Ausgeräuchert

"The Miami Story" (1954) was one of a whole wave of crime thrillers inspired by the Kefauver Senate hearings on organized crime that focused on individual cities and purported to tell the "story" of the crime wave that overwhelmed the city in question and how it was broken. They usually had some elected official come out on camera at the film's beginning to give the stamp of legitimacy and tell us something about "the story you're about to see" that has absolutely nothing to do with the story we're about to see. In the case of "The Miami Story," that official is Senator George Smathers of Florida, who assures us with a straight face that crime has been virtually wiped out in Miami. Right. (Did anyone inform Santos Trafficante?)

Like all the other films in this cycle, "The Miami Story" takes a stock gangster plot that had been beaten to death in the 1930s and updates it to contemporary Florida. A committee of five Miami civic leaders seeks a way to bring down crime boss Tony Brill and his R&L Industries, the front for gambling and all sorts of vice rackets in Miami, so they call in ex-gangster Mick Flagg, who'd once been framed for murder by Brill and now lives incognito on an Indiana farm. Flagg is given a free hand and in no time at all is going through the motions of setting up a rival operation with Cuban backing, all to intimidate Brill, and ordering the police chief around as if he were Eliot Ness: "Give me some Cubans!" "I want the Biscayne Club closed town tonight!"

The police in this film do all kinds of things on Flagg's orders that they could easily have done on their own. At one point, Flagg has the cops install a TV camera in Brill's office at the Biscayne Club, all to capture private, incriminating conversations. However, TV cameras back then were huge bulky affairs so they can only stick one in an air conditioning shaft with a grill in front of it. As if the gangsters won't bother to investigate why no cool air will be forthcoming that night in the Miami heat. And when the cops watch the proceedings on little TV monitors outside the club, we see Brill and his men on the tiny screens exactly as they're shot in the film, in medium shots complete with pans and zooms. No high angle, no wide angle, nothing blurry, and no AC grill blocking the view! And they hear everything clearly even though no mike was seen installed.

Yes, the film is pretty far-fetched on all counts, never mind that they never even mention the mafia. Fortunately, the film is short (75 min.) and fast-paced and the cast is topped with four actors who really know how to sell this stuff. Tall, rugged western star Barry Sullivan plays Flagg and he's quite forceful and convincing, never one to hold back when a punch or a pistol-whipping are called for. Luther Adler, an old hand at film noir bad guys ("D.O.A.," "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye"), plays Brill with old school charm and an indeterminate, vaguely Eastern European accent. Beverly Garland, also a veteran of "D.O.A." and later to shine in late '50s monster romps like "It Conquered the World" and "Curucu, Beast of the Amazon," plays Holly, an innocent girl caught up in the intrigue who takes sides with Flagg. Brassy blonde Adele Jergens, an underrated '50s B-movie queen, plays Gwen, Brill's all-knowing girlfriend and a cool customer in her own right.

The director is Fred F. Sears, who knew how to craft these things so that they never slowed long enough to give an audience a chance to question it. He and this film's producer, Sam Katzman, and writer, Robert E. Kent, re-teamed two years later for the similarly-themed "Miami Exposé," also reviewed on this site, which suffers from considerably weaker casting and even more ludicrous plotting.

The Miami Story from 1954 is told in the usual narration style like many of these crime films, a la Dragnet, almost in a semi documentary fashion.

This one is directed by Fred F. Sears and produced by the normally below-average Sam Katzman. It's actually pretty good, with nice performances by Barry Sullivan, Beverly Garland, Luther Adler, Adele Jergens, and John Baer.

The first thing we see is Senator George Smathers announcing that organized crime has been completely eradicated in Miami. This is how you know the movie is 70 years old.

In the film, a multibillion dollar crime syndicate is run by Tony Brill (Luther Adler). A citizens committee meets privately to figure out what to do.

A reformed mob boss, Mike Flagg, is located and brought in to pretend to move in on Brill's territory. He has a young son, whom he sends to live with friends.

Holly Abbott (Garland) has come to Miami to search for her sister Gwen (Jergens). Gwen is employed by Brill. Since Holly has befriended Flagg, Brill's associates beat her for information on his operation and plans.

Flagg has the police close Brill's gambling club. He retaliates by having Flagg's son (David Kasday) kidnapped.

Some interesting cinematography and exciting scenes. Others felt this film was above average. I think the cast certainly contributes to that, though for me it was an average crime story.

Twenty years ago, Barry Sullivan was a big man in the rackets. Now, with gangster Luther Adler running most of Dade County, some honest citizens are trying to clean things up, and Sullivan is their man. He works up a situation in whih he is running some Cuban gangsters (actually Cuban policemen) to take over Adler's empire, triggering an internal war. Adler is supposed by his protege/hitman John Baer, and by Adele Jurgens, who runs several of Adler's businesses, including his escort service . Miss Jurgens' sister, Beverly Garland, is on hand as the good girl caught up in a bad situation.

The acting, under the prolific Fred Sears, is good, and the story wobbles from the tracks laid down by Sullivan to keep things interesting. And, as the voice-over by William Woodson -- this is the era when every crime drama was influenced by DRAGNET -- Miami has been squeaky clean ever since. Just ask Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas.

A group of Miami's civic leaders and police bring a gangster out of "retirement" to help take down the city's crime syndicate.

Overall, I found The Miami Story very enjoyable. Sure, there are issues with the plot that require a gigantic leap in logic, but if you're willing to look past these issues (and I looked past most - not all, but most), it's a fairly rewarding and entertaining experience. The film is more graphic than most I've seen from the era, with a woman being badly beaten-up, more blood than I expected, and a more explicit inference of prostitution. For 1954, this is about as far as you could go in the depiction of the sleaze and nastiness resulting from crime. The acting is particularly noteworthy. Barry Sullivan (rock solid and believable in the lead), Luther Adler (the perfect baddie), and Adele Jergens (as the tough-as-nails "dame") are all outstanding. But I was happiest to see Beverly Garland's fantastic performance. I've always been a fan regardless of the dreck she sometimes appeared in. The Miami Story also benefits from solid direction. Fred Sears' pacing is perfect. From the opening shootout to the final chase, The Miami Story rarely lets up. And, the film looks fantastic. I especially enjoyed the shots of Miami from the 50s - how things have changed! It's all nicely done.

Finally, I've often seen The Miami Story listed as a film noir. I'd argue that's not exactly accurate. I could cite a number of reasons, but the main one is the film's ending. You don't get that in a typical noir.

6/10

I did not expect to see Barry Sullivan and Luther Adler together in a Fred S Sear's crime flick and produced by the terrible Sam Katzman who, for once, doesn't bring us some lousy junk material. That doesn't make it a terrific crime flick however just an acceptable time waster,, with too much off voice, as in an "expose" cime film. Good photography and good directing. Do not confound this Fred Sears' MIAMI STORY with Fred Sears' MIAMI EXPOSE made just a bit later. Same kind of stuff. I prefered CHICAGO SYNDICATE and also INSIDE DETROIT, also from the same Sears- Katzman collaboration, for whom the best result is and will forever remain EARTH VS FLYING SAUCERS.