The Big Night
Noir and the Blacklist
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1h 15m
Directed by Joseph Losey • 1951 • United States
Starring John Drew Barrymore, Preston Foster, Joan Lorring
The last film director Joseph Losey made in Hollywood before being blacklisted is both a searing crime drama and a sensitive loss-of-innocence tale, bristling with hard-hitting social critique and impactful images. When George La Main (John Drew Barrymore) witnesses his father submit to a beating by local big shot Al Judge (Howard St. John), his teenage world implodes. Enraged, George sets off into the city to settle the score. It’s a long and strange night for young George, filled with danger, betrayal, and eye-opening revelations. But when he finally finds Judge, the night takes an explosive turn.
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