Out of the Past is a film noir that was released in 1947 starring Robert Mitchum as Jeff Bailey, and Jane Greer as Kathie Moffat. This was one of my favorite film noirs we have watched in the class for many reasons. The story was great for starters, but I enjoyed how they retold Jeff Bailey’s past. It was also a change of pace compared to other film noir movies there were crimes and murder but the way they introduced it in the story was enjoyable. There is the classic film noir characteristics in this movie such as shadow, sleazy characters, questionable motives and actions.

Jeff Bailey is introduced as a gas station attendant that is trying to live his life then as the movie stats his past comes for him, an old friend stops by and tells Jeff that an old employer of his Whit Sterling wants to meet with him and to go to this address. As he is on his way to Sterling’s house he tells his current girlfriend the history that has led up to this meeting. She is worried for him since she thinks he is going to be murdered for having something to do with Jack Fisher’s death and not being honest that he found Kathie while in Mexico. Jeff is surprised to see Kathie there and realizes that Whit knows the whole story that Kathie, Jeff’s femme fatale has double crossed him while taking the money and now Whit wants Jeff dead. As the story goes on Jeff realizes that it is Kathie at the root of all the problems. Jeff returns to Whit’s house to find him dead and Kathie with the smoking gun, so Jeff calls the police because he knows he is next. Kathie takes Jeff and all the money and leaves and encounters the police on the way out she shoots Jeff then she gets shoot resulting in their deaths. As the movie comes to a close Ann questions if Jeff ever loved him or was he still in love with Kathie his femme fatale.

Jeff Baliey makes for a great film noir character with morals, and a heart as he is trying to remake his life and escape his past it catches up to him and leads to his demise.