Well made and compellingly performed production that stunningly brings most of the roles of the classsic Noir Film , including a sinister and dark plot . An unfortunate young named Juan Valdés (Arturo Fernandez) , manager of a company, plays a game of cards with a group of people he has met at a party . Realizing that one of them is cheating, he fights with the man called Pardo and unwittingly murders him. To cope with such a situation, the leader of the group called Ignacio (George Rigaud) proposes him to disappear the body in exchange for embezzling his company . As Juan is forced to carry out the company theft , but he is discovered and imprisoned . When , after three years in prison, he comes out and finds out that he was the victim of a set-up , he sets out to exact vengeance and after beginning a new life , but things go awry .
The picture is developed with tension , suspense , emotion , and the exciting deeds are unfolded with absolute logic until the bloody final outcome . An effective, properly made and competently performed production that alrightly brings most of the characters of the classsic Noir Film and also contributing occasionally some novelties . Arturo Fernandez gives a good acting as a resentful young man who takes revenge on those who ruined his life by a scam and desiring to earn his innocence by whatever means necessary . The incombustible Arturo Fernández also played -along with Carlos Larrañaga- other essential Spanish Noir Films such as ¨Un vaso de Whisky¨(Julio Coll 1958) and the classic ¨A sangre fria¨(Juan Bosch 1958). Outstanding the attractive presence of Diana Lorys in one of her first roles and attempting to open the foreign market was hired a supposedly famous international German actress , Edith Elmay , but really was an unknown second-class Austrian player , though she had a Hollywood aspect . Being accompanied by other prestigious Spanish secondaries delivering fine interpretations , such as : George or Jorge Rigaud , Pedro Osinaga, Luis Induni , Rafael Navarro , Adriano Domínguez , Maria Frances , Gaspar Indio Gonzalez , among others .
This nice film belongs to the Spanish Noir Film whose main center was in Barcelona ; other great titles also located in the city of Barcelona as production center are the following ones : "Distrito Quinto" (Julio Coll,1957), ¨Brigada criminal¨(1950 Ignacio F Iquino), ¨Un vaso de Whisky¨(Julio Coll) , or "A Tiro Limpio" (1963), by Francisco Pérez-Dolz . Furthermore , ¨091 Policia al habla¨ by Jose Maria Forque and the best Noir resulted to be "Los Peces Rojos" . However , the movie does not reach the level of these previous works and Bosch's film falls short . The usual characters respond to the classic archetypes from Film Noir : a young and ambitious man become involved into criminal life , an evil Femme fatale using her sex-pot attractive who maneuvers on her own using his beauty , some professional criminals predisposed to crime and the ordinary treason .
Being masterfully photographed in Noir style with plenty of lights and shades by cameraman Aurelio G. Larraya . Mostly filmed in atmospheric scenarios on location in Barcelona , and others places vicinity of Las Ramblas, Barcelona , Cataluña . Enjoyable musical score by José Solá , a catching as well as interesting Jazzy soundtrack that accompanies its criminal best moments in sequences such as theft , and final confrontation. This musician also composed other criminal gems at the time , such as : Un Vaso de Whisky (Julio Coll) and A sangre fria (Juan Bosch). The motion picture was professionally directed by Juan Bosch , being well paced , but imitating the American Noir and packing a predictable ending . It was contemptuously deemed and unjustly forgotten , but nowadays, being well valued . He managed to make a fluid flick and filled with thrills , killings and shots ; though in average but enough budget . A movie without concessions, which, from start to finish , pursuit , to final confrontation , there is nothing forgotten by screenwriters and filmmaker . This Juan Bosch film is a precious gem that should be seen by all buffs of Spanish cinema. It is an acceptable example of the Noir film that was made in Spain in the late 50s, and 60s , and one of the first films directed by Juan Bosch, involved both the splendour of this genre in the decade. Juan was a Spanish craftsman , writing and directing ; working from the 60s in all kind of genres and B movies . His film debut was ¨Huellas del destino¨(57) . Later on , he made a Film noir trilogy : his second film :¨A sangre fría¨, ¨sendas marcadas¨, ¨Regresa un desconocido¨. And beach comedies as ¨Ultimo verano¨, Bahía de Palma¨. He made other popular comedies for ¨IFI¨ production company , such as ¨El terrible de Chicago¨, ¨La viudita YeYe¨; and he directed Spaghetti Western : ¨Dallas¨, "God in Heaven, Arizona on Earth¨, "And the Crows Will Dig Your Grave" , "My Horse, My Gun, Your Widow" ,¨Ciudad Maldita¨, ¨They Believed He Was No Saint" , "Stagecoach of the Condemned" ; Giallo : "The Killer Wore Gloves" , "On the Edge" or "The Killer with a Thousand Eyes" ; more Comedy : Mauricio Mon Amour¨, ¨40 Años Sin Sexo¨, ¨Caray Con Divorcio¨ , ¨Rolls Para Hipolito¨ and Terror : ¨Exorcismo¨, ¨Secta Siniestra¨ . Rating : 6/10 , this one remains largely watchable .
