Midland Movie from RKO that had a Troubled Production but is kept Afloat by some Excellent Cinematography and the always Reliable Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell's Look, Enhanced by some Stunning Wardrobe. It is not a very Engaging Story but comes off Better than it should with the way it is Composed Visually.
The Dialog is Sometimes Pithy and at other Times quite Ordinary. The Short Running Time does not allow for Supporters Gloria Graham or Brad Dexter to do much, but their Brief Scenes do add some Spunk to some of the Dreariness of it all.
It is a Mixed Bag with more to Watch then to Internalize and is better than an Average Film of its Type but is nowhere near the Best. For People who Care about such Things, the Movie is Usually included in Lists of Film Noir and it does make the Cut, but for the Parts and not the Whole, because this is Certainly Not Pure Film-Noir and is one of those that shows Signs of the Diminishing Emphasis, in the Fifties, that was Placed on the Stuff that makes the Genre Stand-Out.
The Dialog is Sometimes Pithy and at other Times quite Ordinary. The Short Running Time does not allow for Supporters Gloria Graham or Brad Dexter to do much, but their Brief Scenes do add some Spunk to some of the Dreariness of it all.
It is a Mixed Bag with more to Watch then to Internalize and is better than an Average Film of its Type but is nowhere near the Best. For People who Care about such Things, the Movie is Usually included in Lists of Film Noir and it does make the Cut, but for the Parts and not the Whole, because this is Certainly Not Pure Film-Noir and is one of those that shows Signs of the Diminishing Emphasis, in the Fifties, that was Placed on the Stuff that makes the Genre Stand-Out.