Akim Tamiroff, Charlton Heston, Dennis Weaver

A stunning portrait of corruption and abuse of power, Touch of Evil gives Orson Welles a broad remit to flourish his directorial genius. Opening with an unseen man setting the timer on an explosive de...( read more  read more... )vice, the clock starts ticking down as soon as he stashes it in the boot of a fancy-looking car. Immediately afterwards, a well-heeled businessman motors off with his cheap-looking girlfriend. Through the tawdry streets they roll, until the camera smoothly picks up their passing by Mexican lawman Ramon "Mike" Vargas (Charlton Heston) and his new wife Susan (Janet Leigh). As the newly-weds cross over the border, into the US, they catch up and overtake the automobile. Just a few steps more and the car explodes in a ball of flame, casting harsh shadows. Unfortunately this is an international incident since the bomb was set in Mexico and detonated in America.

Flixster Users

92% liked it

7,121 ratings

Critics

94% liked it

51 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 48 min.

Directed by: Orson Welles

Release Date: May 21, 1958

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: October 31, 2000

Get It:

Stats: 1,357 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (1,357)


  • July 22, 2009
    I've heard it said that Touch of Evil, NOT Citizen Kane, is Orson Welles' greatest cinematic achievement. While I'm not sure I would agree with that statement I do agree that it's clearly a masterpiece of film noir, especially in the camera work. If there is a detra...( read more)ctor here it's buying into the casting of Charlton Heston as a Mexican lawman, for me that's a bit of a stretch. Otherwise, it's one of the best representations of movie making as an art form I've ever seen. Five stars.
  • June 30, 2009
    After telling the guy in the video store that I wasn't a big fan of Film Noir, he gave me this movie. I'm still not a Noir fan, but hell, this movie was something else! It was exciting! I really got a kick out of it.
    Orson was amazing, and Marlene Dietrich: what an appearance!

    ...( read more)"He was some kind of a man... What does it matter what you say about people?"
  • February 12, 2009
    orson wells has given us some of the most iconic characters in film history, from charles foster kane to harry lime, and in touch of evil he gives us hank quinlin. despite some significant weight gain and some extra padding that made wells nearly unrecognizable, his performance ...( read more)was excellent. we also get great performances from heston and leigh, and the cinematography was haunting bearing similarity to the camera work of greg toland in citizen kane. the opening sequence is one of the most effectively shot opening scenes that i have ever seen, and touch of evil is a classic noir.
  • January 6, 2009
    Touch of Evil is the Orson Welles masterpiece that fell into his lap and was then subsequently taken away by the studio and recut and reshot to their specifications. It would be forty years before Welles true vision was recreated based on a 53 page memo he sent to Universal in 19...( read more)58 airing his concerns over the changes.

    The film is opens with a car bomb exploding just as it leaves Mexico for the United States. A well respected Mexican drug enforcement agent names Vargas (Charlton Heston) is on his honeymoon with his new American bride Susie (Janet Leigh) and assists in the investigation that is headed by the legendary detective Hank Quinlan. As Vargas investigates the explosion and Quinlan's subsequent bending of the law his wife is being harassed and kidnapped by members of the Mexican crime family he plans on testifying against later in that week in Mexico City.

    What Welles created with Touch of Evil was the last noir picture. Most of the action occurs in the dark with shadows being most of the scenery and the flashing lights of Mexican burlesque halls filling the slummy rooms throughout the film. Although it's hard to accept Charlton Heston as a Mexican he still does a fine job as Vargas, playing a game of cat and mouse with Welles as Quinlan. Quinlan is the anti-Charles Foster Kane. Fat, old, ugly he's like a lumbering pig whose only goal is to finish cases no matter what the cost. He doesn't do it for money: he does it for himself.

    It's been said that Orson Welles peaked with Citizen Kane. That may be true, but Touch of Evil gives us the glimmer of that bright young man who went to Hollywood to make his kind of movies. Was he ahead of his time? Certainly.
  • October 3, 2008
    a good Orson Wells movie, but not to the level of Citize Cane. Charlton Heston as a Mexican? That's a miscast. Although a REAL Mexican marrying a beautiful vigirnal American woman may have been too much for the general public.
  • October 26, 2009
    film Noir Orson style.
  • October 14, 2009
    This film is definitely interesting. It has an atypical plot that is entertaining. With Orson Welles as the director, you get the chance to see the amazing camera shots and that a-list acting he always provides. The attitude and tone of the film is what makes this film feel re...( read more)alistic. I had one issue though. Charlton Heston is a great actor, but it?s pretty obvious that he?s not Mexican! I can?t take him seriously in that mustache. Also, the ending is somewhat abrupt, but Marlene Dietrich makes it fabulous!! (However, it?s pretty obvious that she isn?t Mexican either.)
  • September 20, 2009
    Superb, and totally awesome and well-directed masterful thrilling film-noir, of course, starring Orson Welles and directed by him, with (A definitely unappropriate and funny Mexican) Charlton Heston performing a role genuisly.

    95/100
  • September 6, 2009
    I don't know enough film geekery to understand the historical importance of this film, but I still enjoyed it. I'm a fan of the skeptical, corrupt flavour of film noir in general, and this film holds up well.
  • August 21, 2009
    Excellent film noir. Great cast.

Critic Reviews


April 6, 2007
David Edelstein, Slate

I first saw it when I was 14 and thought it was one of the worst pictures ever -- garish, oppressive, and appallingly overacted. Grown up, I'd go with those same adjectives, except now I think it's on... full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The film has always been a favorite of those who enjoy visual and dramatic flamboyance. full review

View more Touch of Evil reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


This board looks lonely. Be the first to talk about "Touch of Evil" !

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Citizen Kane
    Citizen Kane (82%)
  • Lone Star
    Lone Star (25%)
  • Chinatown
    Chinatown (80%)
  • The Third Man
    The Third Man (88%)

Theater Showtimes & TV Listings


Touch of Evil Trivia


  • What was the name of the character described as "some kind of a man" played by Orson Welles in 'Touch of Evil'  Answer »
  • Who directed the movies Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil and The Magnificent Ambersons?  Answer »
  • At the end of what Terry Gilliam movie does a young boy shout "Mum! Dad! Don't touch it! It's evil!"?  Answer »
  • In Cinderella 3 how did the prince know cinderella was still the one he loved after he was put under a spell by the evil stepmother?  Answer »

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?