Another pair of "Back on FXM Retro" movies, August 30, 2017

Actually, it was going to be three, except that I mentioned The Fury just three months ago. Anyhow, I saw a few months back as well that Somewhere in the Night was back in the FXM Retro rotation. It's reasonably good, but the plot gets a bit convoluted making it the sort of movie that wouldn't be my first choice when it comes to introducing people to noir. I think it's that convolutedness, combined with the star being second-tier John Hodiak, that's relegated Somewhere in the Night to less-remembered status. It's on the schedule tomorrow morning at 7:40 AM.

Better, and probably better-remembered, is Night and the City, which follows Somewhere in the Night at 9:30 AM. It's a run-of-the-mill plot about a man (Richard Widmark) who tries to become a bigger-time operator than he is, which causes him to run up against the sorts of people who know the underworld inside and out, and are better at it than he could ever hope to be. Although that's a plot staple, the presence of Widmark, and a gritty London, make this one special. If you haven't seen it before, I highly recommend it.