Decoy (1946)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Jack Bernhard

Writers:

Nedrick Young (screenplay)
Stanley Rubin (story)

Release Date:

14 September 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Film-Noir | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

She Treats Men the Way They've Been Treating Women for Years!

Plot:

A fatally shot female gangleader recounts her sordid life of crime to a police officer just before she dies.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Gangster | Gas Chamber | Prison Doctor | Cyanide

Cast

Jean Gillie	...	Margot Shelby (as Miss Jean Gillie)
Edward Norris	...	Jim Vincent
Robert Armstrong	...	Frank Olins
Herbert Rudley	...	Dr. Craig
Sheldon Leonard	...	Sergeant Joe Portugal
Marjorie Woodworth	...	Nurse
Philip Van Zandt	...	Tommy (as Phil Van Zandt)
Carole Donne	...	Waitress
John Shay	...	Al
Bert Roach	...	Bartender
Rosemary Bertrand	...	Ruth
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Walden Boyle	...	Chaplain (uncredited)
Franco Corsaro	...	Kelsey (uncredited)
Madge Crane	...	1st Visitor (uncredited)
Dick Elliott	...	Driver (uncredited)
Virginia Farmer	...	Maid (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Jody Gilbert	...	Fat Woman (uncredited)
Chuck Hamilton	...	Prison Guard (uncredited)
Betty Lou Head	...	2nd Visitor (uncredited)
Donald Kerr	...	Elevator Operator (uncredited)
Louis Mason	...	Thin Attendant (uncredited)
Austin McCoy	...	Piano Player (uncredited)
Don McCracken	...	Prison Guard (uncredited)
Kenneth Patterson	...	Joe (uncredited)
William Ruhl	...	Guard (uncredited)
William Self	...	Station Attendant (uncredited)
Ferris Taylor	...	Fat Attendant (uncredited)
Ray Teal	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Harry Tyler	...	Counterman (uncredited)

Directed by
Jack Bernhard

Writing credits
Nedrick Young		(screenplay) (as Ned Young)
Stanley Rubin		(story)

Produced by
Jack Bernhard	....	producer
Bernard Brandt	....	producer

Cinematography by
L. William O'Connell		(director of photography) (as L.W. O'Connell)

Film Editing by
Jason H. Bernie		(as Jason Bernie)

Makeup Department
Lorraine MacLean	....	hair stylist
Milburn Morante	....	makeup artist (as M. Morante)

Production Management
Glenn Cook	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William A. Calihan Jr.	....	assistant director (as Wm. Callihan)

Art Department
Dave Milton	....	set designer

Sound Department
Tom Lambert	....	sound recordist

Music Department
Edward J. Kay	....	musical director

Production Companies

• Pathe Pictures (presents)
• Bernhard-Brandt Productions

Distributors

• Monogram Pictures Corporation (1946) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #11768, Adult Audience)

Company:

Pathe Pictures

Trivia:

The movie was largely unavailable for viewing from 1970 to 2000, and since its rediscovery has acquired cult status.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Right at the beginning, when Dr Craig's reflection is seen on the mirror, the dark line behind him is a shadow from either the camera or a boom mic, as it moves when the camera pulls away.

Quotes:

Bartender: Louie asked her how old she was. She said 23.
Sergeant Joe Portugal: If she's 20, I'll eat that glass.
Bartender: Well, Kelsey brought her in.
Sergeant Joe Portugal: Okay, okay, but if I catch you selling liquor to minors, I'll bust this joint into toothpicks!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Decoy: A Map to Nowhere (2007) (V)

Murderous Exotic Diamond Begs Unearthing

A stingingly bizarre noir entry every fan should seek out. Why? First, this ultra-rare crime drama has one of the two or three most ruthless and irredeemable femme fatales in B+W history, Margot Shelby, as blisteringly portrayed by standout brit Jean Gillie. Second, it features one of the strangest hybrid sci-fi/noir premises, introducing an exotic chemical to reincarnate the dead as the conceit to get Margot's man-slaughtering act started. Third, it all actually comes together in this strangely involving prison breakout cum road picture, which takes us all the way from the death chamber to a grove of trees in the woods (another death chamber) and back to where it all began, in a family's quiet suburban house (still another death chamber).

Once you get past the reincarnation, the plot is fairly conventional set pieces which mostly hold up and which benefit from a honey of a twist at the end. Along the way there, we get to see greed, betrayal, spinelessness, insanity, bravery, more betrayal, submission, redemption and more Jean Gillie, whose gin blossom charm and hyena-like guffaw at once blends Richard Widmark's killing debut in KISS OF DEATH with the murderous cackle of SPECTRE in the mirrored killmaze in MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN. Either way, she is death and she is irresistible. As is this movie. Find it and you'll see.