substance that is to slowly sicken and kill him. Like many addicts, he is violent, paranoid and furtive. Edwards is so good in his role you wonder if he's playing himself! Must have been a sensation at a time when there was widespread public anxiety over the atomic threat from the Soviet Union. 5 stars.
5)Pushover. OK, this is my least favorite but its still a decent film overall. I find the story of how Paul Sheridan (Fred MacMurray) insinuates himself into the arms of Lana McLane (Kim Novak) kind of a stretch. But beyond the story of lust and betrayal is the story of a good cop gone bad when greed gets the best of him. 4 stars.
I have bought many of the film noir box sets that have come on the market in the last ten years and have enjoyed most of the films in them. Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics, Vol. II is a great set of thrillers that measurably adds to that enjoyment. Get this set, you won't be disappointed.

This set is better than the first in that they are ALL very good films. Set one had a few not so good films (FIVE AGAINST THE HOUSE). A must for film noir fans.

**** CITY OF FEAR

Above average film noir that reminded me a lot of Elia Kazan's Panic in the Streets. Great musical score by Jerry Goldsmith and an interesting warning against the harmful effects of Cobalt 60 in granules. If you ever have to lay hands on such a product, I urge you to call right away the nearest police station. I love informative movies. Highly recommended.

**1/2 THE BROTHERS RICO

Some people don't have family at all and some people simply have too many families. Take Eddie Rico for instance, he's on the verge of adopting a child after 10 years of marriage, he must also take care of his old mother and of his two brothers who disappeared and, finally, he's just been called in by Uncle Sid, the head of the mob family he used to work for. Now this 1957 Columbia production is not a psychologic drama but a Film Noir in a proto Scorsese environment. It lacks deepness, the ending is more than ridiculous but the fans of this genre will nevertheless appreciate The Brothers Rico.

**** NIGHTFALL

I reluctantly admit here that Nightfall's first hour could have been much more captivating. However, Nightfall's last part is so stunning that I'm ready to forget all the rest. From the moment Aldo Ray and Anne Bancroft take the bus in L.A., the film becomes a classic of the genre. There, in the Wyoming snow, Jacques Tourneur shot scenes that numerous directors will, in the future, simply copy or subconsciously memorize. Highly recommended.

***** PUSHOVER

30 July 1954: Premiere of Pushover. 1 August 1954: Premiere of Rear Window (Collector's Edition). I like this kind of coincidence. Both films are about voyeurism and both films are landmarks in their director's career. Pushover also marks Kim Novak's debut on screen and the first scene she's in deserves to stay in the Cinema annals; she comes out of a movie theater and enters right away in our personal film pantheon. Compared to hyperactive Dorothy Malone who lives in the adjacent apartment, Kim Novak really seems to move in slow-motion through the detectives' binoculars. Masterpiece.

** HUMAN DESIRE

Based on Emile Zola novel. Gloria Grahame is as always brilliant but the film is a disappointment. Really.