Description
Book SynopsisOrson Welles' classic 1958 noir movie
Touch of Evil, the story of a corrupt police chief in a small town on the Mexican-American border, starring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh and Marlene Dietrich, is widely recognised as one of the greatest noir films of Classical Hollywood cinema. Richard Deming's study of the film considers it as an outstanding example of the noir genre and explores its complex relationship to its source novel, Badge of Evil by Whit Masterson. He traces the film's production history, and provides an insightful close analysis of its key scenes, including its famous opening sequence, a single take in which the camera follows a booby-trapped car on its journey through city streets and across the border.
Trade ReviewEngaging… It combines a blow-by-blow account of the thriller’s troubled production with a thoughtful rebuttal to Paul Schrader’s description of it as “film noir’s epitaph”, while Orson Welles’ shadow inevitably looms large. * Total Film *
“[The] BFI Film Classics… make a welcome return with Richard Deming’s excellent study of
A Touch of Evil. Orson Welles’s 1958 noir is justly celebrated by film aficionados, though its meandering plot has puzzled many viewers. Deming's book is a fine guide for the perplexed * The Best American Poetry blog *
In this contribution to the BFI Film Classics series, Richard Deming explores what makes
Touch of Evil so intricate and so knowing as a parable of idealism dying many deaths… Deming ably conveys just how visceral the film is. * Times Literary Supplement *
Table of ContentsPreface: Touching Back on Touch of Evil. 1. Noir's Epitaph 2. Scene analysis 3. Characters and themes 4. Final stages and legacy Credits Bibliography Index
