Out of the Past (1947)

8.0Approved97 minDirector: Jacques Tourneur

1947 American film noir by Jacques Tourneur

Out of the Past (billed in the United Kingdom as Build My Gallows High) is a 1947 American film noir by director Jacques Tourneur and starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer and Kirk Douglas. The film was adapted by Geoffrey Homes (Daniel Mainwaring) from his 1946 novel Build My Gallows High (also written as Homes), with uncredited revisions by Frank Fenton and James M. Cain.

Its complex, fatalistic storyline, dark cinematography and classic femme fatale garnered the film critical acclaim and cult status. In 1991, the National Film Preservation Board at the Library of Congress selected Out of the Past for preservation to the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” along with 24 other films.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Out of the Past about?
Out of the Past (1947) — Jeff Bailey, small-town gas pumper, has his mysterious past catch up with him one day when he's ordered to meet with gambler Whit Sterling. En route to the meeting, he tells girlfriend Ann his story. Flashback: Once, Jeff was a private eye hired by Sterling to find his mistress K
Is Out of the Past based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Out of the Past scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.