Re: RARA-AVIS: Top 10 Noir Films

From: Nigel Algar ( montana@dircon.co.uk)
Date: 22 Aug 2003


Taking into account William Denton's helpful reminder that we should be concentrating on the literary sources of film noir, noting Steven Gerlach's request for suggestions for a DVD buying spree and Charles Ardai's earlier request for noir reprints, I would just say the word DETOUR.

According to Lee Server's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PULP FICTION WRITERS, Martin M Goldsmith adapted his own novel for the screen. The New York Times reviewed the book on its publication: 'nothing but defeat and frustration and complex confusion of double crossing among a set of characters who are as unsavory a lot of scum as ever drifted into the pages of a latter-day thriller'. Don't they sound like our kind of people?

Server goes on trace the origins of the novel to Goldsmith's own experiences driving cross-country with a bunch of out-of-work Broadway actors. I can locate but one copy on the internet at a four figure dollar price, so, given the film's cult status, wouldn't it be worth someone's time to reissue the book? Just don't ask me to locate Goldsmith's estate...

Nigel

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