". . . because it’s Don Siegel and film noir at its best. And because Lee Marvin is outstanding in it. Marvin became a friend after The Dirty Dozen [in which Cooper was one of the dozen]. Sadly, I failed to make a political thriller that Lee and I wanted to do, which had been coscripted by Christopher Hudson, with whom I co-wrote Overlord."

"Christopher Nolan’s American remake was perfectly fine, but it still couldn’t capture the gut-twisting oppressiveness of Erik Skjoldbjaerg’s original. Anchored by Stellan Skarsgard’s impeccable portrayal of a man drowning in his own sins, this is the neonoir that truly turned noir on its head: darkness becomes something you pray for, while light is a straight razor that’s found entrance to your brain."

"Originally issued as Reign of Terror, Anthony Mann’s Classics-Illustrated-meets-film-noir treatment of the French revolution is one of the most striking low budget period pieces to come from Hollywood, abetted by graphic b/w imagery from the great d.p. John Alton and striking production design from the always reliable William Cameron Menzies. Plus it’s witty moves like lightning."

"One of many great films noirs in the collection. There are a few things that make this movie unique, including a MacGuffin that introduces an unexpected element of science fiction into a hard-boiled detective story, and Ralph Meeker's great portrayal of private eye Mike Hammer (best name ever). Even by film noir antihero standards, the guy is a monster."

"It kicks your face in while you’re watching it. The economy of true noir is evident in the pacing, the language, the looks . . . the characters. Lowlife as hero. Fuller nailed it here. Plus, Thelma Ritter. God, someone should build a shrine to that woman, you know? Any time you’re wondering where the great character actresses went, pay your respects to her in this flick."

"The smartest and meanest in the noir cycle, with Ralph Meeker at his sexiest and nastiest as Mike Hammer and a constellation of complicated females, from Maxine Cooper as the hot-to-the-touch Velda to Cloris Leachman and Gaby Rodgers as two dangerously lost women. Praising it for its “thoroughgoing seediness,” Paul Schrader calls it film noir’s masterpiece, and it’s easy to see why."