Martes negro

By Edward G. Robinson's standards the early-mid 1950's marked a low ebb as his 'greylisting' essentially barred him from the major studios but at least enabled him to make 'B' movies for the smaller ones, affectionately known as Poverty Row. This low budget, high body count crime noir, directed by the more than capable Hugo Fregonese, is arguably the best of the bunch and gives this fine actor the type of role in which he traditionally excelled, that of a psychopathic gangster. As written by Sydney Boehm the character of Vince Canelli is utterly monstrous with no redeeming qualities whatsoever and needless to say Robinson is riveting.

Good support from Jean Parker as a gangster's moll and Peter Graves as an unlikely hood whilst Milburn Stone as a priest represents the customary Hollywood 'God' element.

Veteran Stanley Cortez is behind the camera and the taut editing is by Robert Golden who also edited Fregonese's earlier 'The Raid'. Both these films are regarded as this director's best work but sadly, finding further directorial assignments in Hollywood elusive, he packed his bags and moved to Europe.

Edward G. Robinson shows he still could do the gangster role and keep the performances fresh. Unlike the mob bosses Robinson played in

"Little Ceaser", "The Last Gangster", and "Key Largo", the role of Vincent Canelli is more modern and vicious than the typical cigar chewing prohabtion gangster. Canelli and gunman Manning{Peter Graves} await their death sentence with a bunch of other prisoners on death row. Canelli's mob kidnap the daughter of one of the prison guards and

blackmail the guard in helping the death row inmates bust outta the joint!! Canelli needs Manning's money that he stashed away for his final getaway and Manning is just looking for freedom. The story leads

to a moral climatic stand-off with escaped killers vs. the police. The soul-less Canelli shows how low killers will go to survive. Great performance by Robinson and Graves, especially Robinson who plays a

gangster ahead of those times. It's sad that not enough people know about this movie. If your any type of gangster, suspense, or just a Eddie G. fan, GET YOUR HANDS ON A COPY OF THIS FILM... NYA'SEE!!!!!

This little known and little seen Edward G. Robinson film takes Eddie back to the days when he was playing some quite serious gangster roles. Caesar Enrico Bandello and Johnny Rocco don't have a patch on his Vince Canelli in Black Tuesday.

Imagine if Little Caesar or Johnny Rocco being captured and on death row with bank robber Peter Graves both sentenced to die that day. Only Robinson has a very well conceived plan to escape at the last minute. He takes Graves along and the rest of those on that Green Mile, the others to throw confusion and buy time and Graves because Graves has hidden $200,000.00 from his last bank job and Robinson wants to flee the country in style with lots of spending loot.

Graves is no fool either. When he says the money is well hidden and only he can get to it, he's not kidding.

Black Tuesday was shot on a shoestring budget and I'm sure what money they had was spent for a really good supporting cast of familiar faces. Standing out are Warren Stevens as one of the hired guns that helps Robinson crash the joint, Jack Kelly as a cub reporter who is one of many taken hostage and Milburn Stone as the prison padre taken hostage as well.

Both the prison escape scene and the final gun battle are well staged and brutal for the time. The film looks like it's in need of restoration and I hope it gets it.

The "Ghosts" of Iconic Characters/Type Never Really Leave an Actor, but Remain to be Summoned Occasionally, if Need be.

Apparently Edward G. Robinson, Reeling from a Career Downslide, somewhat Linked to His becoming a "Friendly" Witness to the "House Un American Activities" (HUAC), Decided to Call Upon 2 of His Former Glorified On-Screen Characters.

Caesar Enrico 'Rico' Bandello from the Film '"Little Caesar" (1931) and Johnny Rocco from the Film "Key Largo" (1948).

The Result is this "Hidden Gem", a Somewhat Under-Seen and Under-Appreciated Crime-Thriller with Heavy Film-Noir Undertones.

It's a Relentlessly Down-Beat, Brutal Movie about Death-Row Inmates Vincent "King" Canelli (Robinson) and Peter Manning (Peter Graves) Planning and Successfully Pulling-Off an Escape on the Eve of Their Dual Electric-Chair Execution. Other Inmates are also Released and Join-In.

The Movie Pulls-Few-Punches in the Determination to Portray the "King" as a Soul-Less, Maniacal, Killer with No Redeeming Qualities from the Outset and Eddie G. Punches and Guns-Down People Routinely.

Peter Graves, on the Other-Hand is the "Soft" Side of the Criminal Gang. He's Sensitive and Artistic ( building matchstick bridges), but still Maintains a Desperate and Severe Attitude Throughout Most of the Running Time.

There are Probably More Gunshots is the Finale then any other Film Up to that Point. In Fact, the Deafening Sound of the Hail of Bullets is used "Artistically" in 1-Scene to Illustrate and Emphasize.

This is a Sharply-Designed, Dark, Story Told with Cut Angles, Deep Shadows, and Claustrophobic Sets and Hardened Criminals (Male and Female).

It's a Winner, with Solid Grounding in Film-Noir with Threads of that Dark Style Woven Throughout.

Was Hard-to-Find for a While and has Slipped Through the Cracks. Needs to be Rediscovered.

For Noir and Crime Fans it's a...

Must See

For All Others...

Worth a Watch.

Solid film noir by Hugo Fregonese about two inmates running away from the death row the day before their execution. The film's progressively oppresive atmosphere is nicely portrayed by Fregonese in a cinema verité style. Characters are well written and played -supporting cast is excellent as well- with few concessions to sentimentalism -causing censor cuts at some points. Edward G. Robinson brilliantly plays vicious gangster Vincent Canelly while Peter Graves plays nicely his escape partner Peter Manning. Always providing their films with an interesting approach and usually solid scripts, Fregonese directed several prison movies like My six convicts or Apenas un delincuente capturing prisoners' point of view. Unusually dark for its time, the film suffered some censor's cuts in several countries so keep this in mind if you are watching it from a tv pass. Worth watching noir filmed in a realistic and sometimes brutal -for its time -style. It clearly deserves a restoration.