Out of the Past (1947)
I think I need to reassess how I watch these type of noir films, because whatever it is, it isn’t working. I really liked the premise in the beginning of the movie, with a man trying to live the simple life as a gas-station owner who has to face his past. A well known premise done in many variations, but I was drawn to the quiet melancholy of Jeff and the hopeful purity of Ann. The flashback part was well developed, with an intriguing combination of seemingly simple detective job and a devious femme fatale. But then the plot gradually gets too convoluted for its own good, and I lose both track and interest in who is double crossing who, who knows what and what peoples motivations are. That could be my fault on focusing on the wrong things, as behind all the plot, there is a core narrative of entrapment with characters that can’t escape the roles of their past. Maybe next time I try to watch a plot heavy noir it will click better.
Rating: 2.5