They Live by Night (1949)
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Directed by Nicholas Ray Runtime: 95min
The first feature from one of the romantics of the classic American Cinema, Nicholas Ray, is a human crime drama noir driven by strong leads and classic heartfelt dialogue, delivered in a tight narrative and superb low-light cinematography. A dramatic film noir example that is an absolute classic. Three convicts escape prison and refugee on a friendly cabin, planning their next assault. Bowie, the youngest of the three (and the soft hearted one), never knew much of love but soon understands it when he meets Keechie, the niece of one of the convicts. Like him, she never knew much about love or kissing, having lived all of her life in an isolated village. The three convicts conduct one more robbery and our Bowie is radiant with his share of the loot; he believes that he can hire an attorney to help him free his conviction. The couple then flees to an isolated region, hoping that they can find piece in love, but the past and the most certain future for Bowie shapes their fatal destiny.
Much more than the typical ‘romance in the dark’ or ‘lovers in sin’ kind of film, They Live by Night is very cautious on the approach to the subject, never failing to give up atmosphere in favor of a pastiche drama. It is tight, and it’s dialogue is incredibly smart. The two lead performances are true classic hollywood – at their best, and the director carefully crafts the scenes in the most human way possible. When the couple is having an argument, for instances, the out-of-focus is used to give importance to the other partner’s reaction, or the character’s intense gloom, never putting any star in relevance. This is also fantastic in the robbery scene, all shot inside the car where our Bowie awaits the return of the two mates. This quick segment is augmented with a tension that elevates the plot to a different, deeper level.
Even in the earliest scenes, when the main characters are introduced, every piece of the action is so carefully rehearsed that makes this film carved in stone, a true classic. Not without its gloomy noir athmosphere, this is no artificial drama. There is real darkness here, the low-light and the despair in the characters eyes, in a poetic sense but also a poetry that is never too overrated, the story itself with its inevitable feeling of a bad ending hanging in every corner, the claustrophobic environments that give us the best feeling of a couple-on-the-run.
And the night. Bowie and Keechie always travel by night to avoid unwanted attention. The darkness is also part of the lover’s relation. But this is no light-paced narrative, not at all. There are twists and turns, there is always something pushing the story forward, much like a good book. Uncompromisingly, this is an absolute must for every classic hollywood lover or for all the film noir freaks out there, and it will absolutely stay with you long after you watch it. Heartbreak Score:
Where to Get it: My DVD edition is a Portugese one, and it features another Nicholas Ray feature: On Dangerous Ground. There is no official European release, except for the Spanish one, neither a single-packaged edition of the film. There is this version that also features another classic, Side Street, from Anthony Mann. Both are great, and feature the same lead characters. Another chance to see the beautiful Cathy O’Donnell. You can always go back to the Heartbreak Souvenirs Store for all the good stuff. More Screenshots:
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