I've been critical of a lot of Dore Schary's actions while head of MGM but he did greenlight some good, tough thrillers such as this one. It's very much in the vein of The Big Heat (same writers) and while Roy Rowland isn't Fritz Lang he does a solid job.
Robert Taylor's acting always took on an extra dimension when he played a tough baddy/anti-hero and some MGM starlets are given the chance to act and step up - Anne Francis as the alcoholic moll of gangster George Raft and Janet Leigh as a former gangster moll now going out with Taylor's brother Steve Forrest.
The film was a return to A movies for Raft... he's very good, or at least effective, as a gangster. He's not in the movie a lot but he makes his scenes count and he brings history with him. I'm surprised this didn't kick off more of a comeback for him. He did appear in some "A"s like Black Widow but couldn't make it consistent.
There's lots of scenes of detective Taylor getting informed by the little old lady who runs a newstand... did this movie invent this trope? I really liked how Steve Forrest is killed off screen that's very effective.
The film occasionally falls into dull bits - self righteous scolding of Taylor by a priest and also by another cop. But it gets double points for being an MGM movie where the lead is a corrupt cop (even if he does come good).
Crisp black and white photography. I think it's all shot on the backlot. It was a hit too.
There should have been some resolution with Janet Leigh's character. The last ten minutes this random good cop becomes important. Leigh should be there.
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