I could write a very large book that touched upon films that, while primarily love stories, actually also have very strong noir elements. Indeed in some of these movies, like "Sunrise" (1927), available on a 10/10 Fox DVD, the noir plot at times totally overwhelms the romance.
The star of "Sunrise", Janet Gaynor, had previously headlined the film under review, "7th Heaven" (1927) (another 10/10 Fox DVD) in which, rather than a murderous husband, she was at the mercy of a sadistic sister, from whom she was rescued by a sewer worker (!) only to fall back into the clutches of the whip-wielding sister when her lover is called up to defend Paris from the brutal German invaders of 1914.
Extravagantly produced, masterfully directed by Frank Borzage, and beautifully acted by fellow-director David Butler, as well as the stars, Janet Gaynor and her frequent movie partner, Charles Farrell, "7th Heaven"'s strikingly composed studio set-ups were superbly lit by Joseph A. Valentine.
Valentine's photography in this movie is centered in a heavily contrasted black-and-white Germanic style, which was soon imitated so much by other cine photographers that it became known in the trade as "Valentine lighting". A decade later, it became a standard component of film noir.
The star of "Sunrise", Janet Gaynor, had previously headlined the film under review, "7th Heaven" (1927) (another 10/10 Fox DVD) in which, rather than a murderous husband, she was at the mercy of a sadistic sister, from whom she was rescued by a sewer worker (!) only to fall back into the clutches of the whip-wielding sister when her lover is called up to defend Paris from the brutal German invaders of 1914.
Extravagantly produced, masterfully directed by Frank Borzage, and beautifully acted by fellow-director David Butler, as well as the stars, Janet Gaynor and her frequent movie partner, Charles Farrell, "7th Heaven"'s strikingly composed studio set-ups were superbly lit by Joseph A. Valentine.
Valentine's photography in this movie is centered in a heavily contrasted black-and-white Germanic style, which was soon imitated so much by other cine photographers that it became known in the trade as "Valentine lighting". A decade later, it became a standard component of film noir.