MovieChat Forums > Violent Saturday (1955) Discussion > Asphalt Jungle Meets Written In The Wind

Asphalt Jungle Meets Written In The Wind

posted 15 years ago by joeparkson
4 replies | jump to latest

This movie is a blend of heist movies like "Asphalt Jungle" or "The Killing" with sexy soapers like "Written In The Wind" or "Peyton Place".

You've got 3 bad guys (McNally, Marvin & Naish) planning a bank heist. You also have a handsome, rich alcoholic (Egan) who can't live up to his father's standards and who's wife (Hayes) has "two or three hobbies a year", while his hard working subordinate (Mature) is asked to keep an eye on him.

There are also enough subplots to make several other movies. The librarian who steals, the voyeuristic bank manager who likes to watch. The father who didn't fight in WWII to his son's shame. The pacifist Amish family.

You could have made an entire TV series out of this.

It's filmed in intense technicolor cinemascope on location, so it doesn't qualify as a noir.

The cast does fairly well, especially Lee Marvin and a surprisingly good Victor Mature. I think it would have been even better if Robert Stack had played the alcoholic rich guy and Dorothy Malone his oversexed, trampy wife. Stephen McNally is OK as the leader of the bank robbers, but Sterling Hayden or Robert Ryan would have been even better.

[–] Manton29 11 years ago

Just watched it and I too thought of Sirk and Written on the Wind and Stack in particular, as well as, of course, the key heist noirs, too.

It's a fine quirky-Sirky small-town apple pie colour-noir heist flick with shades of Lynch's Twin Peaks.

Cheers,

Manton

If to stand pat means to resist evil then, yes, neighbour, we wish to stand pat.

[–] hockeyhrs 9 years ago

The necessary characteristics of Film Noirs are

1) plot revolves around a crime
2) moral ambiguity (on the part of one or more characters)

Classic* Film Noirs (~1941 to ~1959) were often made in B&W (for economic reasons), but that is not their defining feature.

Violent Saturday has both #1 and #2. Therefore it is Film Noir. Being released in 1955 is what makes it Classic Film Noir.

* not to be confused with Neo Noirs (made from 1967-today, mostly in color)

[–] KutWrite 8 years ago

Hockey, I agree with you. To me, "noir" refers not just to the inexpensive lighting and B&W film stock, but the moral choices and the personality of the hero or anti-hero.

I understand the plural is Films Noir, though, "noir" being the adjective.

[–] JonSmall (29) 2 years ago

Dorothy Malone would have been great!