"Now Listen to Me..."
Just some thoughts on current happenings:
Classic film screenings from around the world this November include:
In London, United Kingdom The Prince Charles Cinema will present Brief Encounter (1945, a 35mm print) Wednesday, November 12, Apocalypse Now [Final Cut] (1979, a 4K presentation) Wednesday, November 12, Taxi Driver (1976, a 35mm print) Saturday, November 15 and Tuesday, November 25, Inception (2010, a 35mm print) Monday, November 17, Heat (1995, a 35mm print) Friday, November 21, Harakiri (1962) Sunday, November 23, and Full Metal Jacket (1987, a 35mm print) on Sunday, November 23.
* Note: Some of the showtimes are matinees only.
Click on the film’s respective image for more information. To see November’s complete programming, click on The Prince Charles Cinema banner above.
In Culpeper Virginia, The Library of Congress at the Packard Campus Theater is presenting Down Argentine Way (1940, a 35mm print) on Thursday, November 13.
Click on the poster image for more information on this film’s screening. To see the rest of November’s schedule, click on the Packard Campus image above.
Noir City will take place in Philadelphia, P.A. from November 14 - 16.
This year’s programme reads:
NOIR CITY: Philadelphia returns to The Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, November 14-16, 2025, for a three-day extravaganza. Join FNF president Eddie Muller for a film noir lineup that shines the spotlight on women whose cinematic legacy is entwined with film noir. Several of this year’s films star additional actresses profiled in Muller’s Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir — Ella Raines, Ruth Roman, and Jan Sterling
Festival highlights include three rarely screened films: tiki-noir Hell’s Half Acre (1954) with Evelyn Keyes and Marie Windsor, John Farrow’s Faustian tale Alias Nick Beal (1949) with Audrey Totter, and Max Ophüls’ suspenseful 1949 film The Reckless Moment featuring one of Joan Bennett’s finest performances. A 35mm restoration performed by UCLA Film & Television Archive and funded by the FNF will also play: Joseph Losey’s The Prowler (1951), written by Dalton Trumbo with Van Heflin and Evelyn Keyes in the leads.
Click on the above image for more information.
Viridiana
LE HEIST FRANÇAIS
In New York City, New York, Film Forum is presenting
Viridiana (1961, a New 4K Restoration) Friday, November 14 – Thursday, November 20
LE HEIST FRANÇAIS
Friday, November 21 – Thursday, December 4
The programme reads:
LE HEIST FRANÇAIS, a two-week, 12-film festival of French heist classics will run in celebration of the 70th anniversary of Jules Dassin’s RIFIFI, the 1955 masterpiece of French Film Noir.
Blacklisted Hollywood exile Jules Dassin—raised in East Harlem—went to France and turned a Spillane-esque potboiler by Auguste Le Breton into an existential heist film that earned him the Best Director prize at Cannes and set the standard for screen robberies for decades to come. Jean Servais is poker-faced gangster Tony le Stéphanois, back from prison after taking a rap for Jo le Suédois (Carl Möhner), and ready to settle a few scores. First up is former mistress Mado (Marie Sabouret), whom he strips and whips in one of the most shocking scenes of any era; then it’s on to masterminding a jewelry heist with comrades Möhner, Robert Manuel, and safecracker “César the Milanese” (director Dassin himself using the pseudonym “Perlo Vita”) before the gang is undone by crime and circumstance.
A worldwide smash, RIFIFI was one of the first films to transcend the crime genre with its groundbreaking juxtaposition of sudden violence, casual humor, and unsavory sexual situations, as well as its generally amoral outlook—including the depiction of a drug addict and the realistic depiction of criminal methodology—all of which led to its condemnation by the Legion of Decency, its outright banning in several countries, and an enduring place in the pantheon of Film Noir. The famous robbery scene—a tense 30-minute sequence without dialogue or music—went on to become an obvious influence on films from RESERVOIR DOGS to MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2, and the word “Rififi” was subsequently stolen for titles of various non-related thrillers.
LE HEIST FRANÇAIS also includes the greatest of the genre: Godard’s free-associative meditation on the gangster movie BAND OF OUTSIDERS (1964), starring Anna Karina; Jacques Becker’s French policier TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI (1954), a poignant look at friendship and betrayal starring Jean Gabin, Jeanne Moreau, and Lino Ventura (in his debut); Claude Sautet’s penetrating study of a tough guy at the end of his rope CLASSE TOUS RISQUES (1960), starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Lino Ventura; Philippe de Broca’s spy movie spoof THAT MAN FROM RIO (1964), starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Françoise Dorléac; and the work of the undisputed master of the genre, Jean-Pierre Melville’s BOB LE FLAMBEUR (1955), UN FLIC (1972), LE DEUXIEME SOUFFLE(1966), LE CERCLE ROUGE (1970); and more.
Click on the respective film image for more information and on the Film Forum banner for other motion pictures playing this month.
In Palo Alto California, The Stanford Theatre continues with their extensive programme on Classic Westerns. The presentations consist of double bills, all on 35mm film, often with live organ performances before the features begin. This month’s highlight is High Noon (1952, a 35mm print) paired with Man of the West (1958, a 35mm print) on Saturday, November 15 and Sunday, November 16.
Click on the above image for the entire programme.
In theatres across the U.S. Flashback Cinema is presenting The Sound of Music (1965, as part of this film’s 60th Anniversary) on Saturday, November 15, Sunday, November 16 and Wednesday, November 19.
Click on the poster image for more information on this screening. To see the entire month’s programming, click on The Flashback Cinema banner above.
In Como (part of greater Perth) Western Australia, The Revival House will present Blow (2001, a 35mm print) Sunday, November 16, and Jailhouse Rock (1957, a 35mm print) on Sunday, November 30 at 2 pm only.
Click on the respective poster image for more information on these screenings. To see the other films showing this month, click on the theatre banner above.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
In San Francisco, California, The Roxie Theatre will present Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977, as part of their tribute to the late Diane Keaton) on Sunday, November 16 at 2:45 pm only.
For more information on this showing, click on the movie image above. For more information on the other films being presented at The Roxie, click on the theatre picture.
In Auckland, New Zealand, Academy Cinemas is presenting Little Murders (1971) on Tuesday, November 18.
To obtain more information on any of this programme, click on the respective poster image. To see November’s complete schedule, click on the Academy banner above.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
In Los Feliz (part of greater Los Angeles) California, The American Cinematheque Los Feliz 3 Theatre will present Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977, as part of their ‘Starring Diane Keaton’ series) on Thursday, November 20.
For more information on this programme, click on the film image above. To see the entire month of November’s programming including other films showing at The Los Feliz 3 Theatre in Los Feliz, The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood (also part of greater Los Angeles), and the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica (also part of greater Los Angeles), click on the American Cinematheque banner.
The Chase
In Bergen, Norway The Cinemateket i Bergen will present The Chase (1966, a 35mm print, as part of their tribute to the late Robert Redford) on Friday, November 21 and Wednesday, November 26.
For more information on this film’s showing, click on the movie image above. For further information on the other films being presented at The Cinemateket, click on the banner image above.
Barry Lyndon
In Detroit, Michigan The Redford Theatre will present Barry Lyndon (1975, a 35mm print, as part of this film’s 50th Anniversary) on Friday, November 21.
Click on the top image for more information. To see the entire month’s programming, click on The Redford Theatre banner above.
La Dolce Vita
In Valencia, Spain, Culturarts Generalitat IVAC – La Filmoteca at the Edificio Rialto will present La Dolce Vita (1960, a 35mm print, as part of their MASTROIANNI CENTENARY series) on Saturday, November 22 and Tuesday, November 25.
Click on the film’s image for more information on this screening. To discover more of November’s programming including other films playing in Valencia, Spain at the Edificio Rialto, Castelló, Spain at the Raval Theatre and the Paranimf of the Universitat Jaume I, and in Alicante Spain at the Arniches Theatre, click on the banner image above.
In Los Angeles, California The Beverly Cinema will present Goodfellas (1990, a 35mm print) on Friday, November 28, Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30.
Click on the poster image for more information on this presentation. To see the rest of November’s schedule, click on The Beverly Cinema banner above.
Brief Encounter
In Sydney, Australia The Ritz Theatre will present Brief Encounter (1945) on Saturday, November 29 at 2 pm only.
Click on the film image for more information on this screening. For other films playing at The Ritz Theatre, click on the banner above.
These are the reviewed films showing on Turner Classic Movies in the U.S. for the remainder of this month:
Espionage fans should have a look through 1965’s The Ipcress File, reviewed here and discoverable Wednesday, November 12 at 7:30 pm PST. They will also discover why I chose "Now Listen to Me..." as the title of my monthly column.
(From left) Gordon Jackson, Michael Caine
MGM's 1952 musical Singin' in the Rain was not adapted from a theatrical production though the film was later turned into one being first presented on stage in 1983. Its abundant creativity, innovation and driving energy place this film at the top of all musicals ever produced. Singin' in the Rain has been reviewed here as a Blu-ray selection and will dance its way onto TCM Thursday, November 13 at 6:15 pm PST.
Fans of film noir who haven't seen John Brahm's 1946 The Locket do not want to miss the opportunity to experience this hypnotically mesmerising drama. A previous recommendation here, The Locket is a dream-like journey crying out to be discovered. The locket can be found Friday, November 14 at 9 am PST.
There have been quite a few movies centred around boxing over the years from 1937’s Kid Galahad to 2018’s Creed II with plenty of standouts in-between such as 1947’s Body and Soul, 1956’s Somebody Up There Likes Me, 1962’s Requiem for a Heavyweight, 1972’s Fat City and 1980’s Raging Bull. None of these, however, get as straight to the punchline as 1949’s knockout noir The Set-Up, previously reviewed here. It’s happening Saturday, November 15 at 12:30 pm PST.
My next TCM recommendation for the month is, for many experts, the final film noir released during the classification's classic time period (1940 - 1959), Orson Welles' stylistically assertive Touch of Evil (1958).
(From left) Orson Welles, Charlton Heston
I have previously written about how there came to be several different versions of this noir extravaganza especially as it concerns the ingenious opening sequence in Main Title Inspirations No. 2 Touch of Evil. Viewers can compare the introduction's bold visual display to the equally superlative use of sound at this film's conclusion when Touch of Evil airs Saturday, November 15 at 2 pm PST.
A true romance film and of the highest artistic calibre has been reviewed in Opening Up a Treasure: Brief Encounter (1945). Director David Lean's stirring "encounter" will begin on Sunday, November 16 at 9:45 am PST.
Dark Passage (1947) is a wildly engrossing film noir that combines the best of romance with the best of noir in the best location for both: San Francisco. Previously endorsed as a Blu-Ray release here, Bogart will make his dark (rite of) passage Monday, November 17 at 1 pm PST.
That’s Humphrey Bogart as Vincent Parry standing at the crossroads of Greenwich Street (behind him leading to Coit Tower) and Hyde where he will soon board the Hyde cable car. This will take him to its final stop: the turntable turnaround at Powell Street and Market (seen below).
My next TCM recommendation is a fairly well known thriller from the 1970s starring Dustin Hoffman. Marathon Man (1976) also happens to be one of this site’s Top Ten Guilty Treasures here and will run on TCM Wednesday, November 19 at 7:15 pm PST.
Dustin Hoffman
Lee Marvin stars in the explosive and stylish thriller Point Blank (1967). I find it fascinating that Lee Marvin's badass Walker, with the high body count he seems responsible for, doesn't directly kill anyone in the entire picture. "Was it a dream?" Point Blank, first lauded here, will hit TCM Thursday, November 20 at 5 pm PST.
Lee Marvin as Walker “walking”
If I was in charge of choosing a single film noir for someone only willing to see one in the entire canon, I would select Double Indemnity (1944) as its most fulfilling and accomplished representative. It has been previously reviewed in Opening Up a Treasure: Double Indemnity. Thoughts of adultery, greed and murder will manifest themselves on TCM Saturday, November 22 at 5 pm PST.
Next up is a film not often shown on TCM and a review which is sure to have some “unfriend” me in our Facebook chat room: 1974’s Chinatown. “It’s okay with me” if one has a go at this critic but please see the film first and have a read of what I actually wrote before doing so. Chinatown was previously reviewed here and can be visited Saturday, November 22 at 7 pm PST.
(From left) Jack Nicholson, John Huston
For those who enjoy the best in creative romantic comedy, be sure to tune in for 1959’s Pillow Talk (reviewed here) Tuesday, November 25 at 5 pm PST.
Doris Day, Rock Hudson
Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten
The next TCM recommendation has been reviewed in Opening Up a Treasure: The Night of the Hunter. This highly expressionistic Grimm-like fable, released in 1955, appears as if conveyed from a child's point of view. The "hunter" will call Saturday, November 29 at 5 pm PST.
Robert Mitchum
Next up is director John Frankenheimer’s subtle but evocative character study The Gypsy Moths released in 1969. I have previously written about some of this film’s exceptional qualities in a recommendation of its soundtrack here. The Gypsy Moths will take to the skies Sunday, November 30 at 2:45 pm PST.
(From left) Gene Hackman, Burt Lancaster, Scott Wilson
TCM's current schedule can be seen by clicking on any of the above TCM related images. To confirm the correct Pacific Standard (West Coast) showtime information, subtract 3 hours from the Eastern Standard (East Coast) showtime listed on TCM’s schedule.
A Happy Birthday shout-out to the talented and beautiful Cathy Moriarty who turns 65 on November 29th.
She made an impressive natural acting debut as Vickie La Motta in Raging Bull (1980) and subsequently enlivened the films Neighbors (1981), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Soapdish (1991), The Mambo Kings (1992), Matinee (1993), Forget Paris (1995), Foxfire (1996), Cop Land (1997), Gloria (1999), Crazy in Alabama (1999), Analyze That (2002), and Saint Nick of Bethlehem (2024).
November's Soundtrack recommendation is Citizen Kane (1988) with its legendary music by Bernard Herrmann.
Bernard Herrman’s iconic score conveys all of the considerable emotional wealth and diverse dynamics inherent in Orson Welles’ stunning directorial debut. I have addressed this film’s strengths in a previously written article here.
Quartet Records, in collaboration with Fifth Continent Music Classics, is presenting this remastered reissue of the prestigious 1991 recording of Bernard Herrmann’s sumptuous score performed by the Australian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Tony Bremner.
The album has been remixed and remastered on Super Audio CD playable on any CD player, although those with an SACD system will enjoy higher fidelity.
This limited release (only 1000 units produced) is currently available from Intrada Records by clicking on the accompanying image.
Hidden Gem #33, The Fire Within a.k.a. Le Feu Follet is this month’s Blu-ray recommendation, briefly reviewed here.
Click on the video image below for more information on this superb Region B release from Umbrella Entertainment newly available from JB Hi-Fi in Australia.
A.G.