Unterwelt von Paris

Unless the initial impact of a movie, which opens with a full-on action packed sequence is maintained, it soon begins to sag like an old, discarded mattress left out in the rain. This is especially pertinent when, as on this occasion, the plot is fairly simplistic.

Following an ultra close range shoot out, U. S. Army deserter, robber and supreme opportunist, Dane Clark escapes from a police van and puts his gotta-get-to-Belgium.... PRONTO!, plan into action, staying one step ahead of the cops, with the help of ex-lover, Simone Signoret and man of many faces, Michel Andre.

For much of the next hour, the movie is hamstrung by some stiff, stilted acting and workmanlike dialogue, punctuated by the not for the squeamish, removal of a bullet from Clark's shoulder, who insists on a record from the jukebox to drown his agonized whelps 'n' yelps. This was 1950. Decades later, Blood Sweat and Tears or Bullet Lavolta would have provided a fitting backdrop to his painful ordeal.

Set in Paris, it looks French and radiates the vibe of European cinema. With director, Frank (This Gun for Hire) Tuttle on board as 'Gunman' gathers momentum and spews out some sharper lines, it increasingly takes on the complexion of American noir. Simone Signoret is a dazzling temptress, leaving the rather anonymous Clark choking on her exhaust fumes, in the on-screen charisma stakes. The film's dual personality is further underlined by the existence of 'Le Traque', an alternative language version, directed by Borys Lewin, released the same year.

It's certainly an intriguing and unusual find. A lost gem? Not quite. 'Gunman' never really comes together into a cohesive, fully realized work, remaining a curious objet d'art, an oddity, a strangely off kilter artefact from the vintage noir era.