NAKED CITY Film Noir Lobby Card HOWARD DUFF

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VINTAGE ORIGINAL MEXICAN LOBBY CARD FROM 1948 TITLE: THE NAKED CITY STARRING: HOWARD DUFF, BARRY FITZGERALD, DOROTHY HART, DON TAYLOR, FRANK CONROY. DIRECTED BY: JULES DASSIN . CONDITION : EXCELLENT, NO PIN HOLES IN THE CORNERS MEASURES: 12.5 x 16.5 INCHES APPROX. . This is an original Mexican lobby card. It is NOT a reproduction; it dates from the original release. SAVE MONEY ON SHIPPING!!! Add only $1.00 shipping for each additional LOBBY CARD for Priority shipping in the USA. Add $2.00 per lobby card for Air Letter Post to Canada. Add $3.00 per lobby card for Worldwide shipping by Air Letter Post. To SAVE ADDITIONAL MONEY ON SHIPPING, you may also contact me for combining other Ebay wins, such as movie memorabilia, original film posters, one sheets, inserts, lobby cards, classic sheet music, movie star signed photos, stills, autographs, pressbooks, magazines, rare records, 78, 45 and 33 rpm, EP, PS 45 and LP, transcriptions, CD, VHS, DVD, antiques and vintage collector's items, when they may be easily combined in a similar shipping container. Full insurance coverage will be required on all orders totalling $15 or more.T are two styles of Film Noir. With writers like James M. Cain, Dashiell Hammett, and Raymond Chandler, the first style emerged in the 1940s and was characterized by a cynical, often witty tone; anti-heroes, dangerous women, and assorted criminal elements; and complex plots that emphasized betrayal and moral ambiguity. It was also photographed in a remarkable visual style that combined glossy production values with atmospheric emphasis on light and shadow--and films like THE MALTESE FALCON, THIS GUN FOR HIRE, MILDRED PIERCE, THE BLUE DAHLIA, and DOUBLE INDEMNITY remain to this day great classics in this style. But after World War II public taste began to change. Things that could only be hinted at in earlier films could now be more directly stated, and as audiences clamored for a more gritty realism the glossy sophistication of 1940s Noir fell out of fashion. The result was a new style of Noir--photographed in a grainier way, more direct, more brutal, and even less sympathetic to its characters. And the 1948 THE NAKED CITY was among the first to turn the tide. The sophisticated gumshoe, slinky gun moll, and glossy production values were gone; this film felt more like something you might read in a particularly lurid "true detective" tabloid. In an era when most films were shot on Hollywood backlots, THE NAKED CITY was actually filmed in New York--and while filmmakers could film with hidden cameras sound technology of the day posed a problem. But producer Mark Hellinger turned the problem into an asset: the film would be narrated, adding to the documentary-like style of the cinematography and story. (Hellinger performed the narrative himself, and his sharp delivery is extremely effective.) The story itself reads very much like a police report, following NYPD detectives as they seek to solve a dress model's murder. For 1948 it was innovative stuff-but like many innovative films it falters a bit in comparison to later films that improved upon the idea. The direct nature of the plot feels slightly too direct, slightly too simple. The same is true of the performances, which have a slightly flat feel, and although Barry Fitzgerald gives a sterling performance he is very much a Hollywood actor whose style seems slightly out of step alongside the deadpan style of the overall cast. Even so, the pace and drive of the film have tremendous interest, and while you might find yourself criticizing certain aspects you'll still be locked into the movie right to the very end. Particularly recommended for Film Noir addicts, who will be fascinated to see the change in style. Created by eBay Blackthorne ver. 3.1.64.0 read more

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