“I Walk Alone” (1947) starring Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott & Kirk Douglas / Z-View

I Walk Alone (1947)

Director: Byron Haskin

Screenplay: Charles Schnee, Robert Smith (adaptation), John Bright (adaptation) based on Beggars Are Coming to Town by Theodore Reeves

Stars: Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas, Wendell Corey, Kristine Miller, Marc Lawrence, Mickey Knox, Bobby Barber and Mike Mazurki.

Tagline:  He Fell for the Oldest Trick in the World. If You Want to Pump a Guy… Send a Dame.

The Plot…

Frankie Madison (Lancaster) and Noll Turner (Douglas) were best friends and bootlegging partners.  It was 50-50 right down the line.  On their last run, they got into a gunfight with thieves who attempted to hijack their load.  The noise brought the police.  Deciding it was best to split up, Frankie stayed with the truck of bootleg hooch, and Noll split.

Frankie was caught, convicted and sent to prison.  That was 14 years ago.

While Frankie was in prison, Noll took the money he and Frankie had, and invested it in a bar.  He then sold the bar to buy a better nightclub.  It took work, but Noll built it into an exclusive hotspot.  Noll became very rich.

Now that Frankie’s out, he’s ready to join Noll.  They’d  always agreed that everything would be 50-50.  Frankie never ratted out Noll.  Frankie did the time.  He and Noll were best friends and business partners.  Noll would never double cross Frankie.

Would he?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster made seven movies together.  This is the first.

Eddie Muller called I Walk Alone a landmark crime film because it marked the first time movie outlaws moved from working outside the system to becoming legitimate operators working within the system.

I Walk Alone (1947) rates 4 of 5 stars.