Preston Sturges was #BOTD, and I’ve seen a lot of praise for the films he wrote & directed. But 3 of my 4 favorite Sturges screenplays were directed by others: The Good Fairy (1935) by William Wyler, and Easy Living (1937) and Remember the Night (1940) by Mitchell Leisen. Find them. Savor them. 😊

Preston Sturges was #BOTD, and I’ve seen a lot of praise for the films he wrote & directed. But 3 of my 4 favorite Sturges screenplays were directed by others: The Good Fairy (1935) by William Wyler, and Easy Living (1937) and Remember the Night (1940) by Mitchell Leisen. Find them. Savor them. 😊

250,000 Americans marched on Washington 63 years ago today. They marched for jobs and for freedom. They marched because they were tired of being told to wait for equality. The March on Washington was a call to action for our nation. Today, we must answer the call once again.

Philip says I look ten years younger than when we arrived at the beach on Tuesday. So instead of leaving today as planned, I’ll be staying here however long it takes me to get back to looking 35. You may not see me for a while. 😅

Visiting Old Town San Diego. I have no idea how Gregory and I got up on the back of this giant wagon, but thank goodness Philip is around to help us down. 😅

#ShadowsSpeak A Daily #FilmNoir Quote Series Bette Davis #SummerUnderTheStars #SUTS #TCMParty with "The Fourth Warner Brother"

THE LOST WEEKEND (1945) – director Billy Wilder and cinematographer John F. Seitz’s Oscar-winning Best Picture, with Ray Milland as a struggling writer who embarks on a four-day bender – coming next Wednesday at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. See our pinned post. See you then! 😊 #TheNoirCollective

Sesame Squirrel@sesamesquirrel.bsky.social · 2d ago

8/27-9/3 #WatchPartyCalendar screencaps⬇️ 📆 cal ➡️ livetweety.wordpress.com #DriveInMob @driveinmob.com @culturalgutter.bsky.social #CineJanes @theasabin.bsky.social #TheNoirCollective @tommykrasker.bsky.social @ctmillion.bsky.social #Splatterday #Splatterday2K @tattooedgranny.bsky.social

A puppy who is loving his beach vacation. 

NEXT WED at #TheNoirCollective: one of the first American films hailed as “noir” – and the most honored. 4 Oscars, incl. Best Picture. @tommykrasker.bsky.social & @ctmillion.bsky.social host THE LOST WEEKEND (1945). What happens when you hunger for the American Dream – but can’t quench your thirst?

Join us next Wednesday 9/2 for #TheNoirCollective watch of #TheLostWeekend, shot by the greatest cinematographer– and inventor– you've never heard of: John F. Seitz. He shot some of the greatest noirs of all time and was a favorite of Billy Wilder, Preston Sturges and John Farrow. Be there but BYOB!

Tommy Krasker@tommykrasker.bsky.social · 3d ago

NEXT WED at #TheNoirCollective: One of the first American films hailed as “noir” – and the most honored, with four Oscars, including Best Picture. @ctmillion.bsky.social and I are hosting THE LOST WEEKEND (1945). What happens when you hunger for the American Dream – but can’t quench your thirst?

Another amazing film from #TheNoirCollective... you may want to stay away from the cocktails and home bar after this one, though. #TheLostWeekend

Tommy Krasker@tommykrasker.bsky.social · 3d ago

NEXT WED at #TheNoirCollective: One of the first American films hailed as “noir” – and the most honored, with four Oscars, including Best Picture. @ctmillion.bsky.social and I are hosting THE LOST WEEKEND (1945). What happens when you hunger for the American Dream – but can’t quench your thirst?

NEXT WED at #TheNoirCollective: One of the first American films hailed as “noir” – and the most honored, with four Oscars, including Best Picture. @ctmillion.bsky.social and I are hosting THE LOST WEEKEND (1945). What happens when you hunger for the American Dream – but can’t quench your thirst?

Baxter is great in another Noir “A Guest in the House” 1944. It’s on YouTube & a real showcase of her acting range. #TheNoirCollective #BlueGardenia

Posters for “The Blue Gardenia” (1953) from The USA, Sweden, France and Italy #TheNoirCollective #TheBlueGardenia #FilmNoir #FritzLang

Crystal and Norah’s kitchen conversation is, for me, the movie's heart. A simple thing, but when she breaks down and Crystal just rubs the back of her head, you realize the ‘person she could trust’ was right there. #TheBlueGardenia #TheNoirCollective

I always say, actors – like the rest of us – have good days and bad days, and sometimes I point out when I think a performance isn’t up to snuff. But did Conte ever have a bad day? I’m serious, and correct me if I’m wrong. I can’t think of a subpar performance. 🤷‍♂️ #TheNoirCollective #TheBlueGardenia

Obsolete Jobs in this movie so far: Switchboard operator Elevator operator Newspaper sketch artist Tiki Bar waiter #TheNoirCollective #BlueGardenia

“POLICE DRAGNET CLOSES IN ON BLONDE MURDERESS.” The irony behind this headline (Norah isn’t even on their radar), and Casey's paper wrapping the dress for burning, is thick and rich. #TheBlueGardenia #TheNoirCollective

I love the riffing on ‘50s conformity that runs through #TheBlueGardenia. The three blondes share clothes, wear the latest fashions – and in the eyes of men, are interchangeable. Every man has a little black book; female killers are “always beautiful.” It’s subtle, but persuasive. #TheNoirCollective

The next few minutes are both a display of everyone’s craft in sync: Lang, Musuraca, Burr, Baxter and editor Edward Mann. It creates an absolutely gut-wrenching picture of assault that still feels all too real today. #TheBlueGardenia #TheNoirCollective

“I wouldn’t want you to have had one too many.” OK, is this guy the biggest sleazeball in all of noir? (If you think of someone sleazier, by all means name them. It’ll help us prepare our “Sleazeballs of Noir” series in May of 2029. 😅) #TheNoirCollective #TheBlueGardenia

And now, Nat King Cole, everyone. Shame Prebble spoils this by drowning Norah in rum. Anne Baxter plays Norah's uncynical nature perfectly. #TheBlueGardenia #TheNoirCollective

The transition from Sally's bitter "Men" to Prebble setting up a long line of Pearl Divers ("Don't spare the rum") brings us into The Blue Gardenia itself, transformed from a nightclub into a tiki bar to capitalize on the Tiki craze. #TheBlueGardenia #TheNoirCollective

P.S. I hope this letter reaches you on your birthday, so it can make the news even worse. 😵‍💫 #TheNoirCollective #TheBlueGardenia

"Mickey Mallet" is the filmmaker's way of poking at Mickey Spillane and his "Hard Man" PI Mike Hammer. The novel “My Gun is Quick” gets a callback later, “My Knife is Bloody.” Today, Sally would be a regular at #TheNoirCollective and addicted to Nordic Noir...

I love how – for a film that feels very ‘50s – this long scene deliberately doesn’t. These three working women living as roommates could be right out of a ‘30s Pre-Code or screwball. (In the ‘30s version, Ann Sothern would be played by Una Merkel.) #TheNoirCollective #TheBlueGardenia

Nat King Cole's song 'Blue Gardenia' was written for the film by Bob Russell and Lester Lee with the Nelson Riddle orchestra. It's been covered by everyone from Dinah Washington to Etta James and Dexter Gordon. #TheBlueGardenia #TheNoirCollective

Here for THE BLUE GARDENIA, and to welcome @andrian6.bsky.social as host. Philip & I are on vacation at the beach – sipping mai tais, because the bartender didn’t know what a Pearl Diver was. I’ll be a little muted tonight; I’m watching & posting on my iPhone, and it’s confusing.😅 #TheNoirCollective

As we near #TheNoirCollective watch party of THE BLUE GARDENIA, a few reminders. In case the BlueSky search engine is sluggish, the amazing @joelvideo.bsky.social has created this feed for us: bsky.app/profile/did:.... And here at @thenoircollective.bsky.social, you can also scroll over to “lists.”

ONE HOUR to #TheNoirCollective watch along of #TheBlueGardenia. Tiki Bars! Nat King Cole! Pearl Divers! Anne Baxter versus predatory men, muck-raking journalism, and murder in mid-century Los Angeles! Official link watch-along link:

The Blue Gardenia (1953), 1080p : Fritz Lang : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Starring Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, and Ann Sothern.

archive.org