Touch of Evil (1958)

Published: October 3rd 2026 (week 40 of 2026) in cinema

Touch of Evil is a film-noir classic for a reason. It has all the necessary ingredients:

• the corrupt cop, played by Orson Welles (who also directs the film)
• the honest cop, played by Charlton Heston
• the damsel in distress, played by Janet Leight
• the femme fatale, played by Marlene Dietrich
• the seedy, dark setting

What more could you ask for?

I have really enjoyed the picture. The plot ultimately makes obvious who is on the right side of the law and who is not, but it takes its time to get to that point, it does not start this way. There facts are unveiled and the machinations uncovered gradually, slowly bringing to light the dirt that has been hiding in the shadows produced by a shining reputation of a certain man...

The still above is one of my favourites. It shows the perfect setting for a secret meeting: two men surrounded by pipes, the vital, but invisible, infrastucture of a city; as if surrounded by veins and arteries, the vital, but invisible, infrastucture of a body. When either is exposed, blood tends to be spilled soon after.

This being film-noir, the eventual confrontation is inevitable. When the meeting takes place, it is obvious by the apprearance of Charlton Heston's character that first shots have already been fired, and the first fists thrown. What must follow is just the conclusion of things already set in motion.

The picture is not subtle about which character maps onto which film-noir archetype, and it is quite nice to be able to see "oh, that is the X!" and think "I wonder what she's up to!"

The film is not perfect. There are situations in which the characters make questionable, not to say plain stupid, choices. Some characters are played with such heavy mannerisms that it they overshadow who the character is, but serve no purpose. This was especially confusing in scenes taking place at the motel - just why is the "night man" like this?!

Overall, it is a film I can recommend to anyone who likes film-noir. It is not the best one ever, but it is not likely to disappoint.