we want to go someplace and get the taste of respectability out of our mouths

Some classics here, including two that I liked very much and another that was quite good. Now that we have no new movies, and will not for the foreseeable future, it has been fun to get my choices from someone else's shelves. Shaking things up now and then is a good thing, particularly when it comes to entertainment! And I hope that something here will inspire readers to venture from their usuals, too.

They Drive by Night (1940) - "When one of two truck-driving brothers loses an arm, they both join a transport company where later, the other is falsely charged as an accessory in the murder of the owner."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I'd never seen a George Raft or Ida Lupino film
IMDB: 7.3/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 92% Audience: 71%

notable quote: "'I ain't danced in a long time.' 

'Me neither, and I used to love it. It's the most fun you can have without laughing.'"
story: convoluted and messy but entertaining enough
visuals: not bad? Sort of dark and grainy, with basic contrast.
costumes, hair & makeup: nice costuming, to show the class and age differences in the characters
acting: George Raft (Joe Fabrini) and Ann Sheridan (Cassie Hartley) make wonderful romantic partners with real chemistry.

intangibles: this film is not what it seemed it would be from the IMDB description (i.e. boring). I found it charming.
overall: recommended

Heist (2001) - "A career jewel thief finds himself at tense odds with his longtime partner, a crime boss who sends his nephew to keep watch."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: a Gene Hackman film is usually a quality choice
IMDB: 6.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 66% Audience: 60%

notable quote: "My motherfucker is so cool, when he goes to bed, sheep count him."
story: quite similar to the plot of The Score (De Niro & Norton), this is about the effect of age and wisdom in the crime life
visuals: there is some clever stuff here
costumes, hair & makeup: nothing memorable
acting: despite the presence of some heavy hitters, Ricky Jay (Pincus) was the big joy as the "hapless" sidekick. 

intangibles: I've learned that the director's wife in the cast is a turn-off for me. Also, Danny DeVito does not have the gangster gravitas to pull off this role, which would have fit someone like Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, or Bob Hoskins. I kept expecting him to break into giggles, like Chevy Chase doing a remake of The Godfather on SNL. 

overall: not recommended

Pocket Money (1972) - "Broke and in debt, an otherwise honest cowboy gets mixed up in some shady dealings with a crooked rancher."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: Paul Newman is a favorite, and I had never heard of this
IMDB: 5.5/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 57% Audience: 30%

notable quote: "You can't buy back a bad impression."
story: Newman's Jim Kane needs money so he hooks up with some bad guys to make some quick cash, things go awry, and he ends up in the shit.
visuals: nothing too fantastic
costumes, hair & makeup: jeans & cowboy hats
acting: forgettable

intangibles: ugh - there is a reason no one has ever heard of this. As I was pulling the disc out of the player I realized that I'd already forgotten what it was about. With the other choices in Newman's great filmography, don't bother with this.
overall: not recommended

Perfect World (1993) - "Kidnapped boy Phillip Perry (T.J. Lowther) strikes up a friendship with his captor Butch Haynes (Kevin Costner): an escaped convict on the run from the law, while the search is headed up by honorable Texas Ranger "Red" Garrett (Clint Eastwood)."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: any Kevin Costner is a must-watch for me
IMDB: 7.6/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 79% Audience: 84%

notable quote: "Hmmm... I do like Tater Tots."
story: after a scattered start, this turned out to be a fantastic movie
visuals: very well lit and shot
costumes, hair & makeup: each character is almost perfectly defined by the way that they are dressed, especially Phillip. So good.
acting: Besides Costner and Eastwood, Laura Dern (Sally Gerber) was marvelous.

intangibles: I liked the movie a great deal
overall: highly recommended

Across the Pacific (1942) - "In December 1941, ex-army captain Rick Leland boards a Japanese ship heading to Asia via the Panama Canal where his Japanese hosts show interest in the American defense plans for the Canal Zone."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I'm on the Bogie kick lately
IMDB: 6.8/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: N/A% Audience: 59%

notable quote: "You certainly are a girl of many colors. First, your legs get blue. Then, your face turns green. And now, you're red all over."
story: labyrinthine - and I don't mean that in a wholly positive way. There are some allegiances that are terribly hard to track. Is anyone who they seem to be?
visuals: nicely done
costumes, hair & makeup: outstanding
acting: Humphrey Bogart (Leland) and Mary Astor (Alberta Marlow) made a nice pair, with some funny repartee and a believable vibe. 

intangibles: not terribly smart or mysterious, it was still engrossing enough to keep me watching throughout
overall: recommended

After the Thin Man (1936) - "Nick investigates the case of a missing man and later a murder that is connected to Nora's family."
Source: I borrowed the DVD from my parents' collection
I watched it because: I liked the original film (reviewed here) a great deal
IMDB: 7.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 100% Audience: 90%

notable quote: "I don't need anything in the world, darling, but you ... and a toothbrush."
story: a little wacky, but absorbing
visuals: wonderful
costumes, hair & makeup: glamorous and sophisticated
acting: William Powell (Nick Charles) & Myrna Loy (Nora Charles) are an absolute joy to watch

intangibles: I love these two. They make the obviousness of modern movies, where everything is patiently explained and carefully drawn out, seem even more pale.
Academy Award nominee: Best Writing, Screenplay
overall: super highly recommended

[the title quotation is from After the Thin Man]