The Getaway

Viewers will recognize The Getaway as a remake of another MGM B picture, Public Hero #1. But another film along similar lines was so much better, that being White Heat.

Still there's no shame in being associated with being with this solid B action film. Robert Sterling plays a youthful FBI agent who goes undercover in prison to arrange an escape for mobster Dan Dailey who heads the infamous River Gang the FBI wants to nail. Sterling is to infiltrate and find the gang's hideout.

Dailey has the Cody Jarrett role here and while he's not nuts with a mother complex like James Cagney was, he's got some issues. But he's also shrewd and paranoid which is always a deadly combination. Dailey steals this film.

The Getaway was also the film debut of Donna Reed who plays Dan Dailey's sister who unlike Cody Jarrett's mother is seriously trying to reform him. Sterling takes a liking to here. There's also Charles Winninger a doctor with a thirst problem who I wouldn't let near me with a scalpel. Winninger has an interesting way of collecting his fees.

Good action film with a nice climactic shootout.