You Think You're Funny? The Nice Guys and the Modern Film Noir

Steyn Online ^ | 21 Jan 2023 | Rick McGinnis

[Rummyfan]

If you need to understand why a modern neo-noir film like director Shane Black's The Nice Guys (2015) is as much a comedy as a story about private detectives and gruesome murders on the seedy streets of Los Angeles, the best place to start is probably Howard Hawks' The Big Sleep (1946).

Everybody acknowledges the wry humour in Raymond Chandler's novels, but Humphrey Bogart's comedic talent is a bit more underappreciated. Like any natural comedian, he had the gift of timing, though it was probably his onscreen partnership with Lauren Bacall that brought it out – the two of them were clearly having fun with the banter in their dialogue, and given the improbabilities of the storyline of The Big Sleep, it's certain that Hawks made a wise decision to stress dialogue over plot.

What made comedy so rare in classic film noir was, yes, the simple fact that chemistry and talent like Bogart and Bacall's weren't something you could rely on, but also squeamishness at getting laughs while the bodies piled up. Given that standards and our shared understanding of decorum are so much lower today, it's not surprising that this isn't much of an issue anymore.

[Rummyfan]

The Nice Guys was hit-or-miss. But Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was hilarious. Hilarious.

[Jeff Chandler]

“I always hated that palm tree.”