Film Noir: The Dark Side of Cinema III

Abandoned (1949)

Paula Considine (Gale Storm) came to Los Angeles in search of her runaway and pregnant sister, and the only sympathetic ear belonged to dogged reporter Mark Sitko (Dennis O’Keefe). Their perilous investigations reveal that the sibling is dead, her newborn is gone...and that the black market adoption ring responsible doesn’t like snoopers. Intense effort co-stars Raymond Burr, Marjorie Rambeau, Jeff Chandler, Jeanette Nolan. 80 min. BW/Rtg: NR

The Lady Gambles (1949)

Bored and looking to kill time while her reporter husband David (Robert Preston) is on assignment in Vegas, Joan Boothe (Barbara Stanwyck) decides to try her luck at the casinos. Her casual interest soon gives way to full-blown gambling addiction, and her spouse winds up on a mission to save their marriage and her life. Noirish drama co-stars Stephen McNally, Edith Barrett; look for Tony Curtis as a bellhop. 100 min. BW/Rtg: NR

The Sleeping City (1950)

When a young doctor is shot dead on Bellevue’s grounds, NYC plainclothesman and ex-army medic Fred Rowen (Richard Conte) draws the undercover assignment of posing as an intern. As he investigates, he finds himself getting caught up in the pressures of hospital life...and as potential witnesses start being slain, he might be the one beyond saving. Riveting effort co-stars Colleen Gray, Alex Nicol, Peggy Dow, John Alexander. 86 min. BW/Rtg: NR

Standard; Soundtrack: English; Subtitles: English; audio commentary; theatrical trailers.