Product Description: An in-depth look at the inspiration behind the greatest crime films ever made. Real-life bank robbers, twisted serial killers, and pulp novels have all helped shape the world of crime cinema. From Kiss Me Deadly, Bonnie & Clyde and Psycho, to The Godfather and L...read more

'The main body examines the filmmakers, actors, technicians, writers and producers who were responsible for FBI films, following the FBI from birth of a cultural icon in the 1930s, through the war years and the threat of the Red Menace, and death of Hoover and scandals of the 1960s. Studio correspondence and once confidential FBI memos are included'--Provided by publisher.

Highlighting various genres of film, a comprehensive guide to the greatest crime movies of all time traces the history of the genre and its sub-genres and examines murder mysteries, gangster and heist films, blaxploitation, noir, and others, including The Godfather trilogy, The Maltese Falcon, L.A. Confidential, and other influential works. Original.

'This comprehensive examination provides a critical-historical analysis of law enforcement in American cinema. From High Noon to The Empire Strikes Back, it examines the police in their many incarnations with emphasis on the ways in which lawmen are portrayed and how this portrayal changes over time'--Provided by publisher.

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Product Description: Focusing on ten films that span the range of the twentieth century, Thomas Leitch traces the transformation of three figures common to all crime films: the criminal, the victim and the avenger. He shows how the distinctions among them become blurred throughout the course of the century, reflecting and fostering a deep social ambivalence towards crime and criminals...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)