'Shorty' being pint-sized "Red" Barry, erstwhile cowboy hero of the 40's and 50's. Brash and cocky but without the menacing air of James Cagney, Barry lights up the screen with his portrayal of a Private Eye in this noir entry from Republic pictures. Here he is paired with 'B' picture cult figure and femme fatale Ann "Bad News" Savage, who does, indeed, have the menacing air of Cagney.
"The Last Crooked Mile", in my estimation, is one of the best films ever to come out of a Poverty Row studio. It offers a crackling script full of snappy dialogue and a first-class plot. Barry is investigating a bank robbery for the reward money of $30,000, a pretty good payday in those days. The robbers were killed when their getaway car crashes but the stolen money is missing. Barry's investigation brings him to a nightclub at an amusement park, where much of the movie takes place. Savage is a singer at the club, and her rendition of " The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else" is not to be missed, even if it was dubbed. Adele Mara is his girlfriend, in a one-dimensional part with little to do. Also in the cast are seasoned bad guys Sheldon Leonard, Ben Welden and John Dehner as well as good guys Harry Shannon and Tom Power.
The big surprise is Barry, who holds the picture together with a magnetic on-screen presence. Throw in Ann Savage, a good story and you have a movie that's worth an 8, in my book. There are a couple of plot holes and contrivances but they're easy to go with. The hard part is trying to find this picture in any format.
"The Last Crooked Mile", in my estimation, is one of the best films ever to come out of a Poverty Row studio. It offers a crackling script full of snappy dialogue and a first-class plot. Barry is investigating a bank robbery for the reward money of $30,000, a pretty good payday in those days. The robbers were killed when their getaway car crashes but the stolen money is missing. Barry's investigation brings him to a nightclub at an amusement park, where much of the movie takes place. Savage is a singer at the club, and her rendition of " The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else" is not to be missed, even if it was dubbed. Adele Mara is his girlfriend, in a one-dimensional part with little to do. Also in the cast are seasoned bad guys Sheldon Leonard, Ben Welden and John Dehner as well as good guys Harry Shannon and Tom Power.
The big surprise is Barry, who holds the picture together with a magnetic on-screen presence. Throw in Ann Savage, a good story and you have a movie that's worth an 8, in my book. There are a couple of plot holes and contrivances but they're easy to go with. The hard part is trying to find this picture in any format.