‘Out of the Past’, directed by Jacques Tourneur, starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas, is considered one of the greatest Film Noir movies of all time. It is based on “Build My Gallows High”, a novel by Daniel Mainwaring, who also wrote the film’s screenplay.

When it comes to qualifying as Film Noir, ‘Out of the Past’ checks almost all the boxes with flying colors.

The male archetype of a morally ambiguous hero, hiding a dark past, who becomes the inevitable patsy for the Femme Fatale, is embodied in Jeff Markham, played by Mitchum, one of the greatest and most versatile thespians of all time.

Of course, there is the Femme Fatale, Kathie (Jane Greer), who manipulates the protagonist as a pawn in her own sinister game. And then there is the social ideal, the girl next door, Ann Miller (Virginia Huston), the one who loves the protagonist, another female archetype of noir.

As for film noir themes, there is the protagonist seeking retribution, and murder, seduction, and betrayal are all part of the plot. Despite sharing commonalities with other Film Noir Universes, ‘Out of the Past’ stands out because of the strong performances from its cast, its well-defined characters, and riveting plotline.

The movie opens with a mysterious stranger accosting a young lad at a gas station in Bridgeport, a small town in California. The stranger claims to be a former acquaintance of the gas station owner, Jeff Bailey (Mitchum), and wants to meet Joe. The mute and deaf young man smells a rat and indicates to the stranger that Jeff is away.

Jeff, who has recently moved to Bridgeport, is with Ann Miller, a resident of the town, at a scenic picnic spot. The young man (Dickie Moore), addressed as ‘The Kid’, informs Jeff in sign language about the stranger who wants to meet him. Realizing that he has limited options, Jeff meets the stranger, Joe Stefanos, and learns that a former employer of Jeff needs him to complete a certain assignment.

Jeff now realizes that he is being dragged into a dark past that he has been trying to erase. Jeff decides that he must resolve this past rather than hide from it and bids farewell to Ann. Jeff’s past, which he narrates to Ann before leaving, is presented through a flashback.

Jeff, whose real last name is Markham, worked with a partner, Fisher (Steve Brodie), as a private investigator. A powerful gambler, Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas), employs Jeff to find a former moll, Kathie (Greer), who has allegedly shot at Whit and taken $40,000 of his money.

Jeff finds Kathie in Acapulco and, as expected, is drawn to her. Kathie admits to shooting Whit but denies stealing his money. Jeff begins an affair with her, and the two lovers plan to abscond and begin a new life. Whit makes a surprising visit to Acapulco with his sidekick and meets with Jeff, who convinces him that Kathie is no longer in Acapulco.

Jeff’s partner, Fisher, who has also been hired by Whit to find Kathie, barges in on Jeff and Kathie just as they plan their escape. Fisher blackmails them, exposing their intentions to Whit for a share of the money Kathie has stolen. The men get involved in a fistfight when Kathie shoots Fisher dead and immediately leaves the scene, abandoning Jeff.

Jeff then finds a passbook belonging to Kathie with a balance of $40,000. Realizing that he has been played, Jeff hides Fisher’s body and finds refuge in Bridgeport as the owner of a gas station. With Whit’s assistant’s reentry into his quiet life, Jeff decides that he must face Whit and resolve his past with the dangerous gambler.

To Jeff’s surprise, Whit seems delighted to see him and warmly welcomes him. Jeff is then shocked to see that Kathie has now returned to Whit. Jeff does not show any signs of anger at Kathie’s double-crossing him. Whit then proceeds to tell Jeff that he wants him to take on another assignment.

Whit’s attorney, Leonard Eels, who helped him hide a million dollars in taxes, is now blackmailing him using incriminating documents. Whit now wants Jeff to retrieve those documents. Eels’s secretary, an ally of Whit, is to help Jeff with the endeavor.

Jeff’s instincts tell him that he is being set up again. Can Jeff make it out unscathed a second time? Can he survive Kathie’s devilish charms a second time? The rest of the plot, through twists and turns, ends in the inevitable doom that is part and parcel of film noir.

Mitchum plays his character to perfection, transitioning from the unassuming Jeff Bailey to the polished, hard-boiled Markham. Jane Greer’s performance establishes her as one of the quintessential Femme Fatales of Noir. Kirk Douglas’s portrayal of the elegant and cunning Whit is also impressive. The rest of the ensemble cast also provides fine performances. The film packs classic film noir cinematography with beautiful imagery of California and Acapulco blended with indoor scenes of darkness and shadow. ‘Out of the Past’ is Film Noir at its best and should not be missed.