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IMDb > Decoy (1946)

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Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   369 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Nedrick Young (screenplay)
Stanley Rubin (story)
Contact:
View company contact information for Decoy on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
14 September 1946 (USA) more
Genre:
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. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
'Margot' Is One Mean, Money-Hungry 'Mother' more (27 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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)
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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
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Runtime:
76 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Certification:
USA:Approved (PCA #11768, Adult Audience)
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The movie was largely unavailable for viewing from 1970 to 2000, and since its rediscovery has acquired cult status. more
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. more
Quotes:
Sergeant Joe Portugal: [Reading a note] To you who double-crossed me... I leave this dollar for your trouble. The rest of the dough, I leave to the worms. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Decoy: A Map to Nowhere (2007) (V) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
19 out of 19 people found the following comment useful.
'Margot' Is One Mean, Money-Hungry 'Mother', 4 September 2007
8/10
Author: ccthemovieman-1 from Lockport, NY, United States

This movie, recently made available through a set of film noirs (Volume 4) packaged with two on each disc, gets points for originality. I mean, how many movies - much less film noirs - do you see someone executed, then brought back to life, then shot in the back minutes later? Now that's what you call having a rough day!

Robert Armstrong's "Frank Olins" had to endure all that one day. He's the crook who has the money stashed away somewhere and "Margot Shelby" (Jean Gille) is the woman who is bound-and-determined to get it - all of it. "Frank" claims a few times that if he isn't going get the money when he gets out of jail, nobody will and those aren't words that "Margot" wants to hear! Frank knew this dame and other members of his gang, most notably "Jim Vincent" (Edward Norris) were not trustworthy.

Well, he certainly was right about "Margot." She's the femme fatale - one mean mother - who has only one thing on her mind: money. She never wants to return to her old, poor, dingy ways of her youth in small town England. Now, she's in America, part of gang and she knows how to manipulate men. Of course it helps to be extremely pretty and have a great body, which she does. She plays the men and, well.....like most noirs, the ending is not particularly a happy one for most of the characters in this story.

Personally, in this film I enjoyed seeing a lot of familiar faces from TV programs and such of the 1950s, beginning with a young Sheldon Leonard who plays the tough, pursing cop in this movie. I also thought Armstrong sounded a lot better than in his early '30s adventure stories. Speaking of sound, the music in here was ill-timed, dominating some scenes which took away from the dialog.

Make no mistake, though: this is Gilles' movie. For classic movie fans and particular film noir buffs, this is worth checking out. It's always fun to see a new "face," and that certainly applies to Gillis, whose character reminded me a bit of Peggy Cummins' one in "Gun Crazy."

I thought the ending of this film - the final minute - was especially good. So many times, you get the ending that doesn't stay true to the main character, but this one did.

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Why in the world did they stop at an Inn to get a drink??? rleary1
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partially censored scene rambert
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