Born to Kill

Lawrence Tierney is a sexy beast with a violent, jealous, ambitious nature and the shortest of all possible fuzes in one of the most acerbic film noirs ever made. Helmed by the usually mild-mannered Robert Wise, this wonderfully grubby little melodrama stars Claire Trevor as a duplicitous dame who can't help but fall for Tierney's brutish masculinity. One of the most intriguing aspects of this picture is that it's a noir told from the femme fatal's point of view. And from her vantage point, it's everyone else who is corrupting her and leading to her downfall. The terrific supporting cast includes Elisha Cook Jr., Audrey Long, and Isabel Jewell. As well as memorable turns by Esther Howard as a beer-lovin’ old Reno landlady, and Walter Slezak as a portly PI.