Noir on the Run

... been really busy, but I've been attending some of the Roxie showings. In general, the attendance looks good. San Francisco really does seem to have a very consistent and dedicated group of noir-philes as I recognize many of the same faces from the Danger & Despair group, as well as attendees at the Pacific Film Archive and the San Francisco Noir Foundation.

So, last night I saw a great lineup. Both movies starred Glenn Ford. Anyways, last night's movies were: Human Desire (1954), and Framed (1947). The Danger & Despair group has shown Framed, and it is a very nice noir with Janis Carter playing the bad girl. Human Desire, however, was directed by Fritz Lang, and co-starred Gloria Grahame as the femme fatale. So it doesn't get much better than that.

While watching Framed, I couldn't help but think that Ford just really did not seem to have the screen presence or charisma, or chemistry with Carter, to succeed in this role. I've seen this film before and I felt the same way the first time. In Human Desire, he seemed more plausible. Could this be because he was older? Or that Fritz Lang was directing?

If you have a chance, do drop by the Roxie. It is conveniently located near the 16th St. Bart Station in San Francisco. Tell 'em Robert sent you. That and a dime won't get you a ride on the Subway.

New Roxie Noirfest Schedule

Once again, the Roxie is showing noir. "THE BEST OF COLUMBIA NOIR: Twenty-two Gems From The Vaults Of Columbia Pictures. All shows in beautiful 35mm archival prints!

Visit the Roxie website for more info: http://www.roxie.com/events/details.cfm?eventID=80E856EB-ACC8-FC5D-A2373DFE6FB28ADB

The Roxie is located in the the sunny downtown Mission District of San Francisco.

Here's the schedule:
Thursday, September 17:
JOHNNY O’CLOCK (1947)
BLIND SPOT (1947)

Friday, Sept, 18:
THE WHISTLER (1944)
THE SOUL OF A MONSTER (1944)

Saturday, Sept 19:
KNOCK ON ANY DOOR (1949)
CONVICTED (1950)

Sunday, Sept. 20:
PUSHOVER (1954)
DRIVE A CROOKED ROAD (1954)

Monday, Sept 21:
SO DARK THE NIGHT (1946)
MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS (1945)

Tuesday, Sept 22:
HUMAN DESIRE (1954)
FRAMED (1947)

Thursday, Sept 24:
THE LINE UP (1958)
THE SNIPER (1952)

Friday, Sept 25:
BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND DAWN (1950)
THE KILLER THAT STALKED NEW YORK (1950)

Saturday, Sept 26:
THE CRIMSON KIMONO (1959)
SCREAMING MIMI (1958)

Sunday & Monday, Sept 27 & 28:
THE BURGLAR (1957)
NIGHTFALL (1957)

Tuesday & Wednesday, Sept 29 & 30:
MURDER BY CONTRACT (1958)
CITY OF FEAR (1959)

The Hadda Brooks Magnet

I was recently shopping for CDs at Arhoolie Records on San Pablo Ave in El Cerrito, where I picked up two CDs: Hooker N' Heat Live, and Hooker and Canned Heat. I also picked up a DVD documentary on Holwin' Wolf. And while I'm at the counter, I see a refrigerator magnet. This particular magnet featured Hadda Brooks -- Queen of the Boogie Woogie. Where did you get it? Do you have more? I mean how obscure is Hadda Brooks today?

Who was Hadda Brooks? If you love noir, you may recognize the name from the opening credits of "In a Lonely Place." Nicholas Ray gave Brooks (also spelled Brooke) an opening credit despite the fact that she must have had less than five minutes screen time.

Brooks was the first African American woman to host her own television show, in 1957 in Los Angeles, which featured her at piano. She was granted an audience with Pope Pius XII, and sang at the inauguration of Hawaii into statehood in 1959.

In 2007 a documentary "Queen of the Boogie", directed by Austin Young & Barry Pett was introduced to the Los Angeles Silver Lake Film Festival.

Hadda Brooks died in 2002 at the age of 86. She lives today, not only as a historical figure, an icon amongst African American women, not only as the Queen of the Boogie, but as a brave and colorful refrigerator magnet.

Hits by Hadda Brooks:

• Swingin' the Boogie
  
• That's My Desire
• Romance in the Dark
• Don't Take Your Love From Me
• Say It with a Kiss