I knew I would like this puzzle, but even I was surprised how much! I’m definitely keeping this to do again someday.

The quality of the pieces as such was fine, but even with this image pieces sometimes would fit where they don’t belong. It wasn’t a problem here, but I wouldn’t buy a Dino puzzle with large areas of the same colour. There was also a decent mix of piece shapes, although the large majority were of the two-tabs-opposite type

There are 34 posters of 33 movies (there are two posters for the same movie, with different titles), and I’ve seen 17 of the 33. The movies were released between 1931 (Little Caesar) and 1957 (Short Cut to Hell), and most of them are film noir from the ’40s.  For three of the movies (Out of the Past, The Asphalt Jungle and Gun Crazy) I actually happen to have the DVDs in Dortmund, and I was inspired to rewatch them!

Gun Crazy and Deadly is the Female are actually two titles for the same movie. Gun Crazy seems to be the original title, and this poster also represents the film much better. At no time does Peggy Cummins appear in the kind of glamorous gown seen on the right. In fact, when she first appears she’s in cowboy gear, and as the movie turns into a Bonnie and Clyde situation (with a reluctant Clyde), she dresses accordingly, as you can see on the left. Deadly is the Female seems to be a very strange rebranding.

Here’s another bit of false marketing. The Asphalt Jungle was released in 1950, and Marilyn Monroe had a small part in it. It’s a heist movie, and there are some wives and girlfriends in the background, and this is where Marilyn comes in. In the 113 minute movie, Marilyn has about 6 minutes of screen time (yes, I actually timed it). I don’t think this poster is from the original run, Marilyn wasn’t a big star in 1950, but someone decided to cash in on her popularity later. Whoever went to see this a Marilyn Monroe movie is sure to have felt cheated.

The rest of the posters are in English, but this is a French poster for Singapore.

Most of the women on the posters look serious, passionate or terrified, but Gilda is happy!

The movies are a good blend of masterpieces (like Casablanca) and pulpier fare, like Pickup. I’ve not seen the movie, but the poster certainly looks like there is some sleazy slut-shaming to be expected (According to IMBD, a younger woman marries an older man and then plots to kill him.)

So much going on in the city that never sleeps – this would have been a great puzzle on its own.

One thing that I missed with this collage is my favourite film noir actress, Barbara Stanwyck. Amazing that they managed to miss her with so many great movies!

My DVDs.