Inside Job

This is the third version of a film written by Tod Browning, this one produced by Universal in 1946 and directed by Jean Yarbrough. The print I saw looked like it was from Poverty Row.

Ann Rutherford and Alan Curtis play Claire and Eddie, a married couple. He has a criminal history and is attempting to go straight. A gangster acquaintance, Bart Madden (Preston Foster) sees Eddie in a department store window as a moving mannequin. Madden threatens to expose Eddie's criminal background unless he helps him rob the store of the Christmas receipts.

Eddie confesses his past to Claire, and she insists on helping him, with the idea of cutting Madden out entirely. Working as a model in the store, she flirts with the boss, and manages to get a photo with the safe combination written on the back. She also flirts with Madden, but he has someone watching Eddie and knows what she's up to.

Claire and Eddie steal the money and hide out until Eddie can make arrangements to get them out of town. Claire gets chummy with the neighbors over Eddie's objections.

I saw Preston Foster in a later film where he played someone down and out. Here he's smooth and attractive, obviously a very fine actor. Curtis as Eddie is rough around the edges; one wonders if Claire, who seems to want a family, doesn't see him in a new light.

The film has a very strong ending, but the intrusion of an awful child actor is an annoyance. His dog Slugger, however, gives an excellent performance.

Part of the film is pitch black so one isn't sure what's happening.