Starry Starry Noir Rebels and Censors is part history, part commentary, and part elegy that uncovers the lives behind the films, actors, directors, censors, and outcasts, and weaves a human tale out of forgotten reels. Why was this an important book for you to write?

I admire the work academics do on the much-studied genre of film noir. But I find the jargon and detachment from enjoying the films daunting. Discussing the social and philosophical aspects of film noir can be entertaining and that was the important goal of my book. Not everyone will be familiar with the work of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, but that is what he achieved in his films, seamlessly interweaving the intellectual and the entertaining. In my book, I have a lengthy appraisal of Kurosawa’s 1949 noir Stray Dog, one of my favorites.

What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?

An analyst of classic Hollywood will see the sexism that devalued actor/ producer/ inventor Hedy Lamarr and actor/ director/ producer Ida Lupino. Another striking issue is censorship which reduced the quality of films and financially punished producers with costly delays. All for the questionable premise that objectionable films cause moral decay. If this is true wouldn’t censors be morally bankrupt from watching so many “dirty” films? The creative ways movie craftspeople overcame the burdens of censorship and low budgets spark much admiration.

Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?

Surprises sprang from how the film noirs were created. Ida Lupino interviewed the young man on death row who was at the centre of The Hitch-Hiker. Kurosawa explained how he came to use music that clashed with images. Contrapuntal they call it and the neo-noir creators Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers love using it. The Great Flamarion 1945 is a good movie but open to a charge of misogyny. It came from a short story by feminist author Vicki Baum.

What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Starry Starry Noir Rebels and Censors?

I love film noir, and I hope to share that love with readers who will rush to watch some of the great movies mentioned. It does not sound very professional but my books on film noir took longer than expected because I would watch or rewatch films I was writing about. The other takeaway is, don’t let today’s censors grind you down.

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