Below the Deadline

When I see a film was made by Monogram Studio, I usually assume it's going to be a low-budgeted stinker. Of course, there some exceptions, such as their Charlie Chan series and a few others, but generally the studio's name was NOT one associated with quality! So, when I saw this no-name cast in a Monogram picture, I naturally thought it would be adequate at best. Boy, was I wrong!

When the story begins, two thugs are fighting over the number racket. One thinks he's a lot smarter than he is and is soon killed. Soon, his brother arrives in town...fresh from WWII and the Army Air Corps. Despite his great reputation as a war hero, he's very happy to step into his brother's shoes as head of that racket. The rest of the film consists of Joe (Warren Douglas) trying to convince everyone, including himself, that he's a tough jerk. What's next for this tough guy? See the film and find out for yourself.

Warren Douglas was terrific in the film and having an actor without a familiar face worked well...helping to make the story seem credible. Excellent writing also help with this one. My only quibble, and boy is it minor, is that the ending is just TOO perfect! Still, it showed that even Monogram could make a dandy film...on occasion.

...but there were some interesting elements to "Below the Deadline" from 1946.

This is an almost noir from Monogram directed by William "One Shot" Beaudine. The studios must have loved him.

This movie dealt the problems of a returning veteran, Joe Hilton (Warren Douglas). Certainly this has been explored in films such as "The Best Years of Our Lives," but I liked this take.

A gangster (Philip Van Zandt) dispatches two thugs to to threaten Jeff Hilton (George Meeker), using Jeff's attorney (Paul Maxey) in order to keep him from muscling in on certain rackets.

Jeff's girlfriend (Jan Wiley) convinces him to go out on his own and forget about the mobsters. We know what happens next, he's iced.

When his war hero brother Joe returns from service, seeing that his brother has been killed, he takes over his rackets. He wants revenge not only for his brother, but for these gangsters who made money on the black market while he was "eating out of cans covered with lice" and fighting for his country. Don't blame him.

He takes up with a woman (Ramsay Ames), who works in one of the clubs.

Short and not bad, and I wasn't familiar with the work of Ramsay Ames before this. She was a staggeringly beautiful woman -- and very modern looking -- someone else on this site mentioned that as well. She had a very "today" look. Apparently a lot of men fell off of catwalks at the studios trying to get a gander at her. She was multitalented - a former model and dancer-singer who had her own interview show in Spain. She was married to Man of La Mancha playwright Dale Wasserman.

Decent film, with some familiar faces who later worked a lot in TV, including Paul Maxey, Phillip Van Zandt, and the star, Warren Douglas, who became a writer and producer as well as an actor.

Warren Douglas is back from the war and prepared to take over his dead brother's night club. The mobbed-up guys who have been running it are not keen on the idea, but he settles them with his fists. He thinks he's paid his dues and is ready to get fat, but when it turns out that he's been using underage girls in the racy shows, and falls in love with Ramsay Ames, his conscience revives. THen it turns out his brother isn't dead.

It's a Monogram movie directed by William Beaudine, so you probably wouldn't expect it to be very good. It's not great, but it is a solid little noir, thanks to a decent script (co-written by Ivan Tors), and a cast good enough to get it on the first take, even on Monogram's uninspiring budgets.

Looks like that title has been used numerous times over the years, in both silents and talkies. With various writers and plots. This one is pretty cheesy. It's from monogram pictures, the low budget experts. Serviceman joe (warren douglas) comes home from war, and steps into his brother's business; the shady gambling operations. But when his girl (ramsay ames) and his army buddy try to get him to go straight, he doesn't want any part of it. And keeps getting into fist fights. I guess they left their guns at home. It's clearly a low dollar deal. Aint no thang. Directed by bill beaudine.

The More You Watch the Films of B-Movie Director William "One Shot" Beaudine the More You Appreciate the Man's Efficient Style and Flare. In this Monogram Quickie with Film-Noir Overtones there can be Found Noir Lighting Pattern Flourishes and Hard-Knuckle Fisticuffs.

Also, the Nightclub Scenes are Effective and Somewhat Sleazy, as is the Gaming Racket and Gang Rivalry that Keeps the Thing on the Edge. It is a Bit too Conventional in its Rap Up to be Pure Noir, it Nevertheless Engages Throughout its 65 Minute Running Time with Nods to Income Tax and Politics.

The Look is B-Movie Great and the Cynical Protagonist Returning from the War Where He was a Pilot Gives Free-Rein for the Script Writer to Banter with Wartime-Jargon that is a Hoot. For Example a Bar is Referred to as a "Fuel Dump" and Leaving a Lover is Called "Bailing Out".

Beyond Competent the Movie Rises to Must See Status for Fans of Film-Noir, B-Movies, WWII Aficionados, as Well as Those Looking for Some Mid-Forties Thrills on the Cheap.