Best known by western fans, George Montgomery is a forgotten name in the mainstream of Hollywood cinema even though he starred in a few classics. Here, he has the difficult task of making movie audiences forget about Humphrey Bogart and Dick Powell as one of the great film detectives of all time, and his film noir is a real sleeper. He is probably a bit more upscale and well mannered than Bogart and Powell's take on Marlowe, but he's still tough and no-nonsense, and when he takes on a case, he wants to have all the facts before he makes his move in investigating. That makes this particular case involving the Brasher Doubloon very difficult because he can barely get anything out of wealthy matriarch Florence Bates who hires him to find a missing coin from her valuable collection that nearly leads him to his doom.
if you are a fan of the "Mork & Mindy" TV series of the 1970s, you will not recognize Conrad Janis who plays Florence Bates' coddled son, a despicable sort who has a major gambling problem and whom mother would protect at any measure. Bates only gives Montgomery a few clues to go by, and a few pieces of the puzzle are added for him by Bates' obviously troubled secretary (Nancy Guild). In her gloomy Pasadena mansion, Bates holds the reins and obviously has something on Guild to keep her in her employ. Montgomery, heading out to get information, encounters others who are after the coin and several times finds himself held at gunpoint. But in this intelligent film noir, nothing is as it seems to be, and the writers keep the suspense going up until the stunning conclusion.
I have been a fan of the scene-stealing Florence Bates ever since the first viewing I had of Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca". Whether imperious or lovable, Bates always commanded attention away from ever who was sharing a scene with her, and it is thanks to her intelligence that she was able to do that. Her character here reminds me of the equally scene-stealing Dame May Whitty in another film noir classic, "My Name is Julia Ross", and in her lengthy three scenes, she will be whom you are focusing on. Guild, fresh from another sleeper film noir, "Somewhere in the Night", once again adds an air of mystery to her character, and perhaps because she only made two films, there is mystery about her as well.
Janis perfectly acts the spoiled loser son and is equivalent to the character played by George Macready in "Julia Ross" as well. However, this is not an imitation of that sleeper Columbia film but stands out on its own. Pay attention to the details here, even though the writers are clever enough to keep you in suspense. The writers utilize the Rose Parade as a major plot device, and the actual mansion that Bates lives in I believe I have seen from my brief time living in Pasadena. (If not, there were many old home similar to it down by the Rose Bowl Stadium and further south of Colorado Blvd.) This is a rare film noir to find, and one which you will not soon forget after seeing it.
if you are a fan of the "Mork & Mindy" TV series of the 1970s, you will not recognize Conrad Janis who plays Florence Bates' coddled son, a despicable sort who has a major gambling problem and whom mother would protect at any measure. Bates only gives Montgomery a few clues to go by, and a few pieces of the puzzle are added for him by Bates' obviously troubled secretary (Nancy Guild). In her gloomy Pasadena mansion, Bates holds the reins and obviously has something on Guild to keep her in her employ. Montgomery, heading out to get information, encounters others who are after the coin and several times finds himself held at gunpoint. But in this intelligent film noir, nothing is as it seems to be, and the writers keep the suspense going up until the stunning conclusion.
I have been a fan of the scene-stealing Florence Bates ever since the first viewing I had of Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca". Whether imperious or lovable, Bates always commanded attention away from ever who was sharing a scene with her, and it is thanks to her intelligence that she was able to do that. Her character here reminds me of the equally scene-stealing Dame May Whitty in another film noir classic, "My Name is Julia Ross", and in her lengthy three scenes, she will be whom you are focusing on. Guild, fresh from another sleeper film noir, "Somewhere in the Night", once again adds an air of mystery to her character, and perhaps because she only made two films, there is mystery about her as well.
Janis perfectly acts the spoiled loser son and is equivalent to the character played by George Macready in "Julia Ross" as well. However, this is not an imitation of that sleeper Columbia film but stands out on its own. Pay attention to the details here, even though the writers are clever enough to keep you in suspense. The writers utilize the Rose Parade as a major plot device, and the actual mansion that Bates lives in I believe I have seen from my brief time living in Pasadena. (If not, there were many old home similar to it down by the Rose Bowl Stadium and further south of Colorado Blvd.) This is a rare film noir to find, and one which you will not soon forget after seeing it.