Blast of Silence (1961)

Director:

Allen Baron

Writers:

Allen Baron (screenplay)
Waldo Salt (narration written by)

Release Date:

April 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller | Drama

Plot:

A hired killer from Cleveland has a job to do on a second-string mob boss in New York. But a special girl from his past, and a fat gun dealer with pet rats, each gets in his way.

Plot Keywords:

Orphanage | Gun | Pet Rat | Pet | Rat

Cast

Allen Baron	...	Frank Bono
Molly McCarthy	...	Lori
Larry Tucker	...	Big Ralph
Peter H. Clune	...	Troiano
Danny Meehan	...	Petey
Howard Mann	...	Body Guard
Charles Creasap	...	Contact Man
Bill DePrato	...	Joe Boniface (as Bill Da Prado)
Milda Memenas	...	Troiano's Girl Friend
Joe Bubbico	...	Body Guard
Ruth Kaner	...	Cleaning Woman
Gil Rogers	...	Gangster
Jerry Douglas	...	Gangster
Don Saroyan	...	Lori's Boy Friend
Dean Sheldon	...	Night Club Singer

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Magla Productions

Trivia:

Part of the movie was shot during the middle of a real hurricane - the wind seen during the fistfight is not artificial. It was filmed on Long Island during Hurricane Donna (September 10-12, 1960), the only hurricane of the 20th Century to strike the entire East Coast from south Florida to Maine.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Frank Bono is walking down the sidewalk ready to enter the building in which Troiano's girlfriend lives, the street and sidewalk are dry. But just as he turns to go up to the entry of the building, the camera view switches to a different angle, and now suddenly the street behind Frank is all wet from rain.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bellhop: Nice view we have here.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 9 (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Dressed in Black

uncompromising study of a professional hit-man

A hard-boiled, uncompromising study of a professional hit-man, "Baby Boy" Frankie Bono. The beginning of the film is menacing; a pitch-black screen and pounding percussion driving a cynically vicious narrative, "remembering, out of the black silence you were born in pain . . . born with hate and anger built in . . . a slap on the backside to blast out a scream!" A small light becomes visible amidst the black like a moving bulls eye on a target and all of a sudden amidst a crescendo of noise you realize you've been on a train in a tunnel and are now being "blasted" out into the world. But it's like being born into a sewer because this world is seen through the eyes of our killer. Frankie Bono is played by Allen Baron (the director himself) who's appearance and acting style are vintage Robert DeNiro. Frankie has the misfortune to run into a girl for whom he once had affection, and for the first time in his career, he's having 2nd thoughts about his profession, but a killer who doesn't kill gets killed. Frankie's on a one way street that cannot go on forever. Unforgettable film.