I. Love. Film Noir.

I cut the cable cord about six months ago, sick and tired of wasting hard earned money on content that didn't interest me and I never watch. This does mean that I occasionally miss watching a show on it's airdate, a sacrifice I've been able to overcome by being reintroduced to over the air networks or antenna television (that's right, say it with me an-ten-na TV).

One of my favorite things to do is to watch Movies TV Network's film noir features late Saturday night. These broadcasts start about 2 AM, and contain a plethora of films, some great, some not so great, that honestly represent the cynicism of the genre.

This morning I had the pleasure of re-watching In A Lonely Place, directed, incidentally by one of my favorite directors, Nicholas Ray (Rebel Without A Cause, On Dangerous Ground). It stars Humphrey Bogart as Dixon Steele, a disillusioned screenwriter that drinks too much, which is something I can definitely relate to. Dix hasn't worked in awhile and is being pressured to adapt a book he doesn't want to read into a screenplay. Dix "doesn't work on things he doesn't like" and is so uninspired by the thought of this project, that he invites the coat check girl, who has actually read the book, back to his house to provide him with a synopsis.

Unfortunately for Dix, the coat check girl turns up dead, making him a suspect in her murder. While at the police station being interrogated, he meets his muse, Laurel, portrayed by Gloria Graham, who he falls in love with. Their relationship is overshadowed by Dix's violent outbursts, questionable past and the unsolved murder of the coat check girl. It stands to reason that Laurel would be afraid of him and it messes everything up.

You will really feel for Dix as it is clear that true love has filled a void that is changing his life, but this film really serves, in part, as a cautionary tale about taking accountability for ones actions. I won't give away what happens for those of you that haven't seen it, but I highly recommend you check it out.  It also serves as a reminder that violence is never the answer.  

Joanna White-Oldham

Writer. Producer. Creator of Ultimatum, a pop-up, live streamed, trivia game show.