"Mister, I was made for it." NIGHTMARE ALLEY appreciation thread

[Steve Hoffman]

This will probably be a short thread but I recently saw 20th Century Fox's NIGHTMARE ALLEY projected on a big screen and it was really wonderful. Tyrone Power risked everything to make this controversial (at the time) picture and I believe it flopped in 1947. However, as it usually goes, the film has become a genuine, authentic CULT CLASSIC that only gets better with age. Deemed too cynical at the time, now it fits right in with our way of life, sorry to say.

That last big scene in the film when Roy Roberts offers him a job (and what a job). :shake: Wow, one of my favorite moments in movie history. It takes a great actor with a great ego to even think about "uglyfying" himself (both body and spirit) to do a scene like that.

At any rate, an underrated actor in an almost forgotten film. Rent it on DVD, you'll really dig it.

[James RD]

I saw this a few years ago. Loved it! A great example of Film Noir. Tyrone Power has never been better.:)

[Michael]

great movie! I had a copy on VHS years ago as well...

[ZIPGUN99]

I'm a big fan of "Nightmare Alley" too. I picked up a paperback copy of the novel by William Lindsay Gresham in Florida about 10 years ago. I understand Mr. Gresham committed suicide. Great book, great movie.
I took my niece to L.A. in 1997, we had lunch at Tyrone Power's grave. We were very respectfull, but we made sure he knew we dug "Nightmare Alley."
Georgie Jessell was one of the producers? Holy Moley!

[imagnrywar]

I enjoyed the book very much. I found the movie a bit of a disappointment in comparison, but isn't that (almost) always the case?

[BradF]

So happy when this one finally got released on DVD. Makes my top ten Noir list for sure, though the ending lets down just a bit.

[conniefrancis]

This was just on Fox Movie Channel this morning. They run it pretty often.

[crimsoncing]

For a second I thought this was the film with Jan Michael Vicent in it with that funky car and then it hit me.....that was DAMNATION ALLEY.

We need to start a favorite film nor thread to turn on other people to some of the great old classics. Last Oct I went on a box collection of a lot of public domain films boxed together. Cowboys, Sci Fi, Dectives etc etc. I still have not finished all of them.
A local small theater had a screening of Arsenic and Old Lace with Cary Grant and I just lost it thru most of the film.

[Chris R]

So happy when this one finally got released on DVD. Makes my top ten Noir list for sure, though the ending lets down just a bit.
Steve and I had a very brief discussion about the film in 2004.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=40422&highlight=film+festival

At the Calgary International Film Festival that year we ran a film noire series that included Nightmare Alley, Double Indemnity, Out Of The Past, The Glass Key and Pickup On South Sunset. At the time Nighmare Alley was not available on DVD.

Is the current DVD worth picking up? A good transfer?

[Steve Hoffman]

I "Netflix'd" it. We'll see.

[BradF]

The DVD looks very good. A few scratches here and there.

[BradF]

At the Calgary International Film Festival that year we ran a film noire series that included Nightmare Alley, Double Indemnity, Out Of The Past, The Glass Key and Pickup On South Sunset.

Killer line-up. Quite a privilege I think to walk into a local bijou and see these great films projected onto a big screen. Hope you drew big crowds.

[Chris R]

Killer line-up. Quite a privilege I think to walk into a local bijou and see these great films projected onto a big screen. Hope you drew big crowds.
Unfortunately the mini film noire series was not a big draw, so we had to retire it. :sigh: Was great for me to see all those movies on the big screen.

[Dave G.]

Thanks Steve for bringing this up, I watched it last night - great movie!
Poor Stan....
'How does a fella get so low?'
He really proved his talent with the local Sheriff.

[dougotte]

"Ha! Every boy had a dog..."

The look on Power's face when he's fooled with that one is heartbreaking.

Doug