The Film Ink series presents the novels that inspired the work of some of the most celebrated directors of our time. While each novel is first and ...
read full description
reviews
Jul 26, 2011
Philip
rated it: 
Of course I'm reading a 1946 first edition copy from Morrow, not the paperback reprint shown here...
BUILD MY GALLOWS HIGH became one of Hollywood's top Film Noir thrillers, OUT OF THE PAST, with unforgettable performances from Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, and the under-rated Jane Greer as Kathie Moffat (in a performance that should have been Oscar-nominated: one of the great "bad girl" performances of all time).
I've already read this at least once, but picked i More...
BUILD MY GALLOWS HIGH became one of Hollywood's top Film Noir thrillers, OUT OF THE PAST, with unforgettable performances from Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas, and the under-rated Jane Greer as Kathie Moffat (in a performance that should have been Oscar-nominated: one of the great "bad girl" performances of all time).
I've already read this at least once, but picked i More...
Jun 14, 2011
Willem
rated it: 
Hidden between the high Nevada mountain slumbers a quiet town called Bridgewater. Retired private eye Red Bailey wastes his days away fishing and mending his gas station, until one day a man shows up at his job and introduces Red to one final job to solve. An assignment that started ten years ago with a suitcase filled with cash and a beautiful woman on the run for a powerful mobster. There was no way Red could’ve brought the affair to a successful ending then and he’ll have to be as cunning as
More...
Oct 24, 2011
Jim
rated it:
There is huge disagreement among film buffs, scholars, the general public, and marketers about what is and isn't film noir. (I'm of the more selective school that says that a film isn't noir just because it's in black-and-white and it's about crime. To me, noir, in a vast oversimplfication, means one thing about the protagonist: he's screwed. If your hero survives or wins the girl and solves the case, then there's a good chance it's not film noir. But, as I said, there's a lot of argument a
More...
4 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Aug 02, 2011
Bernard
rated it:
"Out of the Past" which is based on this book is the quintessential film noir. I like other film noirs better (though I like a lot of them a lot), but this has all the features you'd expect in film noir. The book is pretty good, but is not as good as the film adaptation, just as the reverse is true with James Cain's "The Postman Always Rings Twice" -- the book is better than any adaptations (though the Italian "Ossessione" is pretty impressive).
Jul 16, 2011
Nate
rated it: 
This book is entertaining. It contains every cliche from every noir movie made in the 40s and 50s. Worth the read, but not the greatest book ever.
Jun 21, 2011
Tony
rated it:
Well, I guess I followed all of that (more or less). Mumsie's a weird name for a fatale btw...
Feb 04, 2012
Laura
rated it:
This is the book upon which one of my favorite noir movies is based. Although it differs in many ways from the movie, including the way the story ends, the book ia a classic in itself. The author, Georffrey Homes, adapted the book to the screenplay and did an incredible job. He fleshed out the characters in his screenplay and made it even more hard hitting, in my opinion. I enjoyed the book for the work itself and highly recommend it to lovers of noir.
Feb 21, 2012
M
rated it:
For the record; 4-Stars: Mitch wrote a 5,000 word essay on the novel BUILD MY GALLOWS HIGH and the film made from it, OUT OF THE PAST. If you have any interest in reading it, please contact him directly.
Feb 19, 2012
Feb 18, 2012
Feb 18, 2012
Feb 10, 2012
Feb 07, 2012
Feb 01, 2012
Jan 23, 2012
Nov 17, 2011
Oct 26, 2011
Oct 24, 2011
Oct 03, 2011
Sep 19, 2011
Jun 28, 2011
