JOHN HARBOURNE - AN ARTIST WITH A PASSION FOR FILM NOIR

John Harbourne is a very talented artist from Liverpool who has a passion for film noir. In fact, he's so passionate about classic cinema, that he's drawn a series of images that depict some of his favorite films. Here, have a look at the following gallery to see a sample of his work (including information about each film). Then once you've done that, afterwards, click here to read an interview John had with The Magnificent World of Dave K.

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Directed by: John Huston, and Starred: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet.
Plot: A private detective is hired to track down a missing person, only to then get involved with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and a quest for a priceless statuette.
Tagline: A guy without a conscience! A dame without a heart!
Trivia: This 1941 crime classic was the third film version of the Dashiell Hammett novel, 'The Maltese Falcon', as the other two films were made a few years earlier. The first one was released in 1931 and starred Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels. Whereas the second more comical version was released five years later in 1936. It was called, 'Satan Met a Lady', and it starred Bette Davis and Warren William.

Double Indemnity (1944)

Directed by: Billy Wilder, and Starred: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson.
Plot: An insurance salesman lets an alluring housewife seduce him into a scheme of insurance fraud and murder that arouses the suspicion of his colleague.
Tagline: From the Moment they met it was Murder!
Trivia: 'Double Indemnity' was based on a novel of the same name written by James M. Cain, which in turn, was based on a real-life crime that occurred in 1927. In this real-life scenario, a married woman, named Ruth Snyder, persuaded her boyfriend, Judd Gray, to kill her husband, Albert, after having him take out a big insurance policy.

Out of the Past (1947)

Directed by: Jacques Tourneur, and Starred: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas.
Plot: A private eye escapes from his past by relocating to a small town and running a gas station there. But after a while, his past catches up with him, and now he must return to the big, bad city full of danger, corruption, and duplicitous dames.
Tagline: A guy without a fortune! A girl with too much past!
Trivia: When 'Out of the Past' was initially released in the UK (circa 1947), it was given the title, 'Build My Gallows High', which was the name of the 1946 novel this film was based on. A novel written and then adapted for the silver screen by Daniel Mainwaring.

The Third Man (1949)

Directed by: Carol Reed, and Starred: Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Alida Valli, and Trevor Howard.
Plot: A pulp novelist travels to shadowy, post-war Vienna, and gradually finds himself investigating the mysterious death of an old friend.
Tagline: HUNTED... By a thousand men! Haunted... By a lovely girl!
Trivia: During pre-production, one of the producers of 'The Third Man', David O. Selznick, wanted to hire Robert Mitchum to play the part of Holly Martins, while its director, Carol Reed, preferred James Stewart instead. But because Mitchum was suddenly busted for possession of marijuana and Selznick refused to cast Stewart, eventually, the role went to Orson Welles's old friend, Joseph Cotten.

If you would like to see more of John's work, then please feel free to check out his official Website, Facebook, and Instagram pages, where you can buy his prints or hire John for commissions. Go on, have a look, and gleefully gaze upon his glorious gallery.