Burt Lancaster just cannot stay away from Yvonne de Carlo, though she's now with dangerous gangster Dan Duryea (never more menacing). Whilst an armoured car robbery is about to take place, we flash back to see how it all started.
It has a savage, unexpected and totally downbeat ending which is sensational. (And even though the sirens are approaching, it seems - for once - that at that moment the bad guy has got away with it - post-war signs of change.)
Beautifully shot by Franz Planer but just a really well directed film (the credited editor is Ted Kent, though I also read that Siodmak edited The Spiral Staircase himself, uncredited) - e.g. the montage of shots where we first discover de Carlo and the band; scene where Burt's banged up in hospital and thinks someone's coming to get him; robbery in the smoke.
The narration, and Miklos Rozsa's score, are perhaps there to try and emulate Double Indemnity. This is a Universal picture.
With Stephen McNally (cop), Esy Morales and his band, Tom Pedi (Italian looking gangster), Alan Napier, Griff Barnett (security guard), blink-and-you'll-miss-him Tony Curtis.
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| Percy Helton as the barman |
Featuring some horrible suits.
Written by Daniel (Between Two Worlds) Fuchs from Don Tracy novel, set up by producer Mark Hellinger before he died.
Siodmak links this way.
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