Movie Title

A tense, compact crime picture (not really a noir, but they’re calling everything noir these days) about a man framed for a robbery he didn’t commit, and how he goes after the bad guys at a Mexican resort. John Payne plays the put-upon leading role in his usual keyed up, hyper-virile node, and while I would not call him a charming actor, he was capable in the kind of modest tale. Coleen Gray is his love interest, and proficient in a thankless role. The trio of bad guys,–Neville Brand, Jack Elam and Lee Van Cleef–are as manna from heaven in this sort of film, and are, as always, fun to watch. Preston Foster’s easygoing warmth is nicely utilized in a major role. His somewhat vague personality and amiable nature make him a more agreeable personality than the putative hero of John Payne. Phil Karlson directed the film with his trademark paranoid edge, and the high contrast black and white photography makes the movie if nothing else a pleasure to watch.