Touch of Evil

by Richard Deming

Orson Welles' classic 1958 noir movie Touch of Evil, the story of a corrupt police chief in a small town on the Mexican-American border, starring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh and Marlene Dietrich, is widely recognised as one of the greatest noir films of Classical Hollywood cinema. Richard Deming's study of the film considers it as an outstanding example of the noir genre and explores its complex relationship to its source novel, Badge of Evil by Whit Masterson. He traces the film's production history, and provides an insightful close analysis of its key scenes, including its famous opening sequence, a single take in which the camera follows a booby-trapped car on its journey through city streets and across the border.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

104 pages, Paperback

Published May 28, 2020

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of many things to love about this BFI series, is that it's perfect to 'catch up' on your classics - you watch a film you've always wanted to see, and then read the accompanying book from the series. (I've already ordered a couple of other titles.)

So I did exactly this for Touch of Evil - I watched the revised edition. Beautiful film, of course, and genuinely thrilling. The book explains a lot of the trouble the film encountered, be it from the studio or from Welles'.. lets say, temperament. Unsurprisingly, much of the book is on the opening scene, which is one long traveling shot.

The author links the film to expressionism, but I feel he doesn't explain this very well. Overall I felt that the book didn't go deep enough - just before I read Rosemary's Baby in the same series, and that had some genuinely eye-opening analysis. I missed that here.

3.5 stars

(Kindly received an ARC from Bloomsbury Academic through NetGalley)

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.

TOUCH OF EVIL by Richard Deming is an interesting analysis of the classic noir movie “Touch of Evil” starring and directed by Orson Wells in comparison to the novel that inspired it, “Badge of Evil” by Whit Masterson.

I took a chance on this one as I’d read novels by Richard Deming that I liked, and am glad I did as I enjoy analyzing both books and films, especially in the noir genre.

Recommended to fans of noir and movies made from novels.

4 stars

[Jeff Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Charlton Heston playing a Mexican policeman, and suitably 'made up'...this film is unlikely to get much airtime in the 2020's...which is a terrible shame and makes me a very lucky man to have seen this on the big screen.

'Touch of Evil' is one of the greatest and most influential films ever made - don't take my word for it - Truffaut and Godard said so as well...Thankfully Richard Deming also loves this film and you can tell from the enthusiasm and insight he brings to these pages - yet another welcome addition to the BFI catalogue. What really struck me is the choice and placement of pictures that accompanied the text; more than the usual 'here is a frame showing what I'm talking about' - there is real thought and artistry in how this book is being presented.

I say nothing about the film...if you've seen it - read this; if you haven't - buy the bluray; select the 1998 edit and press play...ideally late, on a dark, hot night...(and then read this...)

[Peter Baran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing a BFI Classic you are setting out your stall for your chosen movie. This is why this movie is great, this is why it deserves your attention. This is why its the best movie ever made.

Actually very few do that last thing, because its madness to set that stall. But I do feel for Deming here, as he clearly loves Touch Of Evil, but knows that Citizen Kane is better. Unlike the recent monograph on Rosemary's Baby (which might not be Polanski's best film but the book used chronology and genre to obfuscate away from say Chinatown), Touch Of Evil sits there as a genre masterpiece from a director who was pretty anti-genre, a studio film which the studio undermined. Its tensions are all around adaptation, the system and its own dark cynicism. Deming does make an excellent case for the film - the film makes an excellent case for itself - but the shadow of Welles (and Kane) hangs over it.

This is the most auteurist of the recent BFI monographs I have read, and that is at least a degree justified by Welles. The book does give some time to Mancini's score, and the cinematographer but dismisses the source novel pretty quickly, and - despite Charlton Heston's role in getting Welles hired - and the presence of Janet Leigh and Marlene Dietrich, the book isn't that interested in their contribution. Instead it spends a solid amount of time wondering if Touch Of Evil (the last great noir) is actually a noir, and what its about. All the while peppering the text with the right kind of evidence for its points. This does mean however it reads more like a MA thesis than a truly personal take on the subject (which I loved about the Babette's Feast Classic). This is an essential book to have on hand if you are interested in Welles or Noir, but is much more a synthesis than much new. The discussion on the various versions skates around larger topics (what is a "true version") and never really discussing the browning up of certain actors is a mis-step when the film is partially about race and its intersection with certain star archetypes. Its a solid good bit of work on the film, and I burnt through it and of course it made me want to rewatch the film - but it lacked the special sauce that makes the best of these books.

[Netgalley ARC]

[J Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touch of Evil (BFI Film Classics) by Richard Deming is another volume in this wonderful series on classic films. This particular entry approaches Touch of Evil as not just one of the best film noirs but also as a work influenced by expressionism.

While it has been several years since the last time I saw this film it is one that stays with a viewer for a long time. It is, broadly speaking, atmospheric as much as it is a narrative. Deming delves into what exactly this atmosphere is, and just to let you know, it isn't just the usual film noir atmosphere. There is an unease one feels while watching it, as well as periodic feelings of claustrophobia. In breaking down several of the scenes we find that Welles manipulates the viewer every bit as intentionally as he directs the actors.

Because I came to this initially as a fan of noir I hadn't given a lot of thought to what other influences or schools it might fall into. Deming makes a compelling case for this being expressionism as well, heavily influenced by German expressionism in particular. If you enjoy thinking about these elements of filmmaking, you will really like this book.

In addition, what is thematically at the heart of the movie? A murder case? Good vs bad? Moral vs immoral? Are these even distinct and separate entities when they are sought in the affairs of human beings? In fact one of the reasons the film can be a little unsettling to watch is because we don't always know who to pull for, who to despise, or even that we might be no better than the characters. Deming here discusses the ways in which ambiguity is part of every aspect of the film, from the screenplay to the shots to the rationales for actions that might otherwise signal where we should align our support. Is justice done? Did justice ever stand a chance? What even is justice?

I highly recommend this to film buffs and scholars as well as the casual film fan who happens to like this movie. There is a lot to consider and future viewings will benefit from having read this.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Peter Ackerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touch of Evil is a deep dive into the classic Orson Welles film by Richard Deming. One of the great, and still underrated films of the 20th century (in my opinion) Deming takes the film loving reader through the movie, it's history, the intricacies of the production choices, as well as where it deservedly stands in the history of cinema.

What did not surprise me was how much time the author spent on the opening shot of the movie, and yet he revealed more than I have ever read or heard on the topic. Additionally, what surprised me was the writer's pairing this moving with the Maltese Falcon as ways of bookending the movie genre' of "film noir." I had never thought of Touch of Evil in that way, but the author makes a strong case for it.

Another plus about this read about the film is that the writer takes care to make it very accessible. One does not need to be a film student to understand the references, etc. In summary, if you love movies, love film noir, or love the films of Orson Welles, particularly Touch of Evil, than this book is a worthy read.

[D L · Rating 5 out of 5]

With an obvious love of the film, Richard Deming's study of Touch of Evil is a brilliant addition to the BFI's books. Starting with a brief introduction to Film Noir without going into it too much to distract from the book central source, Demming describes how Welles other films such as Citizen Kane and The Lady from Shanghai sit within this brilliant 17 year period of films and how it is now regarded by many to have culminated with Touch of Evil.
In a well-researched book, Richard Deming analysis of how Welles, along with his cinematographer Russell Metty, utilised techniques of light and camera movement/positioning to create a film packed full themes of duality and unsympathetic characters.
This is one for film fans and aficionados that will want you to go and watch Touch of Evil as soon as you have finished the last page. It also provides a good grounding for the reader to seek out Welles other films such as the lesser-known The Stranger and his great adaptation of Kafka's The Trial. Brilliant.
This book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1958 Orson Welles film, Touch of Evil, is analyzed from a filmmaker’s perspective. Unfortunately, there is little new information here. It reads like a master’s thesis regarding other’s writers’ analyses of the film. 10% of the book is the Notes section referencing other sources. Another 5% of the book is an extensive bibliography.

This book would be useful for beginning film students. It would also be interesting for fans of the movie, Touch of Evil. However, I wanted a more in depth study of the time when the movie was made. Don’t just tell me a bi-racial couple or a Mexican policeman as a hero was shocking. Show me the context of American culture at the time of the movie’s creation. 3 stars.

Thanks to British Film Institute, Bloomsbury Academic, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

I suggest you read the much better entry in this series on Rosemary’s Baby, which I rated 5 stars.

[Dan Blackley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a bunch of essays about the movie Touch of Evil. If you have seen the film, and I recommend that you do, these are critical essays about the film. Orson Welles who directed, stars and wrote the script had the film taken from him in the end. His 54 page memo was used to restore the film to its original form. There are three different versions of the film. My dvd has all three and the memo which delves into what Welles wanted.

[mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

this a book explaining the film noir classic movies, a fan of the old movies I picked this book to understand the rationale of film noir in American film , yes it really was a good book explaining the genre. I think the author took to time to research this subject, great book , thanks