Touch of Evil

Directed by and starring Orson Welles, Touch of Evil is a baroque tale of corruption, violence, and moral decay set along the U.S.–Mexico border. Featuring Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and a legendary supporting turn by Marlene Dietrich, the film follows a battle of wills between an idealistic Mexican narcotics agent and Welles’s grotesque, deeply compromised police captain Hank Quinlan. Famed for its iconic opening tracking shot, shadowy cinematography by Russell Metty, and richly nightmarish atmosphere, the film marked the explosive end of the classic noir era. Long dismissed by the studio and later restored to Welles’s original vision, Touch of Evil remains one of the most visually audacious and influential noirs ever made.