Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

Touch of Evil
1958
*****
Director: Orson Welles
Cast: Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, Joanna Cook Moore, Ray Collins, Dennis Weaver

At Charlton Heston's wish, Orson Welles returned to Hollywood to direct and star in one of the finest film noirs of all time. He plays Hank Quinlan, a corrupt detective and one of slimiest characters ever put on film, who clashes with a Mexican special prosecutor during an investigation to a car bombing on the border. There is terrific dialogue, excellent performances, and Welles is firing on all cylinders behind the camera. The film opens with the famous long tracking shot, but it is only the tip of the iceberg.