I'll allow there are some happy endings, Ron, but a lot of them are provisional at best, often having a tacked on feeling. For example, I've always laughed at the ending of Pick Up on South Street. Pickpocket Richard Widmark is going straight after having found the love of a good woman. But how long can it last? He has not skills other than picking pockets, is totally immersed in the criminal underworld and has a long record. What will he do? How will he fit into upright society? There's a musical for Sondheim to do, follow up on those MPAA-imposed happy endings of noir films like he did with fairy tales in Into the Woods.
Mark
> To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
> From: clinton65@comcast.net
> Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:37:43 -0700
> Subject: RE: RARA-AVIS: "Noir Fiction Is About Losers, Not Private Eyes" Otto Penzler
>
> Penzler's take on it is certainly an apt one, though I'd argue with his
> conclusion:
>
> "The noir story with a happy ending has never been written, nor can it be.
> The lost and corrupt souls who populate these tales were doomed before we
> met them because of their hollow hearts and depraved sensibilities."
>
> While I like the tone and phrasing, and there is certainly an element(s) of
> truth behind his contention, I'd argue his conclusion is incorrect in
> suggesting a lack of happy ending is absolute. There have been many noir
> books that show the protagonist achieving some sense of success against the
> odds at the story's end. Yes, he may be battered and bruised and perhaps
> his methodology in reaching success was unorthodox and "depraved" -- but not
> every true noir work requires the protagonist's utter defeat.
>
> Ron C.
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com [mailto:rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com] On
> > Behalf Of Nigel Algar
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 3:32 PM
> > To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: "Noir Fiction Is About Losers, Not Private Eyes"
> Otto
> > Penzler
> >
> > Not that anyone asked me, but Otto Penzler's article is right on the
> money.
> > The sooner we forget about 'noir' as a label to slap on anything that is
> > remotely 'dark' - another over-used marketing term - the better.
> >
> > Nigel
> >
> > On 10/08/2010 22:35, "Jack Bludis" <buildsnburns@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > > You can find Otto Penzler's article by the title in the Huffington Post
> dated
> > > today 8/10/10
> > >
> > > The URL is:
> > >
> > >
> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/otto-penzler/noir-fiction-is-about-los_b_67620
> 0.
> > > html
> > >
> > > Jack Bludis
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------
> > >
> > > RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
> > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
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