The Killers (1946)

How's that for a master shot, eh? It's from Robert Siodmak's 1946 film The Killers, which I finally got around to watching this weekend. One of the most important early noirs, especially in it's visual style, this film borrowed heavily from Citizen Kane, both for its shadowy visuals and its multiple-flashback narrative structure. Ava Gardner is a great femme fatale--a 9.5 on the femme fatale scale, if Barbara Stanwyck is a 10. I like this scene in a bar, where a shot of her is replaced by a shot of a panther.

The Criterion DVD includes the 1946 version, and the 1964 remake, which has an incredibly badass score, but can cause severe cognitive dissonance for anyone that grew up watching TV in the 70's and 80's. It is difficult for the mind to process the image of Ronald Reagan and Mr. Roper interrogating sheriff Lobo and Police Woman.