--- title: "Out of the Past: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/out-of-the-past/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/out-of-the-past" critics_score: 86 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Out of the Past (1947): what the critics said Critics' score 86 from 11 reviews: 11 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The consensus is strongly positive, with all eleven reviews praising Out of the Past and many treating it as a defining film noir. Praise centres on Jacques Tourneur’s atmospheric direction, Nicholas Musuraca’s use of light and shadow, and the intricate flashback structure. Robert Mitchum’s weary, haunted performance draws repeated attention, while the hard-boiled dialogue gives critics another reason to admire a film whose plotting can be difficult to untangle. The differences concern interpretation more than objections. Several critics embrace the bewildering plot as part of the film’s obsessive mood, rather than a weakness. Sight and Sound offers a distinct reading, locating the protagonist’s troubles in self-deception and capitalist pressures rather than simply fate. Variety concentrates on characterisation, realistic settings and the strength of the cast. Enthusiasm varies, but there is no negative dissent, and the reviews identify few substantial reservations. ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 March 2007. The film stands as a working definition of film noir, with its trenchcoated detective, scheming femme fatale, intricate flashbacks and shadowy world of murky motivations. Tourneur directs with gothic flair, making it a perfect example of the genre despite its surprisingly expansive locations. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/past-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Geoff Boucher Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 May 1993. The review presents it as the archetypal film noir with tough-talking, fatalistic storytelling full of double-crosses and a femme fatale. Mitchum's cynical performance and the crisp, hard-boiled dialogue are highlighted as strengths. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-05-13-ol-34578-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 July 2004. The critic calls it one of the greatest film noirs, about a man trying to escape his past only to be pulled back in. He praises Mitchum's archetypal weary performance and the director and cinematographer's masterful use of shadow, light, and smoke. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-out-of-the-past-1947) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 March 2007. The review praises Jacques Tourneur's 1947 noir classic for its dense, witty hard-boiled script and voice-over narration, along with its superb photography by Nicholas Musuraca and score by Roy Webb. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2007/mar/18/1) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 April 2014. Festival review. The critic praises Tourneur's classic noir for its intricate plotting, shot-by-shot visual surprises, and evocative use of light and shadow that reveals inner disturbances in the characters. Mitchum's haunted performance as the feral man petrified by love is singled out. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/out-of-the-past) ## Time Out — DMacp Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 July 2012. The review calls it the definitive flashback movie and one of the most bewildering and beautiful films ever made, highlighting its obsessive mood, intricate script, abstract lighting, and Tourneur's tragic otherworldliness. It deems the film superbly crafted pulp and the best work from its RKO collaborators. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/out-of-the-past) ## Film Comment — Nick Pinkerton Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 6 May 2026. The critic praises Tourneur's atmospheric direction and the lingering visual and emotional impact of Out of the Past, singling out Robert Mitchum's nuanced performance as particularly memorable. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/nightcrawler/) ## Sight and Sound — Brad Stevens Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 June 2016. The critic examines Out of the Past as a key noir that exposes the protagonist's self-deception about fate and the femme fatale, showing his problems as rooted in his own outlook and capitalist pressures. It praises the film's progressive take within the genre and its tentative happy ending focused on the deaf-mute gas station attendant. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/features/home-weak-out-past-four-ways-framing-film-noir) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1946. The review describes it as a hardboiled melodrama strong on characterization, with Tourneur's direction building mood effectively through realistic settings and excellent cinematography. It highlights strong performances by Mitchum, Greer, and Douglas. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1946/film/reviews/out-of-the-past-1200415026/) ## /Film — Ariel Fisher Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 8 November 2021. The critic calls it one of the greatest film noirs and one of the 100 greatest films of all time, praising its expert execution, beautiful locations and sets, and the standout performances by Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/655484/the-daily-stream-out-of-the-past-is-film-noir-at-its-finest/) ## Collider — Matthew Mosley Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 25 November 2022. The film stands out among noirs by avoiding tired tropes through its inventive flashback structure and strong direction. Tourneur's work is singled out as essential to its success and status as one of the genre's crowning achievements. [Read the review](https://collider.com/out-of-the-past-best-noir-movie/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/out-of-the-past.md