JOURNAL ARTICLE

Caught in a Webb of Noir.

  • Published In: Film Score Monthly (FSM Online), 2026, v. 31, n. 4. P. N.PAG 1 of 2

  • Database: Film & Television Literature Index with Full Text 2 of 2

Abstract

This article focuses on the 1948 film noir western *Blood on the Moon*, highlighting its significance as a precursor to the "adult Western" genre on 1950s American television. The film, directed by Robert Wise and featuring Robert Mitchum, combines noir’s psychological complexity with Western themes, underscored by Roy Webb’s evocative musical score that enhances its mood and realism. Webb, a prolific composer primarily associated with RKO Radio Pictures, crafted music that mirrored the film’s dual genre through aggressive melodies and lyrical passages. The article also situates *Blood on the Moon* within the broader context of 1960s TV reruns of classic film noir and discusses Webb’s influential yet underrecognized career in Hollywood’s Golden Age of film scoring. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Film Score Monthly (FSM Online). 2026/04, Vol. 31, Issue 4, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Film/TV Criticism and Review
  • Subject Area:Film
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:1939-974X
  • Accession Number:192906550
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