I had a strong feeling to continue my recent dive into various film noir classics as a result of my recent viewings of Viridiana and Sunset Blvd. after having taking quite a break from watching films of any sort for a few weeks. I have mentioned that sometimes this happens to me where I burn out slightly with a specific genre or feel like I am just using films as a method of passing time. Whenever this happens I tend to switch to television shows and watch generally a bit less than usual. Though that feeling going away is always a pleasure, where the guilt of time spent is replaced with the enjoyment of time spent with films that have been and went many decades ago. In regards to watching black-and-white films from the 60s and older, I find great pleasure in it. These films of that era are completely different to today's industry for a number of reasons. Some weak, some strong.
Much like today, films of the past were heavily pushed by their known cast members, though back then even screenwriters and cinematographers would make it into the promotional material and many would know their names. These films may sometimes have repetitive ideas, but feel very much unique. Many stories being simple yet engaging. With short runtimes that never choose to overstay their welcome. The films of the past fascinate me, for their ability to offer something the present does not, but also provide a look into life before the technological society we now live within. Where camera capabilities were much more limiting, and the idea of a telephone was still something very grounded and without portability. The culture and way of life often offers a glimpse into a society some might argue is better, more simple.
The Big Heat is one of these simple films. One that comes and goes. One that I am sure not many would know of or easily be able to find without the restoration and distribution of operations such as The Criterion Collection; and even so, despite the greatness, these films continue to become more difficult to find, and certainly won't be ones you easily hear come up in conversation on the Internet. Though, interestingly, The Big Heat is precisely the type of film I would expect to be released today by an independent group.
Where would we be without our stories of crime syndicates, romance, and justice? Even today our streaming services plagued with narratives of crime and suffering, mixed with the complexities of romance and flourishing over the idea of revenge and loss. The Big Heat is not much different, in its narrative that surrounds a police officer that appears to get a little too close when it comes to asking the right questions regarding the wrong case. Its narrative displays the justice in which one man void of corruption slowly becomes corrupt in his pursuit for revenge and answers after the mob attacks his home directly. Similar structure to John Wick, I guess! Though our protagonist slowly pieces things together, destined to not just bring revenge for his losses, but to dish out justice and rid the corruption from the city.
It is a very simple narrative, one that does not require much character development or context for obvious reasons. I quite liked it, its runtime was quite short, and it seems that each piece of the story did what it intended to do and did not dive into areas of character development and story that just were not necessary. There was some questions of right and wrong and how corruption leads to more corruption, but it was placed into the narrative where two characters ultimately come together despite their conflicting pasts.
Character performances are great and ultimately what is to be expected from a film from this era, where there are definitely areas of theatre visible, where the camera's aspect ratio results in an enclosed frame where characters often face the camera or stand in a similar stance as if to be talking to the audience directly. Camera angles themselves utilise the areas of depth-of-field where backgrounds are taken advantage of, utilising the foreground as well as characters talk or move from one area of the room to another. I have always quite liked this style, it's very simple but the downside often is a lack of separation from the background when it could be taken advantage of in close-ups.
Some films of that era did do this and did so very well, other directors chose to continue the trend. And it is no surprise with the technical capabilities of cameras back then, where they were large, very heavy, and stood fixed on a tripod, only certain movements available at an axis. But this simplicity on its own is what makes films such as The Big Heat so entertaining. It doesn't do more than it needs to, and the result is more emphasis on performances and the story itself. Which The Big Heat certainly concentrates on. And within this story is the clashing of greed and justice, where mobs run rampant with their power over government, using their authority to shut down interest in the areas that clearly deserve more attention. Where pushing the wrong person a bit too far might result in a whole new series of complications as revenge becomes their primary goal.
I mentioned already how the technical capabilities of filmmakers in the past were much more limited, and how simplicity often feels much more refreshing in a story that aims to do nothing more than tell its story and leave. I really love this sometimes, some of my favourite films tend to be ones in which the runtime is short and the characters are given just enough time on the screen. There's no need for exposition, there is no need for characters that serve no purpose in portraying the emotions and context of the characters that provides context regarding their decisions. In The Big Heat, revenge is at the heart of the protagonist, but we even see through very small scenes the fact that he has a child to take care of. We see that there is a balance between the want for revenge and the pursuit of that revenge in manners that are smart and through justice.
Much of these tighter scripts and more emotional, in-depth directing styles is a result of technical limitations. Where budgets did not need to be that high, and stories were the priority over something such as special effects or blatant exposition to justify longer runtimes. Audiences certainly had better attention spans back then, and fortunately the technology was at the right stage to account for it.
I definitely would not say that this film is amazing, it will definitely be forgotten quite soon. But I really appreciate what it did do, and how. It is refreshing, and a look back into the world of filmmaking when it was not so convoluted. We could definitely learn a few things from The Big Heat, and other films of the past, going forward. As budgets inflate and studios seek cheaper stories to tell with less risk attached.
Greetings friends, this is a very old movie, you already have a few years since it came out, even if they are still classic film, as they were recorded in black and white, a theme that has to talk about and even a series of problems that happen during the narration of the same. It is also full of suspense and action. A pleasure to have read you my friend.
One question: Are any of these actors still alive?
I would be incredibly surprised to see it. The film came out in 1953 and its cast seemed to be in their 30s at the least.
I understand you perfectly friend, there are things that sometimes do not fit me in the movies that come out in the current year, as there are movies that have come out this year that really have been bad, some that do not even cause them to make a publication, instead of the time before, always brought good movies, I even remember when the TV series called the fox came out.
Who did not like the fox at that time?
Have you ever seen him? I will leave an image of this character here.