Anatomy Of A Classic

Favorite Fridays: Rainy Day Movie Edition

You were wrong, Albert Hammond – it does rain in Southern California.  But that’s okay because some films are better viewed during gloomy weather.

Lindsay chose: The Big Sleep (1946)

The whole might not be greater than the sum of its parts, but the parts are stellar enough to warrant repeated viewings.  Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Howard Hawks, Raymond Chandler, and a noir-iffic Los Angeles combine to make an excellent rainy day film.  I won’t supply a story overview because frankly, the almost incomprehensible plot is not a reason to watch.  It’s the Bogie/Bacall chemistry and darkly alluring atmosphere of seedy characters and constant rain present in all of Chandler’s Philip Marlowe books that give the film its pizazz.

Alix chose: Sunset Boulevard (1950)

The Billy Wilder masterpiece Sunset Boulevard (also set in Los Angeles) tells the story of a struggling young screenwriter, played by William Holden, who becomes ensnared in the bizarre and deranged world of a former silent film star.  The cinematographer deftly uses  shadows to create the classic noir atmosphere, complimenting the mysterious plotline.