Thursday, November 11, 2010

1st Film Noir Xmas coming to San Francisco…9th Noir Festival set for January


The San Francisco Film Noir Foundation has set its first-ever Noir City Xmas for Wed., December 15, at the Castro Theatre, and extends an invitation to “enjoy a Cruel Yule...”

The double feature pairs Remember the Night (1940) and Mr. Soft Touch (1949).

TCM has been airing Remember the Night regularly in recent years, and that's where I first saw it. The film stars Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck as an assistant DA and a thief who share a memorable and affecting holiday before she is set to serve her  jail sentence. Directed by Mitchell Leisen, written by Preston Sturges.  A classic.

Mr. Soft Touch stars Glenn Ford and Evelyn Keyes. A combination of “tight-lipped noir and broad comedy," it was shot on location in San Francisco. The film tells the story of a WW II veteran (Ford) out for revenge when he falls in with a kindly social worker (Keyes).  My first viewing of Mr. Soft Touch will be this “freshly struck 35mm print.”

San Francisco’s 9th annual Noir City Film Festival will run from January 21 – 30, 2011, also at the Castro Theatre; I'll post the screening schedule and ticket information as soon as it's available. Film noir fans should try hard to attend this festival, it's a chance to see both classics and rare "B" gems on the big screen in an old-style movie palace. 


5 comments:

  1. Ladyeve. What a perfect Christmas movie pick for all of us Film Noir fans.. This movie and "Double Indemnity" are a couple of their best.

    I have not seen the film, Mr. Soft Touch. I will add it to my "must see" list of films.

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  2. Lady Eve, like you I first saw "Remember The Night" when TCM aired the film, but I have neither seen nor heard of "Mr. Soft Touch". The Castro Theatre sounds like the perfect place to begin the holiday festivities: spike your eggnog and put a little Noir in your Noel.

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  3. I think "Mr. Soft Touch" is one of those rare finds that the Film Noir Foundation seems to unearth on a regular basis. The Chicago festival in August included "City that Never Sleeps," a film referred to as a "rarity" - the print was on loan from Martin Scorsese's private collection.

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  4. WOW!! "B" noir on parade..you could do an entire blog on all the MacMurray/Stanwyck pairings before and after DOUBLE INDEMNITY!!!..THANX eve!!!

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  5. Sounds like a lot of fun, Eve. I'd love to hear about it after the fact. I've never seen or heard of Soft Touch either. Have fun!

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