The Dryden will screen Out of the Past (Jacques Tourneur, U.S. 1947, 97 min., 35mm) with an introduction by photographer David Levinthal as part of the War, Myth, Desire series.

In what is perhaps the definitive film noir, Robert Mitchum finds himself in an inescapable downward spiral after he meets up with his old flame (Jane Greer) and former employer (Kirk Douglas). Tourneur, one of the most poetic practitioners in genre filmmaking (Cat People, Curse of the Demon) makes great use of Mitchum's cynical, laconic presence. As the ads proclaimed: "It's like lightning kissing thunder when Mitchum makes love to a girl with a gun."

[source: George Eastman Museum calendar, 2018-Jul-16]