Murder, My Sweet (1944)

If you want to know what film noir is, this is the movie to learn with. It is also historically important because it represented Dick Powell's switch from a crooner (a good one, by the way) to a tough guy. (He does, of course, wear a trenchcoat.) Those of you who have enjoyed Powell on the radio as Richard Diamond will like this one. The movie is also interesting because the two female leads, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley, are almost beautiful, but not quite, and are all the more attractive for it. Typical of many Raymond Chandler-derived plots, it moves quickly enough that you have to work to stay with it.

Mike Mazurki comes private eye Powell's office at night to get him to look for his old girlfriend, and the plot circles from there. This is must watching for old movie fans.





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