Crime Wave (1954)

Director:

André De Toth

Writers:

Bernard Gordon (adaptation)
John Hawkins (story)

Release Date:

6 March 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Film-Noir | Drama

Plot:

Reformed parolee Steve Lacey is caught in the middle when a wounded former cellmate seeks him out for shelter.

Plot Keywords:

Gas Station | Home Invasion | Escaped Convict | Interrogation | Lapd

Cast

Sterling Hayden	...	Det. Lt. Sims
Gene Nelson	...	Steve Lacey
Phyllis Kirk	...	Ellen Lacey
Ted de Corsia	...	'Doc' Penny
Charles Bronson	...	Ben Hastings (as Charles Buchinsky)
Jay Novello	...	Dr. Otto Hessler
Nedrick Young	...	Gat Morgan
James Bell	...	Daniel O'Keefe
Dub Taylor	...	Gus Snider (as Dubb Taylor)
Gayle Kellogg	...	Detective Kelly
Mack Chandler	...	Sully

Also Known As:

The City Is Dark (UK)

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:16 (nf) | Australia:PG | Finland:(Banned) (1953) | USA:Approved (PCA #16297) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Reportedly director André De Toth was offered a 35-day shooting schedule, but he told the studio he could complete the film in 15 days. He finished in 13.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nedrick Young (as Gat Morgan) is first shot, he grabs his chest by the right pectoral. When he grabs his wound later, it has migrated to the lower center abdomen.

Quotes:

'Doc' Penny: Think about that wife of yours, Steve. You can't afford to make any mistakes.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

'S Wonderful

An Exciting and well-filmed minor Film Noir

This is one of those minor, but very enjoyable pictures that can easily slip by unnoticed. It isn't easy to find, and most Film Noir enthusiasts are familiar only with the title. But "Crime Wave" deserves to be seen by fans of the Noir or crime film genres. It's a terrific example of the lower-budget type of dramas that studios were turning out in the 1950s. The only major star is Sterling Hayden, who gives his usual acceptable performance, here as a disgruntled law enforcer. Gene Nelson, probably better known for musicals, is an interesting and successful choice for the protagonist, a man caught between good and evil. There's also an entertaining tough-guy type played by Charles Bronson.

What really distinguishes "Crime Wave" is its extensive use of Los Angeles locales. Apparently, location shooting was done to save money on sets, but with the passage of time, movies like this become documents of the way a city looked and operated in a past period. A number of scenes take place on busy LA streets and they lend a good deal of excitement to the proceedings.

With any luck, this picture will become available on video for more to see. It's the kind of movie that has the effect of reading a good pulp crime novel or story.