Film noir of 40's and 50's might have taken the film making to a level of stark realism and nihilism that has never been equaled. The genre reached an apex in this film. You can argue unproductively whether this superceded Citizen Kain as Welles's masterpiece, but it's almost impossible to compare them. It's fair to say that A Touch of Evil is positively corrosive in its evocation of corruption in a squalid border town. When you see that banner of 'In Glorious Black and White' it's never been more appropriate than for this film, where it produces an almost surreal panorama of contrast, shadows, tension, moral ambiguity and desperation. The whole cast is great, but outstanding are the coolly diabolical Welles as the corrupt cop; and the ghostly and ethereal Dietrich as the gypsy. You might well wonder if you'd entered the underworld, crossing the river Styx rather than Rio Grande. It is a superbly detailed exploration into the dark side of human contradictions.
Review of Touch of Evil
