They Live by Night (a.k.a. Your Red Wagon)

‘Cinema is Nicholas Ray,’ Godard wrote. This directorial debut by the American auteur announced his ingenuity in passionately and also intelligently portraying the individual’s rebellion against injustice. Before his 1955 career-defining classic Rebel Without a Cause, Ray in this achingly romantic tale already skillfully blends doe-eyed melodrama with brooding film noir to pitch-perfect effect. Injured while escaping prison, a fresh-faced convict falls in love with a young woman who nurses him back to health. Fleeing the authorities and his gang, the fledgling fugitives must navigate the perils of the Depression-era South. Almost two decades before Bonnie and Clyde, Ray’s noir classic sets the tone for the lovers-on-the-lam thriller.

Restored by Warner Bros. in association with The Film Foundation and The Nicholas Ray Foundation.

13/5 (Sat): Film talk with Lau Yam