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Glenn Ford, Man Of MysteryNo film noir actor could could glower or brood with as much sex appeal as Glenn Ford. His gravelly, yet purring voice was as unique as his crooked, half-mast smile. He started acting in pictures in 1939, but then joined the Marines, going overseas for World War II. He married Eleanor Powell in 1943, with whom he had a son, who also became an actor (Peter Ford). He later starred in "Gilda", which really got the ball rolling. These are some of the film noir movies he has been in, which represent only a handful of all his work. They are listed in chronological order. Gilda (1946) -- Ford is Johnny Farrell, a man who's got it bad for Gilda (Rita Hayworth), his ex-lover and the wife of his best friend and boss who doesn't know of their past. It's a complicated and agonizing triangle for all three. 
Framed (1947) -- He plays Mike Lambert, who gets involved with a waitress (Janis Carter) who is also involved with a married man. Mike is set up to be framed by this pair, until this femme fatale falls in love with Mike and offs her cohort lover.
The Undercover Man (1949) -- He's Frank Warren, an undercover agent for the IRS battling paranoia, violence and corruption in order to convict a mobster for tax evasion. Convicted (1950) -- As Joe Hufford, Glenn Ford goes to jail for a murder he didn't commit. He's finally released, but at what cost to his soul? The Big Heat (1953) -- Ford is Sergeant Dave Barrison, who takes on the syndicate practically single-handedly. His staunch morals drive his quest for vengeance, but there's a whole lotta collateral damage along the way. Human Desire (1954) -- He plays Jeff Warren, a train engineer sucked into an affair with a dangerous sex kitten (Gloria Grahame) and her twisted relationship with her husband. Fritz Lang directs. Although usually considered a western, see 3:10 To Yuma also. Back to the Film Noir Men page. Return from the Glenn Ford page to the Film Noir Alley home page. |