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Film

99 River Street (1953)

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Noir hounds are accustomed to a certain amount of clunky dialogue and thin characterizations — which makes a fable like 99 River Street all the more startling for its streamlined morality. Underrated B-director Phil Karlson takes the well-trod story of a wounded prizefighter and crafts a psychological powerhouse every bit the equal of Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning Raging Bull (1980). Karlson was one of a handful of Hollywood directors who excelled at many different genres — accordingly, the Pacific Film Archive screens his Cinemascope western, Gunman's Walk (1958), after this taut noir.

– Max Goldberg

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