Bad Girls of Film Noir, Vol. 1 (The Killer That Stalked New York / Two of a Kind / Bad for Each Other / The Glass Wall)

Whether you're new to film noir or a longtime fan like me, I enthusiastically recommend this 4 film set. These are later-period noirs from Columbia starring 3 of the most notable "bad girl blondes" of the era. I won't rehash the plots here, but its notable that Lizabeth Scott is the only true femme fatale in this lot. Evelyn Keyes, in a caper film with a pandemic twist, and noir favorite Gloria Grahame, as a down-and-out survivor type with a heart of gold, round out the ensemble.The plots of "The Glass Wall" and "The Killer.." are eerily relevant today.Bonus: Look for a young Charleton Heston in "Bad for Each Other," probably my least favorite and a contemporary interview with Terry Moore, "Mighty Joe Young" star and one-time Howard Hughes paramour, discussing her career as well as her role in "Two of a Kind."

DVD transfer: All the films are presented in their original B&W. The transfers are all full screen and have very good to excellent screen quality. There are plenty of bonuses to round out the collection.First, the good news. We do get to see some of Hollywoods finest femme fatales. The bad news, not all the films are true noir.The Killer That Stalked New York: *** The film features Evelyn Keyes as the femme fatale up to her eyeballs in larceny. She's a diamond smuggler who's recently returned from Cuba with a small catch of diamonds following her in the mail. This film flips the usual noir element of the bad girl influencing the hapless man. Instead, it's the rotten husband that motivates Sheila (Keyes) to commit crime. Sheila is also feeling sick. Meanwhile, a man dies of a strange disease in a local hospital that has doctors stumped. After a lot of diagnostics, the doctors discover the man died of small pox. Guess who the carrier is? The chase is on but Sheila is on a quest of her own; getting even with her two-timing husband. Look for Dorothy Malone in a small part as a public health nurse. This is almost as good as "Panic in the Streets", a similarily themed movie released in the same year. This is one of Evelyn's best roles and she handles it very well.Two of a Kind: **** This is my favorite of the 4 films in this package. First, we have Lizabeth Scott as a quintessential femme fatale. She uses her up-front sexuality to lure a small time con artist and drifter, Michael (Edmund O'Brien) into a major effort to swindle millions from a rich couple whose son disappeared when he was 3. She is also manipulating the family's lawyer (Alexander Knox) into making the whole scheme work. Michael begins to enjoy his role as the possible long-lost son and seeks the family's trust through a niece, Kathy (Terry Moore). When the family patriarch, William (Griff Barnett), decides to leave all his wealth to charity rather than the man he now sees as his son, the lawyer decides to "fix" things by way of a fishing accident. Michael, and even Brandy(Scott), try to draw the line here but can they stop it? One of Lizabeth Scott's very best femme fatale roles. However, Terry Moore, as a rather kooky ingenue, almost steals the movie. Great fun for noir fans.Bad for Each Other: ** Although this film features Hollywood legend, Charleton Heston, and super femme fatale, Lizabeth Scott, it is nowhere near film noir. Instead, it's a rather soapy film about a doctor who chooses to dispense pills to wealthy hypochondriacs rather than treat people who really need him. Of course, there's a woman behind this decision and it's Helen(Lizabeth Scott), who views wealth and her socialite friends as the only things worth pursuing. There is an all too predictable ending.The Glass Wall: **** This not-quite-noir is still a very good movie. An immigrant with no papers arrives in New York and is detained by U.S. authorities. He escapes the ship he is on but breaks his ribs in the chase. Our immigrant, Peter(Vittorio Gassman), seeks a ex-GI who can vouce for him. Along the way, he is befriended by down-on-her-luck, Maggie(Gloria Grahame), who steals dimes from kids on the street to help him. As he moves on, he meets Burlesque dancer, Tanya(Robin Raymond) who is the child of immigrants and takes him in for a while. As the night progresses, Peter's only remaining hope is the United Nations but his broken ribs are taking their toll. There are many noir elements in this movie, enough to satisfy all of us film noir fans.Recommended for: film noir fans and anyone who enjoys movies. These films should all be considered PG as the adult elements are carefully disguised for the censors of the time. These are not family films but they are not offensive either.

First, these were a gift for my wife, and she liked them very much. On that alone, I should perhaps have given them 5 stars. But having watched most of them with her, it is hard to rate anything less than a classic that high. They are what they are, Film Noir. Pretty simple stories; short and to the point. The acting and plots are typical to the genre. The condition of the transfers was fine. Era excepted, nothing particularly racy about these. A lot of pleasant viewing for an old movie fan. I will add that "The Killer That Stalked New York" has a slight twist; not quite the plot subject you would expect, but it follows the noir form just fine.

What a treat to see these films in one set, pristine prints plus trailers. The B/W photography is superb and there is a very informative interview with Terry Moore. Bad For Each Other has not been seen in Australia since the early 1990s and it was a pleasure to see this little-known Charlton Heston, Lizabeth Scott gem.In all a great set and very reasonably priced to boot!Add it to you collection now you will not be disappointed.

This set of films includes:The Killer That Stalked New York (1950) directed by Earl McEnvoy - Sheila Bennet (Evelyn Keyes) smuggles diamonds into the U.s knowingly and smallpox unknowingly. People she is in both casual and close contact begin to fall sick and die while Sheila remains on her feet. Her mission - to stay alive long enough to even the score with her faithless husband while doctors make a mad search through New York City for "patient number one".Two of A Kind (1951) directed by Henry Levin - Edmund O'Brien plays the body double of the long missing son of a rich couple. He's recruited by a con-artist couple to impersonate the son and thus inhert their money. However, the couple reveals they have no intention of leaving any money to the man they think is their son.Bad for Each Other (1953) directed by Irvin Rapper - Charleton Heston stars in a rather predictable tale of a doctor returning from Korea who must both choose between serving humanity and riches in his profession and between a wealthy self-involved girl and a dedicated nurse in his private life. The production code gave this film only one option on outcome, and you see it coming at you a mile away. Weakest film in the bunch.The Glass Wall (1953) directed by Maxwell Shane - Tale of an immigrant to the U.S. after WWII who needs the testimony of a particular soldier to insure legal entry into this country. He battles time and an unfamiliar land to try to find him. It's not really a film noir, in my opinion, but it's a pretty good film. The imagery of New York City right after the war ended is entertaining in its own right.BONUS FEATURES:Terry Moore on Two of a KindThe Payoff-All Star Theatre Episode

Brilliant

A box of great little movies, for a knock-down price. If you love film noir, and actresses like Lizabeth Scott, you must not miss out on this collection. Not the best prints, but still worth it.

Lizabeth Scott and Gloria Grahame are icons of the film noir period of the late 40's and early 50's, and this collection offers two starring Lizabeth Scott, including one in which she co-stars with Charlton Heston, and another with Gloria Grahame, in which she actually plays a good girl, which is kind of odd for a collection of "bad girls of film noir."My favorite film in this collection is Bad for Each Other. An early film starring Charlton Heston, the film uses the tribulations of a small mining town as a backdrop to an odd romance between Charlton Heston and Lizabeth Scott. This relationship could be described as the epitome of "opposites attract", since their characters cannot be anymore diametrically opposed in respect to personal goals and personalities. Yet, the film offers an intriguing curiosity as the viewer witnesses the development of their mismatched relationship. A strong film noir atmosphere pervades the film, possibly because of the gritty black and white print and the moral angst that the Heston character portrays.Two of Kind is more of a classic film noir, in which we find Lizabeth Scott playing the femme fatale in a sultry erotism that only Lizabeth Scott can deliver. The beautiful Terry Moore also has a prominent role in this film, and does a fine job of providing an interesting contrast to the Scott character. Edmund O'Brien is solid as usual playing the con artist caught between these two very attractive women.The Glass Wall is one of the few films that portrays Gloria Grahame in a very sympathetic light. Her character comes to the aid of a refugee who escapes from the US customs. The film is classic film noir, and the film is an excellent example of the chase film. Vittorio Gassman is very convincing as the refugee, and Grahame is great in her atypical role of playing a naive woman who comes to feel compassion for the Gassman character.Finally, The Killer That Stalked New York is a so-so film about the police trying to contain a pandemic by apprehending a carrier before it is too late. Evelyn Keyes plays the unfortunate woman carrying the disease. An okay film for most film noir fans, but nothing special and really again an odd choice for such a collection.

Again for those who enjoy the genre, it is generally an enjoyable collection. The most outstanding being "The Glass Wall", a superb performance by Vittorio Gassman although the writer sort of hits you with a two by four to make his point. The weakest one would probably be "Bad for Each Other" with Charlton Heston, but even that is not a wasted couple of hours.

It's true these films aren't genuinely Noir - that most misused of words in the film lexicon - but we found them very enjoyable nonetheless. The ways in which redemption is usually squeezed in, just when you least expect it, is often fascinating.On this volume, Two Of A Kind was our favourite - with lots of morally ambivalent charaters, and varied locations. The young and enthusiastic Terry Moore has a more memorable role than Lizbeth Scott. Edmond O'Brien is as good as always, despite his inescapably Everyman appearance and Alexander Knox gives an early performance as an insidious manipulator.Bad For Each Other is also filled with atypical situations and settings - Charlton Heston as a doctor in a coal mining town!...at least to start and...but no, I don't want to give it away....The best genuine Noir films, such as Build My Gallows High a.k.a.  Out Of The Past [DVD] [1947 ] with the peerless Bob Mitchum and Jane Greer, not to mention Rhonda Fleming and an early, underplaying, Kirk Douglas, or  Kiss Me Deadly [DVD] [1955 ], whether promoted from B films or not, are undeniably in a different league.These films by comparison do all seem like B films, even if some of them weren't originally. But this is often what makes them worth seeing - the sometimes improbable inventiveness and the complexity of the characters...even if those depths often remain unresolved.Big budget films, when as is always likely, they don't turn out to be greater than the sum of their parts, can be boringly predictable. These films are certainly not that. Bad Girls of.... was obviously a misleading title for these collections - but then one has to take the designation Noir with a pinch of salt.By the way,  Bad Girls of Film Noir 2 [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC ] is just as good if not better - both for unusual not-really-Noir stories and for picture quality. Out Of The Past [DVD] [1947Kiss Me Deadly [DVD] [1955Bad Girls of Film Noir 2 [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC

Very collection of film noir type films. I would highly recommend this product for aficionados of old film noir films of that era.