On this day in movie and book history - Touch of Evil (1958) and Badge of Evil (1956):

Touch of Evil

directed and written by Orson Welles,

based on the novel Badge of Evil by Whit Masterson,

was released in the United States on January 31, 1958.

Music by Henry Mancini.

Cast:

Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, Joanna Cook Moore, Ray Collins, Dennis Weaver, Val de Vargas, Mort Mills, Victor Millan, Lalo Rios, Phil Harvey, Joi Lansing, Harry Shannon, Rusty Wescoatt, Wayne Taylor, Ken Miller, Raymond Rodriguez, Arlene McQuade, Dan White, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Marlene Dietrich, Mercedes McCambridge, William Tannen, Joseph Cotton.

Recommended reading - Badge of Evil

Badge of Evil

by Whit Masterson.

Filmed as Touch of Evil (1958), directed by Orson Welles.

Published by Adams Media.

First published 1956.

ASIN: 1440560919

ISBN-10: 9781440560910

ISBN-13: 978-1440560910

Description:

“Orson Welles based his noir masterpiece on this equally fine novel.” – The Washington Post.

Quinlan and McCoy – veteran cops who could smell out a murderer …

A dark, swift-running tale of love and hate and death under the bright California sun.

Assistant District Attorney Mitch Holt suspects the wrong people have been arrested in the murder of Rudy Linneker. But if it wasn't Linneker's daughter and her fiance, who was it? And why do two of the city's most decorated and beloved cops look like they're not shooting straight? If they've planted evidence in this case, what else are they guilty of in the past?