A corrupt crime syndicate has moved into town, bringing with it new tools and pulling political strings instead of just using muscle. They join up with local boss Nick Scanlon who is old-school and trades on violence more than anything else. Into the middle of this corruption and rising crime comes honest policeman Capt Tomas McQuigg who has history with Scanlon but aims to bring him down and expose the syndicate's web of corruption as well.
First of all, let me correct the entry on this page that classes this film as `film-noir', I assume that this has been added by another user that doesn't know what this means and equates it to any black and white film that involves crime. Needless to say, I do not see this as a noir, I see it as a basic crime story with tough cops and equally tough criminals. The basic story is good as it involves corruption as much as the usual crime boss characters. The film doesn't really be all it could have been and it stays at a tough if basic level for the majority. All told the story goes by slickly enough and is enjoyable despite that fact that you will have almost totally forgotten it fifteen minutes after it has finished.
The cast help it to be better than it actually is and features two typically tough-talking and square jawed leads. Mitchum isn't as impressive as he can be but he does has a solid screen presence and he does well here. Ryan plays a character than has actually become more interesting with time due to other, similar characters than he has played since - his character is a bit toothless but that has more to do with codes of the time than his performance. The support cast are OK but nobody really stands out.
Overall this is an OK film that will pass quite easily but has few qualities that will really stick in your mind for very long after you see it. Oh, and it's not a film-noir!
