After three decades in various directorial capacities (from Warners montage department to studio programmers, indie ‘Bs’ and tv), Don Siegel made his long delayed move to A-list status on this gritty, multi-layered NYC police procedural (believably faked on L.A. locations). With Hollywood Ten writer Abraham Polonsky, off the BlackList after 17 years, rewriting Howard Rodman’s script, no surprise to see compromised character traits for all the major players as tough detective Richard Widmark, with partner Harry Guardino, lose their man and their guns screwing up a simple arrest. Turns out, the guy isn’t just any pick-up, but wanted for murder, landing the partners in deep shit with higher ups straight to the top, Police Commissioner Henry Fonda. Loaded with tasty character turns for trusted public figures and personal street snitches (Raymond St. Jacques, Don Stroud, Michael Dunn), along with gal pals, wives & hookers (Inger Stevens, Sheree North, Susan Clark), Siegel struggles against low work ethic & throwback housestyle at Lew Wasserman ‘60s Universal (cinematographer Russell Metty phoning it in with ‘blanket lighting’ on hideous standing set interiors; below par art direction & process work; second-rate background scores, grudge-holding antagonist producer Frank Rosenberg), but largely gets his effects across; a marvel of bluff narrative efficiency and blunt styleless style.
DOUBLE-BILL: Siegel’s solidified his late rise on his next, Clint Eastwood in COOGAN’S BLUFF/’68.
No comments:
Post a Comment