Crime Wave/Decoy (1954/1956)Dir. Andre de Toth/Jack Bernhard
These are part of Warner Brothers Film Noir Classic Collection Vol. 4 and every film in this set is worthwhile, but this disc is the prime cut. First you have Crime Wave, maybe one of the best B-noirs made. Directed by Andre de Toth in only 13 days it is a tight little thriller about a guy trying to go straight, the gang trying to pull him back in and the cop out to bust his ass. With some amazing visuals, including a gritty violent gas station hold up and a fist fight that physically hurts when you watch it, this is a primer on making every shot count. Sterling Hayden is excellent (as always) as the cop with a grudge and Timothy Carey makes an appearance as the wackiest criminal on the planet. Bit the real kudos go to Gene Nelson and Phyllis Kirk who give the film an emotional core. Nelson's tight gripped panic and Kirk's exasperation make you feel for the newlyweds who are stuck in a world they are trying desperately to escape. A winner on all fronts and bonus points for including Charles (Buchinsky) Bronson in an arly roll.
Next is Decoy, which may not be the best noir ever, but it is surly one of the nuttiest. Jeanne Gillie may not be the world's greatest actress, but her over the top performance melding with a character who's nothing but poison and bile is electric and leaves you giddy by the end. The plot itself is so implausible, which includes resurrecting a mob boss from the dead, that you have to appreciate it as high camp even if it was intended to be a serious piece. This sucker is filled with double and triple crosses, making it a fun filled, if not dated, companion piece to the straight forward gut punch of Crime Wave.
The entire set
is well worth it and everyone will have their favorites, but for my money the Crime Wave/Decoy disc is the best of the lot.
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