James Mallahan Cain (July 1, 1892 – October 27, 1977) was an American journalist and novelist. Although Cain himself vehemently opposed labelling, he is usually associated with the hardboiled school of American crime fiction and seen as one of the creators of the roman noir. This work is copyrighted. ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1892 (MDCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ... Hardboiled crime fiction is a uniquely American style pioneered by Dashiell Hammett, refined by Raymond Chandler, and endlessly imitated since by writers such as Mickey Spillane. ... Sherlock Holmes, pipe-puffing hero of crime fiction, confers with his colleague Dr. Watson; together these characters popularized the genre. ... Hardboiled crime fiction is a uniquely American style pioneered by Dashiell Hammett, refined by Raymond Chandler, and endlessly imitated since by writers such as Mickey Spillane. ...

Cain was born into an Irish Catholic family in Annapolis, Maryland. The son of a prominent teacher and an opera singer, he had inherited his love for music from his mother, but his high hopes of starting a career as a singer himself were thwarted when she told him that his voice was not good enough. After graduating from Washington College in 1917 Cain enlisted in the Army and spent the final year of World War I in France writing for an Army magazine. Back in the States he continued working as a journalist and briefly served as the managing editor of The New Yorker, but later turned to screenplays and finally to fiction. Nickname: Americas Sailing Capital , San Diego East, Dogtown, Naptown Motto: Vixi Liber Et Moriar - I have lived, and I shall die, free Location in Maryland Coordinates: Country United States State Maryland County Anne Arundel County Founded 1649 Incorporated 1708 Mayor Ellen O. Moyer (D) City Council Richard E. Israel... A teachers room in a Japanese middle school, 2005. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan. ... See Washington University (disambiguation) for institutions with similar names. ... Year 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... It has been suggested that United States Army values be merged into this article or section. ... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Franz... The New Yorker is an American magazine that publishes reportage, criticism, essays, cartoons, poetry and fiction. ... A screenplay or script is a blueprint for producing a motion picture. ... Fiction (from the Latin fingere, to form, create) is storytelling of imagined events and stands in contrast to non-fiction, which makes factual claims about reality. ...

Cain made use of his love of music and of the opera in particular in at least three of his novels: Serenade (about an American opera singer who loses his voice and who, after spending part of his life south of the border, re-enters the States illegally with a Mexican prostitute in tow); Mildred Pierce (where, as part of the subplot, the only daughter of a successful businesswoman trains as a pianist); and Two Can Sing, a short semi-comic novel about the unhappy husband of an aspiring opera singer who unexpectedly discovers that he has a better voice than she does. (Cain's third wife, Florence McBeth, was a retired opera singer.) The Teatro alla Scala in Milan. ... A subplot is a series of connected actions within a work of narrative that function separately from the main plot. ...

Critics have pointed out that there is a basic formula pervading most of Cain's fiction. Almost always, with the notable exception of Mildred Pierce, a man falls for a woman — the femme fatale (see also stock character) — and becomes involved in criminal activity with her, and is eventually betrayed by her. This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

In 1944 Cain married film actress Aileen Pringle (second of his three wives), but the marriage was a tempestuous union and dissolved in a bitter divorce two years later. Aileen Pringle Aileen Pringle (July 23, 1895 - December 16, 1989) was a highly successful and popular stage and film actress during the silent film era. ...

Cain continued writing up to his death. However, the many novels he published from the late 1940s onward never rivalled his earlier successes. He died an alcoholic, aged 85. The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949. ... King Alcohol and his Prime Minister circa 1820 Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholics normal personal, family, social, or work life. ...

Quotation

"I make no conscious effort to be tough, or hard-boiled, or grim, or any of the things I am usually called. I merely try to write as the character would write, and I never forget that the average man, from the fields, the streets, the bars, the offices and even the gutters of his country, has acquired a vividness of speech that goes beyond anything I could invent, and that if I stick to this heritage, this logos of the American countryside, I shall attain a maximum of effectiveness with very little effort."

(from the Preface to Double Indemnity)

Select bibliography

• The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934) (filmed several times; first uncredited version by Luchino Visconti in 1943 entitled Ossessione)
• Double Indemnity (1936) (filmed by Billy Wilder in 1944)
• Serenade (1937) (filmed by Anthony Mann in 1956 — see Serenade (film))
• Mildred Pierce (1941) (filmed by Michael Curtiz in 1945)
• Love's Lovely Counterfeit (1942)
• Past All Dishonor (1946)
• The Butterfly (1947) (filmed by Matteo Ottaviano in 1982 — see Butterfly)
• The Moth (1948)
• The Root of His Evil (1952)
• Mignon (1962
• The Magician's Wife (1965)
• The Institute (1976)
• The Enchanted Isle (1985) (filmed by Lucas Platt in 1995 as Girl in the Cadillac)

The Postman Always Rings Twice is a 1934 crime novel by James M. Cain. ... See also: 1933 in literature, other events of 1934, 1935 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Luchino Visconti, Duke of Modrone (November 2, 1906 - March 17, 1976) was an Italian theatre and cinema director and writer. ... See also: 1942 in film 1943 1944 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films North America For Whom the Bell Tolls The Song of Bernadette This is the Army Stage Door Canteen Random Harvest Star Spangled Rhythm Casablanca Journey Into Fear Academy Awards Best... Ossessione 1943 Ossessione (Luchino Visconti, 1943) is generally considered to be the first Neorealist film. ... Double Indemnity is a 1944 film noir. ... See also: 1935 in literature, other events of 1936, 1937 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Billy Wilder (June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American journalist, screenwriter, film director, and producer whose career spanned more than 50 years and 60 films. ... // July 20 - Since You Went Away is released. ... In music, a Serenade (or sometimes Serenata) is, in its most general sense, a musical composition, and/or performance, in someones honor. ... See also: 1936 in literature, other events of 1937, 1938 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Anthony Mann (June 30, 1906 - April 29, 1967), was an American actor and film director. ... See also: 1955 in film 1956 1957 in film 1950s in film years in film film // Events November 15 - The film Love Me Tender starring Elvis Presley (his first film) opens. ... Mario Lanza preparing to sing Otello in Serenade (1956) Serenade, a 1956 Warner Bros. ... For other uses, see Mildred Pierce (disambiguation). ... See also: 1940 in literature, other events of 1941, 1942 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Michael Curtiz (December 24, 1886 - April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, whose best known films include The Adventures of Robin Hood, Casablanca, and White Christmas. ... // Paramount Studios releases theatrical short cartoon titled The Friendly Ghost, featuring ghost named Casper With Rossellinis Roma Città aperta, Italian neorealist cinema begins. ... See also: 1941 in literature, other events of 1942, 1943 in literature, list of years in literature. ... See also: 1945 in literature, other events of 1946, 1947 in literature, list of years in literature. ... -1... // January 11 - Production begins on the Star Wars film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. ... Butterfly was a 1982 film based on the 1947 novel The Butterfly by James M. Cain. ... See also: 1947 in literature, other events of 1948, 1949 in literature, list of years in literature. ... See also: 1951 in literature, other events of 1952, 1953 in literature, list of years in literature. ... See also: 1961 in literature, other events of 1962, 1963 in literature, list of years in literature. ... See also: 1964 in literature, other events of 1965, 1966 in literature, list of years in literature. ... See also: 1975 in literature, other events of 1976, 1977 in literature, list of years in literature. ... See also: 1984 in literature, other events of 1985, 1986 in literature, list of years in literature. ... // March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation November - After a six-year hiatus, the James Bond film series resumes with the successful GoldenEye. ...

External links

• "James M. Cain", an essay by William Marling
• A short biography with further links