The Argyle Secrets

Everyone wants the argyle papers that have the names of nazi sympathizers on them and could be used as blackmail. A reporter searches them out and gets caught up in a web of betrayals.

This is basically just a redo of the Maltese Falcon on a low budget with no names. It's not bad at all and is entertainingly brief. It's just by the book and uninteresting. What was the deal with everyone calling the lead youngster and new kid when he's clearly 50 years old?

Guy goes to look for the papers, gets captured, hears exposition, escapes, rinse repeat. Kind of bleh when you get right down to it, but it's nice to see that it's stayed alive after disappearing for so long.

If, like Ben Mankewiecz the other night, I were to extol the tragic, shamefully HUAC truncated career of writer/director Cy Enfield, this agressively ordinary murder/espionage mystery with way too much dull narration and a rather flat acting job by lead William Gargan would not be my first choice as evidence. Think I'd go with either "Zulu" or "Hell Drivers" instead. Still, it's always nice to see the future June Cleaver get clocked and Enfield brings the thing in at under seventy minutes, which is almost always a plus in these kinds of el cheapo Saturday matinee type deals. C plus.

... and not his best movie by far : very talkative, dull casting, no rhythm, only a few good scenes in an hour movie that lacks a real script. Cy Enfield would do a much lot better two years later with "The Underworld Story" and "The Sound Of Fury", in 1957 with "Hell Drivers" and of course in 1964 with "Zulu", strong movies with real casting. But forget this dull "Argyles Secrets".

Framed for the murder of a colleague, a reporter has to evade both the police and international criminals while trying to learn the truth about an album that contains "a fortune in blackmail" information in this noir thriller from 'Zulu' and 'Jet Storm' director Cy Endfield. Released shortly after the end of World War II, the film intimately ties itself to the aftermath of the war with the album featuring the names of those who profiteered from the war, those who were traitors and those who cut deals to advantage themselves no matter which side won. War connections aside though, this is a pretty typical noir entry with an unremarkable slate of shady supporting characters. The idea of having to elude police and antagonists alike is hardly fresh or original and as others have pointed out, the film is too reminiscent of 'The Maltese Falcon' for its own good at times. The movie has some pretty neat touches of its own though including hypnotic spiral effects and swirls after the protagonist is knocked unconscious. Leads William Gargan and Marjorie Lord also certainly try to get the most out of their characters and clocking in at just over an hour, the film at least avoids outstaying its welcome.

D. C. insider and investigative reporter Allen Pierce has returned to town, but immediately ends up in the hospital. He tells junior reporter Harry Mitchell (William Gargan) about "The Argyle Album". After leaving the room, Harry returns to find him dead. Harry wants a head start on the story and convinces the photographer to delay reporting the death. By the time the doctor arrives, there is a knife stuck in Allen's body, and the photographer has been stabbed to death. Harry goes on the run and searches for the album without knowing what it is.

I really love the premise. It becomes not much more than a McGuffin hunt. I would like more paranoia and more kinetic action. This movie needs some car chases and a few foot chases. I like some of the villains, but they could be more compelling. The ending is a little anti-climatic. I would have expected a victim of the blackmail come hunting for it. This has a great start, but the movie isn't able to elevate above its B-movie nature.