is one of those films that stays with you. Dark and bleak, it is a great example of the film noir style and a predecessor other styles as well.The theme of that one can not escape ones past and the tentacles of that past can be fatal. Robert Mitchum as the protagonist shows us this in spades. He is trying to live a non descript life in a quiet town in Northern California when his past literally drives up in the guise of easy going thug, Joe.
I found it interesting how Mitchum/Markham/Bailey is first shown as a guy who is romancing another guy's woman in his very first scene, kind of showing us that the "good guy" is somewhat flawed.
In the flashback we find out that Mitchum fell in love with a girl, who's looks could have made a bishop kick out a stained glass window. The problem was she was the main squeeze of his employer and stole $40,000. Mitchum narrates this flash back cynically albeit accurately.
Jane Greer plays Kathy the femme fatale that Mitchum falls for like a brick. She is a quintessential film noir woman dark, exotic, dangerous, manipulative and untrustworthy. I liken her perhaps to a praying mantis. The fact she only will meet Mitchum at night when they are in Mexico is also indicative of her shadowyness and also a trademark of film noirs. Symbolism runs rampant in this film. A scene in Mexico typifies this. Mitchum and Greer are clinging to each other like wet socks and there is a net near by. This reinforces the web of deceit and danger Mitchum is letting himself slide in to. Jane Greer was later black balled by Hollywood and replaced by Linda Darnell in many "Jane Greer" type rolls, as they looked surprisingly similar.
In direct contrast to Kathy is Ann. Ann, portrayed by Virginia Huston, is blond, homespun and innocent. The first shot of Ann in the sunshine at the lake seems to be a deviation on the Film noir formula but I believe it helps let the viewer know that she is the "good girl" of the movie.
Kirk Douglas, in just his second film roll, shines as the male villain. He bad but, not so bad you can't like him. He too falls victim to Kathy's deceptions and finally her bullets.
Other than Ann the entire cast is pretty much untrustworthy as I counted at least 10 betrayals of trust. Most of these committed or orchestrated by Kathy.
This film is dark and brooding with no truly happy ending. Out of the Past is one of the greatest film noirs and a great film in general about darkness, betrayal and deception in ones past and the outcome of that past. This film should be in any true film fan's collection.
