Cult noir which promised a bigger career as director for William Castle than eventuated - he could clearly do a great job on a two week shoot... but that didn't necessarily mean he'd do a better one on a three week shoot.
It's tight and crisp - it clocks in at a little over an hour and there's still time for a music number (Dean Jagger and Kim Hunter pass via a Harlem club and they do a dance) but you don't feel cheated. The story (mostly from Philip Yordan) is neat and has a solid fnal twist. Castle's handling is fresh, the atmosphere is evocative. There are some clunky moments, and a surprisingly large amount of humour involving a dog but you forgive it.
The chief benefit is the cast - young Kim Hunter is excellent as the bewildered heroine, Dean Jagger is ideal as her mysterious husband (who looks as though he could be a killer), and young Robert Mitchum has charisma to burn as the best friend (his acting is a little awkward at the end, but it's great to see him).
I don't want to over hype this film - it's probably the sort of movie better discovered than hyped - but it was entertaining.
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