Here at Escape and Suspense!, we normally write about radio noir, but for one week of each year, we turn our attention to film noir. Yes, it is time again for Noir City!
The San Francisco Film Noir Festival returns to the Castro Theatre for ten days between January 23 and February 1, 2009. This year, the theme of the festival will be stories about the newspaper industry.
For information about the festival visit the Noir City 7 website. There you will find the program guide, tickets, and the Film Noir Foundation.
Ultra-glamorous Arlene Dahl, the special guest star of the festival, will make a personal appearance on Saturday, January 24, for screenings of Wicked as They Come and Slightly Scarlet. Below is a trailer for Wicked as They Come that speaks for itself.
Of course, we aren't really taking a break from radio noir. Many of the radio actors who appeared on both Suspense and Escape turn up in film noirs of the same era. A good example of this, from last year's festival, was The Story of Molly X, a rarely screened gem with a cast that included many actors from Suspense. This year, the festival lineup seems to favor actors from Escape in roles that range from uncredited bit parts to co-starring roles. We'll be reporting back from the festival on what we see.
Here is the original trailer from Wicked As They Come (1956). Note Herbert Marshall as conquest #3.
Hello,
I recently stumbled across your site and looked through the "best of" section on suspense looking for my favorite episode which I haven't been able to find the name of for years. It starts out with a man waking up in (i think) a motel room with no memory. there is music playing for which he can find no source and it is driving him mad. He runs around the motel remembering things and eventually finds the source of the music, a record player that isn't playing which sits on a table next to his dead wife, whom he realizes that HE killed. That's all that I remember from the episode. If you know what episode it is, please let me know, it has been driving me crazy for years trying to find it. Thank you.
Posted by: Colin | January 13, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Sounds interesting, but the plot doesn't resemble any of the episodes that I have posted so far. I will keep an eye out for it though. --Perhaps one of our other readers knows the answer.
Posted by: cmillinsf | January 14, 2009 at 09:18 AM
I'm not a 100% sure but I think Colin may be thinking of the Suspense episode "Dream Song" with Henry Morgan.
P.S. Noir City sounds terrific! I wish I could attend.
Rob
Posted by: Rob | January 16, 2009 at 12:12 AM
Have a good time at the festival...it would be nice if you got to meet Arlene Dahl.
And be sure to check the gun in your handbag at the door!
Posted by: Stacy Sobotka | January 17, 2009 at 12:43 PM
It would be nice, but we'll see what happens. I at least want to get a picture of her! -Christine
Posted by: cmillinsf | January 17, 2009 at 09:57 PM