Burt Lancaster, Yvonne de Carlo, Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally (detective), Alan Napier (Plan robbery), Tony Curtis (v briefly). Universal.
Has that noir doomed inexorability and flashback. Only we don't quite see why Burt's mum and cop friend are so against this woman. Nice to see some real LA exteriors.
On first watching this I was expecting some quite different end scenarios. (1) Yvonne has set up the guy who picks him up from hospital (this is one of the film's great scenes as we become convinced he's a good guy - reminds me in fact of the hospital scene in The Godfather) to pretend she's frightened and flee with the money - she then double crosses - actually I'm transcribing this and it now doesn't make any sense. (2) The detective lets Burt get picked up, knowing it will draw out Duryea - now that one does.
Looking at it now of course I had no such fantasies. It's an incredibly bleak ending in which Yvonne is about to leave him anyway (it was all about the money) and the couple are then point blank murdered - and although we feel Duryea is about to be caught, he ends the film alive and well (with a slight limp).
From a Don Tracy novel (about a racetrack robbery) written by Daniel Fuchs. Really interesting line up of supporting cast too.
Interesting band featured - Esy Morales and his Jungle Band (where we spot Curtis) performing 'Jungle Fantasy'. Miklós Rózsa scored (though there's not much music), Franz Planer shot it.
No. 2 in 'Dark City' author Freddie Muller's Top 25 Noirs.
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