They Live by Night (1949)
100 %
Reviews Counted: 14 Fresh: 14 Rotten:0 Average Rating: 7.7/10
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Synopsis: The original classic about crime, love, and rebellious youth, and the inspiration for countless films that followed in its footsteps. An escaped prisoner falls in love with a poor girl and, despite the odds against him, marries her. But the authorities relentlessly pursue these... [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Cathy O'Donnell, Farley Granger, Howard Da Silva, Jay C. Flippen, Helen Craig
Buy It On DVD
Reviews
1 - 14 (sorted by date)
There's no attempt at sugarcoating a happy ending, and yarn moves towards its inevitable, tragic climax without compromise.
Comment
10/22/07
Top Critic
Passionate, lyrical, and imaginative, it's a remarkably assured debut, from the astonishing opening helicopter shot that follows the escaped convicts' car to freedom, to the final, inexorably tragic climax.
06/24/06
Ray writes and directs with easy assurance, propelling the plot forward to its unbearably doomy, inevitable conclusion.
05/24/03
Although it -- like others -- is misguided in its sympathies for a youthful crook, this crime-and-compassion melodrama has the virtues of vigor and restraint.
05/20/03
Top Critic
Beautifully acted, They Live by Night stands today as one of the most poignant and unforgettable noirs ever made.
01/01/00
A key film noir of the 40s, this was Nicholas Ray's first film as a director (1949), and the freshness of his expressionist-documentary style is still apparent and gripping.
01/01/00
Top Critic1 - 14 (sorted by date)
Related Forums
THEY LIVE BY NIGHT is the 1st Hollywood film to utilize a helicopter-mounted camera!
by: Darko, Donnie 8/4/07
by: Darko, Donnie 8/4/07
IGN RSS Feeds