This film has suddenly popped up because, I guess, it was recently released on Blu-Ray. I had never seen it.

Best guesses are that there are approximately 800 films in the Film Noir canon, in the classic period of 1941 to 1959. I have no idea how many of these films I have seen- almost certainly less than half. Some are unavailable on home video, some have been lost forever, and many of them I have simply not watched. That's one of the great things about film noir- there's always another film to add to your list.

Outside the Wall, released by Universal International in 1950, certainly qualifies as noir. It's smack-dab in the middle of the classic period and has elements of the style; a man with a criminal past that fate dictates he can't escape; the femme fatale and her counterpart- the redemptive woman; a criminal gang with a leader who has a penchant for odd behavior, though in this case, it's quite minor when compared to the effete gang leaders in other films noir. Harry Morgan has a kit he uses to torture people by jamming blades under their fingernails.

Richard Basehart stars as the protagonist. This was relatively early in his career and he had a few films noir under his belt; his premier in the 1947 film noir Repeat Performance; psychopathic Roy Martin in the excellent He Walked by Night (original story and screenplay by Crane Wilbur, who wrote the screenplay for and directed Outside the Wall, and the remarkable eye candy cinematography of the unequaled John Alton); Warren Quimby in the excellent noir Tension. After Ouside the Wall, Basehart went on to appear in a couple more films noir- Fourteen Hours and The House on Telegraph Hill, with all of these films I've mentioned having been made within a four year period.

People of my generation remember Basehart mainly from his role as Admiral Nelson in the Irwin Allen TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and might take for granted his acting ability, but Basehart was actually quite a talented actor. Federico Fellini thought enough of Basehart to give him the role of The Fool in his very fine La Strada. That's quite an endorsement.

Outside the Wall reminds me in a vague way of the films of Howard Hawks, because like most of Hawks' films, the film seems to go out of its way to have most of the female roles played by real babes; Marilyn Maxwell as a gold-digging nurse; the beautiful Dorothy Hart as the films Heaven-sent redemptive woman; the luscious and unfortunately forgotten Peggie Castle in an uncredited role as a waitress, early in her career; Anne P. Kramer, also with a small part as a waitress who asks Basehart "Why don't you get wise?" Kinda sleazy, but yummy, nevertheless.

Outside the Wall reveals its nature as a B film but that's OK by me. Some of the best films noir made were B films. You could find a worse way to spend 80 minutes. I think Outside the Wall is a good example of the noir style. This would especially be a treat for Philadelphians; location shooting of what the town looked like in 1949. I wouldn't mind being there. Oh, how I long for a time machine...




Direct link for fullscreen viewing: https://www.bitchute.com/video/WXX4ZlR2adGt/

I saw this film on the Movies! channel, on their Sunday night "Film Noir" showcases earlier this year. I also watched "Tension" a couple of months ago, which was very enjoyable, great movie. Audrey Totter played a great conniving bitch.

Bit of a thread drift, but Peggie Castle also did the Lawman TV series from around '59-62 when it ended. She played a lady saloon owner like Kitty on Gunsmoke, and I thought she did a good job of it. She died at age 45 in '73 from liver cirrhosis/alcoholism. I suspect she began to drink while on Lawman; her features changed for the worse subtley as the series progressed. Her last and only credit after that was a bit part in a 1966 Virginian episode playing the part of a worn out/past her prime saloon madame and at that time she really looked like it. It was quite an apparent and sad decline.

Watched it on youtube cool flick, thanks. I'm a fan of the noir movies from the 40s and 50s.


MoviesTV network (over air channel) shows some noir movies.

I wanted to watch Orson Wells "A touch of evil", but I'll have to rent it.

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