Ambler Theater hosts weekend of restored film noir
Nine classic black and white films will screen Nov. 13 to 15 under the theme 'Face The Music,' with Eddie Muller introducing each showing.
By Abigail Brooks ·
Film noir is a specific style of filmmaking known for dark visuals and cynical characters, but defining it remains a subject of debate. The Ambler Theater will host NOIR CITY: Philadelphia 2026 from Nov. 13 to 15 to showcase this genre. The event features nine classic movies in black and white.
The weekend follows the theme 'Face The Music.' Passes for the entire event have sold out, but tickets for individual films are currently available. John Toner, the founding director of the Ambler Theater, said tickets are moving quickly. He expects sellouts for all the films. He urged interested viewers to buy tickets now.
The program includes 'Black Angel,' 'The Yellow Canary,' 'The Man with the Golden Arm,' 'The Man I Love,' 'Hangover Square,' 'Odds Against Tomorrow,' 'Young Man with a Horn,' 'Sweet Smell of Success' and 'Humoresque.' Eddie Muller will introduce each movie. He is the host of Noir Alley on Turner Classic Movies and the founder of the Film Noir Foundation. He will also moderate two separate events during the weekend.
Toner described the festival as a major event for the venue. The Ambler Theater is part of Renew Theaters, a nonprofit chain. It also operates the County Theater in Doylestown, the Hiway Theater in Jenkintown and the Princeton Garden Theatre in Princeton. The Ambler Theater is one of only 27 exhibitors in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania that can show analog film. Toner said two films in the festival will screen on 35mm. The rest will be shown digitally.
Muller founded the Film Noir Foundation in 2005 to rescue and restore film prints that are disintegrating. He described the process as a detective story where he tracks down films and raises money for restoration. The group uses revenue from exhibiting these films to fund the search for the next title. The foundation has helped restore more than a dozen films, including 'The Prowler,' 'Cry Danger' and 'Try and Get Me!'
NOIR CITY began in San Francisco in 2003. It is now the main public awareness campaign for the Film Noir Foundation. The organization holds festivals in 10 cities across the United States each year. Muller said the most gratifying aspect of the event is the community it has built. He noted that the circuit allows people to experience a form of moviegoing that is becoming rarer.
Source: WHYY-FM
