Movies reviewed this week: Jenny Lamour, Two Men in Manhattan, Rififi, Singapore, Macao, and The Shanghai Gesture.
2/1/2014: Jenny Lamour (1947): *****
Awesome procedural & evocative French theater setting.
2/1/2014: Two Men in Manhattan (1959): ***1/2
Not the best Melville ever. Kinda redeemed by the last half an hour.
2/1/2014: Rififi (1955): *****
Cold-eyed, brutal heist movie.
2/2/2014: Singapore (1947): ***
Not great but entertaining.
2/2/2014: Macao (1952): ***1/2
+1 star for Mitchum, +1 star for Russell, -1 star for no discernible plot. High levels of ambient snark.
2/2/2014: The Shanghai Gesture (1941): ****
Amazing phantasmagorical production design and intense, powerful acting dragged down by Gene Tierney’s failure to carry off her character’s fall into the abyss. Well worthwhile regardless.