College performance references classic films

There is a saying that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Come this weekend, Humphrey Bogart, Jane Greer, Robert Mitchum and all the other icons of film noir should be flattered.

On Friday, Cayuga County College's Harlequin Productions will stage a world premier of “Dead Men Don't Itch.” The comedy show, written by John Anco, parodies the classics of the noir genre, which is famous for its hard-boiled detective stories featuring cynical private investigators, glamorous femme fatales and slimy villains.

Bob Frame, who is directing and producing the show, said that Harlequin Productions often premiers unpublished and newly published plays to keep things on the “cutting edge.” Part of the reason he chose the play was because audiences don't have to have ever seen a noir movie or read a noir novel to enjoy it. But Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett fans will be able to pick out plenty of references.