![]() It's a great contrast to the more straightforward nicotine-addicted private eyes that swooped dames off their feet and knew how to nail a chowderhead to the wall.īut at the same time, the plot seems winding and less than grounded, hopping around the country repeatedly with relatively little in the way of weight. Night Moves makes the most of this nihilistic stance across all of its characters, setting up seemingly functional relationships only to dash them against the rocks when circumstances shift. There is certainly plenty to appreciate in the film, in particular a constant sense of exasperation and loneliness undercutting many interactions Hackman plays a jaded, smalltime private investigator and former professional football player who runs into unrelated domestic problems throughout the course of a case, finding himself isolated due to an inability to hold personal connections (despite superficial charm in spades). ![]() But the final scene is worthy of Hitchcock.Ī lot of people consider Night Moves' heavy atmosphere, defeatist tone, and style that emulates that of a Revisionist Western (but for noir) to place it firmly among the best of the neo-noirs. I've done that now, and I still have a few questions. It has been suggested by critics that this film needs to be seen twice. This is noir at its best, but it's not simplistic and easily comprehended. Harry has his suspicions about Delly's death, and he flies back to Florida, where the movie reaches its jarring climax. But shortly thereafter, Delly ends up dead, killed in a movie stunt. And Harry begins to reconcile with his wife. Delly's mother gets her a bit part in a movie. After a dead pilot inexplicably shows up in the water, Harry takes her back to Los Angeles. Harry unwisely gets involved with Paula, and Delly seems to come on to him initially, although he ends up being more of a father figure to her. None of the other performances are remarkable, but Hackman's is enough to hold our interest. Hackman is great here, a normal, straight guy trying to make his way through a world of lies and deceit. The make up artist has given Jennifer Warren a conspicuous fake tan and, of course, nobody sweats, despite the sub-tropical heat.īut Hollywood nonsense aside, the story is intriguing. In reality, people in the Keys wear bathing suits, shorts, and T shirts, except for maybe a couple of days in January. Everybody is wearing jeans and long sleeve shirts. Hollywood's idea of south Florida always amuses me. But things in Florida are out of control, big time. for Florida is to get away from her, but there's another reason: to solve a case and feel like he has some control in his life. Harry's wife is having an affair, and one of the reasons he leaves L.A. Virtually all reviews of this film are without a lot of synopsis, because it's impossible to describe the plot without spoiling it. What happens is surprising and complex, and Harry's case always seems to be several steps ahead of him. ![]() He eventually finds out that she's in the Florida Keys with her stepfather Tom Iverson (John Crawford) and his girlfriend Paula (Jennifer Warren). Gene Hackman plays Harry Moseby, an old fashioned private eye in Los Angeles, hired by an aging former movie star to find her missing 16-year old daughter Delly (Melanie Griffith, in her first starring role). It's Arthur Penn's best work since "Bonnie and Clyde" in the late 1960's. Watching the 1975 film "Night Moves" in 2021, the first things you notice are the clothes, the cars, and the antiquated technology, but that doesn't make it any less of a puzzling mystery. ![]()
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