Jane Greer in OUT OF THE PAST

Angelina Jolie has nothing on her.

OUT OF THE PAST (1947) requires bourbon. I think that was the favorite drink of its male lead Robert Mitchum. He has a thing for evil Jane Greer who is lovely in a big eyed and full lipped way. Greer helps lure Mitchum back to his murky past.

Despite the lore about zaftig women being popular, Jane Greer like Bacall is pencil slim. And stylish. I think that was a given in film until maybe the 70s?

Anyway I've come to the conclusion that despite all the deconstruction  by film critics about the "meaning of film noir" the genre  comes down to being simply a cover for men to enjoy a romance. Noirish films require a masculine lead and a murder or two so the man can willingly accompany his lady friend to the movies and not feel sissified. Today we also add additional layers of deconstruction so the male can feel the film is more than just a sappy love affair. The mens are still afraid of themselves.

So why do I recommend this film? Well as I mentioned it stars the thinking man's Elvis- Robert Mitchum. Always a plus. And the locations- Mexico City, Acapulco and Los Angeles in the 50s. Love it.
Jane Greer is definitely a physical match for Mitchum. There were a couple of good lines. One gumshoe early on opines that "a woman with a rod is as dangerous as a man  with a knitting needle." The location shots of Mexico City really sold me.

Oh--there is also an interesting side story with a deaf mute friend of Mitchum. In one scene the kid is fly fishing and just when Mitchum is about to be shot by a guy on a rock ledge, the kid turns around and pulls him down into the rocky river with his fishing rod.