Rough Shoot

I knew zero about Director Robert Parrish until recently, but then I saw IN THE FRENCH STYLE and SADDLE THE WIND, two very different films, and I liked his style and versatility.

I might add that I am quite impressed by ROUGH SHOOT (aka SHOOT FIRST! In the US) and its Hitchcockian touches, including the musical score by Hans May which vaguely pre-announces Bernard Herrmann.

I do like watching Joel McCrea. Never a great actor, somehow he reminds me of William Powell's pleasant presence on screen. Even in unremarkable roles, he is a joy to watch, always calm and with a reassuring smile. The exquisitely beautiful Evelyn Keyes lights up the screen, Laurence Naismith rates very effective as the MI5 spy master, Herbert Lom plays a friendly Polish colonel with great savvy and cunning, Marius Goring and his sidekick driver are the heavies, and the twisty and clever screenplay by Eric Ambler takes you through an eventful train ride to an explosive finale at Madame Tussaud's, London.

Can you ask for better? 8/10.

This spy film has all the ingredients that I require: A likable male lead (Joel McCrea), a gorgeous female lead (Diana Decker) and a great supporting cast, including Marius Goring, Herbert Lom and Roland Culver. It has suspense, humour and a good script.

The end of the film takes place at Madame Tussaud's wax cabinet. Hitchcock used several famous landmarks in his thrillers, but I am uncertain if he could turn the script into a so entertaining film like director Robert Parrish did.

Although this film is shot in black and white and contains neither bikini-clad women nor funny gadgets, I think this film is better than most James Bond films.

A Hitchcock like espionage movie shot by the American director Robert Parrish in England, in the early 50's. We had already seen this kind of try with Jacques Tourneur's CIRCLE OF DANGER, except that this latest film was not an espionage one.

It's surprising to see Joel Mc Crea in a non western feature. And it's a pretty good success. As far as I remember, and perhaps I am wrong because I did not see it since twenty years, the Tourneur's movie included a hunting party too, but perhaps not at the beginning, like this one.

We easily feel the British influence in this programmer, and not only through the actors. But the general atmosphere sounds nevertheless mainly from the USA.

A fairly good caper film.

Espionage Thriller that really takes awhile to take off, as the slow moving startup is meant to propel Joel McCrea into a Spy Ring and Set Up a Situation that may remind the Viewer of Hitchcock.

But this is rather awkward at first and never attains much Mystery or Suspense until things leave the Countryside. Herbert Lom's Performance borders on Broad Comedy and holds things back somewhat.

There is enough here to be an Entertaining Piece of Cold War Propaganda, but never really kicks into High Gear until the Final Act. Up to that point things are really Talky and Stodgy, but it does manage to display some Atmospheric Tension during the Chase through a Wax Museum and in the Bowels of a Cityscape.

"SHOOT FIRST" (1953) Joel Macrae - I like Joel Macrae but this one just left me quite bored. The cable guide gives it 3 stars, I'd give it one star.

Herbert Lom plays pivotal character, Sandorski.

How can such an exciting storyline be treated so shabbily? Even as I was watching it I thought it was as if they purposely toned-down the dynamic impact (typically British under-statement) in order to convey stark distance and a sort of clinical detachment.

Macrae plays an American Army officer in England who gets involved with some local Nazi spies. But that sounds way more exciting than the movie actually is.