Out of the Past
1947 · Movie · 97 min · ★ 7.7 · 89% critics
A gas station owner is trying to keep his life calm when a man from his past arrives and pushes him back into a dangerous underworld. What follows is a tense crime and romance story that drags him through past connections he thought were behind him.
Based on Build My Gallows High
Also known as Build My Gallows High
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Streaming on HBO Max.
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Details
- Years
- 1947
- Release date
- 1947-11-25
- Language
- English
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Critic score
- 89/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.7/10 (645 votes)
About
If you want a classic film noir with tension, romance, and a detective caught in trouble, Out of the Past is a strong pick, like The Killers or Strangers on a Train, but Not for you if you dislike convoluted flashback stories or want a perfectly satisfying ending.
Pros: classic film noir mood; memorable chemistry; sharp detective drama | Cons: plot gets convoluted; some endings feel off; can be hard to follow
Themes
- small town
- gas station
- suppressed past
- gangster
- detective
- deaf-mute
- briefcase
- deception
- femme fatale
- partner
- film noir
- black and white
- +3 more
Cast & crew
Robert Mitchum
as Jeff Bailey / Jeff Markham
Jane Greer
as Kathie Moffat
Kirk Douglas
as Whit Sterling
Paul Valentine
as Joe Stephanos
Virginia Huston
as Ann Miller
Rhonda Fleming
as Meta Carson
Richard Webb
as Jim
Steve Brodie
as Jack Fisher
Dickie Moore
as The Kid
Ken Niles
as Leonard Eels
Directed by Jacques Tourneur