3 Examples of Classic Film Noir: 2 Touch of Evil

2. Touch of Evil released in 1958 by Orson Welles

While on honeymoon with his wife in Mexico a chief narcotics officer, Mike Vargas played by Charlton Heston, witnesses a car bomb go off, killing a man named Rudy Linnekar and his female friend. Horrified he testifies against ‘Uncle’ Joe Grandi played by Akim Tamiroff, a drug lord and his family, thought to be responsible. As a result Grandi and his family start to intimidate not only him but also his wife Susie, played by Janet Leigh. Things start to get even worse for Mike Vargas after he finds out that local cop Hank Quinlan played by Orson Welles, has been planting evidence. Corrupt cop Hank Quinlan and the Grandi family decided to work together to try to ruin Mike Vargas's character, starting with framing Susan Vargas with the car explosion.

Yet again this film embodies the characteristics of classic noir; bleak themes include murder, kidnapping, and police corruption. The other noir female type is that of the domestic woman, a wife or girlfriend completely opposite to the femme fatale, she is domestic and loving, which is exactly the traits Janet Leigh’s character Susie Vargas exhibits.