Comments on: Macao (1952): “You’re up early for a loser”

By: Tony D'Ambra

Tony D'Ambra — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 10:09:10 +0000

Thanks Dcd, Sam, and Alexander.

Dcd, the standard reference ‘Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference’ (Silver & Ward) describes Macao as a ” brutal and competent noir thriller”. So Selby is not alone.

Even Borde and Chaumeton in their seminal A Panorama of Film Noir (1955), who were seemingly unaware of the involvement of Nicholas Ray, devote over a page in the book analysing the contribution of “the old meastro”, Von Sternberg.

Bret Wood at TCM calls it “a deliciously tawdry melodrama”.

By: Alexander Coleman

Alexander Coleman — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:12:51 +0000

I’ll be the first to admit this is a fundamentally lousy movie, but, somehow, I find it strangely, bizarrely watchable. Perhaps like you, I try to guess which scenes were von Sternberg’s or Ray’s–and I agree with you that the Russell leg scene seems very von Sternberg. It’s definitely nothing to write home about–instantly forgettable. Maybe that is why I am forgetting how bad it is, haha.

By: Sam Juliano

Sam Juliano — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 01:29:08 +0000

Leslie Halliwell dismisses this one with “A few flashy decorative touches show the director’s hand, otherwise this is routine, murky thick ear.”

I once owned the RKO laserdisc of this, but acquired it without having seen it. Your summary judgement, Tony, like Halliwell’s is dead-on; this is tedious and forgettable, and yes, it does not belong in the noir pantheon. I had long forgotten this film.

Indeed Dark City Dame, what you say there is quite right, methinks.

By: darkcitydame

darkcitydame — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:58:35 +0000

Hi! Tony,
A “pretty honest” review (Why did I just use the word “pretty?”) about a film that author Spencer Selby, added to his list of 500+ of “usual suspect(s)” in his book “DarkCity:The Film Noir” methink, that I’am going to have to “rethink” whether this film should be added to my list of films that belong in my list of “Film Noir: Hall of Fame” or “Film Noir: Hall of Shame.”
(Film Noir: Hall of Shame Definition:It may be considered a film noir, but it’s almost a “shame” that it’s considered a film noir.)Your readership, can just imagine my definition for the “Film Noir:Hall of Fame.”)
Tks,
DCD ;)