Not all noir, but many of his movies are great examples. Tonight we watched The Big Steal. I like seeing old cars, great old actors, and real women in real women’s clothes. The fight scenes are cheesy, however. Veracruz Mexico was an exotic location then.

I don't have TCM on my cable system, I have the "Movies!"channel, but in the last year, I have watched a bunch of Mitchum films I have never seen before, including The Big Steal. In the past, I have only watched the usual obvious ones- Night of the Hunter, Enemy Below, El Dorado, Cape Fear, etc. His films in the 1940s were great, a lot of Noir and westerns- Crossfire, Out of the Past, Rachel and the Stranger. This past Christmas, we watched Holiday Affair, had no idea he made a Christmas movie.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:
This past Christmas, we watched Holiday Affair, had no idea he made a Christmas movie.

I believe that the studio forced Mitchum to make this movie to rehabilitate his reputation… he had been busted for possession of marijuana and was radioactive for awhile.

I will be looking for:
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison
Blood On The Moon
River of No Return (Marilyn )
Villa Rides.

When I hear his name I automatically think of 1958's Thunder Road.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

...and yeah, that song (Ballad of Thunder Road) has been and continues to be an "ear worm!"

Let me tell the story, I can tell it all;
About the mountain boy who ran illegal alcohol
His daddy made the whiskey, the son he drove the load;
And when his engine roared they called the highway "Thunder Road"

Sometimes into Ashville, sometimes Memphis town
The Revenuers chased him but they couldn't run him down
Each time they thought they had him his engine would explode
He'd go by like they were standing still on "Thunder Road"

And there was thunder, thunder over "Thunder Road"
Thunder was his engine and white lightening was his load
And there was moonshine, moonshine to quench the devil's thirst
The law they swore they'd get him but the devil got him first

It was on the first of April, Nineteen-Fifty-Four
The federal man sent word he'd better make his run no more
He said "200 agents were covering the state;
Which ever road he tried to take they'd get him sure as fate."

'Son' his daddy told him, 'make this run your last
The tank is filled with 100 proof; you're all tuned-up and gassed
Now don't take any chances, if you can't get through
I'd rather have you back again than all that Mountain Dew.'

And there was thunder, thunder over "Thunder Road"
Thunder was his engine and white lightening was his load
And there was moonshine, moonshine to quench the devil's thirst
The law they swore they'ed get him but the devil got him first

Roaring out of Harlan; revving up his mill
He shot the Gap at Cumberland and streamed by Maynardville
With G men on his tail light; road block up ahead
The mountain boy took roads that even angels fear to tread

Blazing right through Knoxville, out on Kingston Pike
Then right outside of Bearden, they made the fatal strike
He left the road at 90; that's all there is to say
The devil got the moonshine and the mountain boy that day

And there was thunder, thunder over "Thunder Road"
Thunder was his engine and white lightening was his load
And there was moonshine, moonshine to quench the devil's thirst
The law they never got him 'cause the devil got him first

Here you go:

Part of Thunder Road was filmed 2 blocks from where I sit and type.

Hope they give some air time for The Yakuza. Very unique film. Para posted a review last April.

Watched Angel Face last night, with Jean Simmons as the literal femme fatale. Poor Mitchum, thought he had gotten away at last.

"Next time I won't throw you the rope."

Seems like I remember him saying he really didn't act just played himself....

When his name comes up I'm always reminded of the last scene in The Longest Day.... where he finds his last cigar, flags down a jeep gets in with the young private, lights his cigar and says, "Okay, run me up the hill son." One of the best understated scenes ever in a movie.

found it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfVcP7bpExE