Out of the Past (1947)

Out of the Past (released in the United Kingdom as Build My Gallows High) is a 1947 film noir directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. The film was adapted by Daniel Mainwaring (using the pseudonym Geoffrey Homes), with uncredited revisions by Frank Fenton and James M. Cain, from his novel Build My Gallows High (also written as Homes).

Film historians consider the film a superb example of film noir due to its convoluted, dark storyline, dark cinematography and classic femme fatale. The film's cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca also shot Tourneur's Cat People. In 1991, Out of the Past was added to the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Synopsis

Joe Stefanos (Paul Valentine) arrives at small, out-of-the-way Bridgeport, California, in search of Jeff Bailey (Mitchum). Jeff is away, off on a picnic with local girl Ann Miller (Virginia Huston). Stefanos sends Jeff's deaf young assistant, The Kid (Dickie Moore), off to bring Jeff back. When he arrives Stefanos informs Jeff that Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas) wants to see him. Jeff has a past with Whit which Ann is unaware of. Ann trusts Jeff implicitly, but her parents are wary, as is Jim (Richard Webb), a local police officer who is Ann's long-time admirer.

Actors