Best known for its serials and westerns, Republic Pictures also regularly made mysteries and crime dramas throughout its lifespan. The ones from the post-World War II-era are very little known, and while I've seen some misfires among them, many are solid b-movies that are always competently made, well-acted by the supporting casts, and completely unpretentious. Republic's output in this era always had a slick look, and never had a very dark or fatalistic feel to them (DECOY or DETOUR would never be Republic releases!), so those seeking hard-boiled noir should probably seek out obscure PRC or Eagle-Lion or Film Classics or even Lippert releases. However, LONELY HEART BANDITS is a fine little b-programmer, with a con-man and his female partner fleecing and sometimes killing lonely people who answer personal ads for romantic partners. The film wastes no time in getting started, and features a wonderfully evil performance by veteran supporting player John Eldredge, well-known for his appearances in many Universal, Monogram, and Republic productions. He probably loved playing this juicy role, as a "distinguished" older man who charms rich widows, marries them, takes their money, and sometimes (when he feels it's "necessary") kills them. There are no surprises here, and like much of Republic's 1950s output it plays a lot like a TV episode, but I found it to be an entertaining way to kill an hour. Of special interest is a memorable performance by Kathleen Freeman (fine comic actress, known for many roles in Jerry Lewis films) as Bertha, a friend of the heroine, who finds a man who is perfectly suited for her (you'll see what I mean by that!) through a lonely hearts club. During one of her scenes, Ms. Freeman does a beautiful job with a speech about how it feels to be lonely and without love. What a great talent she was--she will be missed. Overall, LONELY HEART BANDITS is not something you need to track down immediately, but is a solid b-movie that achieves what it set out to do.
