They Live by Night

The breeze on the bushes makes it obvious that a helicopter is shooting the opening scene.

Chicamaw's right eye is okay in a brief scene toward the end.

Otherwise, the eye is opaque.

The new Cadillac is seen to be covered with a tarpaulin.

When the camera swings back to it, the tarpaulin has vanished.

A brief but memorable shot at the very beginning of Nicholas Ray's "They Live By Night" shows two young lovers in a few shared moments of contentment that seem incredibly intimate, romantic and precious. It provides an arresting image primarily because of its skillful composition but also because of the way in which light and shadow are so cleverly used to create an atmosphere of warmth and tenderness.

They Live by Night, Nicholas Ray's directorial debut which he also co-wrote, offers an emotionally powerful storyline with a moody atmosphere film noir is known for. Young, naive and recently out of jail, Bowie (Farley Granger) has to survive robbing banks with experienced accomplices 'One-Eye' Chicamaw and 'T-Dub' Mansfield.

They Live By Night (1948) : Brief Review -"I think a woman is sort of like a dog".. This is a real Romantic Noir with Killer dialogues.

An adaptation of Edward Anderson's novel, "Thieves Like Us" (also filmed, later, by Robert Altman, retaining the book's title. "The Live By Night" is just right in all areas--script, cinematography, atmosphere, acting.

Dear Noir Fans, They Live by Night is not a thrilling noir by any sense of the imagination. More of a tragic drama with a few noirish characters and elements.

Nicholas Ray directed this innovative film noir that stars Farley Granger as Bowie, a young man recently escaped from prison with two older convicts(played by Jay C. Flippen & Howard Da Silva) All Bowie wants is to live with his love Keechie(played by Cathy O'Donnell) but his two cohorts won't let him, forcing him on a multi-state crime spree that mistakenly leads the police to identify Bowie as the ringleader!

I couldn't see any chemistry between Granger and O'Donnell, nor could I get past the obvious plot holes (for one, With money enough to last for years, why not just split for either coast/Canada/elsewhere where they could have just blended in?).

An okay film noir that focuses on a young convict named Bowie (Farley Granger) who is imprisoned for a killing he committed as a teenager (reckless youth) who escapes from prison. along with two seasoned older criminals.

Apparently, this is considered by many to be a Nicholas Ray classic, but quite frankly, after watching it twice (the 2nd time just to make sure I hadn't missed something the first time) I don't know why. It starts off promising enough, but from around the point where Bowie the young theif, gives Keechie a watch, the movie begins to descend into a dull and drawn out affair, made worst by its predictability.