Argentinian Noir Double Bill 1: Film Noir UK

With UK Premieres of three brand new restorations from the Film Noir Foundation, Film Noir UK presents two double bills highlighting the dark thrills of classic themed South American Noir.

Rarely seen on the big screen since their initial runs back in the 1950s, La Bestia Debe Morir (The Beast Must Die/1952), Los Tallos Amargos (The Bitter Stems/1956) and El Vampiro Negro (The Black Vampire/1953) are wipe for rediscovery. Throw in Jacques Tourneur’s The Leopard Man (1943) then you have two double bills which will chill but also thrill you in good measure...

UK Premiere: The Beast Must Die (104 mins)

Román Viñoly Barreto’s compelling, dark 1952 thriller is, at long last, getting its UK Premiere on the big screen 70 years after its original release.

Mystery writer Felix Lane, played by legendary Spanish actor Narciso Ibáñez Menta, suffers a tragic loss; his nine-year-old son is killed in a hit-and-run car accident. Seeking justice, Lane bypasses the authorities, adopts a new identity, and begins looking for clues that will lead him to the culprit.

The suspense reaches hair-raising levels as Felix’s vendetta leads him to infiltrate an affluent family rife with its own intrigues. But who among this highly suspect bunch is the killer? And will Felix follow his mission to the bitter end?

UK Premiere: The Bitter Stems (92 mins)

Classed as one of the best noir films of the 1950s, Fernando Ayala’s The Bitter Stems is a film gem ripe for rediscovery.

A dissatisfied Buenos Aires newspaperman (Carlos Cores) partners with a clever Hungarian refugee (Vassili Lambrinos) who needs money to bring his family to Argentina. Together they create a bogus correspondence school, exploiting the hopes of would-be journalists. As their scheme succeeds beyond their wildest dreams, a mystery woman from Liudas’ past sparks Gasper’s suspicion: his charming colleague may be playing him for a sucker. Soon Gasper finds himself plotting the perfect crime – but fate has many twists in store...

Presented in collaboration with BFI Audience Network and Film Noir UK.