Noir Journal # 11: ". . . to a Pulp"

Noir Bio-Documentary: Davis Goodis . . . to a Pulp

 Noir author Allan Guthrie says that Lou Boxer "probably knows more about  David Goodis than anyone in the world." That's impressive, since Goodis is one of the best--if not the best--noir writer of the post World War II period. His books include Shoot the Piano Player (originally Down There), Nightfall, Cassidy's Girl, and many more. Piano Player was made into the François Truffaut classic 1960 noir film of that name. 

Lou sent me the following material about the new film and gave me his permission to reprint it in Noir Journal.

Goodis film probes 'dark tendencies' and hidden lives

David Goodis...To A Pulp, a biography of noir writer David Goodis, has its world premiere, March 5 in Philadelphia.

For filmmaker Larry Withers making the movie was a peak into the once-hidden life of his mother Elaine Astor who had previously been married to Goodis.

The project began three years ago, at the suggestion of Goodis biographer Louis Boxer. Withers, 55, interviewed friends and family of David Goodis, including Harold "Dutch" Silver who taught Goodis how to shoot pool, cousins April Feld-Sandor and Bernie Shapiro, and friends Len Cobrin, and Frank Ford (Ed Felbin), writer Bill Sherman, English professor David Schmid, film critic Mike White, and cultural historian Jay Gertzman.

 
 

 Withers gathered photos from the Philadelphia City Archives thru www.phillyhistory.org, There Withers found a photo of the now demolished Toddle House, where Goodis' pals gathered after his funeral 43 years ago. Withers found archive film on the web, such as period color movies of Dock Street and Delaware Avenue, setting of Goodis' biggest seller, Cassidy's Girl.

Withers learned that his mother had been married to Goodis, only after her death in 1986, when he went through her papers. Her second husband was Robert Withers.

"On a personal level, the film resolves a lot of parental things. It helps me understand the relations between my parents," Withers said. "I probably know more about David Goodis than my own mother, since many of Goodis' friends and cousins are still around. None of my mother's family are alive."

"A lot of my mother, I do not know. There are many aspects of her past even my father isn't aware of." Withers said. WIthers explained that his parents divorced when he was in his 20's. However, they had separated two or three years earlier.

 Elaine Astor, David Goodis, and unidentified friend. Photo courtesy of Larry Withers.

Withers said he got to know Goodis by reading his books and making the movie.

"I think David Goodis was basically a gentle, caring person, very family oriented. The interesting thing is that he kept secret other parts of his life. He used his writing to play out his desires and dark tendencies," Withers said.

"Goodis could never reconcile the different parts of his life. His writing is psychological therapy. It's like sitting on a therapist's couch. His way to resolve things was to write about them," Withers said.

"His stories and novels are about people coming to terms with their lives. They do not get out of their troubles, but they reconcile with them," Withers said.

Withers said that "Goodis played out his dark tendencies through his excursions." Withers referred to Goodis' legendary night time visits to ghetto clubs and dangerous sites in the netherworld of Philadelphia.

Goodis was a screenwriter for Warner Brothers in Hollywood in the late 1940's.

"I could see how my mother could have been a temptress, but I agree with my father that she was a gold digger. She saw herself as a movie star. She had aspirations and David Goodis was the quickest way to those aspirations," Withers said.

 
 Larry Withers. Photo by Louis Boxer.

As for Goodis' attraction to Elaine, Withers said, "A lot of it was physical, but intellectually they might have had something in common. My mother took writing classes and could write herself. She was well read. She read a lot of classics. Intellectually, they were on equal footing."

Goodis was legendarily cheap. Withers said, that his mother and Goodis were a match in that respect. "My mother was incredibly stingy. She would salvage old envelops and reuse stamps which had missed the post mark. She never went to fancy stores. She made her own clothes and my brothers and sisters and I wore hand-me-downs."

The movie premieres March 5, at 8:30 p.m. at the Society Hill Playhouse, 507 South 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, 215-923-0210. $10 at the door.

David Goodis...To A Pulp is available on DVD through Withers' company, On Air Video, onairvideo@mac.com and at amazon.com.

If you order directly from On Air Video, shipping will be free.

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News from Authors

I've been in touch with a few authors who've provided updates on their work and other matters. Here's what I found out:

Sam Millar: " . . . my memoir, On The Brinks, is now being readied for the stage at the end of the year, having been written by a couple of award-winning playwrights." 

Sam Millar is also the author of the Karl Kane novels, Bloodstorm and The Dark Place, as well as a number of other excellent noir thrillers. Learn more about Sam Millar at his Web site, Sam Millar Crime. 

Allan Guthrie: Allan recommends "a terrific article on one of my favourite writers, Ted Lewis" at the Web site Crime Culture.  

The article, by author Brian Greene, is in fact terrific, tracing the life of the multi-talented Lewis, "the originator of the British school of hardboiled fiction." Lewis's novels included Jack's Return Home, which was made into Get Carter, "the landmark movie from 1971 that many consider the quintessential British Gangster film. . ." Green describes "that nightmarish, interior quality of Lewis classics . . . .that inwardly directed intensity that grips the reader and forces him or her to look at the same horrifying visuals that occupied the mind of the writer."

Another great recommendation from Allan Guthrie.

  
 
Leigh Russell, Author of Cut Short: "Recent news is that CUT SHORT has been reprinted and I'm out and about signing again. I'm booked every weekend until June, at different bookshops and festivals. CUT SHORT has been receiving great reviews in the UK and the US - including yours!

ROAD CLOSED is with the publisher now, being prepared for publication in June. I've attached a jpeg of the cover. My readers are going to learn more about Geraldine's life in this second book.
Now I'm working on DEAD END, the third book in the Geraldine Steel series, out in 2011. My publisher have already asked for a fourth book, so the series is set to continue for a while. Luckily I have lots of ideas!" 

(Reviews of CUT Short appear in Noir Journal # 10 and at the New York Journal of Books.)  

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That's it for now.

Coming soon:

• Info on the screening at Sundance of the film based on Jim Thompson's noir classic, The Killer Inside Me, and the controversy the film created over its graphic violence.
• My review of a yet-to-be released "postmodern" noir homage/parody.

Till then watch yer back and stay out of dark alleys.

ML

 
 

 

Comments

[Chris Wood]

Rgar's sounds like a fascinating look into the life of a noir writer. DAvid Goodis sounds like an interesting contradiction - the thoughtful type who writes out his demons. It strikes me as very interesting and I'll be keeping an eye out for its release in the UK.

[Leigh Russell]

I'm becoming a real fan of noir fiction. I watched Edward G Robinson in The Woman in the Window last night and loved it. The ending was a bit of a letdown, but quite amusing. Now watching Niagara, which is described as a 'gripping film noir thriller'... I'm a fan of Marilyn Monroe - she's a much better actress then she's remembered for, although her backside is SO wiggly it is distracting!

[Michael Lipkin]

Hi Leigh,
There is a strange distinction between noir fiction and noir film. Actually, some novels that are not noir translate into noir films. This is something I've been noticing but haven't yet been able to put into words. In fact, noir analyst Paul Duncan wrote a totally opposite definition of noir in film and in fiction. I'll have to give you the quote. It's only a small part of what he said, so don't quote me on this.
Re Niagra: My wife and I viewed that a few months ago. We weren't crazy about it. We did like Marilyn's acting as well as Cotton's.
That's considered one of the first great noir in color films--but not in my book. What we did like was another noir in color of that period--Leave Her to Heaven.
You might enjoy the Amazon Film Noir Community, specifically the thread about film noir in color. Has some really intelligent and articulate people on it. And most of them are also noir fiction fans.
I trust that CUT SHORT is still a runaway hit.
Thanks for your comment.
Cheers,
Mike

[Susie Levin]

Hi Mike,

I have to get my hands on Blair Oliver's book, The Long Slide, it sounds great!

I'm also looking forward to Ken Bruen and Sam Millar's book of short stories, I think I got the right.

Love your blog!

Susie

[Leigh Russell]

Watched Leave her to Heaven this week. I can't get enough of those old films right now. Who needs all these modern special effects? Give me a really tense plot and gripping acting any day.

[Susie Levin]

Hi Mike,

I'm looking forward to reading about THE LONG SLIDE by Oliver Blair.
If I'm not mistaken I think it's available on Kindle.

If so, as soon as I figure out how to work my Kindle I'll download it.

Love your blog!

Susie

[Susie Levin]

Hi Mike,

We've talked about Sam Millar before.

I want to read one of his books but because they're so expensive I'm wondering which you would recommend I read first.

Thanks,
Susie

[Susie Levin]

Hi Mike,

A few of us have been reading Gunnar Staalesen's Private Detective Varg Veum's series.

Varg Veum is said to be Scandinavian's Philip Marlowe, Noir. While Varg Veum is a private detective and has the Noir inner monologue going on, I wonder if that's enough for it to be considered Noir.

TWO-WAY SPLIT was very intense, you recommended it so I know it's Noir. THE WRITING ON THE WALL doesn't have the same intensity, is that a necessary element for a book to be Noir?

I'm looking forward to your April edition.

Thanks,
Susie

[Susie Levin]

Hi Mike,

I could talk about Sam Millar all day.

His books are so captivating, once I start I can't stop until I've finished.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through On the Brinks, I can't believe what Sam Millar survived. If things were bad for him before he turned 17, then there are no words to describe what he endured at the age of 17 and the few years following.

I have a 17 year old son and I can't even think of him going through what Millar did for a second.

I have one book left to read after Brinks, The Redemption Factory and I'm not happy that that's it.

Anyone who hasn't read a book by Sam Millar, should. For those with a low tolerance for graphically described violence, I recommend starting with Darkness of Bones. The characters and plotting is just awesome, I couldn't read it fast enough.

What do you read when there's no more Sam Millar books?

Susie

[Mike L.]

Susie,
Thanks again for your insigtful comments. One day, I will put together all your comments and e-mails about Sam and make them part of a Noir Journal post.
Mike L.