Film scholar Eddie Muller will introduce the 14 titles in the “Noir City: Lust and Larceny” retrospective, which begins tonight with a double-feature of Pitfall and Larceny, both from 1948 and neither available on DVD. In the first, Dick Powell is lured into adultery by Lizabeth Scott. In the second, our favorite postwar baddie, Dan Duryea, tries to bilk a widow out of her fortune. (Shes old, shell die anyway! Its not like she needs the money.) Duryea was born with an insinuating smirk on his face, and he delivers his lines with slightly squeaky maliceas if he were doing nitrous oxide hits before each take. Other stars in the series include Lana Turner as femme fatale in The Postman Always Rings Twice (Sunday), George Raft as a killer, Richard Widmark as a smuggler, and Broderick Crawford as a fall guy. All showsthrough Thursdayare double-features, perfect for todays hard-luck economy. (NR) BRIAN MILLER
Feb. 19-25, 2010
