This nifty B-noir is directed by William Castle and features Barbara Hale completely against type as a femme fatale who seems to have the market cornered on sin. She is so heartless that she doesn't even shed a single tear when Gene Barry shows up at her nightclub with the news that her husband is dead. It's just 'oh really'...'no big loss'...then back to her next Rita Hayworth-inspired performance of 'Don't Put the Blame on Mame.'
Such callous behavior quickly earns her a slap in the face. But she is not phased by any demonstration of brute strength...why should she be? It's clear that he wants her, even though he has a more faithful gal on the sidelines, a waitress at a country diner played by Jeanne Cooper. But he can't stay away, and this will be part of his downfall. They soon begin a relationship, and it's as far from a typical romance as you might expect.
In the next part of the story, we're told about a plan he has to swindle millions from investors in a Texas oil deal. But to get that scheme off the ground, he will need a bit of financial backing and support from a syndicate that operates in Houston.
One of the leaders of the organized crime unit is played by Edward Arnold. Mr. Arnold gives a magnificent performance as an aging mob figure who has seen and done it all. He realizes Barry might have a new spin on things and introduces him to some higher-ups. Of course, this will jeopardize Arnold's plans to push his own protege (Paul Richards) up the ranks. So there is a bit of a rivalry that develops, as both sides intend to usurp the throne but have their best laid plans foiled.
Meanwhile Barry's torrid affair with Hale continues. They share loads of chemistry and are fun to watch. In a way Hale's character seems inspired by the oil baron's daughter portrayed by Dorothy Malone in WRITTEN ON THE WIND. There is no flicker of a conscience, just an interest in dirty deals and dirty sex.
These two lost souls derive an intense satisfaction in knowing each other, even though their future is doomed. The scenes that play out on screen ooze a great deal of excess and sordid drama. There is a fatalism that permeates the action, in much the same way we would find in a Shakespearean tragedy. Inertia sends them forward like a runaway train, until that inevitable crash.
By the time we reach the 81 minute mark and the end of this film, a lot of lives have been ruined and lost. You can substitute the oil with gold or diamonds, any big ticket commodity...but the results will still be the same. Why? Because THE HOUSTON STORY is a morality tale about the ill effects of hedonism and indecency. And that makes it a guilty pleasure.
Such callous behavior quickly earns her a slap in the face. But she is not phased by any demonstration of brute strength...why should she be? It's clear that he wants her, even though he has a more faithful gal on the sidelines, a waitress at a country diner played by Jeanne Cooper. But he can't stay away, and this will be part of his downfall. They soon begin a relationship, and it's as far from a typical romance as you might expect.
In the next part of the story, we're told about a plan he has to swindle millions from investors in a Texas oil deal. But to get that scheme off the ground, he will need a bit of financial backing and support from a syndicate that operates in Houston.
One of the leaders of the organized crime unit is played by Edward Arnold. Mr. Arnold gives a magnificent performance as an aging mob figure who has seen and done it all. He realizes Barry might have a new spin on things and introduces him to some higher-ups. Of course, this will jeopardize Arnold's plans to push his own protege (Paul Richards) up the ranks. So there is a bit of a rivalry that develops, as both sides intend to usurp the throne but have their best laid plans foiled.
Meanwhile Barry's torrid affair with Hale continues. They share loads of chemistry and are fun to watch. In a way Hale's character seems inspired by the oil baron's daughter portrayed by Dorothy Malone in WRITTEN ON THE WIND. There is no flicker of a conscience, just an interest in dirty deals and dirty sex.
These two lost souls derive an intense satisfaction in knowing each other, even though their future is doomed. The scenes that play out on screen ooze a great deal of excess and sordid drama. There is a fatalism that permeates the action, in much the same way we would find in a Shakespearean tragedy. Inertia sends them forward like a runaway train, until that inevitable crash.
By the time we reach the 81 minute mark and the end of this film, a lot of lives have been ruined and lost. You can substitute the oil with gold or diamonds, any big ticket commodity...but the results will still be the same. Why? Because THE HOUSTON STORY is a morality tale about the ill effects of hedonism and indecency. And that makes it a guilty pleasure.