"Out Of The Past" is a hardboiled thriller of the highest calibre with superb performances, sharp dialogue and a complicated plot which remains gripping and intriguing throughout. Robert Mitchum in his first starring role and Kirk Douglas in one of his earliest roles are both exceptional and the cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca creates a dark, ominous atmosphere by making clever use of expressionistic shadows. The presence of a tough private investigator, a devious and deadly femme fatale and themes of murder, deception, betrayal, double crosses and fatalism all combine to make this movie an archetypal film noir.
The idyllic existence which Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum) had been enjoying in Bridgeport, California is suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Joe Stephanos (Paul Valentine). Joe says that his boss, a big time gambler called Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas), wants to see Jeff at his place at Lake Tahoe. Jeff feels compelled to agree and while travelling there tells his devoted girlfriend Ann (Virginia Huston) about his previous dealings with Whit Sterling.
In New York, Jeff (whose real name was Markham) and his partner Jack Fisher (Steve Brodie) had been private investigators who were hired by Sterling to find his girlfriend Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) who'd gone missing after shooting Sterling and stealing $40,000. Jeff had located her in Acapulco, fell in love with her and together they relocated to San Francisco. There they kept a low profile and lived happily until Jack Fisher (who had been hired to find them by Sterling) saw Jeff one day and eventually caught up with the couple at a cabin. Jack demanded his cut of the fee which Sterling had offered for bringing Kathie back and their heated conversation led to a fight between the two men which culminated in Kathie shooting Jack dead. She then immediately disappeared leaving Jeff to bury the body. Ann is predictably shocked but regards what happened as being all in the past and says that she wants Jeff to come back to her after he's finished his business with Sterling.
At Lake Tahoe, Jeff discovers that Kathie is once again living with Whit and that he knows all that happened between them. Whit seems good humoured and unconcerned about the past and now wishes to hire Jeff to retrieve some tax records which a San Francisco lawyer called Leonard Eels (Ken Niles) is using to blackmail him. The events that follow lead to Jeff being framed for two murders and after a series of complex plot twists and a number of fatalities, the story reaches its denouement which is perfectly in keeping with the mood of pessimism and inevitability which prevails throughout the entire action.
Jeff Markham is smart and laid back and also regularly makes brilliant quick witted responses to remarks made by other people. His experiences have made him cynical and jaded but he still passively allows himself to be drawn into perilous situations against his own better judgement. This happens when he betrays Sterling's trust and goes with Kathie to San Francisco and again when he accepts Sterling's second assignment even though he senses that his employer wants revenge and is actually setting him up to be framed for murder. There's a certain inevitability about his actions and their consequences and he seems powerless to alter the course of the events that follow. Even his escapes to San Francisco and Bridgeport prove to be utterly futile.
Robert Mitchum with his trademark nonchalance is excellent as Markham and Kirk Douglas gives a memorable performance as Sterling. His good humoured and affable style actually adds greater menace and unpredictability to his character which the audience immediately recognise as a totally ruthless operator. Kathie Moffat is cunning and treacherous and betrays both Sterling and Markham. She also kills three men and sends another on a mission which leads to his death. Jane Greer is perfect in her role and is particularly successful in portraying her character's cold, callous and scheming nature.
"Out Of The Past" is a work of greater intelligence and substance than the vast majority of crime thrillers and a wonderful example of film noir at its purest and best.
The idyllic existence which Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum) had been enjoying in Bridgeport, California is suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Joe Stephanos (Paul Valentine). Joe says that his boss, a big time gambler called Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas), wants to see Jeff at his place at Lake Tahoe. Jeff feels compelled to agree and while travelling there tells his devoted girlfriend Ann (Virginia Huston) about his previous dealings with Whit Sterling.
In New York, Jeff (whose real name was Markham) and his partner Jack Fisher (Steve Brodie) had been private investigators who were hired by Sterling to find his girlfriend Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) who'd gone missing after shooting Sterling and stealing $40,000. Jeff had located her in Acapulco, fell in love with her and together they relocated to San Francisco. There they kept a low profile and lived happily until Jack Fisher (who had been hired to find them by Sterling) saw Jeff one day and eventually caught up with the couple at a cabin. Jack demanded his cut of the fee which Sterling had offered for bringing Kathie back and their heated conversation led to a fight between the two men which culminated in Kathie shooting Jack dead. She then immediately disappeared leaving Jeff to bury the body. Ann is predictably shocked but regards what happened as being all in the past and says that she wants Jeff to come back to her after he's finished his business with Sterling.
At Lake Tahoe, Jeff discovers that Kathie is once again living with Whit and that he knows all that happened between them. Whit seems good humoured and unconcerned about the past and now wishes to hire Jeff to retrieve some tax records which a San Francisco lawyer called Leonard Eels (Ken Niles) is using to blackmail him. The events that follow lead to Jeff being framed for two murders and after a series of complex plot twists and a number of fatalities, the story reaches its denouement which is perfectly in keeping with the mood of pessimism and inevitability which prevails throughout the entire action.
Jeff Markham is smart and laid back and also regularly makes brilliant quick witted responses to remarks made by other people. His experiences have made him cynical and jaded but he still passively allows himself to be drawn into perilous situations against his own better judgement. This happens when he betrays Sterling's trust and goes with Kathie to San Francisco and again when he accepts Sterling's second assignment even though he senses that his employer wants revenge and is actually setting him up to be framed for murder. There's a certain inevitability about his actions and their consequences and he seems powerless to alter the course of the events that follow. Even his escapes to San Francisco and Bridgeport prove to be utterly futile.
Robert Mitchum with his trademark nonchalance is excellent as Markham and Kirk Douglas gives a memorable performance as Sterling. His good humoured and affable style actually adds greater menace and unpredictability to his character which the audience immediately recognise as a totally ruthless operator. Kathie Moffat is cunning and treacherous and betrays both Sterling and Markham. She also kills three men and sends another on a mission which leads to his death. Jane Greer is perfect in her role and is particularly successful in portraying her character's cold, callous and scheming nature.
"Out Of The Past" is a work of greater intelligence and substance than the vast majority of crime thrillers and a wonderful example of film noir at its purest and best.