Crime Wave

Before its announcement for DVD release as part of the fourth installment of Warners’ “The Film Noir Collection”, where it was greeted with cheers of anticipation, I have to admit that I wasn’t aware this particular title had that much of a reputation – despite the director and star (Sterling Hayden) involved. Having watched it for myself, I was duly impressed though I wouldn’t quite place it in the genre’s top ranks…but that’s because the standards set by the invigorating noir style during its heyday were so high.

Incidentally, despite the title (which would seem to be hinting at a broader scale) and its being produced by one of the Hollywood majors (Warner Bros.), the modest 74-minute duration pretty much relegated the piece to B-movie status; furthermore, the filming was reportedly completed in a mere fortnight! Interestingly, it was the follow-up effort (for the same studio) by the team behind the gimmicky horror classic HOUSE OF WAX (1953) – namely De Toth, producer Bryan Foy, scriptwriter Crane Wilbur, and co-stars Phyllis Kirk and Charles Bronson.

The plot followed a much-used noir formula: the man whose past comes back to haunt him – as an ex-con (Gene Nelson) is forced by three fugitives (including Bronson and Ted de Corsia), after deliberately compromising his parole and threatening his wife, into first harboring them and then take part in their proposed bank robbery (by which time they’ve enrolled other dangerous elements to their fold, notably a typically-nutty Timothy Carey). The narrative, then, tries to cram in as many recognizably noir elements as it possibly can: suspense, violence, romance, location shooting, documentary approach (via a systematic police procedural), etc.

For once, too, Hayden is on the side of the law – CRIME WAVE actually came roughly in between his two most famous noir roles in John Huston’s THE ASPHALT JUNGLE (1950) and Stanley Kubrick’s THE KILLING (1956), both of them classic heist films in which he had played the fated leader of a criminal gang – though his character is just as cynical, tough and uncompromising as ever. In fact, for the longest time, he seemed merely a toothpick-chewing, thick-headed bully here but, eventually, he gets to show his essential softness in the film’s beautifully-handled (unusually hopeful for the genre) finale.

De Toth operated in most genres (albeit tending towards action-oriented fare, despite his being blind in one eye!) and, whether adopting monochrome or color stock, the full-frame ratio or the Widescreen, he could always be depended upon to deliver an efficient, unpretentious, stylish and entertaining product.

And we fans of film noir prize nastiness and cold-heartedness. We also like small movies.

Gene Nelson is very affecting as a parolee who is dragged into a crime against his will. Phyllis Kirk is fine as his wife. She doesn't add much flavor but she's believably loyal.

For flavor, we have none other than Timothy Carey! He is one of the bad guys. Charles Bronson, early in his career, is another. Carey adds a great deal of creepiness to the goings-on.

Sterling Hayden is excellent as the cynical cop who's called in. Though the plot tells us nothing about him other than that he's given up smoking and misses it, he is clearly not a warm human being. His eyes squint and shift. He doesn't trust anyone and it's very possible he doesn't like much of anyone, either.

The movie begins with Dub Taylor as an exceptionally goofy gas station attendant. He's like a character from the "Ma and Pa Kettle" series. But our villains knock him out and rob him, which is a jarring contrast.

The characters are very well drawn in "Crime Wave." It has a tough plot but the people are what elevates it to a high status.

This is excellent example of film noir: almost everything you'd want in this genre. Right from the opening shot, this had noir written all over it by cinematographer Bert Glennon, and from opening holdup-murder scene at the gas station, you knew you were in for a rough ride.

Speaking of "rough," I can't think of too many actors who were better and more suited for noir than Sterling Hayden, who delivers yet another uncompromising hard-headed, tough- guy character. This time he's a cop, "Det. Lt. Sims," and one with no use for any "con," even if the guy (in this case, Gene Nelson's "Steve Lacey") has cleaned up his act.

It wasn't just the photography and Haden, the entire cast was fascinating, and it's simply a fast-moving, entertaining film. Andre de Toth's direction also was terrific. He directed only one other noir: Pitfall, another great film that we are still waiting to see on DVD. At least this film finally made it to disc.

I had forgotten what classic beauty Phyllis Kirk possessed. Wow, what a face! She starred as "Nora Charles" on the popular "Thin Man" television series in the '50s. In here, she plays Lacey's wife "Ellen." Rather that going through the whole cast, I'll just say it was a hoot to see Timothy Carey again, even if his role was limited. This guy played the most whacked-out minor characters I've ever seen in movies. (See "The Killing" for a good example of what I mean.) Jay Novello as the veterinarian ex-con also was really interesting.

I'll tell you what else was nice: the realistic scenes with actual locations around Los Angeles in the early '50s. This movie had a number of hand-held camera shots. Even the holdup in the bank was done in a real bank. There are few, if any, hokey studio shots in this movie. It's the real deal..... and very much recommended. Combined with "Decoy" on the same disc, it makes for a nice double--feature for a night of noir.

It's too bad Andre De Toth didn't contribute more to the noir cycle, because on the evidence he was a natural (plus he was married to early-noir icon Veronica Lake). The Pitfall, made in 1948, looks more and more like one of the best, and most central, movies in the cycle, but (except for the early, more gothic Dark Waters) De Toth only returned to it once, with Crime Wave. Its story is not a fresh one: an ex-con trying to go straight (Gene Nelson) is coerced by circumstances to aid and abet a gang of his former cellmates. The uncomfortable spot he finds himself in lies between them and the law, personified by Sterling Hayden as a tough, unforgiving police detective. There's much more attention to character in the film's hour-and-a-quarter running time than in many full-length features of the era; Jay Novello, as an alcoholic veterinarian who doubles as an underworld sawbones, is especially memorable. By any reckoning Crime Wave is a minor film -- even a minor second feature -- but De Toth lavishes easy expertise on it; it's surprisingly well paced, well shot, as well interestingly cut. Why so many talented directors (many of them refugees from Europe) were relegated, in the 1950s, to "genre" movies -- crime dramas, 3-D schlockfests and westerns -- is a puzzle. In any case, I'd give any three of De Toth's westerns AND his House of Wax for just one more film noir boasting his directorial credit.

I just love these type films and I had never heard of this one--thank you to the Mystery Channel. Great performances all around, and for once I liked this performance of Sterling Hayden!! Normally, I can't stand him, as he seemed to play the same character in every film I have seen him in. Gene Nelson and Phyllis Kirk were also excellent,who would have thought they could do such acting and the cinematography is really something to see--I always wonder when seeing these films, just how many of the buildings are still around. This is a great little film--be sure and catch it if you ever see it on the schedule!!!