The Arthur Lyons Movie Noir Pageant, taking place in the vibrant locale of Palm Springs this Thursday through Sunday, is set to shine a spotlight on films from the classic film noir era of the 1940s and 1950s. This year’s festival will feature a selection of films that have not graced a theater screen for decades, providing a rare opportunity for audiences to experience these cinematic gems. Additionally, the 2025 festival will also introduce elements of neo-noir, including the 1970s crime thriller “The Friends of Eddie Coyle,” ensuring a diverse lineup that celebrates both traditional and modern interpretations of the genre.

This year’s festival will feature a particularly intriguing neo-noir highlight. Closing the event on Sunday night, acclaimed director Guillermo Del Toro and co-screenwriter Kim Morgan will present what is being described as a never-before-seen extended cut of their 2021 film “Nightmare Alley.” This special presentation will be delivered in stunning black-and-white, reminiscent of the classic films that will accompany it throughout the weekend, creating a unique cinematic experience for attendees.

“I know Guillermo is incredibly excited about this,” shares longtime festival director Alan K. Rode. “He and Kim have graciously agreed to come out, spend time introducing the film, and watching it alongside the audience. I’m truly honored to have him here with us, and I eagerly anticipate the unveiling of his black-and-white extended version from one of our most revered filmmakers. He’s treating it like a premiere, which is immensely thrilling.” This sets the stage for an unforgettable finale to the festival.

Del Toro’s adaptation of the classic 1947 film “Nightmare Alley” was originally released in color four years ago and was followed by a limited theatrical run of a black-and-white version that later appeared on Hulu before being shelved. However, in December, the filmmaker revealed on Bluesky that he was crafting a new black-and-white edit. “I’m remastering the B&W Nightmare Alley with an extended cut. Stay tuned,” he posted, hinting at the expanded version that festival-goers in Palm Springs will have the opportunity to view.

For dedicated noir enthusiasts, this festival offers a chance to see several titles that can be considered premieres due to their long absence from public screenings. “Swell Man” (1946) will be showcased in a newly created 35mm print and is set to be screened theatrically on Friday afternoon for the first time in decades, according to Rode. Similarly, “Paid in Full” (1950) will be featured on Friday night, presenting a brand-new digital print from Paramount that marks its official premiere at the festival. Additionally, “Unmasked” will also be making its own digital theatrical premiere on Saturday morning, rounding out the selection of revived obscurities.

While the lineup may suggest that the Arthur Lyons Movie Festival is not merely a collection of the typical noir titles, that is indeed intentional. Although noir novices are expected to enjoy the programming just as much as seasoned fans, Rode believes that the loyal audience returning to the Palm Springs Cultural Center (formerly the Camelot Theatres) every Mother’s Day weekend has likely already experienced classics like “Double Indemnity” and “The Big Sleep” and is eager to explore titles from the more obscure and darker corners of the noir vault.

Rode emphasizes, “I’m adhering to the tradition of not screening the same film in 18 years,” which reflects the duration since he took over programming the festival in 2000. “That’s somewhat of an unconscious decision, but film noir is like a gift that continues to give,” with countless titles that fit firmly or loosely within the genre. This focus on lesser-known films doesn’t imply that Rode neglects the classics revered by noir aficionados; rather, it highlights the diverse and rich history of noir that he aims to explore. For instance, “Act of Violence,” directed by Fred Zinneman, will screen on Sunday afternoon after having been featured multiple times at Noir City, the festival he co-hosts with Eddie Muller at the American Cinematheque in Hollywood, but this year it finally makes its debut in the desert.

Muller, who is a prominent figure in the Film Noir Foundation and a familiar face on TCM, will once again join Rode in Palm Springs to introduce several films he is passionate about. One of these is “Johnny O’Clock,” which will be screened on Friday afternoon. This event will also include a book signing by Muller for his recently revised classic, “Dark City Dames: The Women Who Defined Film Noir,” with the esteemed Larry Edmunds Bookshop handling book sales.

Sadly, many of the original stars of these films who once graced the festival in its early years have now passed away. However, Rode has made it a priority to invite family members for introductions or Q&As. This will be the case this year on opening night Thursday, when Rory Flynn, the daughter of Errol Flynn, will discuss “Cry Wolf” (1947), in which her father co-starred with Barbara Stanwyck. Additionally, on Saturday night, Wyatt McCrea, the grandson of Joel McCrea, will be present to talk about his grandfather’s career, including his role in “The Unseen” (1945).

Tickets for individual screenings at the Palm Springs Cultural Center are priced at $16.29, which includes a $1.79 processing fee. An exception exists for the closing night screening of “Nightmare Alley,” where tickets are priced at $32.65, including a $2.64 fee. A comprehensive festival pass for the entire 13-film lineup is available for $158.19. While this pass does not cover admission to “Nightmare Alley,” passholders can purchase a ticket for that film at a discounted rate. Advance tickets for all individual films or festival passes can be purchased through Eventbrite here.

As one browses the extensive list of titles playing this year—detailed further here—one film stands out not just as one of the most recognized screenings, but as an outlier: “On the Waterfront.” Rode openly acknowledges its divergence from traditional noir. “I know purists will argue whether this is film noir or not—and I don’t necessarily think it is,” he confesses. “However, it is one of the greatest films ever made in Hollywood. It charted my path to righteousness through an elective film course I took in 1970 during my junior year of high school in New Jersey. This film was profoundly significant to me, and I thought it would be wonderful to showcase it on the big screen. I also have some stories to share, courtesy of Nehemiah Persoff, who made his film debut driving the taxi that Rod Steiger and Marlon Brando were in during the iconic ‘I could have been a contender’ scene. This film also marked the debut of actors like Pat Henning, Martin Balsam, Fred Gwynn, and Nehemiah, who all went on to illustrious careers as character actors both in and out of noir.

There are other films that Rode believes may fall outside the typical realm of film noir, such as the Western “Lust for Gold,” featuring Ida Lupino and Glenn Ford. (Rode is well-versed in noir Westerns, despite the scarcity of that subgenre; he has even authored a book on another one of them, “Blood on the Moon.”) “None of the characters in ‘Lust for Gold’ are good,” he chuckles, emphasizing its noir credentials.

Also crossing genres is “The Unseen,” a film that has not been seen in a long time. This film serves as a follow-up to the more well-known film “The Uninvited,” a ghost story directed by Louis Allen featuring Ray Milland and Gail Russell. “The Unseen” is more of a noir-tinged murder thriller, with McCrea and Russell once again starring and Allen returning to direct. Wyatt McCrea, a smart man who I have become friendly with, will be present to discuss his grandfather and the McCrea Ranch Foundation.

Rode is particularly excited about “Swell Man,” describing it as “a forgotten film that producer Mark Hellinger made between his big hits of ‘The Killers’ and ‘Brute Force,’ which has been completely overlooked. I was fortunate that Universal resolved some rights issues, allowing us to showcase what I’m told is a pristine 35mm print of this rare film, written by Richard Brooks. The story revolves around a Hemingway-esque war correspondent who is supposed to be a great hero, returning to his hometown after the war, only to reveal that he is a total miscreant. Who better to portray this character than Sonny Tufts? He becomes involved with Ann Blythe, creating a very peculiar and intriguing film.”

“Paid in Full,” on the other hand, has been missing for many years. I must extend my gratitude to Charlotte Barker, who heads the archives at Paramount. She provided me with DCPs of “Paid in Full” and also a Republic programmer, “Unmasked,” featuring Raymond Burr as a scandal sheet publisher who blackmails, steals, and murders his way through various forms of mayhem. These two films have not been shown for I don’t know how long.”

Yet the main attraction of the week for many may still be “Nightmare Alley.” Del Toro’s attendance at the festival marks his first appearance, while Morgan has been a familiar face there in previous years. “She interviewed Julie Garfield back in 2010 and has attended the festival several times; I’ve known Kim for years, and I believe we did a commentary track on a ‘New York Confidential’ DVD some time ago.” Regarding the director, Rode expresses, “The term genius is often thrown around and sometimes misapplied in relation to individuals involved in cinema, but as far as I’m concerned, Guillermo is as close to a genius as we have. He can master everything from makeup to drawing, writing, directing, and producing, yet he possesses such humility and passion, which is all genuine. Just listening to him speak was enlightening… He participated in an event with the head of the British Film Institute during the TCM Classic Film Festival, where he eloquently discussed the significance of Powell and Pressburger films to British Cinema and cinema as a whole, and it was just so articulate and spot-on… he is truly a remarkable individual.

“I often have to pinch myself because this event has been ongoing for 26 years. If memory serves, the first year I was involved was 2002, when I was sitting in one of what was then called the Camelot Theaters, watching ‘Nightmare Alley’ with the star Colleen Grey, who I became friends with. I believe Eddie Muller was introducing it, and Linda Christian, the widow of Tyrone Power, walked in and sat down in the theater. Now, here we are, 23 years later, showcasing Del Toro’s adaptation of William Lindsay Gresham’s book, and it feels like we’ve truly come full circle.”

The audience at the Cultural Center tends to skew older and includes many long-time loyal attendees, which is not surprising given the local demographics. However, this is not the case for every noir festival. Recently, during Noir City at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, the audience was noticeably younger. In a rare instance of that festival screening well-known classics, they showcased a double feature of “Out of the Past” and Stanley Kubrick’s “The Killing,” hosted by Muller and Rode. Each asked for a show of hands from those who had not seen the films before. “I expected maybe six to ten people to raise their hands, but I would estimate about two-thirds of the audience for each film did, which was surprising. Having been involved in this for a long time, you start to develop assumptions that, ‘Well, everyone has seen this,’ but we are witnessing a new generation discovering these films.”

The appeal of these films to both the young and the old is evident to Rode. “The reason these films serve as a connective thread to classic cinema for contemporary audiences is that the themes are timeless. I mean, while someone in their early twenties might be puzzled by questions like, ‘Why are the men wearing hats? Why is a doctor in a maternity ward smoking a cigarette? Why do the phones look like boomerangs?’ the fundamental themes of the human condition, including striving, lust, larceny, and greed, remain relevant. Our modern world has dramatically changed since 1947, yet I don’t believe people have changed all that much.”

When discussing definitions, Rode asserts, “I don’t think it’s merely a genre. I believe it’s a style,” adding, “and like beauty, noir is often in the eye of the beholder.” However, there are certainly near-universal characteristics. Clearly, not every crime film from that era qualifies as film noir, but it has been argued that every film noir ultimately falls within the crime genre. Does that hold true?

Rode does not necessarily agree with that assertion but notes, “You could argue that one of the defining characteristics of a film noir is when individuals engage in actions they know are wrong—legally, morally, culturally, or otherwise—and they proceed to do it anyway. That’s one of the strong traits of a film noir. Or as Arthur Lyons</b put it, ‘You can always tell it’s a film noir when the protagonist gets screwed over within the first five minutes, and it goes downhill from there.’”