They Live by Night

Ratings & Reviews

Jdsarmientoburgos

Cheesy and stagey but the two leads nearly make it work.

Aaron C Jones

"You only love once." Farley Granger and Cathy O'Donnell are perfect for each other in this not-quite-film-noir crime melodrama. I say not-quite-film-noir, but (not to dumb a whole genre down) it does have the repeated characteristics of a love and/or crime story with characters doomed from the beginning, showing the fragility (and wickedness) of humankind. So... Film Noir, I guess.

Matt Reddick

I loved the poetic camerawork, the tension of nearly every character, and the random crane/helicopter(?) shots.

Alexander Dunkelberger

Decent. Might have expected more from a director with a reputation like Nicholas Ray.

Ghostman

They Live by Night is one of American cinema's great debuts & introduction to one of American cinema's greatest filmmakers, the legendary Nicolas Ray. Although it has the genre trappings of a noir picture, at its heart, They Live by Night is a great romantic picture. It's a beautiful film about young lovers struggling to be together in an unjust world where material value is more important than people & love; [cont.]

Daniel S.

An incredible collection of supporting roles behind a pre- James Dean / Natalie Wood couple. Masterpiece.

Eleanor Abernathy

not great but i good watch.

VincentVendetta

I used to wonder what attracts American filmmakers to the lovers on the run sub-genre through the years, and through the tragic, fresh eyes of Nicholas Ray it all makes sense. It is the story of youth, of a new generation hoping against hope to escape the violent sins of their fathers. It is the birth and death of American innocence.

Rustam Chartrand Mendeleev

,5

SpacePirate

Weird prologue aside, a fantastic debut by Ray possibly best first film by any director, including Welles. The camerawork and lighting throughout is exceptional and Granger's chemistry w/ O'Donnell is beautiful. Granger has his best role here, Hitchcock films aside, and noir stalwart De Silva provides solid supporting work. A top 50 film in the genre, & a film that predicts where cinema would go in the next decade.

Ben Nash

The moment I realised just how good cinema was.

wiwitaek

Truth to be told, overall, I have a mixed feeling about this one. I just can't pick side. It just is.

James Mackin

Films like this make me sad to be alive. I need to watch more of Ray's films.

nessa

i like when keechie wakes up and they call her a kitten

Ethan

This is a gritty and beautiful film and an excellent debut for Nicholas Ray. Granger and O'Connell have great chemistry here as well. This is a true gem.

Cinema Omnivore

7.1/10, my review: http://wp.me/p1eXom-2Y8

Balthaz21

4,5

Samuel Andrade

noir wedding.

FISCHER

Premier film réalisé par Nicholas Ray qui signe ainsi par un chef-d'oeuvre son entrée dans le gotha des metteurs en scène. Un film noir inoubliable et cruel... www.cinefiches.com

Aardsy

You can get far on charm.

Hugo Poderoso

Unusual level of intimacy. The quality of tenderness appears as inseparable from the misfit identity. Not even the worst characters can escape melancholy.

bulgrin

Well-crafted story about desperation and fatalismn, if only Farley Granger would be a better actor this would deserve a better rating. Still an important movie.

Diogo Monteiro

The first film of Nicholas Ray, and probably his best...

Wee Hunk

There's two types of Communists in Hollywood. Howard da Silva, who gets blacklisted, and Nicholas Ray, who gets to have a career protected by Howard Hughes. The most ridiculous scene in this movie is the one where the policemen sympathize with the outlaws on the run. Pure insanity.