Now playing on the Criterion Channel! criterionchannel.com/vacation-noir

Unlucky vacationers discover that crime doesn’t take a holiday in these deceptively sunny, seductively dark thrillers set amid scenic beaches, luxury resorts, and picture-postcard locales. With gorgeous scenery, swimsuit-clad stars, and shadowy intrigue, these lusciously overheated entertainments are the perfect summer escape—no sunscreen required.

Featuring:
LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (John M. Stahl, 1945)
DESERT FURY (Lewis Allen, 1947)
THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (Orson Welles, 1947)
BRIGHTON ROCK (John Boulting, 1948)
HIS KIND OF WOMAN (John Farrow, 1951)
KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL (Phil Karlson, 1952)
DANGEROUS CROSSING (Joseph M. Newman, 1953)
INFERNO (Roy Ward Baker, 1953)
NIAGARA (Henry Hathaway, 1953)
FEMALE ON THE BEACH (Joseph Pevney, 1955)
PURPLE NOON (RENÉ CLÉMENT, 1960)
LA PISCINE (JACQUES DERAY, 1969)
THE LAST OF SHEILA (HERBERT ROSS, 1973)