In A Lonely Place (1950)

Re-watching an old favorite (Andrew hadn't seen it). It stars Humphrey Bogart as Hollywood screenwriter Dix Steele (who's the prime suspect in a murder investigation) and Gloria Grahame as his neighbor and alibi. Directed "through a glass darkly" by the tremendous Nicholas Ray, it is the ultimate gloomy romance. The performance of Bogart's career; a perfect encapsulation of the sour, romantic, tough loner persona that he embodies. Gloria Grahame, one of the most mysterious actresses of the golden age, has never been better or more beautiful. She's so good, you shake your head and wonder why more leading parts didn't come her way. This is Hollywood wet-dream territory, one of the loveliest films ever made.