The Trap

"The Trap" isn't the type of movie I usually review, but I started watching and couldn't stop! Many things about this film are incredibly great, notably the excellent cast, the original and suspenseful plot, the unpredictable action sequences, and - perhaps most of all - the setting & atmosphere which combine the best trademarks of both the western and the film-noir/gangster movie genres.

Intelligent lawyer Ralph Anderson found the perfect solution for his client, wanted mafia boss Victor Massonetti, to leave the country. In Anderson's hometown, the incredibly remoted village in the Californian desert named Tula, there's a small airstrip from where Massonetti can take a plane and escape to Mexico. But in Tula, there's also Ralph's stern father who's the Sheriff, his jealous and alcoholic brother who's the deputy, and the love of his life Linda who's now unhappily married to his brother. Needless to say, nothing will go as planned.

Top actors Richard Widmark and J. Lee Cobb both give stellar performances, and the script of "The Trap" has many surprise twists and strong thriller moments in store. It's very violent for a late 50s movie, and the many chases and shootouts on the remote and dusty desert roads are sublime. Admittedly, it's often too talkative and the melodrama occasionally takes the upper hand when it shouldn't, but this is nevertheless a very good film!

The Trap (AKA: The Baited Trap) is directed by Norman Panama who also co-writes the screenplay with Richard Alan Simmons. It stars Richard Widmark, Lee J. Cobb, Tina Louise, Earl Holliman and Lorne Greene. Music is by Irvin Talbot and cinematography by Daniel L. Fapp.

Tula Torments.

Tula, California and Ralph Anderson (Widmark) has returned home under a cloud. He's been a lawyer for mob boss Victor Massonetti (Cobb) and needs to fulfil a favour to get Massonetti out of the country. Unfortunately the law in Tula comprises of his father and brother, the former still angry at Ralph for a youthful misdemeanour, the latter an alcoholic married to Ralph's childhood sweetheart. It's a recipe for disaster...

A Technicolor action/thriller that has somehow found its way into some film noir reference books, The Trap should just be viewed as belonging to the former genre titles. Which is fine, especially since it's grand entertainment. Essentially it's a play on the good narrative device of a good man who has done something he's not proud of, but is now desperately trying to make amends. Surrounding him is a fractured family dynamic, a romantic attachment that hurts his very being, and the small matter of some very bad dudes after the quarry in his charge - and thus also his blood!

The story throws up a number of surprises to further beef up the psychological broth, emotions are pulled all over the place, while death is a constant threat to keep things on the high heat. There's plenty of sweat and steam, boozing and brooding, neuroticism and nastiness, there's nary a dull moment in the whole play. All of which leads to a genuinely surprising and moving finale. The cast all turn in effective character portrayals, feeding off of one and other to make the picture achieve all it can. The sound stage aspects of the shoot are irksome, with the main painted backdrop particularly looking fake, which is a shame as the genuine exterior photography by Fapp is gorgeous.

Small irks aside, this is a meaty hybrid piece out of Paramount and highly recommended to fans of the stars and such genre fare. 8/10

Prodigal son (Widmark) must get top gangster (Cobb) across desert to justice despite opposition from gang and family rivalries.

Pretty good suspenser if you can get past that over-long, over-done early scene where Widmark and Louise make moon-calf eyes at each other. After that the narrative settles into a decent contest of wits. One thing for sure—they didn't have to build many sets. There's a huge swath of desolate California desert the cars get to roll across, while I'm thirsty just watching this.

There're maybe more family convolutions than the story needs. I expect much of that is to build up Tina Louise's part. And what a dish she is, several years before Gilligan's Island. I will say they wisely de-glamorized her for the rustic part here. It's a good cast, though the 46-year old Widmark is a little long-in-the-tooth for his role; plus, the great Lee J. Cobb has less to do than I would expect.

Nonetheless, the premise plays out nicely in the abandoned diner and in that final twist that I didn't see coming. There's nothing special here, just an entertaining 90-minutes with a good cast and a big part of California that sure ain't Hollywood.

This is well acted and directed. The mood is set right from the beginning, and Tula is no town for the faint of heart. Widmark and Cobb are terrific, and the supporting cast matches them every step of the way. Toward the end, some plot holes become apparent under close examination, but the ride is worth taking.

Despite its exceptional quality and the presence of genre hero Richard Widmark, "The Trap" has mostly eluded noir enthusiasts. It's hard to see why: coming in at barely 85 minutes, the script is taut as a piano wire and immediately hits you with its vitality and tension. Widmark plays a mafia lawyer forced to use family law enforcement connections to help mob boss Lee J. Cobb escape from an oppressively hot desert town. Chaotic action and dark family tension erupt as the hour of Cobb's departure approaches.

Earl Holliman gives one of his best performances as Widmark's brother, the local deputy. Holliman is a barely functioning alcoholic with serious daddy issue who is quickly losing the affection of wife Tina Louise and the respect of his father, the sheriff. His rapid moral collapse, occurring while Widmark starts to gain backbone, provides the core tension of the film. It's wonderful to see Tina Louise in a starring role: she is excellent in these thrillers (see also "Day of the Outlaw") and should have been a much bigger star. The movie climaxes with a splendid action sequence on a plane runway that's beautifully executed given the film's limited budget.