The Big Steal (1949)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Daniel Mainwaring (screenplay) &
Gerald Drayson Adams (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 December 1949 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | Film-Noir | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

Mitchum is HOT! - HOT...off location in the heart of Mexico...HOT...after a girl with a million-dollar figure!...HOT...at the nation's boxoffices...HOT...in his newest picture!

Plot:

An army lieutenant accused of robbery pursues the real thief on a frantic chase through Mexico aided by the thief's ex-girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Chase | Lieutenant | Cult Favorite | Goat

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Lt. Duke Halliday
Jane Greer	...	Joan 'Chiquita' Graham
William Bendix	...	Capt. Vincent Blake
Patric Knowles	...	Jim Fiske
Ramon Novarro	...	Inspector General Ortega
Don Alvarado	...	Lt. Ruiz
John Qualen	...	Julius Seton
Pascual García Peña	...	Manuel (as Pascual Garcia Pena)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gregorio Acosta	...	Chaney (uncredited)
Salvador Baguez	...	Morales (uncredited)
Henry Carr	...	Bellhop (uncredited)
Edward Colebrook	...	Mexican Tourist (uncredited)
Bing Conley	...	Dockhand (uncredited)
Don Dillaway	...	Purser (uncredited)
Alphonse Du Bois	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Juan Duval	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Virginia Farmer	...	American Tourist (uncredited)
Nacho Galindo	...	Pastry Vendor (uncredited)
Eliso Gamboa	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Frank Hagney	...	Madden the guard (uncredited)
Rodolfo Hoyos Jr.	...	Customs Inspector (uncredited)
Ted Jacques	...	Cole (uncredited)
Frank Leyva	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Primo López	...	Bellhop (uncredited)
José Loza	...	Bellhop (uncredited)
Margarito Luna	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Dorothy Mitchum	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Carmen Morales	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Lillian O'Malley	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Pat O'Malley	...	Purser (uncredited)
Beatriz Ramos	...	Carmencita (uncredited)
Tony Roux	...	Parrot Vendor (uncredited)
Alfonso Sánchez Tello	...	Basguez (uncredited)
Carl Sklover	...	Dockhand (uncredited)
Dimas Sotello	...	Vendor (uncredited)
Alfredo de Soto	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Arturo Soto Rangel	...	Pedro (uncredited)
Felipe Turich	...	Guitar Vendor (uncredited)
Juan Varro	...	Bit Role (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Siegel

Writing credits
Daniel Mainwaring		(screenplay) (as Geoffrey Homes) &
Gerald Drayson Adams		(screenplay)
Richard Wormser		(story "The Road to Carmichael's")

Produced by
Jack J. Gross	....	producer
Sid Rogell	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Leigh Harline

Cinematography by
Harry J. Wild		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Samuel E. Beetley

Art Direction by
Ralph Berger
Albert S. D'Agostino

Set Decoration by
Harley Miller
Darrell Silvera

Costume Design by
Edward Stevenson		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor
Robert Cowan	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Carla Hadley	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Edward Killy	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Ruman	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Phil Brigandi	....	sound
Clem Portman	....	sound

Stunts
Frank Hagney	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Wilson	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Almond	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Ernest Bachrach	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Jim Kurley	....	grip (uncredited)
Charles Straumer	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	musical director

Other crew
Salvador Baguez	....	technical advisor
Richard Kinon	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1955) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• C&C Television Corporation (1955) (USA) (TV)
• Image Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Teakwood Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | USA:Approved | Sweden:15 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Quotes:

Lt. Duke Halliday: [to Joan] I'm the kind of guy who doesn't like to turn around, Chiquita, besides, that there's a guy behind me with a gun. Remember?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Big Steal: Look Behind You (2007) (V)

It's A Fun Trip......Literally!

As a team, Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer are pretty well-known, at least to classic film fans, for their pairing in "Out Of The Past," but I thought they were a lot more fun to watch in this particular film noir.

This movie, still not available on tape or disc for some reason, is almost one long chase scene, with people in three vehicles all on the move....with a neat twist at the end.

There is the typical 1940s budding romance in which the two parties do nothing with insult each other until the end. Sometimes that gets really old but in here it isn't, maybe because Greer has so many good lines.

It's also fun to see the old cars racing around hairpin curves, although the special effects are really dated. The fight scenes didn't look too realistic, either. Hey, I didn't say it was technically a great movie.....just a fun one to watch. Equally entertaining were two of the other people in on the chases: William Bendix and Patric Knowles.