100.

A car sputters uselessly over the highway, as if it were going somewhere. In transit: criminals, lovers, or both, or somewhere in between, or neither. Kids, probably, just kids--aware of love as a concept, unaware or perhaps too humble, too innocent to consider it an option or a reality. But it is a reality--for Bowie & Keechie, what else do they have except love? Certainly they don't have a place to be, and even if they did it wouldn't matter. Just look at the borderline criminal meet-cute, microcosm of their fate: Bowie, peering through a broken fence, gazing at a dark-eyed stranger; Keechie, peering back imperceptibly, reluctantly letting him in. Then cut behind them: wires behind their two backs, like…

The screenplay for this proto-"Bonnie & Clyde" isn't much to write home about, but the film deserves attention for Nicholas Ray's direction. This is a visually sumptuous film, all the more impressive considering it was Ray's debut. The filmmaker utilizes helicopter shots way before they were en vogue, lush shadows and beautifully lit close-ups, and a rather seamless blend of location shooting with RKO sets.

Frances Granger comes across as too mannered to be believable as a young man who has spent the better part of his life in prison, but the camera loves him and you can see why Ray was so captivated by his subject. Ray's presentation of Granger seems to anticipate the director's later work with James Dean.…

Great noir by Nicholas Ray, which works in spite of what I felt was a kind of central miscasting. Farley Granger has this sort of pretty boy, self-conscious but ernest presence on screen that felt a little off here - the exact qualities that made him so brilliant in Rope makes him sort of unsuitable here - you don't believe for a second that he spent seven of his formative years in prison as the script would tell us. But he gives an ok performance and there is good chemistry in the lead romance; one that starts inauspiciously but doesn't feel forced.

It's well directed and paced, and an assured but also distinguished debut from one of the best artists…

This is another films I can cross off my List of Shame, and although I was ashamed not to have seen it, I was far more ashamed that it wasn't even on my radar.

I really like the Nicholas Ray films I have seen, but it never struck me to check out his full filmography. This film is exactly the kick in the pants I need to start.

Recommended by Tony Huang, saying he saw it once and thought it was the best film ever made (high expectations much?) this film became one of the films I had to see immediately. The film living up to those expectations is a great indication of its quality.

The films looks incredible, the…

The screenplay for this proto-"Bonnie & Clyde" isn't much to write home about, but the film deserves attention for Nicholas Ray's direction. This is a visually sumptuous film, all the more impressive considering it was Ray's debut. The filmmaker utilizes helicopter shots way before they were en vogue, lush shadows and beautifully lit close-ups, and a rather seamless blend of location shooting with RKO sets.

Frances Granger comes across as too mannered to be believable as a young man who has spent the better part of his life in prison, but the camera loves him and you can see why Ray was so captivated by his subject. Ray's presentation of Granger seems to anticipate the director's later work with James Dean.…

Great noir by Nicholas Ray, which works in spite of what I felt was a kind of central miscasting. Farley Granger has this sort of pretty boy, self-conscious but ernest presence on screen that felt a little off here - the exact qualities that made him so brilliant in Rope makes him sort of unsuitable here - you don't believe for a second that he spent seven of his formative years in prison as the script would tell us. But he gives an ok performance and there is good chemistry in the lead romance; one that starts inauspiciously but doesn't feel forced.

It's well directed and paced, and an assured but also distinguished debut from one of the best artists…

Bowie praticamente non ha ancora conosciuto la vita. La giovinezza l’ha passata quasi tutta in carcere per un delitto che non ha commesso e ora, evaso di prigione insieme a Chickamaw e T-dub, due veterani della rapina, è costretto a nascondersi dalla polizia e a vivere soltanto di notte. Quando conosce Keechie, la cui vita è stata appena più fortunata della sua, Bowie decide di svincolarsi dai due criminali, che lo vogliono coinvolgere nei loro colpi, e fuggire con lei, seguendo il miraggio di una vita normale, una famiglia e dei figli.
Sappiamo sin dall’inizio che il disperato peregrinare notturno della coppia di innamorati è destinato a finire in tragedia, e più del noir è la componente melodrammatica della storia,…

"They Live By Night" is a Romeo and Juliet slash Bonnie and Clyde, lovers on the run noir. It is often lauded as one of the noir masterpieces. I certainly enjoyed it more on this viewing than I had the first time I saw it, but I don't really think it's a gem. It's hardly even, Nic Ray's best entry in the genre (see In a Lonely Place).

Bowie (Farley Granger) is an escaped con who goes on the run with his girl, Keechie (Cathy O'Donnell) - there affair is sticky sweet even by 40's Hollywood standards. A lot of time is spent on their run from justice, without really feeling any of the suspense of it. It is not…

100.

A car sputters uselessly over the highway, as if it were going somewhere. In transit: criminals, lovers, or both, or somewhere in between, or neither. Kids, probably, just kids--aware of love as a concept, unaware or perhaps too humble, too innocent to consider it an option or a reality. But it is a reality--for Bowie & Keechie, what else do they have except love? Certainly they don't have a place to be, and even if they did it wouldn't matter. Just look at the borderline criminal meet-cute, microcosm of their fate: Bowie, peering through a broken fence, gazing at a dark-eyed stranger; Keechie, peering back imperceptibly, reluctantly letting him in. Then cut behind them: wires behind their two backs, like…