GIMS DVD/Videotape Collection by Genre: Film Noir

" A young doctor falls in love with a disturbed young woman, becomes involved in the death of her husband, and has to flee with her to the Mexican border." www.imdb.com

Ann Hamilton is a professor's daughter who is a young bride married to an industrialist. She begins to suspect that her charming husband is really a psychotic who plans to murder her. Neither can she ignore the shadow of her brother-in-law Michael Garroway, whom she's never met but has been told so much about.

A drugstore manager turns attempted killer after his conniving wife leaves him for another man. He devises a complex plan, which involves assuming a new identity, to make it look like someone else murdered her new boyfriend. Things take an unexpected turn when someone else commits the murder first and he becomes the prime suspect.

" An escaped convict, injured during a robbery, falls in love with the woman who nurses him back to health, but their relationship seems doomed from the beginning." www.imdb.com

Wanted for a murder he didn't commit, high-living prizefighter Johnny Bradfield (Garfield) flees to avoid arrest. While hiding out on a ranch in Arizona, he meets up with a group of juvenile delinquents (The Dead End Kids). Bradfield takes it upon himself to set the kids straight, as a detective (Rains) closes in on the boxer.

Vividly depicts the perilous world of 'long-haul boys', who drive by night to bring their goods to the markets of America's cities. Ex-G.I. Nick Garcos [is] a tyro trucker bent on satisfaction from the man responsible for crippling his father, ruthless market operator Mike Figlia. But when Figlia gets wise to his plan, Nick finds himself in a web of treachery and heartbreak.

Set in post-war Vienna, an American western-adventure writer searches for a friend who turns out to be the king-pin of the Austrian black market.

A narcotics officer and a corrupt cop are involved in a murder investigation in a small border town.

Chris Cross, 25 years a cashier, has a gold watch and little else. That rainy night, he rescues delectable Kitty from her abusive boyfriend Johnny. Smitten, amateur painter Chris lets Kitty think he's a wealthy artist. At Johnny's urging, she lets Chris establish her in an apartment (with his shrewish wife's money). There, Chris paints masterpieces; but Johnny sells them under Kitty's name, with disastrous and ironic results.

An over-the-hill boxer thinks he can still win a bout, despite doubts from his wife and his manager. He goes into his next fight determined to beat his opponent, not realizing his manager has taken money for a 'dive' from a tough gambler.

Joe Norson, a poor letter carrier with a sweet, pregnant wife, yields to momentary temptation and steals $30,000 belonging to a pair of ruthless blackmailers who won't stop at murder. After a few days of soul-searching, Joe offers to return the money, only to find that the "friend" he left it with has disappeared. Now every move Joe makes plunges him deeper into trouble, as he's pursued and pursuing through the shadowy, sinister side of New York.

A psychologist falls for a suspect in a murder, which she tries to solve by unlocking the clues hidden in his mind.

Nora Goodrich is a scientist working on an anesthetics. Her jealous lab partner sabotages an experiment, leaving Nora's face badly scarred. After her face is surgically altered, she plots revenge on her enemies.

A tennis star (Guy) is harassed on a train by a psychotic (Bruno) who wants to swap murders and who proceeds to carry out his part of the unconfirmed bargain. The British version amplifies Bruno's flamboyance, his homoerotic attraction to Guy, and his psychotic personality.

"After an ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged playwright and marries her, he plots with his mistress to murder her." www.imdb.com

Pursued by creditors, Joe swerves into a driveway of a seemingly abandoned Sunset Boulevard mansion. He finds Norma, an ex-screen queen dreaming of a dramatic comeback and her husband/servant living there. She takes a fancy to Joe and, learning that he is a scriptwriter, persuades him to help her with her comeback screenplay. Being broke he accepts. He falls in love with a young script reader, but Norma breaks up their romance. Thinking she is mad, he tries to leave, but Norma kills him in a scene which she believes is the highlight of her comeback movie.

Burt Lancaster stars as barbaric Broadway gossip columnist J.J. Hunsecker and Tony Curtis is Sidney Falco, the unprincipled press agent he ropes into smearing the up-and-coming jazz musician romancing his beloved sister.

A straight-arrow cop and an old-school gangster find a common foe: big shots who run crime like a corporation.

In 1918, Larry Darrell returns home from World War 1 disillusioned with his materialistic society. The quest for inner peace leads Larry to reject his rich fiancee, Isabel, and go searching for truth in the Himalayas. But, Larry learns that the path to enlightenment is as painful and narrow as treading the sharp edge of a razor.

A World War I veteran (Cagney) returns to New York, innocently becomes involved in bootlegging, builds up an empire and dies in a gang war. Set against a background of newsreel-like montages and narration.

A mob lawyer has a professional crisis of conscience after he begins a romantic relationship with a naive showgirl.

A rundown diner bakes in the Arizona heat. Inside, fugitive killer Duke Mantee sweats out a manhunt, holding disillusioned writer Alan Squier, young Gabby Maple, and a handful of others hostage.

City cop goes to the countryside to help solve a brutal murder and falls in love with a blind woman who's brother is a suspect.

Former private detective Jeff Baily is trying to lead a quiet life, but his past comes back to haunt him and he finds himself framed for murder.

"A frustrated former big-city journalist now stuck working for an Albuquerque newspaper exploits a story about a man trapped in a cave to re-jump start his career, but the situation quickly escalates into an out-of-control circus." www.imdb.com

Ex-World War II pilot Frank Enley is a respected contractor and family man. Then his troubled, gimp-legged bombardier shows up with a gun and a score to settle. Perhaps neither man is what he seems to be.

"When Steve Emery (Glenn Ford) visit the steamy tropics of Trinidad, he gets more than he bargained for. Someone's murdered his brother, and his bombshell sister-for-law Chris (Rita Hayworth) might be the only one who can solve the mystery. Despite conflicting feelings of lust and loyalty, Chris and Steve must work together to track down the killer before the culprit catches them"--Container

Charles Boyer plays Pepe le Moko, a notorious thief hiding out in the Casbah, who falls in love with a wealthy tourist, played by Heddy Lamarr.

Two childhood friends grow up and go their separate ways--one a criminal and the other a parish priest. Rocky Sullivan returns to his old neighborhood to find his lawless life style idolized by the young hoodlums there. Jerry Connelly, the parish priest sees his hard work turn unavailing because of Rocky's corruptive influence.

An aging criminal is released from prison and decides to assemble the old gang to go on one last perfect heist.

"A lovely dame with dangerous lies employs the services of a private detective, who is quickly caught up in the mystery and intrigue of a statuette known as the Maltese Falcon." www.imdb.com

"A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette." www.imdb.com

" A small town policeman is assisted by a Harvard professor when the skeletal remains of a pregnant prostitute turn up on a Massachusetts beach." www.imdb.com

Detective Marlow sets out to find the missing wife of a publishing magnate. Several smack-arounds, one dead gigolo, a few angry cops, a booze-soaked frame-up and one dame in the lake later, Marlowe finds the killer and finds that he's also looking at the business end of a gun.

An extremely possessive woman will do whatever it takes to keep her husband all to herself, even murder. Based on the best-selling novel by Ben Ames Williams.

A small-time hood rises to criminal fame and power. Adapted from W.R. Burnett's novel.

"Police surround the apartment of apparent murderer Joe Adams, who refuses to surrender although escape appears impossible. During the siege, Joe reflects on the circumstances that led him to this situation." www.imdb.com

A group of small-time crooks find themselves doublecrossed when they plan a daring race track robbery.

A film noir about a gentleman's club owner finds himself on the bad side of a small time gangster, and then must save his beloved club and way of life.

"A doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious "great whatsit."" www.imdb.com

" After an overly aggressive district attorney unknowingly sends an innocent man to the chair, he resigns, turns to drinking, and acquires a criminal clientèle." www.imdb.com

"A hotheaded Hollywood screenwriter, questioned for murder, is drawn to his neighbor when she confirms his alibi. His volatile nature eventually threatens to destroy their one last chance for real love." www.imdb.com

"After the Nazi administrator of Czechoslovakia is shot, his assassin tries to elude the Gestapo and struggles with his impulse to give himself up as hostages are executed." www.imdb.com

Hard-luck gambler Dan Milner is in sudden luck. He'll get $50,000 to hang out at a posh Mexican resort. $5,000 now and the big payoff when the reason he's been sent there is revealed. Of course, the gangsters making the offer don't expect him to live long enough to collect.

"The only true 'film noir' ever directed by a woman, this tour de force thriller ... is a classic, tension-packed, three-way dance of death about two middle-class American homebodies (Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy) on vacation in Mexico on a long-awaited fishing trip. Suddenly their car and their very lives are commandeered by [a] psychopathic serial killer"--Container.

Sudden fear (1952) -- The long night (1947) -- Hangmen also die (1943) -- Railroaded (1947) -- Behind locked doors (1948)

A racketeer's lawyer finds that his boss has found a way to bankrupt New York's numbers banks but gets wedged between the numbers racket and a new prosecutor's anti-crime campaign.

Vincent Parry, a man unjustly accused of murdering his wife, escapes from San Quentin and sets out to clear his name; but, he needs the help of someone he can trust. He finds both help and love in Irene, a San Francisco artist who is convinced he's innocent.

World War II has separated pianist Christine Radcliffe from her great love, cellist Karel Novak. Thinking Karel has been killed in action, she is unexpectedly reunited with him. Now, Christine desperately strives to hide her wartime dalliance as the mistress of a wealthy, sadistic composer. She'll lie to keep her shameful past a secret.

" A mortally wounded female gangster recounts how she and her gang revived an executed killer from the gas chamber, to try and find out where he buried a fortune in cash." www.imdb.com

An insurance salesman and an unhappy wife conspire to murder her husband and collect his insurance policy.

Portrays the last 48 hours of Jesus Christ's life. Challenges the various facts and fictions surrounding his color, as well as the suggestion that his death was racially motivated.

" Reformed parolee Steve Lacey is caught in the middle when a wounded former cellmate seeks him out for shelter." www.imdb.com

A police captain methodically unravels the truth behind the brutal murder of an innocent Jewish man by a World War II soldier with a rabid hatred of Jews.

Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a rich family. Before the complex case is over, he's seen murder, blackmail, and what might be love.

" An army lieutenant accused of robbery pursues the real thief on a frantic chase through Mexico aided by the thief's fiancee." www.imdb.com

When a local priest is murdered, a nervous drifter is fingered as the murderer. He denies committing the crime, but it's up to a prosecutor (Dana Andrews) who believes the man is innocent to convince the court. The film is based on a true story and was nominated for an Oscar.

The Mexico-California border is the power-keg setting for a tale of government agents versus greed and murder.

A classic film noir featuring a cold-hearted killer named Sam Wild who kills two innocent people and actively pursues the woman who finds the bodies, all while being married to the woman's half-sister.

"Joe Collins, along with his fellow inmates, live under the heavy thumb of the sadistic, power-tripping guard Captain Munsey. Only Collins's dreams of escape keep him going, but how can he possibly bust out of Munsey's chains"--Container.