Ride the Pink Horse. I had never heard of this film until my father purchased the Criterion disc for me, but I’m not surprised that this esteemed purveyor of fine cinema decided to include this underrated and fantastic film noir in their extraordinary catalog. Released in 1947, the film was directed by actor Robert Montgomery, who also starred, and was adapted for the screen by Ben Hecht (Scarface), who based his devilish script off of the novel by Dorothy B. Hughes. Co-starring Wanda Hendrix, Andrea King, and Thomas Gomex in an Oscar nominated supporting performance, the narrative centers on a war veteran who descends upon a small town in New Mexico, looking to kick some ass and take some names over the death of one of his friends. This film has a shady and shifty narrative, juicy performances, magnificently stark cinematography, and a devilish musical score to tie everything together. Montgomery was incredibly commanding in the lead role, knowing exactly how to direct himself and take full advantage of the rest of his cast and pulpy material. This is a little cinematic gem that I’m glad that I finally got around to seeing.
Podcasting Them Softly 