Vice Squad interweaves different stories that the police captain, played very well by Edward G. Robinson, must tackle during the course of a day. It does a good job of portraying the captain's many hassles and the need to constantly shift from one case and back to another. The film is shot in a realistic style in LA and has a great cast of supporting actors. And as long as it is focused on the most serious crimes it has a strong dramatic narrative and tension that holds our interest. But the film struggles to overcome its weaknesses, chief among them the constant juxtaposition of stories that is at the heart of the film's structure. The lighthearted ones seem realistic enough, but break up the flow. Paulette Goddard is overacting during her scenes and drags the film down every time she's on screen.
Review of Vice Squad
