Film Noir: The Dark Side Of Cinema XIX (Dark City / No Man of Her Own / Beware, My Lovely)

Dark City (1950)

Charlton Heston made his Hollywood debut in this suspense-laden drama, portraying Danny Haley, a crooked gambler who helps bankrupt an unsuspecting bettor using company money at the table. After Haley’s mark commits suicide out of guilt and the gang’s leader is later found murdered, his girlfriend (Lizabeth Scott) implores him to adopt a low profile...but it may already to be too late. Dean Jagger, Jack Webb, Harry Morgan co-star. 98 min. BW/Rtg: NR

No Man Of Her Own (1950)

Compelling mystery stars Barbara Stanwyck as Helen Ferguson, a single, pregnant woman who befriends a pair of newlyweds on a cross-country train. When the couple is killed in a crash, survivor Ferguson is mistaken by the dead man’s family for the daughter-in-law they never met and moves in with them. Ferguson has her child and even begins a relationship with her "brother-in-law," but what happens when her secret is threatened? John Lund, Jane Cowl, Lyle Bettger also star. 98 min. BW/Rtg: NR

Farewell, My Lovely (1955)

Initially, World War I widow Helen Gordon (Ida Lupino) thought herself lucky to find as useful a boarder as itinerant handyman Howard Wilton (Robert Ryan). That ended after the profundity of Howard's mental issues came to light...and he proceeded to make a prisoner of her in her own home. Unsettling opus also stars Barbara Whiting, Taylor Holmes, O.Z. Whitehead, William Talman. 77 min. BW/Rtg: NR

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