Category: Peter Lorre
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Crime tourists, Part II: Americans clash with the underworld in foreign lands
DeForest Kelley, Cameron Mitchell, Robert Ryan, (unidentified), Robert Stack, ‘House of Bamboo’ (1955). By Paul Parcellin We’ve already talked about films with Americans overseas acting badly. It seems that whenever a region is beset by war, a pack of jackals descends on the still twitching carcass of civilization to devour whatever meat is left on…
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Peter Lorre: His first starring role was a massive hit and one of the most influential works of art in the history of film — and that was the problem
Peter Lorre, “M” (1931). An unforgettable psychological portrait. By Paul Parcellin Renowned character actor Peter Lorre created many indelible roles in groundbreaking noirs, thrillers and films of other genres while achieving greatness in Hollywood. Since June 26th marks the 120th anniversary of his birth, this is a good time to look back at some of…
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More Than a Gunsel: Elisha Cook Jr. Played Wobbly Tough Guys, Inept Would-Be Heroes and Dyed in the Wool Victims Often Displaying Raw Emotion and Unexpected Vulnerabilities
Humphrey Bogart, Elisha Cook Jr., “The Maltese Falcon” (1941).Just a cheap gunman hanging around hotel lobbies. When he died in 1995 at the age of 91, Elisha Cook Jr. was the last surviving cast member of John Huston’s 1941 film noir classic “The Maltese Falcon,” whose players included Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and…